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Pet insurance company reveals top claims of 2017

Jan 20, 2018 | Lifestyles

(Welcome to the weekly pet column of Pet Connection Programs Inc. of Marilla, N.Y. A new article is posted each week, so be sure to check back on a regular basis!)

It’s no secret that veterinary bills can be very expensive and overwhelming. Sometimes pet parents will bypass their own needs in order to pay for their furry family members’ needs. Healthy Paws Pet Insurance — the #1 customer-rated provider of insurance for dogs and cats — believes that no pet parent should have to make the hard choices when it comes to their dog’s or cat’s health.

After delving into its most common claims for 2017, Healthy Paws discovered not just how much pet parents are spending at the vet’s office, but also shared the day-to-day reality of these cases. Pet parents far and wide contributed their stories — everything from a Basset Hound suffering from glaucoma to a young kitty’s kidney disease. It was after reviewing the 200,000 claims, Healthy Paws then determined the two highest instances for the 2017 calendar year.

“We take pride in being able to help fellow pet parents, especially when the going gets rough. These two claims’ costs were daunting, and we’re so happy we could help get these pets back home with their families,” says Rob Jackson, CEO and co-founder of Healthy Paws Pet Insurance. “We’re looking forward to helping many more pets in similar situations this year. We reached 300,000 enrolled pets in 2017, so our sights are high to be here for even more pets and pet parents in 2018!”

The two highest claims in 2017:

• The most expensive vet bill for a dog came from a 2-year-old female, mixed breed/medium-sized pup who was hit by a car. After surgery to stabilize her broken bones and internal bleeding, she also had her spleen removed as it was damaged in the accident. She was hospitalized and under vet care for 11 days. The total invoice was $26,009, and Healthy Paws reimbursed the pet parent $23,212 (pet parent’s reimbursement rate was 90 percent with a $250 deductible).

• The most expensive vet visit for a cat came from a 7-year-old male Egyptian Mau. The cat fell from a five-story window, which caused broken bones as well as internal injuries. After a blood transfusion, oxygen therapy and surgery, the kitty was stable. His recovery process included a feeding tube, due to oral fractures, for eight weeks. Healthy Paws reimbursed $24,292 of the $28,126 bill (pet parent’s reimbursement rate was 90 percent with a $500 deductible).

While these incidents represent the most extreme cases, there are many day-to-day accidents and illnesses that can send our pets to the vet, or the emergency room, throughout the year.
— PRNewswire

(For more information on pets and animal adoption, please visit www.petconnectionprogramsinc.com. Or, visit their Facebook page at www.facebook.com/PetConnectionProgramsinc. Located in Marilla, N.Y., Pet Connection Programs Inc. is a nonprofit maternity and special care shelter founded in 1984.)

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