Dog seriously ill, due to go to Australia on Sunday

[77788r]

My dog has become seriously ill in just a few days, she's having an operation on Wednesday next week and we've been told there's a 75% chance of success of her surviving the operation. If she doesn't have the operation she would likely have less than a month to live.

I am due to fly to Australia on Sunday for 2 weeks. The holiday cost me thousands. The travel insurance won't cover a cancellation or change in dates for a pet, and the pet insurance will cover £1000 which is better than nothing.

I feel devastated. It is a huge sum of money, I've saved up and done so much planning and preparation and I feel sick at the thought of it just going to waste. It was for a big birthday. The operation is also thousands of pounds, so this whole situation is costing nearly 6 months of salary for me. I also feel sick at leaving my dog, not knowing what the outcome of the surgery is gonna be or knowing if it's the last time I'll see her. I've spoken to family and friends who think I should go, aside from the family member who would be looking after her while I was away - they said it would be wrong for me to go and they would never consider going themselves.

I don't think I'll go but it hurts so much, I'm so upset at the timing of it all

You obviously have never been loved by a dog. Poor you.

Yes they’re good odds.

For some reason it feels a bit strange that you initially referred to your partner as the ‘family member’ looking after her. To me it is different depending whether it’s an owner or say your Aunt looking after her.

I honestly do not know what I’d do in your position. It’s awful for you.

What a horrible reply. I hope you don't have a dog.

OP, my advice would be to try and postpone or sell the holiday. I don't think you'll enjoy it knowing your dog is home and potentially very ill, possibly confused and certainly missing you. Holidays can be rebooked, time spent with your lovely dog can never be had again.

Sending best wishes to you and pupster

I have a few choice words I’d like to say but I won’t as I don’t want to violate Talk Guidelines.

I would do this. Honestly fuck insurance companies - fake it and be with your dog and save yourself £££ and go on holiday with the money saved.

(I am sure there will be some mumsnet headgirls along to tell me how wrong I am and how morally corrupt I am for breaking the rules and how everyone else will suffer by having to pay more for their holiday insurance and all that shit, so I’d like to say as a disclaimer: I have never been in the unfortunate position where I’ve had to do this, and I’ve paid thousands in holiday insurance over the years - I go on some pretty spendy hols which need special insurance in case I get eaten by a lion. I would LOVE to pay a bit extra so you can guilt free spend time with your dog AND have a holiday. There you go! Permission!).

How can you possibly fake illness bad enough for insurance to pay out?

I’m a bit torn on this but if dh was going to be looking after the dog, then I think I would go and I don’t think it’s fair for him to guilt trip you over this. There’s a 75% chance that you will come home to a dog that is well on its way to recovery. If the worst happens, there isn’t anything you could do about it anyway.

You can’t just fake illness for insurance and if you try you could end up being prosecuted.

Op sorry if you’ve answered this but can you change the dates of the flights for a fee? Surely they not non refundable?

If you go I don’t think you’ll enjoy it and you’ll probably always feel guilty. Wishing you the best of luck

It’s rubbish timing, but there is no way I could leave one of my dogs in this situation.

I really hope your dog comes through this ok.

Personally I wouldn't be able to go. I would also encourage my partner not to, mainly because I'd be surprised if they decided to go and would want to make sure they were thinking straight.
It's not just the surgery but the recovery afterwards, your dog will want you there.

In your shoes, I'd go if DH was looking after our dog, and I'd encourage him to go if the situation were reversed.

Will your DDog feel safe and loved with your DP? If so, I'd go, and you'll very likely come home to a recovering DDog.

Quite clearly not an animal lover then!

I say this as a massive dog lover, dogs are literally my life. But I think you should go, as long as you completely trust the person looking after your dog, and they are happy to look after your dog after surgery.

Worst case scenario - your dog doesn’t make it. Losing a dog is THE WORST, but actually not being the one who is at the coal face of it all and having the distraction of a holiday may actually make that easier. And staying won’t make the outcome of whether or not your dog lives any different.

Best case scenario - dog recovers fine and you get all the licks when you get home.

Obviously you would never plan to go away if you knew this was going to happen, but you’ve spent so much money on the holiday. Your dog is clearly very loved and you being there or not on the day of the op can’t take away a lifetime of love. Don’t feel guilty, it’s not ideal, but I think you should get on that plane.

I was looking to see if anyone had suggested this because honestly, this was my first thought too.

And technically, it's not a lie if you can claim for severe anxiety/mental health reasons? I know I would be way too stressed to travel in those circumstances, I'd be so anxious about my dog, I'd be non-functional. (Not actually bothered if anyone thinks that's an over-reaction - I love my dog beyond).

Failing that, D&V bug that unfortunately strikes just before you're due to travel?

I think this is one of those very rare circumstances where you are in a genuine dilemma - holiday companies and insurers make absolutely millions. If they were more accommodating about letting you change dates etc, you wouldn't be in this position. I wouldn't judge you at all for pulling a sickie and claiming on the insurance. It's still rubbish for you - losing a much-anticipated holiday. But I doubt very much you'd be able to enjoy it now, even if your dog does make it through.

I wouldn't leave my dog with a random relative... but my dh absolutely i would. That your dog is with your partner changes everything.

Impossible.
They wouldn’t pay out without medical proof and back up
They won’t pay out many thousands just because someone says they have a tummy bug.

Massive drip feed there that changes things. You wouldn't be leaving your dog with a reluctant family member pet sitting, she will be with her owner at home. Why is your partner not going with you to Australia, when it is a big birthday celebration? Or were they going, and staying because of the dog? If they weren't going in the first place for good reason, they have no right to guilt trip you about this.

Ordinary D and V will not be enough. You need proof that you are not well enough to travel.
Ordinary stress/self declared depression also will not meet insurance pay out thresholds.
You need a Drs note that you are too ill to be able to travel.

I'd have a look at the policy terms and see what's covered.

But just plucking something randomly out of the air, a tummy bug is easily conjured up and doesn't require any proof. You could easily ring the GP and say you've had D&V - I would bet that most GPs would issue a sick note without even seeing you for an acute illness like a tummy bug.

Have you ever dealt with holiday insurance companies ?
They are no way going to pay out for something like a many thousands of pounds holiday unless it’s literally intensive care serious
( Family member tripped on an escalator and developed sepsis-
She was in intensive care for ages- That is the level you are looking at for a payout.

Sorry, cross posted!

I'm fairly confident a GP would issue a sick note for D & V if I just rang them and said that I need one. You can't travel if you have D & V so it's a fairly reasonable thing to claim for. It's also the right time of year for a D&V bug.

Just to clarify, I'm self-employed and have been for many, many years and I don't travel because of disabled DC. So I'm not ringing my GP and asking for sick-notes for any reason! However, my DP was having horrendous migraines and for several months his GP issued him sick notes without even seeing him. My GP prescribes for new conditions without even speaking to us on the phone. All we have to do is send in an e-consult, don't even need to submit photos most of the time.... I can't imagine it would be much of a stretch to get a sick note for a tummy bug...

Seriously how hurtful the dog is ill it may not make it. if it does it will need aftercare and lots of love and attention and to some it's not just a pet ffs show some compassion

I don't travel these days so no idea about current holiday insurance plans, tbh.

But I did work in insurance for 14 years+, in the Claims department, rather ironically. In management.

It depends what the terms and conditions say, which is what I alluded to above. You would definitely need to check what they say first.

But surely holiday insurance is there to cover any incidence of ill health where you can't travel? If you're chucking up and running to the toilet, there's no way you could fly - from a personal point out of view, let alone the risk of contagion.

Some insurance companies are absolutely arseholes and try to wiggle out of paying legitimate claims. But it's a case of going back to the T&Cs and looking at any exclusions - it all depends on the type of cover you've purchased.

It is not a sick note you need, that is easy to get. It is a letter saying the GP is advising you not to travel for medical reasons. That is tougher to get, and a GP is unlikely to just write it, as they could be sued for fraud by the insurance company if they did not have clear proof.