Congenital Conditions in Pets
What is a Congenital Condition?
A congenital condition, or congenital disorder, is a health condition that is present at birth or that develops during the first month of a puppy or kitten’s life. Not to be confused with a hereditary disorder, is a condition that is passed down to a puppy or kitten from their parents that manifests later in life.
The good news is that both congenital conditions and hereditary disorders are both covered by pet health insurance plans (just make sure you enroll before your pet shows clinical signs).
Congenital conditions and defects can occur for no known reason, can be inherited or can be caused by environmental factors.
Real Life Examples
Some common congenital disorders include congenital heart conditions and organ defects. Sample congenital conditions and the average cost of treatment.
- Elbow Dysplasia – $3,000 to $6,000 per elbow
- Cherry Eye – $500 to $1,000 per eye
- Disc Disease – $3,000 to $9,000
- Congenital Heart Disease – $15,000 to $20,000
- Liver Disease – $2,000 to $5,000
Source: Dog Health Conditions
Summary
A hereditary condition is one that is linked to genetics – meaning it was passed down from your pet’s parents. A congenital condition, on the other hand, is not linked to genetics and is related to health issues that have occurred while your pet was still developing in utero. The bottom line is this. Congenital and hereditary (genetic disorders) are all bad and terribly expensive to treat. That’s why the best course of action is to enroll in a pet insurance plan while your dog or cat is young and healthy!
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