When Evan and Sophie welcomed an Australian Shepherd puppy into their first home, they took out pet insurance ‘just in case’. What followed was nearly $35,000 in vet bills across two conditions — and a policy that helped every step of the way.
$34,957
Total vet costs across Winter’s first two policy years
$25,680
Total paid by Knose, including hitting the Year 1 annual limit
21
Invoices processed across 11 claim groups; zero denied
Evan and Sophie were ready to start a new chapter in November, planning for their wedding and purchasing their first home. Then Winter arrived– not just the season, but the name of their new Australian Shepherd puppy.
After welcoming Winter into their home, Evan and Sophie had to make another big decision. They took out a Knose pet insurance policy for him “just in case”. They did it to feel secure, knowing that their pet’s health was covered.
“We purchased a Knose insurance policy for Winter in the unlikely event that something happened to him. We understood the value and peace of mind that the insurance policy would bring us, but we never expected to have to use it – especially while Winter was still a puppy.” — Evan & Sophie
The First Diagnosis: Hip Dysplasia
One day, they noticed something off about the way Winter strutted across the room. There was a slightly “hippy” way to his walk. It’s easy for pet owners to pass this off as a quirk or a weird day for their pets. To be safe, they went in for a scan at the vet just to double check.
The scan revealed that Winter had something called hip dysplasia. The diagnosis came as a shock for Evan and Sophie, since Winter came from pedigree parents who were hip-scored and healthy. The insurance that they tucked away suddenly became their saving grace.
💡About Hip Dysplasia: Hip dysplasia is a skeletal condition where the dog has an abnormally developed hip joint. This may cause inflammation and pain, lowering the pet’s quality of life.
Treatment for this condition required extra time and careful monitoring. Because Australian Shepherds are an active breed, they would need oversight from their pet parents and specialists to prevent overexertion.
Correcting the hip dysplasia was also an expensive procedure, but the holistic coverage that they had ready meant that Winter’s surgical costs and physical therapy would be addressed right away. This helped Evan and Sophie have more confidence in Winter’s rehabilitation.
Not long after Winter’s surgery, he was back to being his playful, active, and bubbly self. Australian Shepherds are known for being a strong breed, and it felt good to see Winter run around and be happy again.
| Knose Paid | Total Vet Costs | |
| Hip dysplasia — investigation | $3,312.30 | $4,290.37 |
| Hip dysplasia — surgery & rehabilitation | $1,356.00 | $1,695.00 |
| SUBTOTAL | $4,668.30 | $5,985.37 |
Winter healed just in time for Evan and Sophie’s wedding. It was a joy for his parents to see him walk down the aisle without any trace of pain.
The Second Diagnosis: IHPSS
Weeks after the wedding, Winter had trouble urinating. The couple thought that it might have just been a UTI (urinary tract infection), which did not seem unusual since Winter had one before. The condition escalated rapidly though, and a series of vet visits were required.
Evan and Sophie became more anxious as they had to visit the vet twice, which also led to two nights at the ICU. This meant consecutive tests, ultrasounds, and CT scans. A kidney stone was found and surgery was needed for Winter to urinate properly.
The tests also revealed another complication. Winter had an Intrahepatic Porto Systemic Shunt (IHPSS), which is a congenital disease wherein blood bypasses the liver instead of going through its normal route.
💡About IHPSS: The portal vein collects blood from other organs and delivers it to the liver, where toxins are filtered out. IHPSS is an abnormality that disrupts this flow.
Without any intervention, the prognosis was approximately two (2) years left to live. Another side effect of the disease would be neurological deterioration, since toxins could reach Winter’s brain.
This meant that Winter could have seizures and could potentially display abnormal behaviors such as disorientation in the little time that he would have left. This was devastating news for any pet owner.
“Being told that Winter’s quality and length of life was in jeopardy was the worst news we could possibly hear at the time. We pushed forward with his recovery front of mind, overhauling his diet and our daily schedules to work around him and his needs.” — Evan & Sophie
What the Claims Actually Looked Like
The numbers behind Winter’s story are stark. Across his first policy year alone, his vet bills totalled $33,906.84. Knose paid out the full annual benefit limit of $25,000. Broken down by condition across both policy years:
| Condition | Knose Paid | Total Vet Costs |
| IHPSS / Portosystemic shunt (all claims) | $20,410.90 | $28,170.47 |
| Hip dysplasia (all claims) | $4,548.30 | $5,685.37 |
| Urinary tract infection | $511.76 | $839.70 |
| Skin lesions | $37.84 | $47.30 |
| Conjunctivitis (Year 2) | $171.52 | $214.40 |
| TOTAL | $25,680.32 | $34,957.24 |
Not a single claim was denied. Every invoice was assessed and paid at 80% of eligible costs after co-payment, across 21 invoices and 11 distinct claim groups over the life of the policy to date (except for one that reached the annual limit of $25,000 – ie, urinary tract infection in the table above).
Why Pet Insurance Matters
Breeds prone to hip dysplasia may look perfectly healthy as puppies and spend their first year or two showing no signs at all. The same is true of conditions like IHPSS, often undetected in puppyhood, only revealing itself through subtle signs.
This is where pet insurance can change the equation in a very real way. Not because it can remove the fear of a difficult diagnosis, but because it removes the impossible question that should never have to follow one: “Can we afford to do everything we can?” When cover is in place before symptoms appear, owners can say yes to the specialist, yes to the scan, yes to the surgery — without rationing care.
“Not once did we ever feel like we had to have a conversation about whether we could afford to make a medical decision that was in Winter’s best interests. Knose made that decision for us.” — Evan & Sophie
It’s worth noting that the breeds most beloved in Australian homes — the Golden Retrievers, the Cavaliers, the Australian Shepherds — commonly carry inherited health risks. That’s not a reason to avoid them. It’s a reason to go in clear-eyed, with the right protection in place from day one.
