Who? Deva, a medium mixed-breed pup
How old? 4 years old
What happened? Intervertebral disc disease (IVDD)
Cost of treatment: $10, 655
Pumpkin plan paid back*: $9,139
Deva is the middle child in her family, sandwiched between her two sisters. This has made her exceptionally good at stealing bones and toys so she can have a turn with them! Deva’s mom Marie calls her ‘a little hunter’ as her favorite hobby is digging for lizards under the garden shed. She also likes to sit on the back of the couch and watch all the goings-on of the neighborhood. Her weakness is shredded cheese. Us too, Deva!
Deva is a young, healthy pup of 4 years. While It’s fairly common for dogs of all sizes to develop joint and mobility issues as they age, in some dogs, those problems can occur much earlier than usual. Sadly, this was the case with Deva.
Suddenly one day, Deva began to whine in pain and pant heavily, so Marie took her to be examined. Marie told us that seeing Deva struggle was almost too much to bear.
“We were devastated to see Deva in so much pain. Her pain went on for a day, we took her to our regular vet, where they ran blood tests and took X-rays. Then we were sent home with pain medication until a radiologist could perform more X-rays.”
Unfortunately, while waiting for further diagnostic tests, Deva’s condition deteriorated to the point that she could no longer walk.
“She became worse overnight and then her back legs dropped and she couldn’t walk. She started crying out in pain. We took her to a 24-hour emergency vet. They took more X-rays and found out she had a herniated disk and needed immediate surgery to keep her from being permanently paralyzed.”
In just a matter of days, Deva had gone from a happy-go-lucky young dog to a dog in need of serious surgery. Before moving forward, the veterinary team discussed the treatment plan with Marie and took her through the expected costs. The total bill was estimated to cost $10,000+.
“They went over the cost with us, which shocked us. Deva is only four years old and is my emotional support dog. I couldn’t imagine being without her.”
To make matters worse, a neurological exam revealed further complications for Deva.
“They called in a neurosurgeon and his team at midnight and found out she had also ruptured an artery and it was bleeding into her spine. If we waited any longer, she would have been permanently paralyzed.”
The situation was critical, and Deva received an emergency spine surgery known as a hemilaminectomy. The procedure went well, and her post-surgery recovery needs included medication for pain management and to reduce inflammation. Marie submitted a claim for Deva’s care expenses to Pumpkin, who paid her back a massive total of $9,139* for her eligible vet bills.
Thankfully, Deva is recovering and back home with her mom and sisters. Marie reflects on what may have happened had she not had the support of pet insurance for Deva’s sudden injury.
“If we hadn’t had pet insurance, we would have had to put her down. I am so thankful for taking insurance out for all three of our fur babies. We turned in all the claims and within a month everything was paid for that our plan said it would pay for. Pumpkin kept us informed about everything we needed and walked us through it step by step. So glad that we found this company. It made this traumatic time bearable. Now, Deva is doing fantastic.“
The best part is that if Deva has an accident or illness like this one again – we hope there isn’t a next time! – her Pumpkin plan will be there to help her get the veterinary care she needs to stay happy & healthy.
