Pets Best does cover hip dysplasia, but only if the condition develops after your policy starts and you meet the plan's terms

Hip dysplasia — a genetic condition where the hip joint doesn't fit together properly — is covered by Pets Best under their accident and illness plans. The key word is "after." If your pet already had hip dysplasia before you bought the policy, it counts as a pre-existing condition and Pets Best will not pay for treatment related to it. You also need to have chosen a plan that includes orthopedic coverage, since some lower-cost options exclude bone and joint problems.

Pets Best covers the cost of diagnosis (X-rays, ultrasounds), surgery (like a femoral head ostectomy or total hip replacement), physical therapy, and medication for hip dysplasia once the condition is diagnosed. The amount they reimburse depends on your deductible, co-insurance percentage, and annual limit. A dog needing hip surgery can cost $3,000 to $7,000 or more, so understanding what your plan actually covers before you need it matters.

Key Takeaways

  • Pets Best covers hip dysplasia diagnosis and treatment under their accident and illness plans, but only if the condition develops after your policy begins.
  • Pre-existing hip dysplasia — any sign of the condition before your policy start date — is never covered, even if it was not formally diagnosed.
  • Your specific plan must include orthopedic or bone-and-joint coverage; some Pets Best plans exclude these conditions entirely.
  • You pay a deductible and co-insurance percentage out of pocket, and Pets Best reimburses you up to your annual limit, which varies by plan.

What Counts as Pre-Existing and Why It Matters

Pets Best defines a pre-existing condition as any illness or injury your pet showed signs of before your policy start date. For hip dysplasia, this means if your veterinarian noted joint problems, lameness, or abnormal gait in any exam record before you bought the policy — even if they didn't call it hip dysplasia — Pets Best can deny a claim later.

This rule exists across nearly all pet insurance companies because hip dysplasia is genetic and often develops slowly. A puppy might show early signs at six months that don't become obvious until two years old. If you wait to insure your pet until symptoms appear, the company will look back at your vet records and find evidence of the condition before your policy began. The way to avoid this: insure your pet young, before any joint problems show up on record.

Some breeds — German Shepherds, Labrador Retrievers, Golden Retrievers, and Rottweilers — have much higher rates of hip dysplasia. If you own one of these breeds, getting coverage early is especially important because the odds of developing the condition are high.

Which Pets Best Plans Include Hip Dysplasia Coverage

Pets Best offers several plan tiers. Their Accident & Illness plans cover hip dysplasia as long as it's not pre-existing. Their Accident-Only plans do not cover hip dysplasia at all, because dysplasia is a disease, not an accident. If you own a breed prone to hip problems, an Accident-Only plan leaves you exposed.

Within their Accident & Illness lineup, Pets Best offers plans with different annual limits and deductibles. A higher annual limit means more money available for a single expensive surgery. A lower deductible means you pay less out of pocket before Pets Best starts reimbursing. Check your specific plan documents or call Pets Best directly to confirm your annual limit and whether orthopedic conditions are included — plan details change, and what applies to one policy may not explore to another.

How Reimbursement Works for Hip Dysplasia Treatment

When your dog is diagnosed with hip dysplasia and you file a claim with Pets Best, the process works like this: you pay the veterinary bill in full at the time of service. You then submit the invoice and medical records to Pets Best. They review the claim to confirm the condition is not pre-existing and that it falls within your plan's coverage. If approved, they reimburse you a percentage of the cost after you've met your deductible.

The reimbursement percentage is usually 70%, 80%, or 90%, depending on which plan you chose. If your deductible is $500 and your co-insurance is 20%, and your hip surgery costs $5,000, you would pay $500 (deductible) plus $900 (20% of the remaining $4,500), and Pets Best would reimburse you $3,600. If your annual limit is $5,000 and you've already used $3,000 on diagnostics, you'd only get $1,400 toward the surgery.

Reimbursement typically takes one to two weeks after Pets Best receives your complete claim. Keep all receipts and medical records organized so you can submit them quickly.

Surgery and Ongoing Treatment Costs

Hip dysplasia treatment ranges from conservative (medication and physical therapy) to surgical. Conservative management costs $500 to $2,000 per year in pain medication, supplements, and therapy. Surgery — the most common fix — runs $3,000 to $7,000 depending on the procedure and your location.

A femoral head ostectomy (FHO), where the vet removes the ball of the femur, costs around $3,000 to $5,000 and works well for smaller dogs. A total hip replacement (THR), which replaces the joint with an artificial one, costs $5,000 to $7,000 and is more common in larger dogs. Both surgeries are followed by weeks of restricted activity and physical therapy, which adds another $500 to $1,500.

If your Pets Best plan has a $10,000 annual limit and 80% reimbursement, you could cover most of a hip replacement surgery plus follow-up care. If your limit is $5,000, you'd cover the surgery but have little left for ongoing treatment. This is why understanding your plan's limits before you need surgery matters.

Comparing Pets Best to Other Insurers on Hip Dysplasia

Most major pet insurers — Embrace, Figo, Nationwide, and ASPCA — cover hip dysplasia under their accident and illness plans with similar rules: not if pre-existing, and only if your plan includes orthopedic coverage. The main differences are annual limits, deductibles, and reimbursement percentages.

Pets Best's reimbursement model is straightforward: you pay the vet, submit the bill, and get reimbursed. Some competitors like Figo offer direct payment to the vet in some cases, which means you don't have to pay the full bill upfront. Embrace and Nationwide have higher annual limits on some plans, which matters if your dog needs multiple surgeries or long-term treatment. ASPCA tends to have higher premiums but covers more conditions.

The best choice depends on your breed's risk, your budget for premiums, and how much you can afford to pay out of pocket. If you have a high-risk breed, compare the annual limits and deductibles across plans, not just the premium price.

What to Do Before Buying a Pets Best Policy

Before you enroll, get your pet a full veterinary exam and ask your vet to note the results in writing. This establishes a baseline of health before your policy starts. For breeds prone to hip dysplasia, ask your vet specifically whether they see any early signs of joint problems. If the exam is clean, you have proof that hip dysplasia was not present when your policy began.

Read your Pets Best policy documents carefully. Look for the annual limit, deductible, co-insurance percentage, and any exclusions related to orthopedic or bone-and-joint conditions. Call Pets Best directly if anything is unclear — a five-minute phone call can prevent a $5,000 surprise later.

If you already own a pet and suspect hip dysplasia might develop, insure them as soon as possible. The longer you wait, the more likely your vet's records will show signs of the condition, and the harder it becomes to get coverage.

Frequently Asked Questions

If my dog shows signs of hip dysplasia before I buy insurance, can I still get coverage?

No. Any sign of hip dysplasia — limping, difficulty rising, or abnormal gait noted by a vet — before your policy start date makes it pre-existing. Pets Best will deny claims related to it. You can still buy a policy, but hip dysplasia treatment won't be covered.

Does Pets Best cover the cost of genetic testing for hip dysplasia risk?

Genetic testing for hip dysplasia risk is not typically covered by Pets Best because it's preventive screening, not treatment of an existing condition. However, X-rays and ultrasounds used to diagnose hip dysplasia after symptoms appear are covered under accident and illness plans.

What happens if my dog needs hip surgery but I've already used most of my annual limit on other treatments?

Once you reach your annual limit, Pets Best stops reimbursing for the rest of that year. You would pay the full cost of the surgery out of pocket. This is why understanding your plan's limit before you need expensive treatment matters, especially for breeds at high risk of hip dysplasia.

Can I get a Pets Best policy if my dog is already showing signs of hip dysplasia?

Yes, you can buy a policy, but hip dysplasia will be marked as pre-existing and excluded from coverage. You would pay for all hip dysplasia treatment yourself. The policy would still cover other accidents and illnesses.

Does Pets Best cover physical therapy after hip surgery?

Yes, physical therapy and rehabilitation after hip surgery are covered under Pets Best accident and illness plans, as long as the surgery itself was covered. This includes underwater treadmill therapy, massage, and other prescribed rehabilitation, up to your annual limit.