Tag: pet insurance

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Aon Happy Tails Pet Insurance – Interview with Debby and Mocha

We always want the best for our pets.

The cost of pet ownership is high, and the cost of their medical bills even higher. When owning a pet, it is important for us to determine their physical health before engaging with surgeries. Our pets are unable to verbalise what they feel internally hence the multitudes of consultations, x-rays and blood tests before we are able to truly determine what ails them.

Last month, we heard from Jane and considered the benefits of pet insurance with her. This month, we decided to reach out to a paw-rent who has recently discovered Aon Happy Tails pet insurance and to garner a better understanding of what drew her to consider Happy Tails.

Hi there! Tell us more about Mocha, and your relationship with them!

We got Mocha at the end of 2018. My previous dog, Jack Russell had passed on six years before and my son had been bugging us to get a dog so we thought that it was finally time to get a new fur kid.  Mocha is very timid and shy, it took quite a while for her to actually get comfortable with us but once she did she started following me everywhere. During CB (Circuit Breaker 2020), we truly bonded with her and she became much more comfortable being playful with us. On trips to the dog park, she remains happy to explore the park and runs around even if she is not playing with other dogs.

How do you and Mocha spend time together this June holidays?

This June Holiday, there is not much we can do as we are still under phase 2A (ha) in Singapore. Yet, we still made time to go for walks in the parks. We also plan to bring her for a swim once we can meet up with more people.

How do you work to ensure the safety and well being of your furkid?

To ensure the safety and wellbeing of my furkid I always give her fresh good food, supplements, and bring her for regular walks so that she has enough exercise. She is not very active at home. Additionally, I always make sure to bring her to the vet if I notice anything amiss with her.

What concerns do you have when visiting the vet?

Just like humans visiting the doctors, our main concern when we visit the vet is the cost of the treatment.

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Upon hearing this, we asked her about her knowledge of pet insurance. Aon Happy Tails in particular, helps to offset some of the costs incurred by medical procedures.

Have you heard of pet insurance prior to this conversation?

I have heard of pet insurance prior to this conversation! I heard about it from fellow fur parents who had signed up for pet insurance. I think it is important because it will help us cover the cost of any emergency treatment for our furkids.

How do the coverage plans offered by Aon Happy Tails alleviate your concerns (as mentioned above)?

I think the coverage is pretty good as I am very concerned about IVDD (Intervertebral Disc Disease) as a dachshund owner.

IVDD is a paralysis caused by back problems and short-legged dogs are quite prone to having it. Treatment may include rehabilitation or even surgery hence finding out that Aon Happy Tails covers surgery in their insurance plan made them quite appealing to me.

Will you be purchasing Aon Happy Tails in the foreseeable future?

Yes, I will!

Debby’s concerns regarding treatment costs and emergency medical procedures are extremely common amongst pet owners. Simplydollar states that medical costs are the most expensive aspect of owning a pet, with the average vet visit ranging from $50 to $400. 

When it comes to sudden health complications, costs can go even higher, or double, to accommodate the needs of the pet.

Aon Happy Tails’ comprehensive insurance scheme prioritises supporting pet owners through sudden surgical procedures that may arise from new complications in their pet’s health. These complications do not include pre-existing conditions which have already been assessed by the vet.

Regardless, as Debby has aptly mentioned, pets are always at a growing risk of developing new conditions such as the IVDD (Intervertebral Disc Disease) for dogs. To ensure the safety of our pets, and to reduce wallet pains from unexpected medical costs – Pet insurance is a great way to keep us and our loved furkids safe and protected!

You can find out more about Aon Happy Tails pet insurance via their Instagram or Website.

Follow Debby and Mocha on Instagram.

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What is Pet Insurance? Why Do I Need It?

Man vet examining boston terrier with stethoscope in clinic. Veterinarian doctor making checkup of a dog. Young man vet examining dog by stethoscope at pet clinic while nurse making notes in background.

In one of our previous articles, we learnt about Jane and Milky’s experience with entropion. Entropion is a condition in which eyelids begin to roll inwards to the eyeball. It commonly affects animals who have thick eyelids, such as Chow Chows. 

At the end of her anecdote, she wonders about Aon Happy Tails Insurance. 

We sat down with Jane once more to discuss the benefits of pet insurance, and how owning one might have eased the financial burden she experienced.

Photo Credit: Instagram @oolongmilkytea

Hi Jane. We understand that it’s been some time since Milky underwent his eye surgery. Can we ask how he’s doing now?

Jane: He is doing great now! However, the vet recommended undergoing 2-3 more surgeries as his eyelid will continue to drop as he grows older. 

For now, we pay close attention to his tear stains, and/or if he starts scratching his eye excessively. It pains our heart to see him go through multiple surgeries at a young age.

I felt truly distressed reading about Milky’s experience with entropion. In your articles, you mentioned having to pay out lots of money to cover Milky’s consultations and surgeries. What was the total estimated bill incurred?

Jane: All in all, we spent close to $6,000. As it was our first time overcoming the entropion issue, we went for multiple vet consultations. We also had to cover for corrective surgery as the first one was unsuccessful. It was a very stressful period as we had to manage our emotions of watching our boy go through a difficult time. We also struggled to decide whether to go for the best treatment or the best financial decision.

Luckily, I had my husband with me hence we were able to share the burden, and alternate between roles (i.e. when he gets too emotional, I will try to be the logical one and make a decision from gathered data, and asking questions).

I’m so sorry to hear that. I hope your family feels much better now. Overall, what would you conclude was your biggest takeaway from this experience?

Jane: At the end of the article, I mentioned coming across Happy Tails pet insurance. I think having said pet insurance might have helped us A LOT. Compared to Western countries, local pet owners are unlikely to purchase insurance as they feel it might be more expensive in the long run.

Yet, I disagree! We spent a lot of money to ensure Milky’s health. If we had been insured, we might have been able to alleviate some of the costs incurred especially through insurance claims!

Photo Credit: Instagram @oolongmilkytea

I see! Do you think owning pet insurance is important?

Jane: Owning pet insurance might be beneficial in the long run. I think a large stigma against pet insurance stems from the fact that there are no agents actively selling pet insurance. As a result, pet owners are afraid claims will be difficult, and/or there will be hidden clauses. 

I would advise pet owners to make sure they read the T&Cs carefully to ensure that they fully understand the policy and what type of expenses can be claimed and what cannot be claimed. Also, check the duration given between each claim!

Thanks Jane!

Pet Insurance helps to protect the well-being of your fur friends. Like regular insurance, pet insurance covers medical fees incurred by vet visits. 

In Singapore, options for pet insurance are rather limited. However, for pet owners who are largely concerned with the cost of medical bills- Happy Tails pet insurance offers a comprehensive medical plan. Their coverage extends beyond one-off accidents, going beyond to consider outgoing costs in medical care for injuries and illnesses.

Aon Happy Tails Pet Insurance promises to cover a wide range of fees and expenses such as:

  • Diagnostic tests such as x-rays and blood tests culminating in surgery
  • Surgery fees
  • Medications
  • Chemotherapy charges
  • Room and board charges
  • Post-surgery follow-up treatments
  • Surgical implants

This helps to alleviate some of the burden pet owners might experience with veterinary medical bills. Like Jane, many pet owners may undergo repeated consultations and surgeries to ensure the well-being of their pets. With pet insurance, such expenses can be covered and subsequently claimed. That way, you can keep your pets safe while reducing the pressure unexpected surgical procedures can have on your wallet. 

Photo Credit: Instagram @aonhappytails

You can find out more about Happy Tails pet insurance via their Instagram or Website.

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Our experience with entropion (cherry eye)

@milkythecloud

entropion/ɪnˈtrəʊpɪən,ɛnˈtrəʊpɪən

  1. a condition in which the eyelid is rolled inward against the eyeball, typically caused by muscle spasm or by inflammation or scarring of the conjunctiva (as in diseases such as trachoma), and resulting in irritation of the eye by the lashes (trichiasis).
This is Milky, out little boy.

This is Milky, our 1 year Chow Chow coming back from Pet Expo 2019. We would celebrate his 1st birthday on 23rd July, and continue to gush over his mini eyes, not knowing that it’s the start of something more.

1. THE WARNING SIGNS

Milky started tearing a lot. His tear stains got really bad and he started barking at empty spaces (especially at night). He had always have had tear stains but it always got better after we applied eye drops – but this time, it was different.

Eventually, we brought him to a clinic near our office at Clementi area and things just spiral down from there.

2. THE START OF A NIGHTMARE

I remembered talking to 3 different doctors from the same clinic – and realised that 2 of them couldn’t manage Milky for the eye-drop test in any way.

Yes, he struggled A LOT. The female doctors & nurses aren’t able to handle him – so case in point: if your dog is big, consider looking for a male doctor or an experienced doctor who can handle big breeds.

Luckily, Milky is not aggressive at all so he didn’t try to bite. He was just really scared because they needed to drop yellow solution into his eye and check the extent of entropion through a microscopic medical tool.

Eventually, Milky was diagnosed with entropion and needed a surgery. To put it in simple terms – Milky’s eyelid has so much folds that it started to curl in and caused his eyelashes to poke at his eyeball 24/7. The constant poke caused abrasion on his eyeball and caused his eyesight to worsen (explaining the barking) because he thought that there was someone there, but most likely it was just the blurry eyesight that confused him.

We scheduled the surgery; and off he went.

The day of the surgery. Silly boy still didn’t know what’s going on

The surgery took a day, and we came to pick him up thereafter. Look at his REALLY puffy eyes!

It is worth noting here that Chows Chows have a thin windpipe and drools a lot – because of that, their risk of dying during a surgery due to GA increases with age and frequency. This was from another doctor (not from the same clinic)

Look at my little baby.

3. IT DIDN’T END HERE

The doctor who did the operation was honest – he told us that he is a general surgeon and not a specialist when it comes to eye surgeries like these. He was very assuring and empathetic (which I really like), but the surgery didn’t go well and was in fact, not a successful one.

We thought that everything was over and things are all good; fast forward 3 weeks – his eye got worst.

This was 2-3 weeks AFTER the surgery. We spent $4K+ in total for the first surgery.

4. THE MOST DISAPPOINTING VET

We went back to the clinic and asked – what’s going on? The doctor who did the surgery wasn’t on-duty, and it was a Japanese doctor who attended to us. It was pretty bad (not her), but in the sense that she didn’t really know what was going on and I can’t really understand her accent.

There were a lot of Huh? and Why? and eventually, she referred us to another hospital – let’s call it V.

I had the WORST experience at V.

At this point, I just want to make it very clear that this is my personal experience and doesn’t represent the views of the general public. But I believe as a paying customer, I reserve the rights to share my own thoughts and opinion. This is my rights as a consumer.

I remembered it was a Saturday when I brought Milky over to the hospital (9pm+) and the said doctor known to be an eye specialist wasn’t around. I have an important family lunch the next day that clashed with the doctor’s only availability (2pm+).

Eventually, we decided to board Milky at the hospital for 1 night and let the doctor check on his eye the next day. I would then head over to the hospital to catch up with the doctor after my lunch.

And that is the start of the most disappointing conversation with said vet. I reached the hospital at around 3pm+, and the vet was free to have a quick chat.

??‍⚕️: “Milky has entropion and need another surgery. The cost will be around $4K+.”

??‍♀️: “But he just had his surgery 3 weeks ago – why would he need another surgery?”

??‍⚕️: “I don’t know, I didn’t do the surgery. He will need another eye surgery and I am available earliest next week”

I was livid; and got very emotional. What do you mean “I don’t know, I did not do the surgery?” My POV is that as a doctor, I would have expected at least a breakdown of

  • What happened?
  • What probably went wrong?
  • Is it safe to do the surgery within such a short span of time?
  • Are there any other alternatives we can go about?

No, he simply told me that HE DIDN’T KNOW and walked off when the conversation ended.

I paid for the bill – $400+ for:

  1. Overnight boarding
  2. Doctor consultation
  3. Medicine (I can’t remember if this happened)

The entire process took less than 24 hours. I boarded Milky 9pm+ and brought him home the next day at 3pm+.

5. THE PETS COMMUNITY

At this point – I was distraught. I called the surgeon and told him about the really bad experience I’ve had with V and said doctor. I wasn’t confident to let a doctor who dismissed a patient with “I didn’t do the surgery” to touch Milky.

He apologised for the failed surgery, and also for the bad experience I had. He was again, very empathetic and I really like that because I felt like a worried mum and his assuring (tone) helped make things much better.

He recommended Dr Heng from Mt.Pleasant, who is the only other doctor who is known for eye surgery in Singapore. It was also at this time that the other Chow Chow owners on Instagram knew about my situation and invited me into a WhatsApp group with over-pouring love, care and help.

2 weeks after his corrective surgery with Dr Heng

I don’t have any photos of Milky going for his corrective surgery, but I must say it was a great experience with Dr Heng. She knew what she was doing, and the total cost came to about $1.6K for 1 eye.

FUN FACT – Mt Pleasant operates as a franchise so whilst they share the same brand name, each outlet runs differently. Reason is because we were initially not comfortable with Mt Pleasant due to a bad experience.

6. CONCLUSION

Dr Heng mentioned that Milky has a 75% chance of going blind in his left eye if we did not proceed with the corrective surgery. But even then, there were doubts like “Well, doctors would always be pro-surgery cause it’s more income”; and i think it was just a very stressful period for us because information is not exactly readily available.

Everything became much clearer only after we joined the CHOW CHOW WhatsApp group and got the advice from all the owners who have done the surgery with their furkids before.

We also wondered if we should have bought pet insurance for Milky (Aon, Happy Tails do cover cherry eyes) but alas, it would only take into effect 1 year into purchase so we wouldn’t be able to claim anyways.

My little baby feat. July 2020

Through this episode, I really started to appreciate the power of a community and seek to replicate that via Woof Agency & Pawjourr.

We are still building this ecosystem as we speak, but it’s very important to me that pet owners do not need to be alone when they navigate through pet ownership.

If you have any questions relating to entropion, please feel free to email me at Jane@thewoofagency.com. I am no expert but would be more than happy to share what I know 🙂