People often ask me if they should get pet insurance for their dogs – and I say that while there are dozens of reasons to get pet insurance, the biggest one of all is because of the explosion of cancer in dogs and cats, which the best pet insurance plans pay for.
If you needed no reason other than cancer, then getting your dog health insurance from the moment she joins your family can give you a lifetime of peace of mind knowing that if (or when) cancer is found, you don’t have to worry about being able to afford the sophisticated treatments that can extend life with good quality- and in some cases even conquer the cancer – because you have pet insurance that will cover most of the cost.
Many times people react as though cancer is something “that happens to other people” but sadly it happens to nearly half of us who love our dogs – and to kitties, too, although not as often. Pet health and pet insurance go hand in hand. There are brilliant treatments for cancer, which can give your pet a positive outcome - and which gain you more time and quality of life with your beloved four-legged family member. But it is usually only those people who have planned ahead by getting pet insurance who can choose these costly medical options, which otherwise they probably could not afford.
How terrible would it be to have your pet diagnosed with cancer and then not be able to choose the treatment your veterinarian recommends, since most options are way out of most peoples’ reach financially. However, with a policy like the one that I chose from Pets Best Insurance for all my dogs, after the one-time deductible they will pay 80% of every bill I receive. I wish people could get health insurance as good as the very best insurance policies for pets!
Do you ever doubt that your own healthy dog has less real risk of getting cancer? Because I have to tell you that the statistics are frightening! Veterinary oncologist Dr. Alice Villalobos (the Official Cancer Specialist of both my radio shows) tells me that half of ALL dogs over two years old will get some kind of cancer! Some breeds like Greyhounds have a 2-in-1 chance of getting cancer – large male Golden Retrievers have a 75% chance of getting cancer. Boxers and Rottweilers have terribly high rate of getting cancer, too. Keep in mind that even mutts that are a mix of some of these at-risk breeds can inherit the cancer gene. So I say, how can anyone afford not to get pet insurance?!
Because it’s not all gloom and doom – cancer does not have to be a “death sentence.” There are excellent treatments that can halt the cancer and extend your pet’s life with dignity and comfort, offering you precious extra time with your pet. Since most cancer medication for pets is the same as used on humans, the costs are sky high but the results can be tremendous – and pet insurance puts them within reach. There are even treatments that can stop some cancers completely. Preparing for the possibility that your pet can get this disease means buying a pet insurance plan early in your pet’s life, which will include cancer treatment and has a high lifetime benefit so that everything is covered.
While frightening to think about, the important thing to realize is that cancer does not need to be a death sentence – for people or our pets – but the odds are high that you will have to deal with it some day. Giving yourself the protection of the best pet insurance plan can make it possible to afford the cancer treatments that will give your pet a fighting chance.