Insure Your Dogs...injuries Don't Just Happen During The Working Months!!

[Leesy 35]

I was out at 6 am on my usual morning walk with the dogs through the local nature reserve, taking my usual route down the river and through the woods, with the old girl 'Skye' at my side, as usual, and the sapling 'Tip' up ahead sniffing about chasing squirrels, as usual. The walk was just like any other, minus the rain for a change, and as luck would have it without my 6 month old daughter who is usually out with me taking in the fresh air and listening to the birds.

 

All of a sudden'Tip' shot off up through the trees on hot pursuit of something I'd missed, most probably a squirrel, but we get a lot of roe deer knocking about up there so I whistled him back as I was unsure what he'd gone after. I don't want him coursing deer (for obvious reasons)!! He didn't come back first time as he usually does so I gave out another whistle, and sure enough he can galloping back, hurdled a fallen tree and skidded to a halt in front of me. I gave him a pat on the head, sent him on, then noticed his leg was RED, very RED.

 

I called him back and my gut churned, it was blood, lots of blood, and it was literally squirting out from a hole at his hock. I panicked a little, who wouldn't, it was horrifying. I scooped him up and squeezed his leg tight to slow the bleeding and ran home as fast as I could with old 'Skye' running behind. I called the Mrs, puffing and panting as I ran, telling her to get the first aid kit out as 'Tip' had a nasty gash. When I arrived home 'Wonder Woman' was stood there with said first aid kit and leaped into action. My Mrs is brilliant at times like this whereas I tend to spin around trying to figure out my next move!!

 

As she was seeing to 'Tip' I pulled out Penny Taylors book, 'Working dog Maintenance'. What a book that is, if you don't have it BUY IT, it's brilliant and gives a lot of useful info and tips regarding injuries and how to deal with them. I'm on my second round reading this book, but in the panic my mind was blank so I flicked through to the section on skin tears and cuts for a bit of guidance.

 

Anyway, the Mrs got 'Tip' bandaged up and I called the emergency vet to tell them I was on my way. By the time I got there he was a little shaky and his gums were pretty pale due to the blood loss, and on examination the vet informed me he had been cut to the bone, straight through a vein (hence the squirting blood) and completely severed a tendon! Not good! This meant surgery!

 

The vet asked me if 'Tip' was insured, I winced as I replied "No, I've meaning to get it sorted"!! "How much money do you have?" he asked, "How much do I need?" I reluctantly replied! He then told me due to the 'out of hours fees', surgery and drugs, I'd be very lucky to see any change from £600, and it could get as high as £800 if there was any damage to the bone!! The dog wasn't the only one wounded!!

 

Well, 'Tip' had his surgery this morning and is recovering in is bed as I type. The tendon was successfully sutured, there was no damage to the bone, and I did get change from £600...£104 in fact, still bringing the bill to a rather hefty £496. This was better than the original quote but it still leaves a substantial dent in my 'new van funds'

 

I had a harsh lesson today. Don't ponder over different insurers and quotes too much, if you've had quotes from a half dozen companies already you generally won't find anything better than you've already found.

 

If you haven't insured your dog yet stop messing about and get it done. Injuries don't just happen during the working months, they can jump out and slap you and your dog round the chops at any time!!

 

'Tip' is now on a strictly NO exercise routine for 3 weeks before his splint can be taken off, then light exercise on a lead for another few weeks, with an estimated and optimistic 3 months recovery time!! Looks like we will be starting late this coming season, if at all!!

 

 

[jigsaw 11,865]

wellcome to my world,lol.I can envisage what you went through as Im just coming out the other end of the same situation,Ive no insurance on any of the dogs,never needed it up to this point and the vet I have to say is as faor as any decent man in the land,payment in instalments is the order of the day also,

 

 

 

as seen allready,

and after the operation

 

 

thankfully hes made a full recovery,you just never know whats waiting around the corner at any time.

[Fly The Boy 339]

Put your ad in discussion section,not many people go through write up section this time of year,put shit does happen and insurance is very handy,you only get stung once,pictures of jigsaws dog is a disaster.

[Leesy 35]

wellcome to my world,lol.I can envisage what you went through as Im just coming out the other end of the same situation,Ive no insurance on any of the dogs,never needed it up to this point and the vet I have to say is as faor as any decent man in the land,payment in instalments is the order of the day also,

 

 

 

as seen allready,

and after the operation

 

ffffflippin eck!! that horrible pal, makes my lads injuries look lik

e scratches. hope he recovers well mate!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

thankfully hes made a full recovery,you just never know whats waiting around the corner at any time.

[Leesy 35]

Put your ad in discussion section,not many people go through write up section this time of year,put shit does happen and insurance is very handy,you only get stung once,pictures of jigsaws dog is a disaster.

 

how do I move it to discussion pal? i camt fathum it! or do I need to rewrite it?

[Fly The Boy 339]

You will need to rewrite again pal,I am useless on computers too.

[Leesy 35]

what a pain! cheers tho

[terryd 8,466]

if its helpful petplan don't care if its a working dog

 

12:24:49 [terry] out of interest does it affect any thing if it was a working dog

12:26:45 [Reena] If your dog is getting paid for the work it does it would impact the policy. If the work is voluntary or a hobby it will not have an impact on the policy.

but if you mention a previous injury like I did watch the exclusions on your policy because I mentioned a tendon injury they have have pretty much excluded all his limbs

They just need more info off my vet who is on the case but I expect them to exclude that injured leg but there you go.

Costing under 15 quid a month

Edited May 26, 2015 by terryd

[air gun ant 1,666]

Stark reminder mate! I've been meaning to get mine sorted for nearly 3 years, always had my other dogs insured but for some reason I just havnt done this one yet. And he's probably the one that needs it most!!! lol I suppose having never needed to claim before it seems to have just gone to back of my mind, but hell, anything can happen anytime.

Jigsaw, I hope your dog made a full recovery? That looks a nasty one, how did he manage that? (If you don't mind me asking)

[jigsaw 11,865]

he hit a tree stump as far as I can work out AGA,out the woods on a bank holiday monday to make matters worse,but the vet was excellent,came to the surgery straight away and sorted surgery,etc.hes flying now thankfully.Wont know the extent of the damage till hes back at work next october so hopefully he'll make a god recovery

[Leesy 35]

I've insured mine now...petplan £16 a month, and the besy thing is they pay out straight to your vet rather than u forking out and having to claim it back! didn't mention he was a worker but did mention the injury! wish I hadn't now after terryd's comment!! but heyho, lets see [BANNED TEXT] happens in the future!!

Glad to hear your boy is doin ok jigsaw. like me, u won't know the extent until work starts! hopefully all will be good.

[Leesy 35]

I've insured mine now...petplan £16 a month, and the besy thing is they pay out straight to your vet rather than u forking out and having to claim it back! didn't mention he was a worker but did mention the injury! wish I hadn't now after terryd's comment!! but heyho, lets see [BANNED TEXT] happens in the future!!

Glad to hear your boy is doin ok jigsaw. like me, u won't know the extent until work starts! hopefully all will be good.

[jigsaw 11,865]

we can compare notes next season lol

[terryd 8,466]

just have a look on the back of your policy when it comes Leesy for the exclusions mine has

 

Excluding claims resulting from or connected to leg/hip/shoulder disorders

 

lol so bout the only thing covered is his snout and tail hopefully the vet will get them sorted

[Leesy 35]

we can compare notes next season lol

Ha, yep... I'm dubious to say the least, but I'll probably give him a go out with the ferrets around November at the earliest. Will have some rehab to put him through first!! I'll be twitching up until that point though. I already can't wait for the season to start!