Glass Act: German Shepherd Crashes Into and Shatters Sliding Door

On a warm October evening, Ana Fuentes of Gardena, Calif., opted to leave the sliding glass door half open while she cooked dinner with Roxy, her two-year-old German shepherd playing nearby. Suddenly, Roxy heard a noise in the backyard and darted to see where the noise was coming from without realizing the sliding door was not fully opened. Ana heard a large bang and when she looked to see what happened, she found a gaping hole in her sliding door and shards of glass all over the ground.

The glass crash resulted in a trip to the veterinarian where Roxy was treated for several lacerations, earning her the title of October’s “Most Unusual Claim of the Month” by Veterinary Pet Insurance Co. (VPI).

“I was in shock when I saw the glass shards on the ground,” explained Ana. “It was late in the evening and dark outside. Seeing the glass on the ground made me fear the worst.”

Ana went looking for Roxy and quickly found her hiding in the garage. “She’s a brave dog,” said Ana. “At first I thought she had escaped without a scratch. I think she thought she did something wrong or felt ashamed and decided to hide in the garage.”

Ana immediately cleaned Roxy’s wounds and took her to the veterinarian where she was treated for several lacerations, including a cut on her head that missed her eye by only centimeters. Roxy also had large cuts on her chest and leg and a few small cuts on her elbows. She was very fortunate that none of her ligaments or muscles were injured by the glass. Roxy underwent surgery to suture all of the lacerations she sustained and was given antibiotics then sent home to recover. She has since made a full recovery and is back to her normal playful self.

“Decals are often recommended to keep birds from flying into glass doors and windows but that probably wouldn’t have prevented this accident,” said Carol McConnell, DVM, MBA, vice president and chief veterinary medical officer for VPI. “I’m impressed that Ana was able to stay calm, provide first aid and get Roxy to the veterinarian. While prevention is always preferable, accidents do happen. That’s why it’s important to know where to take your pet for after-hours emergency care. Ask your veterinarian now, and put the information – phone numbers and directions – where you can find it immediately.”

As a policyholder for a little more than a year, the glass door incident was the first claim Ana submitted to VPI Pet Insurance for Roxy or her mixed-breed pooch, Oreo. Ana was pleased with the claims process and how quickly her reimbursement check arrived.

“Having a policy with VPI reassured me that I would not be out of pocket for the full amount to treat Roxy,” explained Ana. “Replacing the door was a big expense, so I am grateful that VPI reimbursed me for the majority of Roxy’s veterinary care.”