10/06/2026
For those of you following Ziggy’s questionable diagnosis and our journey to find answers… ❤️
A few weeks ago, after speaking with Trupanion and confirming that an MRI would be covered, I felt comfortable moving forward with booking our flight to Montreal for her specialist appointment.
Then, on Friday, just before our trip, I received an email informing me that because Ziggy had experienced neurological signs within her first 30-day waiting period — only a few days short of the 30 days — anything neurological would no longer be covered moving forward.
Up until that point, Trupanion had covered 10 X-rays, an ultrasound, multiple bloodwork panels and parasite testing. Unfortunately, we were now facing the cost of having to cover the MRI and neurological care ourselves.
To say our hearts were crushed is an understatement. We still don't have an answer for why our little girl has these painful, frightening episodes, and they have been becoming more frequent.
But here we are in Montreal, determined to get answers. ❤️
The neurologist discovered a small heart murmur and wanted to rule out any underlying heart disease before putting Ziggy under anesthesia for her MRI. This meant seeing a cardiologist and having an echocardiogram done first.
Thankfully, her echocardiogram came back normal, which was wonderful news! 🥹❤️
Unfortunately, this pushed us past the timeframe for her MRI that day. She has now been scheduled first thing Tuesday morning (today Oct 6) to undergo anesthesia and have the MRI done.
If everything goes smoothly, she should hopefully be discharged around 1:00 p.m. — and we have a 3:00 p.m. flight home to catch. Unfortunately, PAL was unable to change our flight because we were within the 24-hour window, so we're going to cross our fingers, say a few prayers and hope everything goes according to plan. 🤞
We're hoping to come home with some positive answers and, most importantly, a plan to help our little girl.
Because of all of this, I also want to give my October 7th clients a heads-up: I will keep you updated as soon as I can, but I cannot guarantee that I will be home in time to get back to the grooming table tomorrow. I truly appreciate your patience and understanding while we navigate this.
And lastly, please learn from my experience when it comes to pet insurance.
As soon as you bring your new puppy home and have them officially in your name, contact your insurance company and get the process started. Don't wait. If your puppy needs to see a veterinarian during the waiting period and something is documented, it may potentially be considered a pre-existing condition and affect coverage for that issue going forward.
Don't be like Rebecca. 😂❤️ Stay on top of your insurance, ask questions, and get everything started as early as possible. (Even if they are not physically in your care yet)
For now, we're just taking it one step at a time and hoping today will bring us some answers. Please keep our little Ziggy in your thoughts. 🐾❤️
I'll update you all when I can.
Love Splish Splash Doggy Spa🫧