Pet Cancer and Treatment

While a cancer diagnosis can be a heartbreaking moment, it isn't necessarily impossible to overcome for our pets any more with lots of available treatment options. Unfortunately, though, it is one of the most expensive diseases to treat, given hospital stays, surgeries, drugs used and the length of care, so pet insurance can be extremely helpful. Make sure you purchase a policy that doesn't have any caps on annual or lifetime claim payouts. If your pet were to get sick, you'll be glad that your coverage doesn't top out. Enrolling early is key.

The Healthy Paws plan has cancer coverage built into every policy without any caps on payouts. Plan coverage includes:

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Healthy Paws saved his parents

At six years old, Dug was diagnosed with lymphoma. His pet parents made the decision that they would help him fight the disease with every resource they could, including chemotherapy administered by a veterinary oncologist. "Dug has lived for an additional 17 months, and the doctor says it's a miracle that he's still alive. We're blessed on all sides and so happy to have Healthy Paws behind us." Read more about Dug

Healthy Paws saved her parents

The three-year old Miniature Australian Shepherd, Esme, was brought to the vet after a growth was found near her rectum and needed to have it removed. During surgery, it became clear that it was a 'rapid growing infiltrating lipoma' that will just keep growing anywhere there's room. Because they couldn't get clear margins around it, Esme had to undergo radiation to kill off remaining cancerous cells. The tumor returned four years later, but after radiation sessions, Esme finally beat cancer! Read more about Esme

Healthy Paws saved her parents

Misty, an 180 years-young Chinchilla Persian, was diagnosed with cancer of the kidney. Her pet parent took Misty to the vet as she was showing a lack of appetite and vomiting a foamy liquid. At the vet, they noticed an abnormality in her kidney and surgery was necessary. Luckily the cancer hadn't spread and after surgery and recovery, Misty has bounced back fine. "Thanks to the vet, her staff, and Healthy Paws, Misty is enjoying extra quality time with her human can-opener!" Read more about Misty

Healthy Paws saved her parents

One day Lorraine noticed a scratch on her Havanese Pippa's eye and, knowing that eye conditions can be serious, she took her pup to the vet. During her exam, the vet explained that Pippa's iris was not reacting properly to light and that it was not "the right shape", symptoms which could be caused by a tumor. After referring the family to a specialist, Pippa underwent some tests and they confirmed the presence of a tumor in her eye and that surgery was necessary immediately. She had a full enucleation (removal of the eye that leaves the eye muscles and remaining orbital contents), and has since been cancer-free. Read more about Pippa

Just as in human medicine, many treatment options are available including chemotherapy and high-tech surgeries that can help your pet beat cancer. Integrative veterinary oncology is a rapidly growing field, which means your irreplaceable pet has a much greater chance than ever of beating cancer.

CyberKnife? Radiosurgery is a high-tech version of radiation therapy that offers new hope to pets whose tumors were considered inoperable. CyberKnife makes it possible for the veterinarian to treat the affected areas more precisely and to approach them from almost any angle, unlike traditional radiation therapy. The benefits can be extraordinary. For example, a nasal tumor that requires fifteen to twenty conventional sessions and exposes the mouth, eyes, and brain to radiation can be treated in only three CyberKnife sessions. That's five times less anesthesia, five times fewer trips to the hospital, and fewer side effects. Some brain tumors are even eradicated in just one treatment!

Chemotherapy for pets has also gained popularity recently. Unlike human medicine, chemotherapy for pets is usually palliative, meaning the treatment helps keep pain and suffering minimal while not aggressively attacking the body. Chemotherapy is often used in conjunction with antibody therapy, a system that identifies which cells in the body are cancerous, as well as immunotherapy, which supercharges your pet's immune system to help fight the cancer.

As veterinary technology advances, many new treatment plans will be available for our furry friends. However, these advanced treatment options come with a corresponding price tag and can easily exceed $10,000 for several cancer treatment sessions.

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"Healthy Paws Pet Insurance is the greatest decision we ever made for our dog, Sophie. She was recently diagnosed with cancer. The piece of mind we get with this insurance is amazing. We are able to get her the best treatment possible without financial stress. The customer service is wonderful, and reimbursements are always fast. I highly recommend Healthy Paws to anyone with a pet."

Diane, Google Reviews

Cancer is the #1 disease-related killer of pets. It can strike your pooch or little purry one at any age, although it's more common in older pets. Certain breeds of dogs and cats have higher rates of cancer than others. So be sure to talk to your veterinarian about potential risk factors. And remember, early detection is the key to successful treatment and recovery. By taking your pet to the vet every year, you can hopefully catch it early and treatment options might be available. Also, enroll in pet insurance early to help with the costs of veterinary care if the unexpected were to happen.

Get an instant quote now and take the first step to protect your furry best friend.

* The claim scenarios described here are intended to show the types of situations that may result in claims. These scenarios should not be compared to any other claim. Whether or to what extent a particular loss is covered depends on the facts and circumstances of the loss, the terms and conditions of the policy as issued and applicable law. Insureds providing testimonials in this report have not received compensation for their statements.