Cookie and I have been mates and co-habitants since 2012. We haven't spent a minute apart (apart from the obvious work hours of mine and an occasional holiday) and I dare say he's the best friend I've ever had. When I'm all happy and excited about life, he kindly allows me spin him in circles on the wooden flooring in our living room whilst he's lying on his back and pretending to be enjoying it. When I'm upset, he farts in my face or claws my toes to distract me from my life's misery. Just imagine the horror and sheer panic when one day I got home and Cookie was curled up in a ball shaking and crying like a little chicken.
This happened a few years back and even to this day I'm slightly traumatised by the memory of it. We got into a taxi and sped off to the vet's. After about 2 hours of stress, some scans and injections we got the verdict. Cookie pulled his bum muscle. What a bloody tosser! The vet said that he must have been playing and jumped off the sofa. So we got sent home. With a tub of painkillers, reassuring words that it'll go away in no time and £300+ lighter. What a bummer. Literally.
Little Cookie accidents happen to us more than regularly (from brief encounters with UTI to ripped out claws and concussions) and I have quickly learnt that pet insurance isn't a luxury - it's an absolute necessity. Why?
1) It protects your pet
Obviously, your pet (be it Cookie or your crazy husky pup) can become poorly anytime, just like you and me. On Instagram I can see so many cat mum's pleading for donations towards their pet's vet bills because they never took out an insurance plan and once their little munchkin got sick, it was just too late to do anything. Now they are struggling with money and most of all - their pets are struggling for medication and vet care.
2) ... and your bank account
One of the most obvious aspects of any insurance is the money matter. Had I taken out the insurance pre bum muscle incident I could have had at least 70% of the money still in my pocket. Paying a few quid every month is worth so much more than paying hundreds out of blue, and god forbid this could happen on multiple occasions within that once month (touch wood).
3) ... and you
The stress of having a poorly pet is tremendous. The stress of having a poorly pet and no money to help him or her is just unbearable. Just knowing that you are insured and that whatever happens someone (read: the insurance company) is there to help you makes a massive difference to your life.
4) ... and your vet too
Try not to forget that vets are just humans too. What a terrible feeling that must be when you know you could help an animal but you simply cannot because there's no one to pay for the procedure or medication.
To find out more about pet insurance - how it works, how much it costs and how to get it, go to the Argos Pet Insurance website - click here.
What is your experience with pet insurance and poorly pets?
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