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Post by goingpostal on Jun 15, 2011 22:28:21 GMT -5
I would see if you can get your vet to resubmit as eggbound. How much is a spay for an ig there? Will your vet do payment plans at all, it's not like you aren't a good customer. Man I'm glad my ig is a male, I was so paranoid when he was little and I wasn't sure. Seems like egg binding is so common in reptiles.
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Post by Deleted on Jun 15, 2011 23:12:06 GMT -5
I'd be getting the vet to re-submit a new diagnosis. somethng like egg binding can become critical very fast. I'd be on the phone with that insurance company asking why coverage has been denied.
Don't give up! Try to stay calm on the phone and find out what the insurance is objecting to. I'm sure your vet will support you on this.
-jennifer
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Post by katt on Jun 15, 2011 23:59:30 GMT -5
Thanks guys.  I left a message for the vet, but did not hear back so I will call and try to get a hold of the tech who seemed to know a lot about gravid igs tomorrow. Though I think neither of them is in again until Sunday... There are no reptile rescues to my knowledge. I am trying to work out some way to afford this if VPI does not go through. I obviously can't sit here and let her fester or anything... Thankfully right now she is not hypocalcemic, and her bones look incredibly perfect, and she is active and alert and healthy in all other regards. So that is really good. |
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Post by Deleted on Jun 16, 2011 0:24:20 GMT -5
I hope you are able to figure something out  I know how much she means to you. |
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Post by Deleted on Jun 16, 2011 1:59:43 GMT -5
I agree with Sherry and Tara... Also, can you check out other insurers? Probably a stupid question as they would consider it a preexisting condition. And that was also a really good idea above about, if it came to that, relinquishing her to a sanctuary that would get her the surgery. Then you wouldn't have to put her down.  |
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Post by katt on Jun 16, 2011 2:33:47 GMT -5
Candice, there aren't really any places like that here. The few that do exist are typically individuals who love reptiles running private rescues...who often don't actually know what they are doing or have up-to-date info. Or don't have money to take their animals to vet, but have a vet who donates exams and euthanasia... :S I have looked for rescues in the area a few times and have yet to find a legit one. We have no sanctuaries or anything like that for reptiles, even the zoo does not have any reptiles (I have considered making Tito a star attraction by donating her a few times though hehe). I WILL make it work some way or another.  Putting her down would be a last resort option. She is fine now, for now, but they can go downhill fast. If that happens before I can get her in, I am not going to put her through a surgery that she is bound to not make it through anyways. Reptiles do not breathe under anesthesia. They have to have someone breathing for them the entire time. The tech said she had to breathe for an ig for 4 hours after a surgery once because it did not come out of the anesthesia well. Also, the surgical monitoring equipment does not work on reptiles, so they need someone to monitor them the whole time too. That is part of why the surgery is so expensive. I will update when I know more. Didn't hear back from the vet today. |
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Post by shilohismygirl on Jun 16, 2011 7:35:29 GMT -5
Here's thinking of you, Katt. I am so sorry you're going through this. Hugs to you and beautiful Tito. |
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Post by Deleted on Jun 16, 2011 8:16:22 GMT -5
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Post by miamiferret2 on Jun 16, 2011 8:45:43 GMT -5
Jennifer the avian & exotic plan is the same its just one plan for all exotic animals & birds.
I really think its bc the vet wrote "probable"
Or they prob think it is preexisting. I am not sure. They must tell her the reason for the denial first so she can go from there. It is very odd to me that they denied it without a reason or investigating it even.
I have always signed up my ferrets when they were babies they have never denied me anything (except when I submitted bills for Adrenal but even then they asked my vet for s copy of his medical records first).
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Post by katt on Jun 16, 2011 13:01:44 GMT -5
Yes. They either denied me because it is "preexisting" or because the vet wrote "probable." They do exclude breeding problems, as well as removal of reproductive organs. However, they DO cover treatment and surgery for egg binding - I specifically asked like 5 times to be sure just because of the other exclusions.
I am planning on calling VPI, I just want to talk to the vet first. See what she thinks about other options, and how she thinks she can help me as far as wording. I was doing some reading, and there are some hormone injections that can stimulate them to lay, but we will just run into this issue again next year. If it comes down to it I might just starve for a few months (Shane will be back in a week and a half...his mom will feed me for 2 weeks hehe) to get the surgery even if insurance won't cover it. Then I NEVER have to do this again. Grrrr....
Thanks for all of the support and help guys.
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Post by Deleted on Jun 16, 2011 13:10:11 GMT -5
If the hormones did work, then you would at least have some breathing room and could save up for the surgery cost.
How likely are hormones to work?
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Post by Deleted on Jun 16, 2011 14:23:42 GMT -5
does your vet not offer payment plans? you could check that out as well.
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Post by Deleted on Jun 16, 2011 14:37:49 GMT -5
Your vet doesn't have any surgery monitoring equipment for reptiles? I believe the reptile vet I used to work for here uses something called a Doppler machine to monitor breathing and heart rate during surgery, but I may have gotten that name wrong. I did not know that reptiles don't breathe when they are under anaesthetic, yikes that's scary!  Hopefully you get this all figured out soon, glad to hear that Tito is doing well in the mean time |
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Post by katt on Jun 16, 2011 15:20:01 GMT -5
Nope. Just for mammals. I don't think they get reptiles in for surgeries often enough to validate buying expensive equipment, and the mammal monitors will not work on reptiles. The vet tech (who seemed very knowledgeable about reptiles) said that usually people cannot afford surgery and the animal just gets put down. So it doesn't seem like they get to do reptilian surgeries too often. But she has certainly done them before, as she was telling me about previous ones she helped with. Also, and this made me kind of sad and kind of proud, but they were Amazed at Tito's health, and how beautiful her bones are.  Most people don't do enough research (believe it or not I would say for herps it is even worse than ferrets ) and many, many captive reptiles end up with Metabolic Bone Disease from improper diet and lighting and housing. Also, the vet and tech both said that usually when they see igs come in for egg binding (or other issues) that they are yellow and lethargic and in really bad shape.  They were ooing and aahhing over Tito. That tells me that most people wait till last minute, when things have gotten bad, to bring them in. |
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Post by Deleted on Jun 16, 2011 15:25:08 GMT -5
That's so sad to hear but so very true here as well. The Avian and Exotic clinic I helped out at saw the reptile bone diseases as one of their main issues and you're right most people left it so long and didn't want to pay for surgery so a lot got put down A couple of the techs there always ended up aquiring reptiles too that weren't really in that bad of shape but who the owners just wouldn't put money into. It makes me so sad But you SHOULD feel proud! You've obviously taken AMAZING care of Tito and no matter what happens you are a great mommy and shouldn't feel bad! I really hope you find a way to figure out the $$$ side of it. I hate when finances get in the way of treating our babies But I completely understand, especially when you have multiple animals you care for, ridiculouosly expensive surgeries sometimes do bring up the decision of whether or not you should proceed with the procedure. Especially when exotics are involved. I know I'd probably never put any of my hedgehogs through surgery, even if the problem was fairly simple, because they very rarely survive anaesthetic, and I can imagine you're having the same dilemma with reptiles Crossing my fingers and toes that everything works out! Hang in there Tito |
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I left a message for the vet, but did not hear back so I will call and try to get a hold of the tech who seemed to know a lot about gravid igs tomorrow. Though I think neither of them is in again until Sunday...
Most people don't do enough research (believe it or not I would say for herps it is even worse than ferrets