Pets - and their self-inflicted health problems...
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Member
Posts: 1177
Location: Surrey
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I have a beagle and he seems to be hell-bent on getting himself into trouble. He eats beer bottle tops or stones and they come out again at the other end, bamboo sticks, and they come out again very stringy, yuk, walks through glass, crashes his head into door posts chasing after his teddy and picks arguments with deer in Richmond Park, Fenton is an angel against that. A year ago he had to have an emergency operation to remove a needle and a large conker from his insides, but that has tought him nothing, of course. We are now waiting for pieces of a coconut shell that formerly contained bird food to exit his system again. He's not well, groaning and sighing.
Do other people on here have pets that claim more off their pet insurance than their owners pay in? What is your canine, feline or other animal up to? |
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Posts: 25
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Hi Susanne I was laughing reading your post. My pets are good but I have a good friend whose Labrador is a nightmare. To date he has had his stomach pumped twice. He eats everything, frozen chilli, CD's, tin of celebrations, plastic lunch boxes to name a few. When he is not eating he has the knack of injuring himself. They have spent thousands on him and he is the most spoilt dog I have never known ( just as well they love him). I think if he were mine I would have considered rehomimg him!
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Member
Posts: 1177
Location: Surrey
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Aaah yes, Labradors - the biggest eaters amongst the canine world, possibly bigger than beagles? We've all heard stories that proof, that Labradors are basically stuck in the oral phase all their lives. And what you were too polite to mention is that Labradors are known to have the smelliest farts of the dog world. With their prolific hoovering up of everything comes digestive trouble, and you should never sit down in their company in a small room under 10 feet long, or they gas you out. Gosh, who wants to be a vet?
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Member
Posts: 9
Location: Hampshire
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Schipperke's are also gluttons.I had one a few years ago and the number of times I had to take her to the vet with stomache problems because she would ingest literally anything, from horse dung to rotting carrion and thrown down Macdonalds (not that I see a great deal of difference between the first two and the third). She learned to open the fridge somehow and we had to remember to wedge it shut when we went out or she would help herself to eveything in it, plus put the kitchen bin where she could not reach it or else come home to the entire contents across the floor. I was out walking one day and relaised she was not with me, looked back and she had her forepaws on and nose in a litter bin to scavange something from it. In the end she had to wear a muzzle so she could not eat the contraband! The other problem with a schiperke is that they attach firmly to one person and take no notice of anyone else, they take doggy devotion, which is sweet, to suffocating extremes. My Schiperke died a few years ago and despite her eating habits and clingy natrure I still miss her but I would never have another if she was at all typical of the breed.
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Posts: 25
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Not heard of that breed will definitely look it up for a read. I have GSD and they are known for their devotion to their owner, but if a better offer comes along I afraid she deserts me . I know my place that's for sure.
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Member
Posts: 1
Location: London South West
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Labradors! Had three of them in my life , all three at one time or other ate my whole garden , had a large grapevine above the outside kitchen window ,came home and could,nt find a trace of the grapevine,greedy little sod pots , buy them rubber toys and they will eat them ,buy them fluffy toys and they love them like their own babies,I,m 67 now and a widower so I may put myself through hell again and get another lab. Bob
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Moderator
Posts: 696
Location: Shropshire
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Crikey, looks like I've got off lightly with my little dog! He does chew things and run off with tissues and bottletops but luckily I usually manage to drag them out of his mouth before he does too much damage.I actually read a tip in a dog book by the vet Joe Inglis that it says can save your dogs life if it swallows a needle or other sharp object. You have to get your dog to eat some cotton wool (he suggests soaking cotton wool b alls in cream!) and that wraps itself around the sharp object in the dogs insides and enables it to be passed out safely!
On the subject of pet insurance, I haven't got any and keep thinking maybe I should but don't know wether it is an unnecessary expense. I have 2 cats, and a rabbit and now the dog.So far I haven't had any huge bills, so is it worth it and is it expensive?I'd be interested to know what other pet owners think. |
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Member
Posts: 8
Location: West Yorkshire
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Our family dog Mini, when an adolescent pup used to eat things on his walks like conkers, acorns and wait for it .... other dogs muck! Luckily he grew out of it, though he does occasionly eat things he shouldnt from the floor.
Mini has never had any pet insurance sooty, he has been pretty healthy all his life and dosnt tend to get into mischieve. I think it depends on your pets character. For instance my ex partners cat was a wanderer and occasionly came back with injuries, so they had him insured. |
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Posts: 133
Location: Northern Ireland
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I've a collie and maybe luckily she has never eaten anything strange at all i'm aware off, she is like a hoover tho when feeding time comes.
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Moderator
Posts: 696
Location: Shropshire
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What type of dog is Mini XemzX? Mine is a Jack Russell and maybe some breeds aren't so prone to eating anything and everything.I have been bombarded with mail offering me Pet insurance...I think it's something to do with my Tesco clubcard, I thought 'how do they know I have pets?' oh yes, clubcard records everything I buy!!! It gives examples of different ailments that animals can get and how much they cost to treat, especially long term treatment, but is there anyone out there that has avoided a vet bill of thousands by having pet insurance?
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Member
Posts: 1177
Location: Surrey
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Yes, me and that stoopid beagle again. A year ago, when he swallowed a needle and a conker, he had an emergency operation to dig up that needle from the cavity of his belly, because it had penetrated his stomach wall and gone wandering. Whilst he was opened up, they found two feet long of small intestine very rotten and in need of removal, because a large conker had been going backwards and forwards in it for 2 months not getting out anywhere, so they cut that out. They kept him in for 48 hours of close supervision and night watch and then they gave him back to me. He came out of the Vet's delighted to see his favourite humans again, was sporting a square bit of shaved belly with something of a large zip embroidered into it and I got a bill for 1500 pounds. We have always been with Petsure, the most expensive insurer, and we got back every penny. I think our pooch is their loss maker and giving beagles a bad name.
Friends are with schemes through supermarkets like Sainsbury's or Tesco's, and whilst their premiums are considerably lower, they never bother to claim, because there are excess fees and exclusions, whereas I claim for everything, mostly administered by my vet. One thing is for sure: I could never go and switch to another cheaper pet insurance, because everything that has happened would be a pre-existing condition, and he's pretty much done them all. So if you think about peace of mind in case the dog gets hit by a car, mauled by a fox or swallows something inappropriate, then look at the exclusion clauses first. |
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Posts: 15
Location: Essex
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Hi Susanne,
my coker-spaniel is 100 in human years and his sight is therefor clearly failing as he bumps into things nearly on a daily basis, especially when hes running (yes lol he can still run like a pup would you believe) but yeah he is more clumsy then me which is seriously saying something if you knew me lol. |
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To date my border collie has eaten on the sly when were werent in :
- a quiche - 10 cupcakes with their cases - a new whole unopened box of quality streets including the wrappers!! We have now got everything up high so he cannot reach any food!! |
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Posts: 2
Location: Leicestershire
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My jack russel is 4 months old and he also bumps into everything lol, he walks in front of you but looks back at you as he does so has an argument with whatevers in his path! He also eats anything he can find, including polo mints which made his breath smell lovely! I called him Marley and if you ever watched the film "Marley and me" he lives up to his name very well lol. He's very clever when it comes to food, he knew the word din dins from day one and when he comes in from outside he runs to his biscuits and waits for a treat! They only thing he's not quite getting yet is house training, he can be really good for days then has an accident. It's normally on the first day back to work after the weekend, even though I live above where I work so I go up to check on him and let him out every hour...does anyone have any tips on house training?? Lisa x
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Posts: 25
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Insurance is a must just in case something bad happens (god forbid) . Also as your dog gets older harder and more expensive it will be. I always shop around each year as they do not reward loyalty even when you haven't made a claim! Lisa sounds like you are nearly there puppies are like kids do it in their own time. He sounds a really happy chap.
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