Brea, Calif. (Oct. 12, 2011) – For Scott Thisdale of Wadsworth, Ill., his dogs are an extension of his family, which is why he did not hesitate to bring his two shiba inus on a recent vacation to Toronto, Canada. Scott and his 7-year-old canines, Kei and Midori, were en route to a local park when a minor misstep on the subway led to a major detour to a local animal hospital, subsequently earning Kei the title of "Most Unusual September Claim” by Veterinary Pet Insurance Co. (VPI).
“We took the escalator to the subway platform and when we got to the top, Kei’s paw got caught on the grates,” said Scott. “He didn’t yelp or cry, even though it must’ve been painful. I didn’t realize anything had happened until he started licking his nails. That’s when I noticed he was bleeding, so I picked him up and rushed him to the closest animal hospital.”
Fortunately for Scott and Kei, a woman outside of the subway noticed his distress and guided him to the nearest emergency animal facility. The attending veterinarian sedated Kei in order to tend to his wounds, which included nail bed avulsions and lacerations on the pad of his left, hind paw. The veterinarian cleaned his remaining nail bed vessels (“quicks”), cauterized them and stitched up the lacerations on his pad. After about six hours at the animal hospital, Kei was released to enjoy the rest of his vacation.
“There are many factors pet owners should consider when traveling with a pet,” said Carol McConnell, DVM, MBA, vice president and chief veterinary medical officer for VPI. “For example, it’s important to compile a list of veterinary practices and emergency animal hospitals in the area that you’re visiting before you go. One of the great things about a VPI Pet Insurance policy is that, if an emergency does occur, you can visit any licensed veterinarian anywhere in the world. No matter where you go, your coverage travels with you.”
Kei’s escalator incident was one of more than 80,000 claims received in the month of September by VPI, the nation’s oldest and largest provider of pet health insurance, and was selected by VPI employees as the most unusual of the bunch. Honorable mentions in September included a Newfoundland dog that tangled with a moose; a Labrador retriever that suffered deep lacerations from a run-in with a water spigot; and a Papillon that had its tail caught in a groomer’s dremel, which is a rotary tool used for trimming nails. All pets considered for the award made full recoveries and received insurance reimbursements for eligible expenses.
As the most unusual claim submitted in September, Kei will be in the running for the 2012 VPI Hambone Award. Other nominees include Ginger the golden retriever whose nose was bitten by a snapping turtle, and Havee the Havaneese who had his tail run over by a vacuum cleaner. For more information about the VPI Hambone Award, or to read about all of the 2012 nominees, visit www.VPIHamboneAward.com.
Note to editors: Digital images of Kei are available upon request. Send requests to ncross@petinsurance.com
About VPI Hambone Award
The VPI Hambone Award is named in honor of a VPI-insured dog that got stuck in a refrigerator and ate an entire Thanksgiving ham while waiting for someone to rescue him. The dog was eventually found, with a licked-clean ham bone and a mild case of hypothermia. This quirky title was first awarded in 2009 to Lulu, a hungry English bulldog who swallowed 15 baby pacifiers, a bottle cap and a piece of a basketball. The VPI Hambone Award and these unusual pet insurance claims have since helped educate the public about the unexpected mishaps that can affect household pets. Stories and pictures of the VPI Hambone Award nominees are available at VPIHamboneAward.com.
About Veterinary Pet Insurance
With more than 485,000 pets insured nationwide, Veterinary Pet Insurance Co./DVM Insurance Agency is the No. 1 veterinarian-recommended pet health insurance company and is a member of the Nationwide Insurance family of companies. Providing pet owners with peace of mind since 1982, the company is committed to being the trusted choice of America’s pet lovers and an advocate of pet health education. VPI Pet Insurance plans cover dogs, cats, birds and exotic pets for multiple medical problems and conditions relating to accidents, illnesses and injuries. Optional CareGuard® coverage is available for routine care.
Medical plans are available in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. More than 2,500 companies nationwide offer VPI Pet Insurance as a voluntary employee benefit. Policies are underwritten by Veterinary Pet Insurance Company in California and in all other states by National Casualty Company, an A+15 rated company in Madison, Wis. Pet owners can find VPI Pet Insurance on Facebook or follow @VPI on Twitter. For more information about VPI Pet Insurance, call 800-USA-PETS (800-872-7387) or visit petinsurance.com.