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The doghouse

If you're worried about your pet's health, please speak to a vet or qualified professional.

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Original poster

Would you insure a lab puppy?

28 replies

TartanRug · 14/08/2013 08:53

We have a lab puppy whose insurance from the breeder is due to run out. We are unsure whether to reinsure or put money aside every month to cover any costs (we wouldn't touch this money). Also if you do insure, do you recommend for life policy or an annual policy? Have also posted in chat before I realised I should prob have posted here! Thanks in advance.

OP posts:

cansleepanywhere · 14/08/2013 09:06

Yes!!

I went for life cover just in case my pup (also lab) gets a long running illness. Vet fees nowadays are through the roof!

lollylaughs · 14/08/2013 09:11

And insure your garden, hosepipes and all shoes .

We have a lab and he isn't covered, but recently he was diagnosed with allergies so is on corterzone for the itch. Vet said is can be quite common with the breed. We are not sure what the allergy is at yet so he is on strict diet of Eukanaba food. He suspects it could be flea allergy as one bite can set it off.

Being large breed dogs, they do also have a tendency to have hip problems when they age.

Vet fees have been quite high with all his meds and checkups.

Bramblesinforrin · 14/08/2013 09:20

Yes! My frind's lab puppy had an op to remove something it had eaten, costing lots, but covered. Our old lab retriever had a skin condition which was long running and would have cost a fortune. Our current lab retriever is mr chewy bouncy in late puppy stages, hence having third party if he ever did what my neighbours lab did - ran out on a nearby busy road, caused and accident and thousands of pounds worth of vet bills.

sebastianthesingingaubergine · 14/08/2013 14:59

Yes! I know when people have paid out for a whole dogs life and not ever had to claim then it can seem pointless. But for each of those, there are many many others who are faced with huge vets bills. Labs, in particular are prone to eating everything but, and sometimes even, the kitchen sink. Requires xrays, endoscopy or surgery if the kitchen sink gets wedged in. Regardless of that, lifetime cover for any potential long term disease that requires medication, un-expected illness etc etc. Even something like a grass seed in an ear leaves a bill of hundreds.

It is terribly sad when a decision of an animals life comes down to finances, but unfortunately this is a common scenario.

Definitely insure your dog.

Caffeineaddictedmumof4 · 14/08/2013 15:51

Yes definitely, especially with a puppy.

I was undecided about it this year as my older dog is 11 now I planned to self insure but I couldn't risk it, I'd never forgive myself if he needed an op & we couldn't afford it.

pootlepootle · 14/08/2013 16:28

i would definitely insure a labrador puppy. the first few years are when anything hideous with hips or elbows could come to light. the cost of fixing this kind of thing would be far more than you had saved in that account.

my two labrador puppies (well puppies to me) are insured with petplan on their 7k for life policy. it's expensive but i like the reassurance it gives me.

SDTGisAnEvilWolefGenius · 14/08/2013 16:40

Joining the chorus to say yes. Vet bills can be horrendous, and are totally unpredictable.

One of our dogs trod on broken glass and cut her pad, and needed a minor operation and several follow-up visits - well over £100, just for a minor injury. If we had had to go to the out-of-hours service, it would have cost us £145 just for the basic consultation - no other treatment!

We have always insured our pets, and always would.

SDTGisAnEvilWolefGenius · 14/08/2013 16:41

PS - can we see a picture of the puppy please? I can't get enough lab puppy cuteness!

HoneyDragon · 14/08/2013 16:45

Yes. The most you can afford.

I have always had labs

They are clever enough to get themselves in really stupid accidents
They are reckless
They ignore pain till thinks get really expensive
They are reckless
They eat Anything, but can't digest Everything
They are reckless

Do you see what I'm trying to say?

Boosiehs · 14/08/2013 16:48

Totally! My parents' labs are ALWAYS in the vet for something or other. One had to have a huge amout of treatment for what turned out to be leukaemia. Gave him the best possible care.

They are also vv prone to eating stuff they shouldn't and hip problems.

SconeInSixtySeconds · 14/08/2013 16:52

Yes yes yes. Please do. My lovely SconeDog has elbow dysplasia and patella problems (and yes, good breeder all checked etc, just the luck of the draw) that cost over £7 grand in the space of a year.

Dackyduddles · 14/08/2013 17:24

Always always insure your pet. Money saved will often either not be enough or used on summat else.

Pet plan good.

specialsubject · 14/08/2013 17:27

I knew a lovely lab who grew into a big friendly dog. Owner tied her to a bollard in the street for a couple of minutes. In her enthusiasm to greet people, she pulled the bollard free (it must have been a bit loose) and hurtled off with it, to the detriment of several nearby cars.

do get some insurance...

LottieJenkins · 14/08/2013 17:30

My Bumbledog (not a lab) is insured with PetPlan. I have had to make two claims already!

WeAllHaveWings · 14/08/2013 18:38

We have a 4 month old lab puppy and have insured with pet plan for £28 a month life cover (that's with 10% off for the first year, so it will go up). Its painful to pay so much each month, but putting by £28 a month isn't going to go far if anything happens in the first couple of years.

I always thought the choices were really:

Pet insurance
Have loads of money (potentially thousands) available to pay vet bills
Be prepared to PTS if vet bills become to much

For us option 1 was the only feasible option.

ChickensHaveNoEyebrows · 14/08/2013 18:45

I'd always insure. Dogs are wonderful, but a bit dim when it comes to self preservation. And puppies are practically suicidal. Our 2 year old spaniel managed to impale himself on a fence spike (right through his lower jaw), eat a dark chocolate toblerone (2 days before Christmas and requiring £700 of emergency vet care) and slice his front large pad clean off all inside 14 months. Add to that the food allergy tests, the numerous ear infections/anal gland issues, and you have a vet bill in excess of £1000. Because we have insurance, we only paid out £300 in dribs and drabs. Thank God for insurance.

IAmNotAMindReader · 14/08/2013 19:05

Yes absolutely my 7 month old Irish Setter pup has just had a bout of gastroenteritis and has cost £125 for some antiemetics and antibiotics. Our policy excess is £90.
It really is worth it.

Newforestpony · 14/08/2013 19:11

Insure!!

Our glorious lab ate the brand new kitchen Lino floor - twice!! Make sure your home contents cover includes pet damage!!!

He's also done his very best to demolish the Welsh dresser, table and chair legs and of course has been ill on several occasions.

But we love him soooooo much and couldn't imagine our home without him :-)

tibni · 14/08/2013 21:30

Yes - we took out argos premium insurance for our pedigree lab. He came from a brilliant breeder and we followed all guidance with food and exercise but he still will have joint issues as he ages as he grew too quickly. If you look at his paws they turn out. He has had x-rays when he was younger and there are surgical specialist options that we may have to consider in the future but right now we keep his weight down and exercise him using moderation and we have a happy, healthy boy.

He is prone to ear infections that cost £100's each time.

The vet has told us never to cancel the insurance

damppatchnot · 15/08/2013 20:41

Yes

Our choc lab has cost me £1000
in vets fees

Only 5 month and ate a dishwasher tablet and last night a ball

Doodledumdums · 15/08/2013 20:46

As others have said YES!

Putting money aside may benefit you if your lab gets to 12 without needing veterinary care, but that is unlikely. I've got a labx and he's only four but has already cost a fortune (stood on glass on a walk and cut his foot badly, and had a skin allergy) , but luckily he is insured with petplan who never grumble about paying out.

DEFINITELY insure!

Principality · 17/08/2013 00:53

Yes, my wonderful late labrador cost M+S insurance just over 13.5k over 2 and a bit years with three major operations and rehab plus meds. They paid out for everything, i just had to pay out the excess of 99 pounds every year.

Our younger lab has recently done a soft tissue injury playing rough with two GSDS and falling off a ledge... We have now spent 50 in vets fees, 300 in specialist osteo vets fees and xrays to check she hadn't injured joints/cruicate and we must be up to about 300 in physio and she is still stiff on it,...

YES!! I think you should insure :)

oldandcrabby · 17/08/2013 10:27

I think if I had a pup I would insure, take out life cover and check my home insurance too. I have older dogs and have for the last five years bought an ISA each year, building up a nest egg for expensive vet bills. I have been lucky the highest set of vet bills was around £250 for a persistent tummy bug, and included lab tests and going in to see the vet on a bank holiday. I buy flea, tick, and worm protection on line and keep in a store of medications which saves some money.

BaggioTX · 18/10/2013 08:40

Yes!! Medical expenses can really skyrocket and you'll thank yourself for getting it earlier on. :)

horcruxmanzini · 18/10/2013 09:03

Do it now. If you change your mind when he's 4 - because you can't face another round of £400 vets' bills - you'll find that nothing that's been previously treated will be covered. Which in the case of my dog is pretty much everything apart from cancer and bubonic plague.

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