Top 9 Pet Insurance Plans For Golden Retrievers (2024)

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The love of a Golden Retriever is simply divine. These flaxen-haired beauties love with their whole hearts, and you can’t help giving yours back in full. Intelligent, loyal, and perfection in a dog, this is the best way to describe a Golden. And because you care deeply for the gentle soul who gives so much in return, you’ll do anything to protect them. Part of protecting your Golden Retriever means guarding their health with regular veterinary checkups and staying on top of any issues that arise.

Goldens are active and sturdy pups, but they still deal with health concerns just like any other dog breed. The common health problems in Golden retrievers, like cancer, hip dysplasia, and genetic issues that can create emergencies, tend to lead to big vet bills that can leave you reeling. Or even force you to make difficult choices. But pet insurance might just save your Golden’s life while keeping you from drowning in vet bills. And thanks to our comparison tool, getting an easy-to-understand and detailed quote is as easy as clicking and scrolling!

Compare The Top 9 Pet Insurance Plans for Your Golden Retriever Using our Free No-Obligation Quote Tool below

The simplest way to compare pet insurance prices is to use our tool below. The comparison tool will show you quotes from the top 9 pet insurance carriers, including Trupanion, Pets Best, Lemonade, ManyPets, FIGO, HealthyPaws, Prudent Pet, Spot, and Embrace pet insurance.

How Much Does Pet Insurance for a Golden Retriever Cost?

Below are some sample pet insurance plans for a 1-year-old male Golden Retriever using the zip code 75001 (Texas) as an example.

• Pets Best – $50.45 per month
• Embrace – $44.14 per month
• Healthy Paws – $37.41 per month
• ManyPets – $46.14 per month

Ultimately, your plan’s premium will depend on several factors, including your dog’s age, size, and breed, as well as where you live. Prices can also vary when coverage is tailored to Golden retriever-specific health problems. Let’s get more into those medical conditions and how much you can expect to pay to treat them.

Common Health Problems Associated With Golden Retrievers

Cancer

Golden retrievers are more likely to experience cancer than other dog breeds with an estimated instance rate of sixty percent. And these four cancers, in particular, afflict Golden Retrievers:

• Hemangiosarcoma – cancer of the blood vessels
• Osteosarcoma – cancer of the bone usually seen near knees, shoulders, and wrist joints
• Lymphoma – cancer of the lymphatic system
• Mast Cell Tumor – cancer of the skin that forms from the immune system’s mast cells

RELATED: 10 Signs Of Canine Cancer Every Dog Owner Should Know

Hip Dysplasia

Hip dysplasia occurs when the ball-and-socket joint in a dog’s hip doesn’t form correctly and eventually leads to pain and decreased mobility. This genetic condition plagues many of the larger dog breeds, the Golden Retriever included. If you notice your Golden favoring one leg, skipping putting weight on the leg while walking, or you can hear loud grinding when your dog moves, these can be signs of dysplasia.

Von Willebrand’s disease (vWD)

Von Willebrand’s Disease, or vWD, is a hereditary bleeding disorder that occurs when the blood is missing a vital protein that helps with clotting at the site of injuries to the small blood vessels. Dogs with this disease are at risk of losing significant amounts of blood as healing clots don’t form as they should. Excessive blood loss in dogs can quickly become an emergency.

Hypothyroidism

Hypothyroidism is another common health problem in Golden retrievers and occurs when the thyroid doesn’t produce enough hormones to regulate metabolism. Affecting almost 25% of the breed, hypothyroidism often presents with fatigue, weight gain, coat problems, and flaky skin. Left untreated, your dog’s entire quality of life will decline.

RELATED: What You Should Know About Common Thyroid Problems In Dogs

Subvalvular Aortic Stenosis (SAS)

SAS is a congenital heart defect in which the aortic valve is too narrow to pump blood effectively. For many dogs, the defect will not affect their quality of life. But those afflicted with more severe cases may experience lethargy, exercise intolerance, shortness of breath, and fainting. Extreme cases may cause heart failure.

Typical Costs Of Treating Health Issues In Golden Retrievers and How Pet Insurance Can Help

Golden Retrievers are happy and healthy dogs, but like any other breed, they’re still prone to specific health problems, and emergencies can happen. Caring for ongoing conditions and emergency vet situations can create financial hardships in a hurry. But a small monthly payment for the right pet insurance plan for your Golden retriever can save your bank account and give you time to care for your pup without worrying over bills.

If you’re not sure pet insurance is right for your family, take a look at the average costs for treating the common health problems in Golden retrievers:

• Cancer Costs: When cancer is suspected, diagnostic costs for bloodwork, scans, and exploratory surgery can range from $200 to more than $1,500. Once the diagnosis comes, the treatment begins, and costs start mounting with surgery that averages $1,500, radiation prices of $2,000-$6,000, and chemotherapy costs that can climb to $5,000 depending on severity. Additional prescriptions can average $50 monthly, but quality pet insurance plans for Golden Retrievers will reduce cancer costs significantly.
• Hip Dysplasia Costs: To manage hip dysplasia in Golden Retrievers, your pup may be prescribed medications to help with pain and degeneration. The cost of these monthly medications can add up over years of treating hip dysplasia. However, certain pet insurance plans will help you find some relief from monthly prescription costs. Once the hip or hips reach a certain point of degeneration, the right plan can also soften the financial blow of a $2,000 – $7,000 surgery.
• Von Willebrand’s Disease (vWD) Costs: If your Golden suffers a bleeding emergency, costs could get high in a hurry. For each unit of blood, you can expect prices that range from $25-$300. The amount of blood lost will depend on how many units your dog will need. If the case is severe, other emergency procedures and hospitalization may be necessary. Between transfusions, stays, and emergency care, this unexpected vet bill could quickly reach prices of $800 to $1,500. With the right pet insurance plan for your Golden retriever in place before an emergency occurs, you’ll be able to concentrate on recovery and not bills.
• Hypothyroidism Costs: Hypothyroidism is typically treated with medication and monitoring. Depending on your dog’s size and the severity of the issue, you’re looking at $20 – $50 per month to fill your dog’s script. That might not sound like much to start, but month after month, year after year, prescriptions for hypothyroidism can add up over time.
• Subvalvular Aortic Stenosis (SAS) Costs: To diagnose SAS, vets will turn to X-rays, electrocardiograms, and echocardiograms, and this cardiac examination could cost an estimated $1,000. Once diagnosed, dogs with SAS will require lifelong veterinary care to ensure their heart is working properly. In some cases, dogs will need beta-blockers to keep the heart from working too hard, creating a monthly prescription bill that will vary depending on your dog’s size and dosage needs. In the most severe instances of SAS, a balloon catheterization surgery to reduce the restriction is available, but not many vets are equipped to perform the procedure. The surgery cost begins at $5,000 and can climb depending on where you live. Pet insurance can’t stop heart problems in Goldens, but it can save you from an unexpected blow to your bank account.

What Is Pet Health Insurance, And Why Do I Need It For My Golden Retriever?

Pet health insurance works very similarly to human health insurance. Your policy quote will range in monthly price, depending on your dog’s breed, age, and where you live. Typically, you’ll spend around $15-$88 per month as a pet parent.

Pet insurance is mainly about peace of mind, knowing you won’t be totally overwhelmed in case of an emergency. Enrolling even when your dog is young and healthy will ensure you have plenty of coverage when they need expensive medical care later. If you choose a plan more suited to your dog’s particular breed, you’ll be more prepared when something happens later on in their life.

Some plans cover accidents and illnesses, while others only cover accidents. Certain plans do cover breed-specific illnesses, and others do not. It all depends on what type of coverage you choose. With our free pet insurance comparison tool, you can get quotes from multiple insurance companies with no obligation to commit.

Whatever plan you choose, you’ll feel better knowing you can take care of your dog when they need you most. Plus, you won’t have to suddenly shell out thousands of dollars. Learn more about how pet insurance works here.

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