Jolene Dreiling, of Lawrence, has pet insurance for her dog, Boomer, and it came in handy when Boomer needed surgery when a bone lodged in his neck.

When Jolene Dreiling’s dog Boomer didn’t properly chew a steak bone a few years ago, it became stuck in the dog’s throat.

Boomer needed surgery to have the bone removed. The bill: $1,300.

Thanks to a pet insurance policy she’d taken out on the then 1-year-old Rottweiler mix, Dreiling only had to pay $300.

“It certainly paid for itself,” Dreiling said of the insurance, which the Lawrence woman continues to carry on Boomer and a second dog she owns.

The pet health insurance industry has been steadily growing for several years. The American Pet Products Association estimates that in 2008, Americans will spend $11 billion on veterinary care, an

8.5 percent increase from 2007.

Veterinary care is becoming increasingly more sophisticated, and many of the major medical procedures performed on humans can be used on pets, especially dogs and cats.

Lawrence veterinarian John Bradley is finding more and more pet owners are willing to carry insurance for their beloved animals.

“Pets are treated as part of the family,” Bradley said. “They get regular care, of course, and they travel lots of times with a family.”

Bradley, who removed the bone from Dreiling’s dog at his Bradley Animal Hospital, 935 E. 23rd St., said he is a strong advocate of wellness care for pets. Just as for humans, that includes regular examinations, routine lab tests and vaccinations.

“Most people have budgeted for that,” Bradley said. “But catastrophic care is sometimes required, such as abdominal surgery or fractured bones that require bone plating, and that will move us into the thousands of dollars.”

If a cat swallows a string and it has to be removed surgically, that could cost $1,300. Bone plate surgery could cost $1,800, depending on who does the operation and how severe the injury is, Bradley said. Insurance might cover

50 percent to 100 percent of the cost.

Because of the high-dollar care costs, Bradley recommends pet owners purchase medical insurance.

Several companies offer coverage. Brochures and pamphlets about them are usually available in veterinary offices. Monthly premiums vary for dogs, cats and other animals such as exotic birds. There are various payment plans. Dreiling said she pays about $26 a month for each of her dogs. Her policies are a step up, or about $10 higher than a basic insurance policy, she said.

In many instances, insurance coverage stops when dogs and cats reach a certain age. That could be 10 or 12 years for a dog and 15 years for a cat, but age limits vary.

According to a 2007 report online at ConsumerReports.org, checkup costs alone don’t justify pet insurance.