Leo is recovering from tumor removal

horsejody

Squeaky Wheel
11 Years
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This post isn't a rant. It's just me thanking God for my dog Leo having a good recovery. He had a small lump on his head. It started out like a small wart. Within a week it doubled in size. I took him to the vet, and the vet recommended removal. Last Thursday he had surgery, and the tumor was successfully removed. They shaved his head, and he has a big Frankenstein scar. It will heal, and the hair will grow back. The funny thing is that Leo now seems to have more energy than before. That was an unexpected added benefit. The tumor was about the size of a pencil eraser on the surface, but larger under the skin. It was a basal cell tumor. The vet was surprised because he had expected it to be a mast cell tumor. The vet believes that all of the bad cells were removed, and he doesn't expect the cancer to return.
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Poor Leo has had some hard luck with his health. He has adult onset hydrocephalus that causes seizures. Thankfully, we were referred to a vet's office with neurology specialists. Leo hasn't had a seizure in 4 months. The same office removed the tumor. I am also thankful that this won't drain us financially. A little over a year and a half ago, I bought health insurance for the dog. Two close friends had just been devastated with vet bills saving their dogs, and I didn't want that to happen to me. It has worked in my favor.
 
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The original policy was $24.95 per month. This year I upgraded the policy and pay $30 a month. The policy includes up to $220 for routine/maintenance stuff like spay/neuter, microchips, vaccinations, heartworm test, heartworm pills, frontline and teeth cleaning. It pays for 90% of prescriptions. Major medical is a $50 deductible plus 10%. Then they pay the other 90%. This is what my policy says:

Covered Incident Limit: $2500
Kennel Fees Limit Per Pet: $500
Advertising/Reward Limit Per Pet: $250
Theft or Straying Limit Per Pet: $250
Trip Cancellation Limit Per Pet: $500
Aggregate Limit: $12000/year
Deductible Per Covered Incident: $50

The only drawback to pet insurance is that whatever major medical you have it is only covered the year it is diagnosed (they are all like that). But with most things it's the initial diagnostics or surgeries that are the most costly. For example the insurance doled out big bucks for Leo's MRI, brain scans and eeg to diagnose his hydrocephalus with a doggie neurologist. His pills are only $6 a bottle, and they last a month. I can handle the cost of his pills forever, but that neurology bill would have killed me. This insurance actually extended Leo's hydrocephalus coverage for 6 months into the next year to ensure complete dignostic follow ups if necessary. I can't complain. I just know it's a huge relief knowing that when a vet says, "it's going to cost $XXX to save your dog," I can not worry about it. So far with what they have paid, I'm many years ahead of the game in premiums.
 

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