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Diagnosis: Bladder stones
Cost of Care: $3,957 | Reimbursed: $2,557
Coverage: 80 percent | $500 deductible
Timber is a 7-year-old sable-colored Pembroke Welsh Corgi and best friend to his pet parent Lindsey.
Timber is a talkative, happy pup with a gentle, playful demeanor. This comes out when he plays with his dog siblings—another Corgi puppy named Peaches and a Chihuahua named Ziggy. He also lives with two indoor bunnies, Flopsy and Marlon. Lindsey said Timber loves squeaky toys and is good at fetching.
Timber has trouble urinating
In early August 2024, Lindsey was in the backyard with Timber. He was lifting a leg everywhere as if to pee, but when she followed him around, she saw that the ground was dry. She had noticed a couple of times that week that it seemed like he was taking a long time to pee.
She immediately rushed him to the emergency vet. His examination revealed a bladder full of stones.
“Unlike cats, the vet said that dogs can’t dissolve crystals successfully, and surgery is really the only option. The vet said it’s a very common surgery, and he would recover just fine,” she said.
The vets used a catheter to flush the crystals back into his bladder and allow him to pee before surgery. During the surgery, they made a small incision and removed the crystals. After an overnight stay, Timber was in the clear.
Timber’s recovery included pain meds, antibiotics and a few days of bed rest. Lindsey said Timber was back to himself in about two days. The lab results revealed he had a very common type of bladder crystal. The vet recommended a prescription food to prevent crystals from forming in the future.
How is Timber now?
Timber has just turned seven and is doing great. Lindsey is looking forward to some upcoming drier weather to play ball with him in the backyard.
How Healthy Paws pet insurance helped
Lindsey was pleased with Healthy Paws’ claim submission process and how quickly she was reimbursed.
“I submitted paperwork through the app. Healthy Paws quickly processed his bill and records, and they helped with 80% of the cost after my deductible. I had reimbursement in my bank account within a couple of days,” she said.
A previous accident that Timber suffered informed Lindsey’s decision to get pet insurance. At one year old, Timber suffered a terrible injury when he jumped out of her car window at the dog park and landed under her back tire. He was partially run over and suffered three fractures to his pelvis.
Lindsey rushed him to the vet, where she learned surgery would cost about $9,000. She had to say “no” because she couldn’t afford it. The vets told her that Timber could heal on his own with long-term strict crate rest and some pain medication. It took many months for Timber to regain his mobility, but he eventually did. Today, Timber is strong, runs and jumps, flops, and plays without pain or discomfort, not even a limp.
“I felt awful and the guilt still hurts. I was heartbroken,” Lindsey said. “I nested on the floor with him every moment I was home, and slept on the floor every night next to him. He and I tossed little squeaky toys to each other. His positive happy corgi attitude helped get ME through the trauma of the incident,” she said.
Lindsey signed up for pet insurance on the day of the accident, knowing the treatment for the accident wouldn’t be covered, but never wanting to have to forgo medical treatment for her pets in the future.
The bladder stone incident made her glad she did, and now Peaches is a Healthy Paws customer too.
The claim scenarios described here are intended to show the types of situations that may result in claims. These scenarios should not be compared to any other claim. Whether or to what extent a particular loss is covered depends on the facts and circumstances of the loss, the terms and conditions of the policy as issued, and applicable law.
Insured persons providing testimonials in this report have not received compensation for their statements.
