Customer Stories

How Pet Insurance Helped Solve Koda's Medical Mystery

Dani didn’t plan for a second dog. But when Koda met Dani, something clicked immediately. Someone had found the dog abandoned on the side of the road, terrified of almost everyone. The frightened rescue dog showed instant trust and affection toward her future owner. That connection was all Dani needed to know this unexpected addition to her family was meant to be.

"I love my pets. Like, they are basically my children," she explains. This deep bond made it especially difficult when Koda began showing mysterious symptoms that couldn't be easily diagnosed. The primary veterinarian ran preliminary tests but couldn't determine what was wrong. With no medical history for the rescue dog, finding answers would require specialized care.

The primary vet referred them to a veterinary behaviorist, which immediately raised financial concerns for Dani. The thought of affording specialist visits as a full-time graduate student seemed impossible. Thankfully, she had Embrace Pet Insurance. Dani was able to submit cost estimates in advance and get pre-approved for the behaviorist consultation. This gave her the confidence to move forward with the specialized care Koda needed.

The behaviorist recommended extensive diagnostic testing to uncover what was affecting Koda. The proposed plan included X-rays, an ultrasound, and an endoscopy, with costs reaching over $4,000. On a student budget, this amount would typically be out of reach. However, Embrace pre-approved the entire diagnostic plan and by the end had actually reimbursed her for $5756.09 for the diagnostics and treatments.

The pre-approval feature proved especially valuable for Dani's situation. "I would not be able to financially afford and justify being able to do that as a full-time grad student," she admits. Instead of having to decline necessary tests due to cost, she could confidently tell her veterinarian to proceed with all the recommended imaging and diagnostic work. She wanted to find out what was happening with Koda, and insurance made that possible.

For Dani, having pet insurance means being able to provide the best possible medical care in a way she can afford. Her experience shows how crucial insurance can be for rescue pets with unknown histories, allowing their new families to address health issues without financial barriers. As Dani say, “I love that I can just tell my vet like, ‘Yes, let's do all that imaging, all of that diagnostic testing because I care about her and want to find out what's happening.’”