7 Medical Expenses Dog Insurance Rarely Covers

3. Breeding and Pregnancy Costs

If you plan on breeding your dog, don’t expect your insurance to cover related expenses. This includes:

• Fertility treatments
• Prenatal care
• C-sections
• Puppy care after birth

Dog insurance is designed for health protection, not for supporting breeding or profit-making activities.

Some specialized plans may cover complications during pregnancy, but this is rare.

4. Cosmetic or Elective Procedures

Many owners are surprised to learn that insurance won’t cover non-essential procedures, even if they improve your dog’s quality of life. Common examples include:

• Tail docking or ear cropping
• Declawing (for cats, but sometimes listed in policies)
• Elective surgeries not medically necessary

Even procedures like dewclaw removal or certain orthopedic corrections may be excluded unless they are tied to an injury.

5. Dental Cleaning and Cosmetic Dental Work

While dog insurance usually covers dental accidents (like broken teeth from chewing rocks) and sometimes dental illnesses (like periodontal disease), routine cleanings and cosmetic dental work are excluded.

What’s not covered:

• Annual teeth cleanings
• Cosmetic tooth alignment
• Preventive scaling and polishing

What might be covered:

• Tooth extractions due to injury
• Oral surgery for medical reasons

Check policies like ASPCA Pet Insurance to see which dental conditions are included.