Pet Insurance

Photo from madmikesamerica.com

  

Pet insurance, while fairly new in the US, (1982 for Lassie), has really been around since 1924.  The first pet insurance policy was written for a dog in Sweden, (although there are rumors that Lansforsakrings Alliance wrote insurance for horses and livestock in 1890, we are unable to substantiate this claim).  Pet insurance expanded to Great Britain in 1947.  Today in the US pet insurance is growing in popularity.  Especially since it is estimated that people are spending approximately $13 billion on veterinary care.

The insurance originally offered to pets in the US only covered emergency care for injuries, accidents, or sudden illness.  Preventive medicine wasn’t covered until more recently.  Pet insurance is a form of property insurance, therefore owners are reimbursed after the expense has been paid and a claim submitted to the insurance company.

I’ve heard many different opinions of pet insurance.  Most of the folks that have it and have used it, rave about it.  They’ve saved a lot of money.  But of course there are those horror stories typical with any kind of insurance.  The key is to do your research and find a reputable company. 

 

 

Photo from www.hartvillegroup.com

 

So how do you determine if pet insurance is a good idea for you?  To best determine the type of plan that works for you, you must do research. 

 

 

What can you afford?  Your budget will always play a part in your decision.  Find out what types of plans are available and what your monthly cost will be?

The four most common types of coverage are:

Traditional – Standard insurance with predetermined options that cover illness, accidents and preventive care.

Customizable – Like standard, but offers more freedom in mixing and matching to design the plan.

Accident only – self-explanatory.  No coverage for illness or preventive care.

Discount – More of a discount plan on selected services provided than an insurance policy.

What is the age and health of your pet? Some plans may not accept older pets or cover pre-existing conditions.

What breed of pet do you have?  Based on your breed of pet, some issues may not be covered under insurance.  If a particular breed is known for certain congenital or hereditary condition, coverage may exclude that condition, charge a higher premium, or be denied all together.

 

Photo from policypointinsurance.com

 

What does your vet recommend?  Some vets work with insurance companies to offer discounted coverage to their patients.  I know Petfinder.com offers insurance to shelters who use their service for pet adoptions.  Check with your vet to see if they work with an insurance company.

Here is a site called Pet Insurance Review that offers review by customers on different insurance companies and the coverage they offer.  This is a good resource when researching which company is best for your pet needs. 

 

Photo from www.foxnews.com

 

Bottom line…I personally think Pet Insurance is a good thing.  When you look at what can happen to your pet and the costs involved it is a benefit worth the cost.  You may be one of the fortunate people that never have to use it, but if something does happen, it is nice to know it is there to help you defray the costs.

Be Well & Be Happy,

Pet~Pourri

End Of Life Care

As many of my regular readers know, we run a rescue and sanctuary for American Eskimo Dogs.  We do also take in other breeds if there is a need.  Right now, our main population is in the Sanctuary part of our rescue.  These dogs are unadoptable for one reason or another.  Usually it is age and health.  In some cases it is temperament.  I just read this article on Pet MD about a vet that provides hospice and end of life care for pets.   In this article she is talked about a dog whose family decided against euthanasia and to provide hospice care to let their pet pass on her own.

Many times in our rescue we have been faced with this decision.  Is the dog suffering?  Is it better to let them go as opposed to let them live out their life.  If a dog is clearly suffering, we will end the dogs suffering.  However, if a dog is comfortable and not suffering, we will take care of it until it lets us know it is time to go or it goes on its own.
 

Happy Jack Schmoozer - 2001

Take for example our Happy Jack Schmoozer.  Jack came to us in 2001 and has been in our sanctuary program since arriving.  He was born on October 1, 1997, which makes him almost 15½ years old.  Over the last several months we have noticed Jack showing signs of his age.  He has always been a stocky boy and he has lost a lot of weight.  He has cancer and is getting weak.  Jack is not showing any signs of pain or discomfort.
 

 

Happy Jack Schmoozer - 2013

 

So what would your decision be?  Jack has been with us for more than 12 years.  It’s a no brainer for us.  However for a lot of individuals it is not such an easy decision.  Many of the dogs we get in our sanctuary are senior dogs that are surrendered by their owners because they do not want to deal with taking care of a senior dog.  Nicholas Dodman, head of the Animal Behavior Department at Tufts Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine in Massachusetts, states that “Old age isn’t a disease, but a stage of life for our pets and owners to navigate”.  I couldn’t agree more.

One dog we had was named Duke.  He came to us from California.  His owner was building a new house and decided that they did not want their 18 year old dog to have accidents on their new carpet so they surrendered him to the shelter.  They asked the shelter to have the people that adopted him keep in touch with them.  Not sure about you, but I don’t know very many people that will go to an animal shelter and adopt an 18 year old dog.  A fellow rescuer asked us to take him, so of course we did.  Duke lived to be 22 years old here in our Sanctuary and he never ever had one accident in our house.  He was a wonderful dog.
 

 

The Duke

 

Many folks feel they cannot afford the care that a senior dog will need and will reach out to us to take them.  We’ve had dogs with diabetes, joint disease, cancer, blindness, etc… given over to us because the owners felt that they could not care for them properly.  Not all of those dogs have been seniors either. Carley was a young female Eskie who had gone blind quite suddenly.  Her family just didn’t know how to take care of a blind dog.  After she came to live with us we had some tests done and found out that Carley had a brain tumor.  Everyone who met Carley immediately fell in love with her.  She was such a sweet, gentle, loving soul.  She wasn’t with us for very long because of the brain tumor.  She had started to have seizures and we were treating her for them.  She died quite suddenly one night in my arms. 

 

We have taken in many senior and special needs dogs here at the rescue and each of them has lived a happy comfortable life with us until the end.  Some we have assisted and others have gone on their own.  It’s never an easy decision and not one that should be taken lightly.  The ASPCA gives some good information to frequently asked questions regarding end of life care for your pet. 

Sometimes I think end of life care decisions for animals are easier to make than they are for humans.  With animals, when they let you know it’s time, you can let them go peacefully.  It’s comforting to know that you were able to end their suffering and that they knew how much you loved them.  With the rescue, whenever we have had to let one of our babies go, we have always been right there with them, holding them, telling them how much we love them and how much we will miss them.  Everytime I have to let one of my babies go it breaks my heart.  Unfortunately, we have had to do this many more times that a normal pet owner would have to.  We know it is not easy.  Hopefully this article will give you some useful information as you make your decision on end of life care for your pet.

UPDATE: Since this blog was written, Happy Jack Schmoozer crossed the Rainbow Bridge on 3/9/13.  He is now with all our other beloved Eskie Angels.

Be Well & Be Happy,

Pet~Pourri

Your First Horse

Photo from http://tinyurl.com/bbynevx

One of my dreams since I was a little girl was to have my own horse. I still don’t own a horse, but I do love them. They are just so beautiful. My current favorite are Gypsy Vanner horses. I’ve been following Westmoreland Farm on Facebook for a couple years now and OMG their horses are amazing.

Photo from http://tinyurl.com/b9y5q7w

 

So I got to thinking…if I really were serious about getting a horse…what would be required. Of course there would be adequate housing, feed, pasture, tack, etc… But what else would I need, so I did some research.

The very first question you should ask yourself is, Can I afford a horse. Horses are not a cheap pet. They will require a large commitment of time and money.

Photo from http://tinyurl.com/b9y5q7w

 

Based upon some surveys, below is a breakdown of total annual expenditures to keep a horse (keeping in mind that these do not include such considerations as emergencies or the initial purchase). Other costs include training for you and your horse and transportation for your horse:

Feed	50%	Insurance	6%
Veterinary care	19%	Tack	5%
Farrier	10%	Insecticides	2%
Bedding	8%

If you can afford the cost the next question is, what do you want a horse for? Pleasure, riding, working, jumping, showing, etc… My reason would be strictly for pleasure and riding around the country side. This Guide by the University of Maine gives excellent information.

Photo from http://tinyurl.com/bbynevx

Do you have the facilities necessary to care for a horse or will you be boarding it somewhere? You would need somewhere to shelter the horse, a pasture, and the proper zoning to keep a horse. You will also need to figure out what you are going to feed your horse and find a supplier. Research the correct type of food and what nutritional supplements your horse will need. You will additionally need to have the appropriate grooming tools on hand. I would recommend volunteering at your local animal shelter or a local horse rescue to learn what is involved in caring for a horse.

If you are boarding, you will want to research stables in your area. Get references and contact the references. Also, ask who they use for vet services for their own horses and contact them to see how they care for their own horses. You will also want to research veterinarians, farriers, trainers, etc… to make sure you have a good team on hand to help you care for your horse. Not to mention the cost of tack and gear, bridle, saddle, harness, blanket, etc…

Photo from http://tinyurl.com/bbynevx

Once you have done all this research, you now need to decide, what kind of horse do you want? This would depend on what you want a horse for. There are literally hundreds of breeds of horses out there. This is a decision that should not be taken lightly. Look at many before making your decision. Again, I recommend working with your local animal shelter or horse rescue to determine what kind of horse will suit your needs. You should also take an experience horse owner with you when looking for your first horse. This article gives you some good tips on searching for your first horse.

Photo from http://tinyurl.com/bbynevx

Research is always the key before you get your first pet, no matter what kind it is, but it is especially important with horses. They are beautiful animals and a joy to ride, but they do require a lot of care. The Animal Rescue League of Iowa does rescue horses and provides some good information on horse ownership. Yet again, I recommend you volunteer for a horse rescue to see what type of care is needed for owning a horse.

Be Well & Be Happy,

Pet~Pourri

Uncomon Facts about Cats

Did you know…

Cats have more toes in front than in back..

Most cats have five toes on their front paws and four toes on their back paws.  The exception to this rule are polydactyl cats.  Polydactyl cats can have as many as seven toes on their front or hind paws.

Photo from www.dogbreedinfo.com

 

Cats have excellent hearing.

A domestic cat’s sense of hearing is better than a dogs hearing.  Their low end is the same as humans, but they can hear even higher pitches than dogs. Cats are deaf at birth and their hearing develops at around two weeks of age.

Photo from cooindacatresort.blogspot.com

 

Cats cool off by grooming

Cats, like dogs, only sweat through their paws.  To help regulate their body temperatures on hot days, cats groom themselves.  Licking is a mechanism for cooling.  As saliva evaporates off the fur it lowers the body temperature.

Photo from www.maine-coon-cat-nation.com

 

Your cat’s nose is one of a kind.

Like human fingerprints, each cat’s nose is unique to that cat.

Photo from fineartamerica.com

 

Cat’s tongues are covered with microscopic hooks.

Those hooks are called Papillae.  They are what gives the cats tongues the rough texture when they lick you.

Photo from en.wikipedia.org

 

Cats can fit in unbelievably small spaces

Cats can squeeze through any opening that is not smaller than their heads.  Their bone structure is narrow at the shoulders and they can easily rotate their bodies through tight spaces. 

Photo from www.karennutton.co.uk

 

They use their whiskers to determine if they can fit into a space.

Photo from www.todayifoundout.com

 

Today’s domestic cat is essentially the same as their ancient ancestors.

Fossil records have shown that cats have been around for thousands of years, without much change in their shape or behavior.

Photo from amazingnotes.com

 

Tail positions differ between domestic and wild felines.

Domesticated cats are the only feline species that walks with it tail held vertically.  Wild cats walk with their tails horizontally or tucked between their legs.

Photo from blog.luciolepress.com

Photo from pictures-of-cats.org

 

Be Well & Be Happy,

Pet~Pourri

Bladder Crystals and Stones in Cats

I’ve told you in a previous blog about my Magic Cat.  His name was Merlin.  He was a Lynx Point Siamese.  I called him my Magic Cat because he was so special.  He knew me so well and could read my moods and was always there when I needed him.  I am an avid reader and read a lot.  When he thought I wasn’t paying enough attention to him, he would climb up and lay on my chest right in the way of my book.  I knew it was time to give him some loving and attention.  Unfortunately I had Merlin before the advent of digital cameras.  The photos show what a Lynx Point Siamese look like, but are not photo's of my Merlin.

Photo from www.life-with-siamese-cats.com

One of our favorite games to play was me spinning him around on the carpet.  I would be down on my hands and knees and he would lay in front of me.  I would put my hand on his chest, just behind his front legs and spin him around on the carpet.  He LOVED it.  He also loved to pounce my husband.  Where we used to live there was a hallway between the living room and kitchen.  I had a book case against the living room wall near the entry to the hallway.  Merlin would wait in front of that book case for my husband to walk into the living room.  He would then jump out and wrap his front legs around my husband’s ankle and my husband would drag him through the living room.

 

 

 

My Magic Cat knew me so well…but I didn’t know him so well and I failed him.  Merlin was my very first pet when I moved out of my Grandmother’s house and into my own apartment.  The very first thing I did after I moved in was adopt Merlin and his sister Morgana.  Morgana was a Burmese.  I adopted them in 1989 and Merlin died in 1994.  I first noticed something was wrong when he started meowing loudly when he was using his litter box.  I thought that was strange, but really didn’t think much about it until it persisted for several days.  Then I noticed blood in his urine.  I took him to the vet and was informed that he had crystals in his bladder. 

 

Our vet told us that the cause was a combination of our well water and the cat food we were feeding him.  Merlin loved Deli Cat.  Well water is high in mineral content.  His bladder was full of crystals.  The vet flushed his bladder gave us some medication and sent us home.  It wasn’t very long before Merlin was back at the vet.  The crystals had caused an infection and the infection had gone to his brain.  Merlin was having seizures.  Our vet tried everything he could to save him.  He even took Merlin home with him that night and slept on the floor next to him so that he could monitor him.  He locked his own cats out of the room so that he could concentrate on Merlin.

 

Photo from roxicons.livejournal.com

 

Unfortunately, unless I wanted to pay for a very expensive brain surgery, with no guarantee of success, there was nothing that could be done for Merlin.  We made the decision to end his suffering.  I brought him home for one last night and then took him in the next day to let him go.  Merlin was the first cat I ever had to let go.  It was one of the hardest things I have ever done.  I was an emotional wreck for days after that. 

My purpose for writing this blog is not to reminisce about Merlin, but to send a warning to my readers about the danger of crystals in the bladder.  The crystals are formed from the minerals found in poor quality cat food and well water. They can vary in size getting as large as a quarter.  The problem with these are that they could cause damage to the lining of the bladder (crystals can be sharp and cut the bladder.  This is what happened with Merlin), or get caught in the ureter blocking the cats ability to urinate.  If the blockage goes unnoticed it can be fatal.

 

 

So, how can you tell if your cat has bladder stones or crystals?

• Blood in the urine (hematuria)
• Painful urination
• Straining to urinate
• Frequent urination
• Genital licking
• Chronic urinary tract infections
• Urinary tract obstruction (especially in males)
• Urine spraying
• Passing urine in unusual places

 

Our problem was a combination of the cat food we were feeding Merlin and the Well Water where we lived at the time.  Here is a link with information on the most common mineral contents of well water.

Sometimes a cat will not show any clinical signs, which is what happened with Merlin.  What alerted me was his crying while trying to urinate and then the blood in his urine.  It is important to know your cat and know his/her behavior.  If your cat is not acting normally and you suspect something is wrong, have it checked out.  If I would have noticed sooner that Merlin was not his normal self, he might have been with me for many, many more years.  Who would have thought that crystals in his bladder would have cause and infection in his brain?  From that moment on, we have only given our pets bottled or filtered water and good quality food.

Be Well & Be Happy,

Pet~Pourri

Pet Food Recall - 2/26/13

I've just heard of two more brands of Dog Food that have been recalled.
 
Nature's Variety recalled the items below as of Feb. 15th,due to some bags containing pieces of clear plastic that could pose a choking risk.
 

 
 
The recalled foods include medallions in 3-pound bags (UPC number 7 69949 60137 1) and 27-pound cases (UPC number 7 69949 70137 8), and patties in 6-pound bags (UPC number 7 69949 60127 2) and 36-pound cases (UPC number 7 69949 70127 9).

Consumers may return the food for a refund or exchange. More information is available at 888-519-7387.


The Honest Kitchen has recalled five lots of its Verve, Zeal and Strive dog foods as of Feb. 21st because of potential salmonella contamination from a batch of human grade parsley received from a supplier they no longer do business with.

The recalled lots include:

• Verve: 4- and 10-pound boxes, expiration date 8/20/13, lot number 2332A (batches 1-3).
• Verve: 10-pound box, expiration date 11/1/13, lot number 3062A (batches 8 and 9).
• Thrive: 1-ounce sample, expiration date 9/18/13, lot number 2622A (batch 3).
• Zeal: 4- and 10-pound boxes, expiration date 8/14/13, lot number 2272A (batches 1-5).
• Zeal: 10-pound box, expiration date 9/21/13, lot number 2652A (batches 1-4).

Refund information is available by calling 866-437-9729.

As always, when I hear of any other recalls, I will let you know.

Be Well & Be Happy,
Pet~Pourri

Update ~ Pet Food Recall 2-22-13

UPDATE ~ The recalled products carry three different “Best By” dates and were distributed to Hy-Vee stores in Iowa, Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska, South Dakota, Minnesota and Wisconsin between October 26, 2012 and January 11, 2013. Go here for complete details: http://www.hy-vee.com/company/press-room/recalls/dog-food-recall.aspx

~~~

 

We've just learned of two recalls of Hy-Vee Brand Dog Food.

Hy-Vee Brand Dry Dog Food - UPC 0075450056650 has been recalled due to high levels of AFL.

 
AFL stands for Aflatoxin.  According to Wikipedia, Aflatoxin occurs naturally and is produced by many species of Aspergillus fungus.  These fungi are common and widespread.  They contaminate grain before harvest or during storage.

Aflatoxin can cause liver disease in dogs.  If found it dogs, it is treatable, however long term exposure can be fatal.

As a precautionary measure they have also recalled Hy-Vee Brand Bites Bones and Squares Dog Food.  UPC's 0075450056800 and 0075450055600



As always, we will keep you updated when we hear of any pet food or treat recalls.

Be Well & Be Happy,
Pet~Pourri