Ramsey Posted June 16, 2008 Report Share Posted June 16, 2008 I wont go into it but weve had a very difficult time lately with one thing after another and finances being non existent never helps but it seems things arent getting any better just yet A good month ago Michigan was playing with his giiiirl friend down at the river on wasteland where the ground was very soft. Now these two love to play rough and jump on each other and are always rolling over etc etc However it seemed that mich had strained something after that particular day and was limping that evening on his back leg. Next day was sunday and he seemed slightly better, by Monday he was walking on it, not quite putting all his weight on it but thought it was just a sprain so kept an eye on it. Then a couple of weeks ago on bank holiday monday he wakes up and he'll only walk on 3 legs. He hadnt played with his girly friend that weekend and hadnt had a particularly long walk so i was a bit worried that it was still affecting him and so suddenly. Being bank holiday i decided to take him to the vet first thing next morning to get checked out. However it wore off during the day and tuesday he was fine again. I thought i cant take him in when nothing is visibly wrong ill look like a right wally so I kept a close eye on him and how he was putting his weight down etc Anyway hes been fine for weeks and seemed to be putting weight on it ok but yesterday Chris and I took him for an hour and a half calm walk which is normally nothin for Michigan but he was limping within half hour of being home again So this morning he was still slightly limping, sort of skipping when he turned to miss out putting weight on the leg etc so off we went to the nice Mr vets 'house'. (He loves the vet... so far) The vet thinks that he has a cruciate liament knee injury in that leg and that there is slight muscle wastage compared to the other leg Hes going in thursday to be knocked out to see just how much movement there is in the knee and have x rays. We feel that it may well be an old injury thats got damaged again when playing rough. Obviously being totaly skint and my vans blown up etc, I was worried. ive always always had full insurance with life cover, saved up and paid it in full at the beginning of each year just incase somethin like this happened. Until this year we were with Marks and Spencer but with the price hikes and loss of the no excess we moved to Axa Direct which I know quite a few of you did too this year. I spoke to my vet who normally wants money up front and he agreed he would go through the insurance direct bless him! Got home and rang AXA and they said thats no problem at all so so far so good! So, I just thought id let you know that im about to test the system and update you guys on how Mich does and how AXA do during this difficult time and ask if anyone else has had experiences claiming through AxA yet? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
merledogs Posted June 16, 2008 Report Share Posted June 16, 2008 I've thankfully not had to claim through Axa yet, but I've switched all my pets except one over to them so will follow your experience with interest Gentle squish for poorly Michigan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zico's mum Posted June 16, 2008 Report Share Posted June 16, 2008 Oh poor Mich do hope he's OK - and that you will be as well with AXA. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redditchlady Posted June 16, 2008 Report Share Posted June 16, 2008 I hopw Mich is soon feeling better hun. Kazz xx Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EAD Posted June 16, 2008 Report Share Posted June 16, 2008 No experience of AXA but for Mich. Kyla had cruciate surgery 9 weeks ago so know wot its like Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillyMalc Posted June 16, 2008 Report Share Posted June 16, 2008 So far AXA have been really good with claims, but these have always been claims that I made to be refunded to me after I had paid for treatment. At the moment I've got several claims lying with them for treatment that Mal has had at the animal hospital. So far I've not heard from either one of them, not from the hospital that they have been paid, nor from AXA that they won't pay, or won't pay everything. If, for whatever reason, they won't pay I'll be well and truly F-ed because the bills are to the tunes of several 1000 £'s! I can't see why they won't pay out tho, seeing as they have been really good before. Lots of and get well soon wishes to Michigan-boy! (any new pictures per chance? ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
houndzrus Posted June 16, 2008 Report Share Posted June 16, 2008 So, I just thought id let you know that im about to test the system and update you guys on how Mich does and how AXA do during this difficult time and ask if anyone else has had experiences claiming through AxA yet? I've just claimed for Cherry's treatment, but I had to leave the form with the vet to complete. It was held up because AXA said they didn't receive it and the vets didn't keep a copy. I couldn't have kept a copy because the vet hadn't filled in their bit before I handed it in, and wouldn't give it back! AXA would have accepted a fax at this stage. Anyhow, AXA found it and paid up no problem. It did take about 10 days for the cheque to get to me though, but i knew it would be paid. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ramsey Posted June 16, 2008 Author Report Share Posted June 16, 2008 Thanks BillyMalc its good to know that youve not had problems so far! I hope we dont have to go down that route even though my vet sounds very confident that he can make it all better but could Kyla please tell Mich and I what its like? I have a couple of pics of mich with his erm lady.. (lady she aint ) and one of their friends. I know it of bums but is this just the best view in the world of relaxed happy dogs running free and playing nicely Theyre both bonkers as each other, dont you think theyre well suited? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ramsey Posted June 16, 2008 Author Report Share Posted June 16, 2008 Hmm thanks houndzrus. My info does say sent to US by YOU in bold etc and the form has a box to tick to pay direct to the vet so ill make sure I do that and keep a copy then I know its gone, although apparently its up to the vet whether we do that for each visit/stage or whether we add it all up and send it all at once afterwards. I have to say im very happy that were using this vet, I wondered about moving him to a bigger posher practice but Mich loves him to bits (..so far) hes only a small independent guy so we always see him and he deals with Mich very well so i feel confident that he will be ok in his hands. I think ill make him some liver cake to leave with him for afterwards just in case to make sure he forgives him Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
estweyn Posted June 16, 2008 Report Share Posted June 16, 2008 Sounds like Axa are better with pet insurance than people insurance, my mum had one of those over 50s policies, she paid it monthly. When she died they only pay out a set sum, poor old mum had struggled to pay this blasted policy for years but they never told her she had paid over the amount they would pay out when she died. I did challenge them but it was a waste of time... so I wont be doing an over 50s. My vet wont accept cheques direct from insurers, dont know why, he says its due to some sort of financial regs.. Does anyone else have the same problem Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ramsey Posted June 16, 2008 Author Report Share Posted June 16, 2008 Thats awful what a theiving scheme! My doesnt like to go through insurance direct, not sure why but he is only a small independent practice so maybe they just like to see the money up front by choice. I think hes much more willing to because we visit a fair bit with Benji having liver disease, Harry was also treated there with his prostate cancer until the end and having so many other animals that pop in and out Ive actually moved the ferrets to a different vet just because Im aware that hes not keen on ferrets and doesnt reeeeallly know a great deal about them so that suits us both Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillyMalc Posted June 16, 2008 Report Share Posted June 16, 2008 Theyre both bonkers as each other, dont you think theyre well suited? That is just a class picture!!! Great to see Mich is doing so well and being popular with the lay-dees! :laugh: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ramsey Posted June 16, 2008 Author Report Share Posted June 16, 2008 Well ive just read all of Kylas thread on her diagnosis and op and the symptoms have been the same as others. Hes intermittently limping especially after a good walk / play, hes not putting his full weight on the leg, hes sitting with that leg tucked under which i read is a sign and he sometimes stands with it stretched out behind him with his foot slightly off the floor when he gets up. Hes in for knockin out and see how bad it is but I think if he needs the op were just going to go for it for the best in the long run for him. After reading a few articles Im prefering the TPLO method as this seems to be the better repair and i read that 30% of dogs that get it in one knee get it on the other so the better repaired the first is the more noticable the second would be in the way the dog walks as well as it being more sucessful in the long run. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EAD Posted June 16, 2008 Report Share Posted June 16, 2008 Sorry for not replying in this thread earlier but I was at work so dont get peace to write much We are on week 10 now and its a long slow recovery and to be honest Kylas probably coping better than me as they just adjust to whatevers thrown at them and dont know any different. She hasnt been offlead or had any sort of run since before the op and is still going out to the garden to the toilet on lead. We are now up to 50 minutes onlead exercise per day, next week will be an hr and im gonna let her offlead for 10 minutes of that. Shes not on any pain medication now, only Seraquin. I am terrifed that once she goes offlead shes rupture it again or the other one will need surgery My vets recommended the suture op and only time will tell how successful it is. for Mich and you Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ramsey Posted June 20, 2008 Author Report Share Posted June 20, 2008 Well yesterday Mich went in for his sedation and check over. I managed not to blub leaving him there... well at least until I got to the car without him anyway It felt awful here at home without him, its second nature to have him greet me at the door or to jump in the car with me when we pop out so when he didnt it was so noticable Anyway, I left him with a few notes and some liver treats to try to make the experience as stress free as possible and I have to say the nurses were great and thankfully he showed me up as a paranoid mummy and behaved himself all day! Im so proud of him because its the first time hes been in a kennel since the rescue nearly 3 years ago and the fist time ive left him with anybody (including my family) outside my own house & out of my sight! *wibble* The good news is that the vet doesnt think he has a cruciate ligament, he has inflamation in the knee but the x rays didnt show anything cruciate/arthritic wise. So we have some anti inflammatories for 2 weeks and on lead walks and then back again for a check up to see how he is and re assess. We hope though that its just a sprain and with some rest he will be fine... I hope so but i think im going to be paranoid for a while I have to admit that I blubbed like a wally when I went to pick him up, Id missed him so much and I was just so relieved to have him back safely! He was still a bit dopey and his face hadnt caught up with his brain for a good few hours so he was drooling bootlaces and looking rather vacant but this morning Im pleased to say hes back to his old self again The nurses took the insurance form to send off even though it specificly says that I should but seen as theyre the ones claming the money I doubt it matters much and I doubt they will forget, im sure they'll let me know about it if it doesnt all go smoothly Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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