ACL Surgery and Insurance

Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) surgery, or knee surgery, is a common procedure used to repair torn ligaments in a dog's knee. If you elect not to have surgery, your dog can suffer permanent damage and could be lame for life. This condition is usually seen in larger dogs, or dogs that are overweight. Surgery can solve the problem, but the surgery is expensive. The cost depends on many factors, including whether the doctor can repair the torn ligament or has to insert a new, artificial ligament onto the knee. The bad news is, some pet health plans don't cover the surgery, and you may not know that until it is too late. Some pet health plans also have a waiting period before they will cover ACL, so be sure to check with your plan about their waiting periods, too.