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Comments on the dilemma in the January/February issue: Disclosing pre‐existing veterinary conditions to insurance companies
Author(s) -
McCulloch Steven
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
in practice
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.211
H-Index - 25
eISSN - 2042-7689
pISSN - 0263-841X
DOI - 10.1136/inp.l791
Subject(s) - lameness , dilemma , medicine , business , surgery , epistemology , philosophy
In the dilemma discussed in the January/February issue of In Practice, Kathryn Henderson described a scenario where a client brings her two‐year‐old dog in to see you regarding his ongoing lameness after long periods of exercise. On examination the left stifle is thickened and you recommend sedation and radiographs to evaluate the joint further. As the dog is due to be neutered you recommend doing both procedures at the same time. The owner says she will save up to pay for them and come back another time. The dog is not insured. A few months later she phones the practice to ask what has been documented about the dog's lameness, and to enquire if her recently taken out policy would cover x‐rays. After being advised that the clinical history contains information about the lameness she becomes upset as she doesn’t want the insurance company to know it is a pre‐existing condition because she was hoping to claim for the radiographs on the new insurance policy. She asks you ‘what shall we do then, do we leave him to suffer’? (IP, January/February 2019, vol 41, pp 46‐47). What should you advise?