When your pet needs it most, Petcover can help.

Two-year-old golden retriever Indy is as beautiful and bouncy as golden retrievers can get. With her sunny personality and can-do attitude, you’d never know that this dog has had to go through some pretty serious health issues over her life already. Indy is insured with Petcover New Zealand which has been a comfort and relief to her owners, because her story is not necessarily an unusual one, though her determination to overcome her health issues is an inspiration to us all.

When she was just four months old, her owner Jacky began to realise that there was something wrong when she was taking her for her daily walks. Indy was too exhausted to go far and kept lying down, not having her usual energy and enthusiasm.

At the vet, Indy had an ultrasound and an electrocardiogram. She also had to wear a vest with three leads attached to the skin for 24 hours to pick up any unusual activity. As a result of her condition, diagnosed as supraventricular tachycardia (SVT)*, Indy needs to be given heart medication twice daily.

*Supraventricular tachycardia (SVT) is an abnormally fast heartbeat that originates above the heart’s ventricles. The same condition can occur in humans.

It was a tough time for Indy’s family, helping her with recovery. “Once we knew she had a heart condition we keep a really close eye on her. She sleeps in our room so at night we would lay in bed listening to make sure we could hear her breathe. After a while on the medication and going on shorter walks, she got more of her old energy back.

“While Indy’s still not as energetic as other puppies, she knows when it’s time to take herself out of a play time with other dogs and have a laydown,” says Jacky.

Unfortunately, the heart problem wasn’t Indy’s only brush with ill health. On her first visit to doggy day care, she came home exhausted, as expected.  But she never picked up her energy.  Jacky explains, “She could not get comfortable, swayed back and forth and had a glazed look in her eyes.  The only way I could get her to drink was with a syringe.  She could not bend her neck and was in pain.”

The vet prescribed a course of steroids and antibiotics with specialist monthly vet checks. “For weeks after treatment started, she could not walk up the driveway, and slept a lot.  Her appetite increased dramatically, thanks to the steroids. She even stole food!” says Jacky.

Luckily, Indy did start to improve. With the help of her adoring owners, a committed specialist veterinary team and Petcover insurance, Indy’s been able to overcome her struggles to be able to live her very best life. Now, Indy’s favourite thing to do is go on walks and sit on park benches to watch people and ducks. Over the Summer period she learnt how to swim with the help of a life jacket.

“Please get pet insurance!”

Jacky’s advice for pet parents caring for a potentially very unwell precious pet? “Please get pet insurance! You might not need it, but it is wonderful to know it is there if you do,” she says.

Petcover’s insurance policies are designed to be comprehensive and budget-friendly, learn more about Petcover today!