True Story: Patient:  Chocolate labrador – 3 yrs old.

Every once in a while our furry friends decide to get themselves into trouble, and what we dont always realise just how dangerous a normal household item (like a sock!) can be if consumed by a dog. 

How it all started

Over a short period the family noticed that their dog started heaving and throwing up.  Eventually he stopped eating, and the alarm bells rang for the family to visit the vet.  The vet did all the normal checks and could not find anything unusual, but a very unhappy furry child.

The next step was to start with the more expensive tests, which resulted in an operation.

The vet followed normal procedures and began with an x-ray.  The xrays revealed a foreign body inside the intestine which meant that they had to perform an emergency operation.

An application for pre-approval was needed to be sent to the insurers, as this was not yet an emergency procedure.  Generally all medical procedures need to be pre-approved by insurance companies, just like you would do with your own medical aid.  PawPaw Pet Insurance approved the x-rays and the operation, and the dog was scheduled for a procedure the following day.

The operation was a success and the dog stayed in hospital to monitor his condition for a few days thereafter.  He was released with some pain killers and other medication to assist the healing process.

How much did it all end up costing?

The bill came to over R15 000, but these clients were lucky, because they had their dog covered with PawPaw Pet Insurance.  The dog owner paid the vet, and after submitting their claim to PawPaw Pet Insurance, it was paid back to them (less the 10% excess) within 4 working days.

As luck would have it, the dog's condition turned worse while he was recovering at home.

He was taken back to the veterinary hospital with a high fever and more vomiting.  They admitted him immediately, this time diagnosed with Acute Pancreatitis.  The infection was due to a complication from the foreign body (the sock) that was stuck in his stomach before they took it out.  He had to spend another two nights in hospital whilst they had to put him on a drip and monitor his condition.  Soon afterwards he was released out of hospital with medication of anti-inflamatories and more antibiotics.

More vet bills.

The second time around the bill was just of over R5000, which was again covered by their pet insurance company, PawPaw Pet Insurance.

We are happy to announce that they made a full recovery from the trauma of the operation and the cost of the much needed veterinary care that this pet owner would have had to pay if they did not have PawPaw Pet Medical Insurance.

Can you afford not to have Pet Insurance?