Four reasons why you need pet insurance for German Shepherds
German Shepherds are one of the most consistently popular – for good reason. They’re playful, loyal and take well to training – which is why they’re so often the dog of choice for the police, security firms and the military. They can also be quite intimidating – another reason for their popularity with the services – but underneath they’re big softies. But, like all breeds, they come with particular health issues – and potentially large vet bills – which is why you should get pet insurance for German Shepherds.
Here are four medical issues common among German Shepherds.
Hip/Elbow Dysplasia
Covered by insurance!
This condition is the one most infamously associated with German Shepherds and one reason it’s smart to get pet insurance. Too often we see these lovely dogs struggling to walk or play because their bones and joints haven’t aligned properly – a condition that often leads to arthritis, which is a horrendously painful and debilitating disease, especially in a young and energetic dog. It’s also an expensive one. Initial x-rays can cost up to $1,000, and if arthritis is diagnosed, drug treatment can be $2,000 per year, and surgery up to $7,500 per joint.
Canine Degenerative Myelopathy (DM)
Covered by insurance!
Dysplasia isn’t the only awful condition that can affect these playful pups’ mobility. Canine Degenerative Myelopathy (DM) is a slow and painful disease that attacks the spinal cord. This leads to a crippling weakness and paralysis in the dog’s back legs, and possibly incontinence. Sadly, there’s no cure for DM, which can be heart-breaking for pet parents, but there is some comfort in the fact that early diagnosis – which can cost up to $4,000 – allows the vet to prescribe pain relief, physiotherapy, even acupuncture, all of which can help ease the symptoms.
Perianal Fistula
Covered by insurance!
Yes, this condition has a funny name, especially if you’re a teenage boy – its other name, anal furunculosis, is pretty amusing too – but you won’t find any German Shepherds chuckling if they get it.
Fistulas are growths, lesions, tumors and the like that, in this case, form around a dog’s anal region, and can block their anal glands, causing pain, difficulty defecating, and possibly infection. The financial cost isn’t a laughing matter, either, with surgery often reaching $1,200.
Epilepsy
Covered by insurance!
A lot of health issues in dogs are passed down from their parents. Epilepsy is a common inherited condition in German Shepherds. More specifically, primary or idiopathic epilepsy, which can cause seizures. If this is the case for your dog, the good (kind of) news is that it will usually become apparent between the ages of six months and three years, which means: you won’t spend years and years worrying if they have epilepsy; it’s treatable with medication at a cost of $200-$5,000 per year; and you should have pet insurance in place that covers for this cost for the rest of their life.
