Can't afford Vet Bills

ButtonzandBeadz

I rehomed a dog 6 months ago and took out pet insurance for him. We have kept him registered at the vet he was at before we got him because we thought it would be beneficial to the the dog. He is now poorly being sick all the time and we can't get to the bottom of it, it was initially thought he has swallowed something but that cant be confirmed. The issue we have is that because he has had similar issues in the past ( with his previous owner) my insurance company won't pay out! We are not on benefits so we are not eligible for help. We thought we were doing the right thing by taking out pet insurance but have not benefited and now we can't afford the on going bill

spike7451

My vet allowed me to pay for Orbit's treatment in installments as I was at the time unemployed.It's worth talking to your vet & see if he'll allow you to pay it off over time,most vets will do this as like you,because Orbit's condition wasn't covered by pet insurance.

Sagz_2

Where did you rehome the dog from? If it was a recognised rescue it may be worth talking to them to see if they will help with the bills for a pre-existing condition.

ButtonzandBeadz

I got him from a breeder - so no help there, but thanks anyway

spike7451

Just ammended my post...

Sagz_2

ButtonzandBeadz wrote: »

I got him from a breeder - so no help there, but thanks anyway

So, technically, you bought a defective product?

Yes I know a dog is a member of the family and not a product (as the hounds curled up on my sofa will vouch for!)

Maybe the breeder will help towards the costs? Or were you aware of the problem when you bought the dog?

Desperate_Housewife_2-2

sorry to hear about your dog being ill. Could you try the blue cross or even a different vet? Vets seem to vary in prices and round here a few 'value' type ones have sprun up with cheaper prices, might be worth shopping around.
Could you try changing the dog food or modifying the diet? Try a second opinion at a different vets and discuss with them about the insurance too. If they cant find out whats wrong with it how is it a pre existing condition? Might want to try your insurance company again as they can be very slippery when paying out on pet insurance. Good luck and I hope your dog feels better soon

Bubby

If you speak to your vet they may allow you to pay in instalments, failing this I see no other option other than to rehome your dog. Yes that may seem harsh but if an animal needs treatment which you are not able to afford then there is no other choice. In the current climate I would NOT advise getting into debt for your animal if you have no idea how much how long the treatment will be. The breeder should have explained any serious problems to you beforehand!

gettingready

Sorry - a bit confused here.

You said in your first post that you have rehomed a dog, then that you got it from a breeder. So you bought, not rehomed a dog?

Is it a pup or a grown up dog?

If he had those problems in the past (as it seems from your posts) and the previous owner, the breeder was aware of them and you were not - you may have a bit of leeway here with the breeder.

If you knew about those problems - it is another story.

If the dog was insured before, it would have been better to change the owner on the previous insurance policy - that way the condition would have been covered as it was "new" under old policy and yours would be continued from a previous one and not pre-existent as such. Buying a new policy - that door is now closed.

Hope the dog feel better - I have 4 kittens two of which have dihrea (spelling) for about 6 weeks now and nothing comes up on tests so no idea what may be causing it. Those investigations are very expensive...

laurel7172

The difficulty is that, even if you can prove the condition was preexisting and that assurances were made about the dog's health, a dog is classed as "goods" and the retailer/breeder doesn't have to repair/pay for vet treatment. They can, at their discretion, take the dog back in return for a refund instead.

A friend of mine bought a pedigree kitten with a heart condition and a falsified health certificate. There wasn't a lot she could do as she didn't want to give back the kitten to be passed onto some other unsuspecting owner...the breeder eventually repaid the purchase cost of the kitten, but it took a solicitor to get that much.