Bloat Happens Fast With Great Danes
I had exactly thirty minutes to get Milo to the emergency vet. Maybe less.
His stomach had twisted inside his body. Blood supply was cut off. Without surgery, he'd be dead by morning.
Emergency Surgery at Midnight Costs a Fortune
The emergency vet took one look at Milo and started running. Like, literally running toward the surgery room.
Gastric torsion. His stomach had flipped upside down and was twisting tighter by the minute.
Surgery had to happen immediately. No time to think about costs or get second opinions.
$8,500 for the emergency surgery. Another $2,000 for the three-day hospital stay. Plus medications and follow-up visits.
I stood in the lobby at midnight signing papers for $12,000 worth of surgery. For a dog I'd had for two years.
The worst part? The surgeon said this was normal for Great Danes. Their deep chests make them prone to bloat. It wasn't if Milo would get bloat, it was when.
She mentioned that they could tack his stomach to his ribs during surgery to prevent it from twisting again. That would be another $1,500.
I said yes to everything. What choice did I have?
Joint Problems Start Earlier Than Expected
Six months after the bloat surgery, Milo started limping. Great. Now what?
X-rays showed early hip dysplasia. At two and a half years old.
The vet explained that big dogs grow fast. Sometimes their joints can't keep up with their body size. Genetics plus physics equals expensive problems.
Hip replacement surgery would be $6,000 per side. Milo would probably need both hips done eventually.
But there was another option. A newer surgery called FHO. Cut off the ball part of the hip joint and let scar tissue create a fake joint.
Cheaper but not as good long-term. The surgeon said Milo would always have some limp and arthritis.
I asked what would happen if we did nothing. She said Milo would be in pain every day. Probably need to be put down by age five or six.
So we scheduled the surgery. Another $4,000 per hip.
Heart Problems Come With The Size
During Milo's pre-surgery exam, the vet heard an irregular heartbeat. Of course she did.
Great Danes have big hearts. Sometimes too big. Dilated cardiomyopathy is common in the breed.
An echocardiogram showed Milo's heart was enlarged but still functioning okay. We'd need to monitor it every six months.
The cardiologist said surgery was still safe for now. But if his heart got worse, he might not be able to handle anesthesia.
Another thing to worry about. Another set of expensive tests every few months.
I started calculating the lifetime costs of owning a Great Dane. Hip surgery, heart monitoring, potential bloat emergencies. It was terrifying.
What Great Dane Insurance Actually Needs to Cover
Milo taught me that Great Dane insurance isn't optional. It's required if you want to afford keeping your dog alive.
Emergency Surgery Coverage Without Caps
My first insurance policy had a $5,000 emergency limit. Milo's bloat surgery was $12,000. You do the math.
Emergency veterinary hospitals charge whatever they want. There's no shopping around when your dog is dying.
After the bloat incident, I switched to a policy with unlimited emergency coverage. Costs more monthly, but one emergency surgery can bankrupt you.
Some policies have separate limits for different types of surgery. Like $10,000 for orthopedic, $5,000 for gastric. But what if your dog needs both?
I found a policy that has one overall annual limit instead of separate limits by condition. Much better for a breed that has multiple expensive problems.
Hereditary Condition Coverage is Critical
A lot of insurance companies won't cover hip dysplasia in Great Danes because it's considered hereditary.
But hip problems are almost guaranteed with this breed. What's the point of insurance that doesn't cover the most common problem?
I had to read policy documents carefully. Some companies cover hereditary conditions if they develop after enrollment. Others exclude them entirely.
The policy I ended up with covers hereditary conditions without question. Costs more upfront but saves thousands later.
Make sure the policy covers conditions that develop, not just conditions your dog is born with. Most problems show up later in life.
Ongoing Monitoring Costs Add Up
Great Danes need a lot of diagnostic tests. Hip X-rays, heart monitoring, bloat prevention checks.
My vet wants to see Milo every four months because of his multiple risk factors. Each visit costs $300-500 depending on what tests she runs.
Some insurance policies don't cover routine monitoring. They only cover treatment after a problem develops.
But with Great Danes, you want to catch problems early. Waiting until symptoms appear usually means more expensive treatment.
I specifically looked for policies that cover diagnostic testing and monitoring. Prevention is cheaper than emergency treatment.