Visits to the veterinarian—whether planned or unplanned—are a part of caring for any furry legged family member.
Nationwide recently analyzed its database of more than 1 million insured pets to determine the top conditions affecting dogs and cats. But behind the numbers are real pets and pet parents navigating these challenges every day, like Nationwide associate Jeremy Hubbard and his greyhound, Joon.
Affectionately called Joonbug, Joon is a retired racing greyhound and one of three in Jeremy’s household. “She is just the happiest dog—she loves, and will cuddle with, everyone and everything,” says Jeremy Hubbard, director of Business Capability Team Management at Nationwide.
In 2021, Joon went in for a routine dental cleaning. As part of the process, Jeremy opted for an ECG to rule out any potential heart conditions before undergoing anesthesia.
“Knowing that greyhounds are already sensitive to anesthesia, and that Joon’s care was covered by Nationwide, we chose to have the test,” he said.
Unfortunately, the results showed abnormalities that required a full cardiology workup. Joon was diagnosed with leaky heart valves, increased flow velocity and an enlarged and weakened left ventricle. While greyhounds naturally have larger hearts than other breeds, her test results were concerning enough to require ongoing monitoring.
“Fortunately, her tests aren’t showing significant changes,” Jeremy said. “And she absolutely loves going to her checkups!”
Now, Joon sees a veterinary cardiologist specialist annually. With the cost of specialist visits adding up, pet insurance has been a huge relief.
“Having pet insurance makes it so much easier to make decisions when caring for your pet and can allow you to catch and treat things early,” he said. “There are so many treatment options available, and your pet can often live a long, healthy life when they get the right care.”
While not all conditions can be prevented, early detection and planning ahead can make a significant difference. For that reason, Nationwide’s Pet HealthZone® provides pet families with valuable insights into breed-specific health risks at no cost, plus ways to help keep their pets healthy.
For Joon, life hasn’t slowed down. “She’s still full of love and happiness and cuddles,” Jeremy said. “Now we joke about how her big, leaky heart can’t even hold in all the love she has.”