This is a story about my dog, Carmel. She's going on 14 years old. For a lab/shepard mix, that's pretty old. I didn't notice how old she was getting until this summer. It's clear she has more trouble getting up and down this year, than she did last year. It's clear she is struggling to finish our morning walk. But, all in all, Carmel is in good health and probably has a year or two left in her.

That doesn't sound like much - a year or two. I've had at least four good dogs in my life, and all of them lasted to at least 15, but none of them were like Carmel. Carmel is special. I wanted to write about her today because I wish there had been pet health insurance around when Carmel was a puppy. It would have come in handy!

Carmel came into our lives shortly after my marriage dissolved. I wanted to cheer my kids up so we went to the local Humane Society at Lollypop Farm and my son picked out a dog for his 11th birthday. It was a day of fun and frolic, I can tell you that. Carmel was a furry little fat ball of energy. She made us all happy.

Over the years, we've had our issues with Carmel. She's a needy soul...always wanting a human around. Luckily, I went into business for myself about the time my son went off to college. That meant I could be home with Carmel, most of the time.

Until, somewhere along the line I got busy, I was gone almost as much as I was home, and poor Carmel was alone for a good part of the day. Not every day, but many days.

Carmel decided, in her boredom, I guess...to start licking her leg. She developed a "lick granuloma." Dr. Larry and I talked about this problem, which is pretty common, over at S&S.

This sore on her leg got bigger and bigger. It became infected. I took her to the vet, but they couldn't give me anything for it. We tried an Elizabethan collar, but Carmel got around it. I wrapped her leg every day. I tended to it and yes, sometimes, in my frustration, I shook my finger at her and gave her a good talking to. <sigh>

A little over a year ago, at my wits end, I put a sock on Carmel's leg. Lo and behold! the sock worked! She stopped licking. The wound healed - and though it's left a big scar, I'm so thrilled that we finally found something that works. 

Here's the thing - the vet didn't seem to have an answer, but I think having health insurance would have been a big benefit. We do our yearly visits, and perhaps we could have caught the lick granuloma much sooner - with medicine or even behavioral modification. I don't know.

I do know that I will have pet health insurance for any new puppy or kitten, going forward. It's about comfort, and care, and knowing I can give my pet the best.