Want your opinions

Miss_Poohs

He's on hills zd low allergen diet chappers. I've tried him on cheaper options but the results always been the same - and it's not pretty!!

I'll look in to your recommendation - thanks.

rising_from_the_ashes

Tixy wrote: »

The problem with the idea of putting money aside to cover bills instead of having insurance is that it won't help you if hfave a third party liability problem (dog bites someone, dog runs into the road and causes a car accident etc).

This might help http://www.dogstrust.org.uk/giving/membership/faq/default.aspx#.T3tPxze_OfY

Membership is £25/year and you do get 3rd party insurance.

Also access to a veterinary advice line.

rising_from_the_ashes

FireWyrm wrote: »

I can't help thinking that much like in America, the cost if insurance is driving the cost of care and it's a vicious circle. I might consider a few hundred pounds to fix a broken leg, but aggressive chemotherapy to extend life a few more months? No. In that case, it's time to ask yourself who's being treated...the animal, or your conscience/need to keep them around.

Absolutely 100% agree - quality of life has to be the No 1 priority.

DVardysShadow

Miss_Poohs wrote: »

On top of this we pay a monthly fee to the vet members club which covers us for annual boosters, flea and worm treatment and 10% discount on goods bought.

That bit sounds sensible. RFTA's suggestion about the 3rd party insurance sounds sensible. But the rest of the pet insurance really is driving sales through guilt at perceived inadequacies in keeping a furry friend alive. You do your best with the resources you have. And sometimes that best would actually be to put the animal to sleep, even if the insurance would pay for another desperate treatment.

I've said it before and I will say it again, pet insurance reduces your dogs and cats to the role of domestic appliances

Miss_Poohs

DVardysShadow wrote: »

I've said it before and I will say it again, pet insurance reduces your dogs and cats to the role of domestic appliances

Sounds a bit brutal but I get your drift

pleasedelete

I took vaccination for life on my lab with vets4pets when a puppy. Cost the same as 2 years but 7 years on it looks like a good return. Chance for them to try and sell flea stuff etc but I say no. Get it on line.

I stopped insurance 5 years ago. Had only had 2 trips to the vet and both were below the minimum claim. Not been at all in past 5 years.

If she were seriously Ill I wouldn't fight to keep her alive- a friend did and it was awful. I felt sorry for the dog who eventually passed away but with little final quality of life.

Being really brutal in my experience when a pet finally dies the vet charges very little.

cinnamon71

Worth checking your home insurance to see if it covers you for 3rd party liability for your dogs, some do but it can depend on breed.

Tixy

A dog can of course be seriously ill in the short term, but absolutely fine after an operation.
A terminal illness I agree as others have posted - I wouldn't prolong a dog's life if the quality of life or the stress of the operations were not fair to the dog.

But for example when my dog was around 2 years old she was rushed to the vets, had xrays, scans and a couple of operations. 2 days later she was home, a month later and now still 8years on she is absolutely fine and has had no ongoing effect. The costs of that incident was around £1300, and at the time I paid £45 excess.

All in I think I'm slighly up in relation to insurance paid over the years, and the vets fees costs I would have paid.

Regarding the reducing them to domestic appliance status - i do disagree with that, my pet is a member of my family - and I'd regard pet insurance the same as medical insurance if a human member of my family was not entitled to nhs treatment.