Boxer Cardiomyopathy
Sledge's heart scare
Contribution to Deductible: $325.00
Location: Carpinteria, Calif.
Date: September 2009
Background
Sledge was brought home from a dog show in Santa Barbara in August 2008 when he was 10 months old. When he went for his annual check-up in 2009, his vet at Carpinteria Veterinary Hospital suspected he had a heart murmur so he took an X-ray and had it reviewed by a specialist. The X-ray indicated Sledge might have cardiomyopathy, a condition all too common to Boxers.
Sledge'ss mom, Bonnie, was frightened and heartsick given that treatment options include medication, a controlled diet, and limited exercise… “Limited exercise for a two year old boxer? Very difficult to implement!”
A cardiac ultrasound was scheduled, and thankfully the results came back negative and Bonnie breathed a sigh of relief. Sledge's diagnostic testing cost $325.
Sledge's Policy
Sledge's mom had a boxer prior to Sledge, but by the time she learned about pet insurance, the boxer was already too old. Many times during her life, she wished she had had pet insurance and vowed that if she ever got a young dog again, she would get him insured from day one.
Bonnie works in the insurance business so she felt very comfortable comparing the different pet insurance plans. She liked the customization options available with the Embrace policies and the fact that they covered breed specific and chronic conditions, such as Boxer Cardiomyopathy. When she took out a policy with a higher deductible and co-pay, Bonnie found the premium to be very reasonable, especially considering that Embrace covers more than "the other guys."
Sledge's Claim Refund
Sledge's cardiac ultrasound claim
| Amount |
| Actual Vet Bill | $325.00
|
Covered Charges
| $325.00
|
Annual Deductible Remaining
| -$500.00 |
Contribution to Deductible
| $325.00 |
Reflections
While she didn't receive a refund from this claim since it did not exceed her deductible, Sledge's owner is still breathing easier knowing that he doesn't have cardiomyopathy. In fact, this case of a $500 deductible highlights Embrace’s catastrophic pet insurance, which has a higher deductible, lower premium, and protects pet parents against major, catastrophic events. Thankfully, in Sledge's case, disaster was avoided.