Booster question..

Ok having read all the posts on vets over vaccinating etc etc I just wondered how people stand with regards to pet insurance...firstly, if you only have your puppy vaccinnated and then never again, how do the pet insurance companies take to this...will they still insure your dog...and secondly I have been reading that's it's ok to have Kennel cough and Lepto vaccines done every year...I know what Kennel cough is but what is Lepto, how is it caught, what are the symptoms and is it life threatening to a dog. Thanks

When Azz did those insurance online quotes the other week I think it said that if your dog wasn't vaccinated or boostered then if it got any of those diseases that are usually vaccinated against, then the insurance wouldn't pay out. They will still insure it for other things though I think Lepto is what they can catch from rats urine isn't it - not 100% sure on that one

Hi Lisa you need to carefully look at the details on each insurance policy to check the requirements of vaccination. If in doubt telephone or email the company and ask them about it, get it wrong an you could invalidate your insurance .

Leptospirosis is caught from rats, it is not species specific and can lead to Weils disease in human .

..I have just looked at Amy's old insurance policy which was with Pet Healthcare Services (a branch of Royal Sun Alliance ) and it states 'the dog must be vaccinated and boosted against distemper/hepatitis/leptospirosis'

So I presume this to mean in accordance with your vets recommendations. Many policies cover for 'life' so if your dog dies they pay out, but if you hadn't taken all precautions and your dog died they wouldn't pay out.

Policies do vary quite a lot and you may find one to suit you that allows for covering specific things not including death..

This may be of help to you click here

Yes its caused by rats.
Swimming in lakes and ponds and being anywhere rats could frequent and urinate means a dog is at a higher risk of contracting it.

But surely if you titre test and that proves that your dog is covered so that he/she doesn't need the yearly booster, then IF your dog was to catch one of the diseases, wouldn't the results from the TT be enough to satisfy the insurance company? Especially if the claim was accompanied by a letter from the vet? I'd hope so anyway.

That would be down to the individual insurance company and thier policies.
Unfortunatly not many, if any, have moved forward with the times on vaccination only with increases in premium costs

I asked Pet Plan and they said we don't have to have any vaccinations and they will still insure our dogs but if any claim was put in and vaccination came into question then they wouldn't pay out.

I am planning in the near future to start talking with insurance companies about covering unvaccinated dogs that have an up to date titre test result just as they would cover a vaccinated dog. Because as it stands at the moment they would pay out if vaccination came into question on a vaccinated dog that may not have taken up the vaccination and have no cover, rather than one that is proved to have cover.

I know that M&S insurance will cover dogs that recieve homeopathic nosodes (given by an apropriately qualified homeopathic vet) instead of the conventional boosters. I'm sure other insurance companies would consider the same

(My plan for Willow is to get the two intital injections then use the homeopathic nosodes in the future.)