Hip Dysplasia and Femoral Head Ostectomy

Ringo the American Bulldog rescued again

Embrace Reimbursed: $3,288.25
Location: Huntington Beach, California
Date: December 2008

Background

Ringo was a stray who found his way into a shelter where he was adopted. Although he had only recently found a new home, he had already settled into his new life. Sadly it seemed that his rough stretch was not yet over.

One day, very suddenly, Ringo was unable to get up or walk. His veterinarian found that he had numerous orthopedic illnesses, including hip dysplasia, degenerative joint disease, and spondylosis.

Ringo's best chances for recovery would include surgery and rehabilitation. A Femoral Head Ostectomy was performed to alleviate the pain associated with his hip dysplasia. Then, Ringo underwent further weekly rehabilitation and physical therapy to help him regain his strength and mobility.

Ringo's mom wrote:

It was a very horrifying experience. Two weeks later our had has had to have a bilateral FHO. So far everyone has been amazing. They have kept me calm and collected. If it weren't for Embrace this experience would have ranked with the worst in my life.

UPDATE: Thank you again, for being so helpful through out this whole process. I honestly don't know what I would have done had I not had insurance, and a very helpful person to talk to about all of it. I still think Ringo is a little sad about not going back [to therapy], he loved it there. They have "water sessions" that we are thinking of doing once a month or something.

Ringo's Policy

Most pet insurance plans will not cover hip dysplasia at all because they consider it to be a genetic condition. Embrace covers genetic conditions and gladly covered Ringo's claim.

Follow up treatments for Ringo's chronic orthopedic issues will continue to be covered as long as his policy is active thanks to Continuing Care Coverage.

Ringo's Claim Refund