Labrador

Having a dog health care plan in place helps you take care of your Lab’s everyday health care needs.

A membership to a plan, like The Healthy Pet Club, covers your pet’s preventative health care, including vaccinations, health checks, flea and worm treatments, savings on vet fees and medication, plus other benefits like discounts on purchases (including things like pet food, treats and toys) in your veterinary practice.

Many plans can be paid for on a monthly basis, so you can spread the cost of your membership, whilst saving money at the same time!

Cover your canine companion throughout all of their adventures with our dog insurance.

Labrador puppies can benefit from four weeks free WalkawayCover puppy insurance, with £500 of vet fee cover to get you started. Find your nearest participating veterinary practice today. Puppy must be between eight weeks to one year of age and is subject to a CVS vet health check. WalkawayCover covers illness and accidents instantly. Please note that we cannot provide cover for pre-existing conditions.

For adult Labs, you can get a lifetime insurance quote online in the wag of a tail, or call our friendly UK call centre team on 0808 164 8000.

There’s plenty of choice for pet food to feed your dog, both wet and dry, making it difficult to decide which is the most appropriate.

When choosing a food, it’s important to know that the needs of your Labrador Retriever will change throughout their life.

Check with your vet if you need help choosing the right food and amounts to offer.

Shorter haired breeds generally need grooming every couple of weeks or so.

Bathing can help remove debris and dirt from your dog’s coat.

Groom your dog first and use pet friendly shampoo. You can use a rubber mat in the bath or sink to prevent slips and slides while your pet’s coat is being cleaned.

Remember to stand clear of your dog after bathing…else you risk a soaking when they shake!

For many, the Labrador’s ability to get on with people, dogs and cats is one of their best attributes.

However, it should not be assumed that all Labradors are social butterflies.

You’ll need to ensure they’re well socialised from a young age and have plenty of positive social interactions. Your veterinary practice may offer puppy parties or new puppy classes, so it’s worth enquiring to set your young Lab off to a great start in life!

Labradors can be prone to obesity, so it’s important to limit calories and take the time to ensure they are being well-exercised.

Abnormally developed joints cause chronic mobility issues and signs including lameness, reluctance to exercise and muscle wastage.

Signs can begin in the Lab’s first year of life and worsen as they age. As the joints are not aligned as they should be, arthritis will develop.

X-rays or CT scans will enable diagnosis.

For some, surgical intervention can dramatically improve prognosis. For others, they are managed with ongoing pain relief and anti inflammatory medicine.

It is also important that pressure is taken off joints by preventing obesity.

Adjunctive therapies including canine massage and acupuncture should also be considered.

While being obese is not a disease in itself an obese Labrador is more prone to a number of diseases.

These include arthritis, cancer, diabetes and elevated blood pressure.

We should aim for our Labs to have a Body Condition Score of 4 or 5 out of 9.

When Labs are kept slim their entire lives, they are proven to enjoy better health.

If the thyroid gland does not produce enough thyroid hormone, your Labrador may develops signs including chronic skin infections, sluggish behaviour and difficulty losing weight.

Hypothyroidism is easily diagnosed with a blood test.

Thankfully, this endocrine disease is easy to manage with daily medicine. However, the cost of medicine and ongoing check-ups and blood tests will add up through the years. 

For most Labs, their epilepsy starts before the age of five. They will have seizures for no known reason.

It is important the vet rules out other causes of fits, which will entail a range of medical tests.

A full work up can cost several thousand pounds, particularly if imaging of the central nervous system is required.

Epileptic dogs can enjoy a good quality of life as long as their seizures are well controlled with medicine.

Ongoing itchiness and repeated skin infections may be caused by atopy or allergies.

Labs can react to a range of allergens including dust mites, foods, pollens and grasses.

The diagnosis and management of atopic skin disease is notoriously expensive, with allergy testing and immunotherapy costing several thousand pounds.

Fatty tumours occur more commonly in over-weight labs.

They will feel soft to the touch and will move around under the skin. They tend to grow slowly.

Your vet may advise a fine needle aspirate to confirm the diagnosis.

The Labrador is prone to a number of different cancers including hemangiosarcoma, lymphoma and mast cell tumours.

The average pet insurance claim currently stands at £848 according to the report produced by the Association of British Insurers in 2022.

As there is no NHS for pets, could you afford to take your chances and not have cover in place for your beloved Labrador Retriever?

Yes we do, as we know that more furry friends = more fun!

If you are getting quotes for all you pets at the same time, simply get a quote online and add additional pets using the ‘Add another pet’ button.

Your 5% multi pet discount will be automatically applied to your quotes.

You can also add additional pets and get your multi pet discount by calling 0808 164 8000.

The details you enter are used by the underwriter to calculate your pet insurance premiums.

Examples of rating factors which may affect the price of your premium are the breed of your pet, the age of your pet and your postcode.

Yes, we can pay your vet directly on your behalf. Any claims will be subject to your policy excesses. Your veterinary practice may be able to help you submit your claim. It’s always best to check with your vet in the first instance.

Both our LifetimeFlex and 365Flex pet insurance policies cover dental treatment as a result of an accident or illness. (So long as your dog is up to date with their yearly dental check-ups and where any work recommended is carried out at your own expense).

No, we currently do not offer cover for pre-existing conditions when you take out a new policy with MiPet Cover.

This includes any illness, accident, or incident, that occurred to your pet prior to taking out the insurance policy with MiPet Cover, and, any accident, illness, or incident that occurred within any exclusion period.