Doctor Today - Updated

We have an appointment to see the surgeon in Vegas at 1345 this afternoon. We're anxious and praying for a good outcome. Angus has been doing really well so we're optimistic but fear lies just below the surface. I'll post an update as soon as we get home.

Fingers crossed.

Six

Update: We're home from the appointment. The news is good.
Doc took new X-Rays and removed the old splint/cast. He said it all looks good so far but because the break was so bad he wanted to wait another 4 weeks before releasing him to full duty (as it were). Angus got a new soft cast that will allow him to start walking more on his paw. Doc wants us to keep him activity limited for a while yet. He'll get the soft cast off in 2 weeks and start serious rehab then. Especially swimming. We see the Doc again for hopefully the last time in 4 weeks. Until then it's business as usual. Not as good as we wished but much better than it could have been. Doc is pleased with his progress but an injury like his just takes time to heal. That's Ok because if there's one thing our dogs have taught us it's patience. We're happy. Angus' energy level has returned to what it was pre-injury. He's off the pain meds and acting like his old self. Heck, we can't let him off leash lest he get the rips and take off running. We didn't get any pics but here's one I took the other day. Angus curled up on the couch with Mommy. He's so cute.

No Kipling today.

Hey all.  Apparently this Sunday started out beautiful and called for a hike; it ended, however, with doggie x-rays and a broken leg.  Angus did what all life loving, slightly crazy, joyful pups do, he took his adventuring one step too far.  Going up the boulders, it seems, was great fun, but the coming down after a nervous Dad called him back led to a misstep and a plant of the right foreleg between the boulders instead of on top.  As Angus is wont to do, he was traveling at Hell-Bent-For-Leather pace, and once the leg stopped, and the body kept going, the only place to give was the bones.  He broke both the ulna and radius in the right leg, and one of them in two places.  Of course this means surgery as the Doc will have to put a pin in the double broken bone to stabilize the piece that is currently floating. They will go in tomorrow to see if the surgery can be done locally, or if they will have to head down to Vegas.

Dad is understandable distraught.  At this point I don't know when he will be blogging again, most of his time will be with Angus.  I will try to post as I get updates.

~The DO

Dog Insurance And A Request

I'm soliciting thoughts, ideas and recommendations from anyone inclined to give them.

With the new pup on the way I'm giving some thought to insurance. Both Trooper and Chrisi had some very expensive surgeries. Trooper had a hip replacement that cost us upward of $7000. Chrisi's was actually more complex if a little less costly. She had a procedure to correct hip dysplasia that involved cutting her hip socket free, turning it so that it had better coverage of the top of the femur and re-attaching it with plates and screws. Call it right at $2500. Trooper's diabetes was intensive if not nearly as costly as it could have been but we had to buy supplies and testing materials and vet visits, etc. Throw in cuts, x-rays, minor surgeries and the like and we're probably talking $10,000 for Trooper and another $5000 for Chrisi in medical costs over their lives.

Now I don't feel a bit bad about any of it. Our dogs are part of our family and medical costs are part of the deal. Still, if I could decrease those potential impacts on out budget it would be helpful. Though I'm praying the new pup can avoid those kinds of issues there's no way to be certain. My breeder is conscientious. They make sure their breeding stock is as defect free as is possible. Hips eyes, ears, elbows and all the things pure bred Labs are susceptible to have been checked for in Momma and Poppa but stuff happens.

Lu sent me a link to Best Friends Animal Society which offers insurance fr as low as $28.00 a month. That's $336 per year. If the dog lives for 15 years (Trooper was 14 years 9 months. Chrisi is 14 years 4 months and counting) that would be $4340, not allowing for increasing costs. Call it somewhere around $5000 for the life of the dog. The insurance seems very similiar to people health insurance; deductibles, lifetime caps and a percentage covered (80% seems to be pretty standard). At those numbers I'd have saved probably $5000 on Trooper's medical care and done no worse than break even on Chrisi.

My question is have any of you had pet insurance? If so do you have any thoughts, tips or recommendations? I get the lowest rate and best coverage if I begin the coverage immediately, before any conditions can be determined to be pre-existing, so I'm motivated to do my due diligence and at least make a quick yes/no decision. I have no attachment to Best Friends so if you have another insurance group you'd care to recommend it'd be welcome.

I appreciate any and all input anyone would care to pass along even if it's to forget insurance completely. If I can find a best case solution I'll post it for all to see.

Thanks in advance.

Six