Cocker Spaniel Insurance

The Cocker spaniel and its close relatives the Springer spaniel and the Cavalier King Charles spaniel are among the most popular dog breeds here in the UK. So which type of insurance should you arrange for these lovable canines?

Each year, hundreds of Brits become proud owners of one or more of these lively, intelligent and affectionate pups.

Pet insurance can be there to help when your Cocker spaniel suffers an accident or injury and you need to pay for veterinary treatment.

Here at Purely Pets, our insurance policies offer no fewer than 15 different levels of lifetime cover. That cover comes with a range of benefits including access to a 24-Hour Vet Helpline and an online policy management portal, so you can manage your cover when it suits you.

Our helpline is a free, dedicated line that owners can call whenever they have a health concern about their Cocker spaniel – or any cat or dog for which we are providing insurance. The service is staffed by veterinary professionals and you can contact us at any time to get the health advice and information you need to put your mind at rest.

Should I arrange some Cocker spaniel dog insurance?

Insurance is a good idea for all dog owners. This is because all dog breeds, including all the different types of spaniels, are prone to a few certain health conditions.

In fact, ‘pure bred’ or pedigree dogs like the Cocker tend to be somewhat more predisposed than mixed-breed dogs like the Cockapoo, to certain illnesses or problems.

This is because purebred dogs have a limited gene pool making inherited conditions more likely. Mixed breed dogs have a lower chance of developing a genetic health issue.

In the next section, we’ll give you more information about the various health problems that can face Cocker spaniels. It’s quite possible that, at one or more moments during your beloved pet’s life, you may find yourself needing to fund some expensive medical treatment.

Insurance can be very useful here, in providing financial assistance for whatever healthcare your pet may need. After all, some of these treatments can get quite expensive.

If, for example, your pet requires surgery, you may be looking at a bill in the thousands of pounds. Many pet owners may not be expecting, or budgeting for, large bills like this.

The cost of the treatment, when it comes, could be something of a shock and it could make your normal household budgeting more difficult.

We’ve seen recently that the average pet insurance claim has risen by 4% to £848 because of the rising costs of treatment.

However, while your beloved household pet is recovering from a painful accident, or suffering the pain and discomfort of an on-going illness, you will want to focus on their comfort. You won’t want to be worrying about your finances.

This is where pet insurance comes in. A good insurance policy is likely to save you some money when those big, unexpected vets’ bills hit the doormat.

Alongside this, having an insurance policy in place offers some regular, predictable budgeting. You’ll know how much is coming out of your account each month, and you can plan the rest of your household expenses accordingly.

There are other benefits, too. You may be able to get cover for dental treatment. Some insurance policies also provide compensation if a pet’s illness forces you to cancel or cut short a holiday.

Here's another benefit some insurance policies offer.

Imagine the worst happens and you lose your pet. Some pet insurance providers will offer a financial contribution towards the costs of advertising if your pet is lost or stolen. They may also contribute to the reward you offer to anyone who finds your pet.

Another benefit to look out for is help towards the cost of pet boarding fees. This is useful in case you ever have to spend time away from them - for example, for a hospital stay.

If you own more than one pet, meanwhile, some insurance providers may offer a multi pet discount. This helps you protect all of your beloved cats and dogs under one policy, saving you both time and money.

We hope this information has shown that pet insurance brings many benefits, beyond simple financial assistance in the event of an accident or illness. No wonder leading pet authorities including the RSPCA and the British Veterinary Association recommend insurance for UK pets.

Is the Cocker spaniel a healthy dog breed?

We’ve mentioned various benefits of insurance for your Cocker spaniel. Of course, the major benefit for you, as a Cocker spaniel’s owner, will be financial cover – in the event that your pet ever needs expensive medical treatment.

But what might that treatment be? What health conditions could be awaiting a Cocker spaniel down the line? Well, like many purebred dogs, this breed can be somewhat predisposed to certain health conditions.

Let’s take a closer look at just five of these common issues:

1. Hip dysplasia

In this painful condition, the two parts of the hip joint don’t fit together perfectly. This can lead to discomfort during movement. Eventually, it will lead to arthritis. We recommend arranging insurance early on in your pet’s life, as any pre-existing conditions are typically not covered in pet insurance policies.

2. Skin allergies

A Cocker spaniel can be sensitive to items including dust mites, pollen, certain foods, and grass. As a result, they will develop an itchy skin, and may suffer from skin and/or ear infections. Treatment can include medication and special diets.

3. Pancreatitis

Obesity, high-fat diets and certain diseases can all lead to pancreatitis, in which the pancreas becomes inflamed. It can commonly develop after dogs have eaten something fatty and unsuitable – bacon, for example, or fried bread.
Look out for a painful abdomen, vomiting, diarrhoea, and loss of appetite.  

4. Ear infections

With their relatively long ears that often touch the ground, Cocker spaniels are somewhat prone to ear infections. Owners should clean their dog’s ears regularly with a cotton pad and some cleaning solution.

5. Anal gland problems

Cocker spaniels are somewhat prone to problems with the anal gland. Essentially, these glands can fill up, becoming infected and sore. Signs to look out for will include a fishy odour and your poor pet scooting along the ground.

You can find out more information on these conditions, and a wealth of other dog health concerns besides, in our A-Z of dog health problems.

Want to find out more about our Cocker Spaniel Dog Insurance Product? 

We’ve listed our key benefits below and you can also take a look at our cover levels, customer reviews and awards.

Ready to get started? Click here to get a quote.

Do you also offer Springer spaniel insurance and Cavalier King Charles spaniel insurance?

Yes, we can insure your Springer spaniel, Cavalier King Charles spaniel – and many, many other dog breeds besides!

How do these members of the Spaniel family differ from each other and what health conditions might they have?

Well, the Springer is the tallest of the spaniels: it has longer legs than the others, and was bred to be able to cover rough ground at speed.

This breed tends to have slightly smaller ears than its Cocker cousin. This can make ear infections less likely. However, they can still occur, and are just one of various reasons for protecting your Springer with some dedicated pet insurance.

The Cavalier King Charles spaniel is a very elegant-looking dog. As well as being cute, Cavaliers are also intelligent and highly sociable.

Traditionally, they were bought as 'companion' dogs. This means that Cavaliers were bred for their friendly and sociable personality, rather than to help with hunting or farm duties.

Smaller than their Spaniel counterparts, Cavaliers will need less exercise than Cockers or Springers. If you’re not a huge walker, or don’t have easy access to lots of green space, this may be the Spaniel for you.

Cavaliers do tend to suffer with eye problems including cataracts and dry eye, where the dog can’t produce enough tears.

This breed is also vulnerable to certain heart conditions. These are typically caused by mitral valve disease – in which the mitral valve weakens and doesn’t perform efficiently.

Treatments and surgery for this kind of heart complaint can be expensive, which is why we recommend finding the best pet insurance for your particular circumstances.

Those adorable long ears and that cute short muzzle, meanwhile, put them at risk of ear infections and dental problems.

Here’s a quick list to recap:

In Springer spaniels, look out for:

• Ear infections
• Bone problems
• Progressive retinal atrophy (PRA)
• Skin complaints
• Neurological issues

In Cavalier King Charles spaniels, look out for:

• Heart problems
• Eye problems
• Obesity
• Bladder or kidney stones
• Allergies

But what form of pet insurance should you go for? What is the commonest form of pet insurance dog owners select? Let’s take a look.

What are the advantages of Cocker, Springer or Cavalier King Charles spaniel lifetime insurance?

There are four main types of pet insurance available on the market. These are accident-only insurance, time-limited insurance, maximum benefit insurance and lifetime insurance.

Here is a little further information on each type.

Accident-only insurance will only cover you for expenses – such as vets’ fees – if your pet has an accident. This form of insurance will usually provide the cheapest quote, but won’t pay out for treatment of illnesses and on-going conditions.

Time-limited insurance is the next most affordable form of pet insurance. A policy like this will cover you for costs if your Cocker spaniel, or other pet, suffers an accident or illness. However, it will pay out for a fixed time period only. There will also be a pay out limit for each condition – arthritis, pancreatitis and so on.

Maximum benefit insurance can pay out, up to a pre-specified limit, for each illness or injury. Unlike the time-limited policy, however, this capped re-condition benefit will last as long as you stay with the same insurance provider.

Maximum benefit insurance is not renewed annually. Instead, each illness essentially gets a lump sum that you can spend treating it during your pet’s lifetime. Once you reach that limit, any further treatment for that particular condition will have to be paid for you by you.

Lifetime pet insurance is the only type of insurance we offer here at Purely Pets. This form of insurance policy provides the most extensive cover.

Lifetime insurance gives continuous cover for your dog, up to an annual limit for each medical condition. It also renews each year. So, if you have to claim a large pay out for a particular condition, you may reach your limit.

But don’t worry: when your insurance policy renews, all your claims go back to zero. That means that you can, once again, claim up to the full amount for each condition in the next policy year.

Lifetime insurance is a good choice for any dog with a long-term condition. And, as we’ve seen, the Cocker spaniel and the rest of the spaniel family can be affected by on-going health problems.

The Purely Pet Promise

At Purely, we’re here to support you. That’s why we offer a 24 Hour Vet Helpline free of charge to all of our customers. Our easy to use online portal ‘Manage My Policy’, enables you to access to your policy 24hrs a day. This provides greater flexibility, allowing you to manage your policy at a time that suits you, so that you can spend more time with your furry friends, and less time managing your insurance. Get a quote

How do I get a pet insurance quote to protect my beloved dog?

Getting a pet insurance quote from Purely Pets couldn’t be easier. If you want to get a clear picture of what we offer, read our introduction to pet insurance now.

We offer 15 different levels of cover, with costs of up to £15,000 covered by our insurance policies.

Our benefits include a 24-Hour Vet Helpline, direct payments to vets and excess starting from £60.

We also offer all customers an online policy management portal, which gives you greater flexibility to manage your cover at a time that suits you.

Got a question about our cover? Check out the FAQs page to find all the answers. Then when you’re ready, get a quick quote and start protecting your Cocker spaniel today!

*Terms and conditions may apply

Customer reviews

We’re committed to improving our Pet Insurance products wherever possible, which is why feedback from our customers is so important to us. We’re incredibly proud of our Excellent Trustpilot rating and you can read the latest reviews from our fantastic customers below.

Find out more

You can find out more about our Dog Insurance product below and there’s more help available on our FAQs page.