Pet Insurance Saved My Dog's Life

Nothing is more terrifying to a pet parent than a sudden illness or emergency. That's exactly the situation Figo customer Ken found himself in with his beloved Wire Fox Terrier Teddy. This story thankfully has a happy ending, but it wasn't without stress and several close calls.

Back in 2009, Ken and his then partner brought Teddy and his sister home from Missouri. When the relationship moved on, Ken kept Teddy. Like most dog parents living in a big city, he was hesitant to raise his pup among the crowds and chaos. Alas, Teddy was meant to stay and they have had a beautiful life together. During one of Teddy's first vet visits, Ken was told to consider pet insurance. Accidents and emergencies can come out of nowhere and be astronomically expensive. That's when Ken found Figo.

Unfortunately, our pets are prone to a number of conditions that can tragically cut their lives short. In 2019, Teddy's vets found a tumor, and Teddy was diagnosed with bladder cancer. Wire Terriers in particular are prone to these kinds of cancers, which is why pet insurance can be such an important purchase to consider. Typically, treatments include either surgical intervention (removal of tumors or partial removal of the bladder), chemotherapy, and/or radiation.

Teddy's vets decided on surgical excision to start. His tumor was removed and chemotherapy was the next step in the treatment process. Ken prayed that Teddy's cancer wouldn't come back, and for a few months, everything seemed to be going to plan. "Being a pet parent is an unbelievable feeling because animals give you something that people don’t and that’s unconditional love" Ken said. "The one thing I've learned about being a dog parent is preparing for the day that your dog won’t be here anymore, because unfortunately, animals don’t live as long as people."

A year and a half later, Teddy's cancer returned with a vengeance. He was put on chemo again, and the vets tried drug after drug in an attempt to slow the spread. When all treatments were exhausted, Ken was given a terrifying final option. Either have Teddy's bladder partially removed, or do nothing, knowing cancer would kill him. "I admit I didn’t think about [the worst-case scenario] when I first got Teddy, which is why this whole process has been heartbreaking."

Ultimately Ken decided to go ahead with the procedure, which was not without a colossal price tag. The total cost of this life-saving surgery to remove Teddy's cancerous bladder was over $25,000. Thankfully, Figo was able to cover it nearly in its entirety, save a few hundred dollars. "Figo is the greatest company I have ever dealt with in my life," Ken exclaimed on the phone with our editor. "the whole team are Teddy’s angels. Figo is responsible for keeping my dog alive and for giving me faith and hope for insurance companies that don’t usually do what they’re supposed to do."

We're thrilled that Teddy is at home recovering and hope that he and Ken will spend many more happy years together!

If you have a life-saving Figo story like Teddy's, we'd love to hear it! Reach out to the team at marketing@insurefigo.com and we'll be in touch to share the good news.

Lizz Caputo is a Content Strategist at Figo, animal enthusiast, and owner of a rescued senior American Bully. Her hobbies include checking out new restaurants in her area, boxing, and petting dogs of all shapes and sizes.