Just adopted a 2 year old lab/shepherd mix from the shelter. Shes super healthy, no issues at all according to the vet. My coworker keeps telling me to get pet insurance but she has a purebred golden that has all sorts of breed specific problems. Is insurance actually cheaper for mixed breeds? And is it even worth it if my dog is healthy and not prone to the genetic stuff purebreds deal with?
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Mixed breeds are usually cheaper to insure yeah. My lab/pit mix is $38/month and my friends purebred frenchie is like $75. But the "healthy mutt" thing is kinda a myth. Mixed breeds still get cancer, eat things they shouldnt, tear their ACLs at the dog park etc. Genetics help with some breed-specific stuff but accidents dont care about your dogs pedigree lol
thats a good point about accidents. she already ate half a tennis ball at the park last week so maybe i should just get it
I work at a vet clinic and I see mixed breed dogs in for expensive stuff ALL the time. Cancer doesnt discriminate, foreign body surgeries happen to every dog, and big mixes like lab/shepherds are still prone to hip and joint issues. The premium savings are nice but dont skip insurance just because your dog is mixed. A $4000 emergency hits the same regardless of breed.
i have a mutt too and honestly debated this for months. finally got insurance after she swallowed a sock and we barely avoided surgery ($800 just for the xrays and monitoring). the sock passed on its own but that was pure luck. now i pay like $33/month and i sleep better knowing im covered. lab/shepherd mix will probably be similar price range
To answer your actual question about pricing - yes mixed breeds are typically 15-25% cheaper than high risk purebreds. But its more about size than mix vs purebred. A lab/shepherd mix is a large dog so youll pay more than someone with a small mixed breed. Large dogs = higher vet bills = higher premiums. Get a few quotes online, takes like 5 minutes per company. Id recommend comparing at least 3.
oh interesting i didnt think about the size thing. shes about 65 lbs so yeah definitely on the bigger side. gonna get some quotes today thanks