Cover This PetCompare

Condition guide

Does pet insurance cover degenerative myelopathy (DM) in dogs?

Yes, at most big carriers, but only if the weak back legs started after you signed up and the wait was over. If the wobble is already in the vet notes, DM will be left out. The big split between carriers is the wheelchair cart.

What DM is, in plain words

Degenerative myelopathy (most people just say DM) is a spinal cord disease. It slowly weakens a dog's back legs.

It does not hurt. But it does get worse over time, and there is no cure. Lemonade says signs often show up around age 8, though it can start anywhere from about 4 to 14.

Early signs pet parents notice:

  • A wobbly or swaying back end.
  • Back toenails scraping the ground, or worn-down nails.
  • Back feet crossing or flipping over when walking.
  • Trouble getting up, or slipping on smooth floors.

It runs in families, so insurers call it a hereditary condition. German Shepherds, Corgis, Boxers, and Bernese Mountain Dogs are some of the breeds that get it more.

There is no single test that proves it in a living dog. Vets rule out other problems first, like a slipped disc or a tumor. That can mean an MRI, X-rays, or a spinal fluid test.

The short answer

  • It is covered as a new illness. Lemonade, Embrace, Fetch, Pets Best, Spot, Trupanion, and Healthy Paws all say they cover conditions that run in families, as long as they are not pre-existing.
  • Not every plan covers family conditions. Nationwide publishes a breed list of conditions it treats as hereditary. DM is on it for German Shepherds, Pembroke Corgis, and Golden Retrievers. Check that your plan covers hereditary conditions.
  • Signs before signup mean no. If the back legs were weak before your plan started, or during the wait, DM will be left out.
  • Rehab may be extra. Embrace, Fetch, Spot, and most Pets Best plans include physical therapy. Lemonade and Trupanion sell it as an add-on.
  • Carts are the big difference. Trupanion and Pets Best say a vet-advised wheelchair cart can be covered. Others did not say on the pages we read.
  • Accident-only plans will not help. DM is an illness, not an injury. See accident-only vs wellness.

Timing is everything

DM starts slow. That makes it easy to miss, and easy for it to land in the vet notes as something else.

Insurers read the records before they pay. Notes like these, from before signup, can get a DM claim turned down:

  • "Weak in the back end" or "wobbly back legs."
  • "Dragging back feet" or "scuffed toenails."
  • A nerve check on the back legs.
  • Back leg weakness that was blamed on old age or sore hips.

How far back they look depends on the carrier:

  • Embrace and Fetch ask for about the last 12 months of records.
  • Lemonade asks for about the last 12.5 months.
  • Trupanion looks back 18 months for signs.

Signs during the waiting period count too. Most illness waits are about 14 to 15 days. See problems already in the record.

DM never counts as "cured." Some carriers drop a pre-existing label after a problem goes away for 6 to 12 months. DM does not go away, so that path will not help.

If your dog is in a high-risk breed and still walks fine, the best time to sign up is now. See senior dogs over 8 and German Shepherd insurance cost.

What about a DNA test?

There is a DNA test for the main gene linked to DM. A positive result means higher risk. Lemonade notes that not every dog with the gene gets DM.

Pre-existing rules are about signs, a diagnosis, or treatment. A result on its own is not a sign. But we did not find a carrier page that says how a DNA result is handled.

  • If your dog has a result on file, ask the carrier before you buy. Get the answer in writing if you can.
  • Answer every question on the application honestly.
  • Embrace says it does not pay for DNA testing. Plan to pay for the test yourself.

What a policy can pay for

If DM is covered on your plan, these are the bills that usually come up:

  • Finding out what it is. Vet exams, X-rays, an MRI, or a spinal fluid test to rule out other problems. Some carriers need an exam-fee add-on for the visit itself.
  • Rehab. Water therapy, guided exercise, and other physical therapy. Vets often say this helps keep a DM dog moving longer. See physical therapy.
  • Medicine for side problems. For example, bladder infections when a dog loses bladder control later on. See incontinence and UTIs.
  • A wheelchair cart, at some carriers only. See the next section.
  • Saying goodbye. Some carriers pay for euthanasia when it is for a covered illness. See euthanasia.

Your deductible, payback %, and yearly cap still apply. DM care can go on for months or years, so a low yearly cap can run out.

Things a policy usually will not pay for: ramps, rugs, harnesses you buy on your own, and supplements a vet did not prescribe. Check the policy before you count on them.

Wheelchair carts: the big split

Many DM dogs end up in a wheelchair cart. It holds up the back end so the front legs can do the walking.

Here is what carriers said on their public pages in October 2026:

  • Trupanion: says it covers carts, orthotics, and prosthetics in its main plan at no extra cost. The cart has to be advised by your vet for a covered problem. It names degenerative myelopathy as one use.
  • Pets Best: says pet wheelchairs and mobility carts may be covered when a vet prescribes them for a covered accident or illness.
  • Lemonade, Embrace, Fetch, Spot: we did not find a clear yes or no about carts on their public pages. Ask before you buy.

Simple tip: have your vet write the cart into the treatment plan. Keep the receipt and the vet's note together for the claim.

Carrier-by-carrier (public pages)

These notes come from carrier public pages we read in October 2026. They are not personal underwriting.

Anything can go stale. Verify on the quote form and the issued policy.

  • Lemonade:
    • Its DM page says the base plan covers nerve problems like DM if signs show up after the policy starts and the waits are over.
    • Rehab like water therapy needs the Physical Therapy add-on. Add it at the start.
    • Illness wait is 14 days.
  • Embrace:
    • Says it covers conditions that run in families and in certain breeds, at no extra cost, if they are not pre-existing.
    • Physical therapy, water therapy, laser, and acupuncture are included for covered problems. Its physical therapy page lists DM as a reason dogs get therapy.
    • DNA testing is on its list of things it does not cover.
  • Fetch:
    • Says it covers breed-specific and inherited conditions if they are not pre-existing.
    • Physical therapy is on its list of what the plan covers.
    • Illness wait is up to 15 days.
  • Pets Best:
    • Inherited conditions can be covered if they are not pre-existing and the waits are met.
    • Wheelchairs and mobility carts may be covered when a vet prescribes them for a covered problem.
    • Physical therapy is included in most plans.
  • Spot:
    • Lists hereditary conditions and alternative therapies on its accident-and-illness coverage page.
    • Signs before the plan starts or during the wait count as pre-existing.
  • Trupanion:
    • Lists hereditary conditions and nervous system issues as covered.
    • Carts are in the main plan when your vet advises one for a covered problem.
    • Its mobility page says physical therapy comes with its Recovery and Complementary Care add-on, for an extra cost. Verify on the quote form.
    • Does not pay exam fees.
    • Looks back 18 months for signs. Says it cannot give a yes or no on a condition until a claim is sent.
  • Healthy Paws:
    • Names degenerative myelopathy by name as a hereditary condition it can cover, if signs first show up after signup and the wait.
    • Its wait is 15 days in most states.
    • It does not pay for the exam fee at the vet visit.
CarrierWaiting periodsPre-existingCurable pathQuote
LemonadeLemonade’s waiting-period guide (fetched Aug 2026): 0 days for accidents, 14 days for illnesses, 30 days for orthopedic conditions. Policy effective 12:01 a.m. the day after purchase. Preventative-care packages, if purchased, start when the policy activates. Some states use different waits, Verify on the quote form and the issued policy. Terms vary by state.Not covered. A pre-existing condition is any issue the pet showed signs of, was diagnosed with, or was treated for before the waiting period ended. Pets with pre-existing conditions can still be insured; related bills are not reimbursed.In most states Lemonade describes a 12-consecutive-month symptom- and treatment-free path for some temporary conditions. Knee/ligament conditions and chronic conditions (examples Lemonade lists: arthritis, allergies, asthma, cancers, endocrine diseases) cannot be ‘cured’ under that rule.Get a quote from Lemonade
EmbraceEmbrace’s waiting-period page: 14-day illness wait; accident coverage starts on the policy effective date. Orthopedic waits vary by state. Embrace help articles and sample terms describe a 180-day (6-month) orthopedic wait for dogs, sometimes reducible with a vet orthopedic exam. Verify on the quote form and the issued policy. Terms vary by state.Not covered. Embrace defines a pre-existing condition as any injury, illness, or irregularity noticed by you or your veterinarian before the end of the waiting period, even if the pet never saw a vet for it.Curable vs incurable: Embrace lists diabetes and allergies as examples of incurable pre-existing conditions. Ear infections and undiagnosed vomiting or diarrhea are examples of curable issues that may be eligible after 12 months symptom-free. Bilateral conditions (hip dysplasia, cruciate tears): if one side is pre-existing, the other side is not covered.Get a quote from Embrace
FetchFetch’s public coverage pages: no waiting period for accidents (new injuries on or after the effective date, described as 1 day after you sign up). Illness waiting period of up to 15 days. Optional wellness: no waiting period. Verify on the quote form and the issued policy. Terms vary by state.Not all pre-existing conditions are covered. Fetch says no pet insurance covers all of them. Defined as any injury, illness, or condition noticed before signup, before the effective date, or during the wait of up to 15 days.Fetch describes a two-year path for curable conditions (UTI, URI, bite wounds, ear infection, diarrhea, etc.): 1 year symptom- and treatment-free, with a second chance in year 2. Incurable examples Fetch lists: torn ligament, allergies, arthritis, IVDD, diabetes, thyroid disease. Orthopedic bilateral: a prior cruciate on one knee typically excludes the other knee.Get a quote from Fetch
Pets BestWaiting periods vary by state. A Pets Best sample policy booklet (MN) lists 14 days for illnesses, 3 days for injuries, and 6 months for cruciate ligament events. Pets Best also publishes a Waiting Period Health Assessment form (dated 03/2025) that may waive waits if a qualifying exam is done 3 days before or 7 days after the effective date. Verify on the quote form and the issued policy. Terms vary by state.Not covered. Pets Best: any condition present before the end of waiting periods, even if not formally diagnosed. Signs or symptoms before the policy started mean no coverage for that condition.Pets Best says some conditions (examples: broken legs, kennel cough) that heal and require no further treatment are not treated as pre-existing once healed. The MN sample policy treats chronic conditions, bilateral conditions, and intervertebral-disc conditions as pre-existing if present at any time before the effective date or wait end, with an 18-month lookback for other conditions.Get a quote from Pets Best
TrupanionTrupanion’s US public FAQ pages we successfully fetched do not publish a single nationwide waiting-period number. Waiting periods are state-specific. Do not rely on Australian Trupanion pages for a US policy. Verify on the quote form and the issued policy. Terms vary by state.Not covered. Trupanion’s US FAQ: a pre-existing condition is any illness, condition, or injury for which signs or evidence of potential manifestation existed within the 18 months prior to the effective date or applicable waiting periods. Recurrence of a prior injury is also pre-existing. Eligibility for a specific condition cannot be determined until a claim is submitted.Trupanion’s US FAQ example: allergies diagnosed as a puppy remain excluded even after years without symptoms. Trupanion does not describe a 12-month ‘cured’ path on the US pre-existing FAQ we fetched. A hip-dysplasia example was covered when Trupanion found a medical disconnect from an old sprain. We do not treat ACL/cruciate as curable on Trupanion based on that page.Get a quote from Trupanion
SpotSpot’s California insurer disclosure (fetched Aug 2026): 14-day accident and illness waiting period on the first policy period; ligament and knee conditions also 14 days. Conditions during a wait are pre-existing. A Waiting Period Health Assessment may modify the wait. Other states may differ. Verify on the quote form and the issued policy. Terms vary by state.Not covered. Spot: any illness or injury that shows signs before the policy and before the wait ends, usually including undiagnosed issues.Spot: cured/curable pre-existing conditions (examples: broken bones, foreign-object ingestion) may be covered later if the pet has gone 180 days symptom- and treatment-free. This does not apply to ligament and knee conditions. Spot’s CA notice: ligament and knee are bilateral and related regardless of cause, one side affects both.Get a quote from Spot

Questions to ask before you buy

  • Do you cover a wheelchair cart if my vet advises one?
  • Is physical therapy included, or is it an add-on?
  • How do you treat a DNA test result for DM?
  • How far back do you read the vet records?
  • Is there a yearly cap, and how much is it?
  • Are exam fees covered, or is that an add-on?

If your dog already has DM signs on record, a new policy will not pay for DM. It can still help with new problems, like a swallowed sock or a new illness. See enrollment age limits and IVDD, a back problem that can look a lot like DM at first.

Get a quote (official carrier URLs)

We do not run a fake quote widget. These buttons open the carrier.

Waiting periods, add-ons, yearly caps, and premiums are state-specific. Verify on the quote form and the issued policy.

Get a quote from LemonadeGet a quote from EmbraceGet a quote from FetchGet a quote from Pets BestGet a quote from TrupanionGet a quote from Spot

Sources for this page (fetched October 2026)

Sources (fetched 30 August 2026)

Facts below come from official public carrier pages. Waiting periods, age caps, and premiums change by state and over time. Label anything operational as stale-prone: verify on the quote form.