Vets And Snake Bites

[lucknow]

Insurance on dogs is very limited. I have a dog that can not be insured. He is a brachy breed with a idiopathic epilepsy. The Insurers refuse to cover him for the greater majority of illnesses, if they will even cover him at all.

Luckily, I have access to cash when needed and to credit cards, but even more so, I have Vets that I have built a relationship with. Not everyone has these things. I am one of the lucky people in life. The woman who has just loved her pet obviously did not.

When I took out insurance for my 2 dogs, one was over 7 at the time and could only get accident only.

Correct me of I'm wrong, but can't the brachy breeds can still get accident cover.

Given that in the 7 years I have owned my epi Pug, we have averaged $1800 per year in Veterinary fees for him, and he has never had 'an accident' in that time, I can't see the point in paying cover when the main thing I spend money on medically will not be covered.

Brachy breeds can certainly be covered, but primarily for annual check-ups and vaccinations, and nothing to do with health related issues. I don't vaccinate my dogs. They visit the Vet more than once per year for their various ailments, so they also never have to visit just for a 'general' check-up either.

Insurance in my case is totally useless. I am sure there are many others out there who for various reasons have also decided that insurance is simply not viable for them and their situation.

Brachy breeds definately CAN get insurance. The company I have insured my dog with covers them, we have treated several of the more notorious (health wise) breeds at work recently that had full cover including a pug, shar pei and neo mastiff.

I recommend insurance to all new pet owners because as you have pointed out, it is useless once a health problem has occured, get in before it happens. While you can only claim on a fully paid vet bill, it is easier to borrow money (if needed) when you know it can be repaid in a matter of weeks.

I keep an unused credit card in case of emergencies with my guys (well actually I cut up the card so I cant be tempted, but it is linked to my regular account on the net so it only takes the click of a button to transfer to my debit card).Even though I work for a vet, you never know when you may need to use another vet if caught short away from home, needing specialist services, etc.

It may not be viable for everyone, but my job would be a lot easier if more owners had it.

[gwenneth1]

In a perfect world we would have lots of money stashed away to cover all sorts of emergencies: For when our car's transmission & electronics shat itself together $2700.00 (can't remember the exact amount for the mechanical thingos ); for the horse who gets severe colic and costs us $3500.00 to save and mend; for the dog who has a growth in his ears $850.00; for the dog who was run over the top of whilst on lead by somebody's horse going nuts $750.00; for the horse who decided she didn't like her paddock buddy so much any more and splits her leg to the bone $1650.00; for the kid who has been born with a cross bite and crooked teeth (courtesy of yours truly) extensive dental and orthodontist work $7,500.00 (of which private health will cover $3000.00); for the horse who is in chronic pain with stones ( investigative & ab treatment then several major operations and rehab ) $8500.00...........

Yep, we had some money stashed away but we had three of those in one year which pretty much cleaned out our "put away" stash, not whinging, that's just the way it goes. It doesn't make me good or bad, but in the world I live in doesn't have an inexhaustable amount of money (but I'm giving that theory a good go with Oz lotto tickets :rolleyes: ), but I would hope that in some exceptional circumstances that Vets would (and have) be gracious enough to cut us some slack with payment up front. As we do extend this courtesy to some as well. It's a bit hard telling an elderly pensioner, this is going to cost you $1800.00 (and that is with honestly the empathy clause we have in taking money off for such people) and leaving them in the lurch.

(I do not insure any of my animals anymore, after spending so much on premiums and getting so little back, it did not prove cost effective for my situation)

As I say, I do appreciate both sides of the argument, but in the case of life and death, it's pretty cold to want every penny up front or you will knowingly let that animal die, especially after there is goodwill shown by most monies being offered up front.

[raz]

it's pretty cold to want every penny up front or you will knowingly let that animal die,

Well as I said it seems like something was lost in translation. Vets cant ask for all money upfront in the case of snake bite because they dont know what the final bill is going to be. The dog might need one vial and 24 hours. he might need 3 vials and 10 days of round the clock vet care and daily CKL tests. He might suffer serum sickness and need treatment for that, or he might have ongoing problems from the venom and/or AV for 12 months or longer. A vet cant possibly say, right treatment for this snake bite is going to cost x dollars and I need it all before I start. maybe the vet asked for a deposit to cover the cost of the vial but the owner of the dog in the OP was too upset to explain it properly to the OP

Edited February 10, 2011 by raz

[Keira&Phoenix]

I would hazard a guess the OP meant the vet asked for upfront payment of the initial treatment ie: antivenom and one or two days care.

[Souff]

Vets are not a charity and they have more than their fair share of people who skip town without paying.

They have to pay their suppliers of the anti-venene and it is not cheap.

They also have to pay their staff and all of the other overheads in the place.

For anyone who wants to use something a whole lot cheaper, something that has been proven to work,and something you can have in the frig at home, just Google "Vitamin C for snakebite".

Country vets have seen the results. Most vets wont tell you about it, because there is no money in it for them, yet ironically, it was an American vet who made the discovery about 100 years ago. The pharmaceutical big boys don't write up much about his discovery though, no money in it for them.

The knockers will tell you it doesn't work. Those of us whose dogs lives have been saved, know that it can work and we didn't have a $1400 bill. Our bill was less than $30.

Souff

[raz]

Vets are not a charity and they have more than their fair share of people who skip town without paying.

They have to pay their suppliers of the anti-venene and it is not cheap.

They also have to pay their staff and all of the other overheads in the place.

For anyone who wants to use something a whole lot cheaper, something that has been proven to work,and something you can have in the frig at home, just Google "Vitamin C for snakebite".

Country vets have seen the results. Most vets wont tell you about it, because there is no money in it for them, yet ironically, it was an American vet who made the discovery about 100 years ago. The pharmaceutical big boys don't write up much about his discovery though, no money in it for them.

The knockers will tell you it doesn't work. Those of us whose dogs lives have been saved, know that it can work and we didn't have a $1400 bill. Our bill was less than $30.

Souff

Knock Knock Knock. Where's the scientific evidence it works on envenomation by Australian Venomous Snakes, Souffle? What's that??? Ohh there isnt any. There probably isnt any evidence it works for American Pit Viper venom either , not that Pit Vipers kill dogs like Elapids do. Find me a herpetologist who will use vit c rather than AV when he or his children are envenomated by an Australian venomous snake and I'll eat my fluffy hat.