Is pet insurance worth it for an Italian Greyhound?
It’s difficult to anticipate if and when our pets will get sick or injured. In an emergency, you may be required to take your dog to the vet, potentially costing thousands of dollars in out-of-pocket expenses.
As a purebred, the Italian Greyhound can be exposed to many health conditions and hereditary illnesses. Without an adequate safety net, having to choose between your finances or your dog’s health, can quickly become emotionally stressful.
Pet insurance can help reduce the shock to your wallet when your dog requires medical attention and care. It can give you the peace of mind needed to focus on your dog getting back to good health.
Common health conditions for an Italian Greyhound
Like many dogs, the Italian Greyhound can develop hereditary illnesses and health conditions throughout its life. Here are some common health conditions an Italian Greyhound can experience:
- Legg-Calve-Perthes disease: Due to reduced blood supply, the leg bone can shrink. This condition can show up as early as 6 months, and in severe cases require surgery.
- Collapsing Windpipe: This can make breathing difficult and wearing a collar can be painful. Surgical operations may be required to help save your dog’s life.
- Porto-Systemic Shunt: A liver defect, this condition can only be treated with expensive surgery.
- Broken legs: The Italian Greyhound is prone to suffering from broken legs which can cost hundreds of dollars in treatment to repair.
- Hip Dysplasia: Due to abnormal growth of the hip joints, your dog may have trouble standing or walking. In serious cases, surgery can help your dog recover from the medical issue.
What does pet insurance cover for an Italian Greyhound?
Pet insurance can help provide a valuable financial safety net and ensure your dog gets the care and attention it needs to get back to good health. Based on your plan, you could be eligible for the following coverage:
- Testing and diagnostics: Tests can help examine the illness or injury and determine the best treatment for the medical issue. The cost of x-rays, ultrasounds, MRI scans, blood tests, CT scans, and urinalysis can be covered by pet insurance.
- Accident and illness: If you take out accident and illness coverage, you’re likely to be covered for treatment needed where your dog gets sick or injured during an accident.
- Surgery and hospitalization: Some medical issues may require overnight stays at the hospital or surgery to help your dog recover. Pet insurance can help cover these expenses for you.
- Holistic and alternative procedures: These can include physical therapy, acupuncture, hydrotherapy, chiropractic, homeopathy, and naturopathy. As the Italian Greyhound is prone to broken legs, treatments such as physical therapy can be useful in helping your dog recover.
While pet insurance can cover you for a range of different expenses, what you will be reimbursed for will depend on your coverage and policy. Typically, there are three different types of policies, these are accident-only, accident and illness, and wellness care. Accident and illness policies provide more extensive coverage than accident-only and therefore are likely to have more expensive premiums.
How are pet insurance premiums determined for an Italian Greyhound?
Many different factors determine the cost of your pet insurance coverage. Some of these factors include:
- Size and breed of dog: Larger breeds can require more medication and be subject to health conditions due to their size and weight. This can increase the insurance premium.
- Medical history: If your dog has ongoing health conditions, premiums can be higher to account for the cost of treatments provided.
- Deductibles and reimbursement level: For most policies, you can adjust the deductible and reimbursement level to fit your budget. When you pay more in deductibles and you’re reimbursed for a lower percentage of medical costs, this will lower your premiums.
- Location: Some areas can have higher veterinary costs which can increase your premium.
- Age: As your dog gets older, it can become more costly to insure because they are more susceptible to developing health conditions and may take longer to recover.
While pet insurance can provide extensive coverage there are some common exclusions. These can include cosmetic treatment, pre-existing medical conditions, teeth cleaning, and preventable diseases.
How to choose the best pet insurance plan for an Italian Greyhound?
Shopping around for the best pet insurance plan can be time-consuming and with several providers is can become confusing to compare plans. Here are some key factors to keep in mind when choosing your plan:
- Add-ons: Many pet insurance plans come with add-ons that can help pay for extra medical costs your dog might need. Common add-ons include dental care, behavioral therapy, and routine check-ups.
- Waiting periods: The majority of policies have waiting periods where an effective date is a certain number of days after the start date. It is best to be aware of the waiting periods before you take out a policy because if you need to submit a claim, it’s unlikely that your pet insurance policy will reimburse you for your expenses.
- Terms and conditions: Like with other insurance policies, it’s a good idea to read the terms and conditions before you take out the policy. Policies will differ in many aspects including coverage limits, exclusions, waiting periods, and alternative therapies. Be sure to take out a pet insurance policy that adequately fits the medical needs of your Italian Greyhound.