Archive for December, 2009
Does anyone out there have any experience with a pet insurance company called PetFirst Healthcare?
Posted by admin in Pet Insurance Reviews on December 19, 2009
I’m looking for reviews/comments/issues, etc.
Read the small print. They may not take care of everything. I think they are a rip-off and decided not to use it.
Pet insurance for my labraodr?
Posted by admin in Veterinary Pet Insurance on December 19, 2009
I was looking into pet insurance for my 1year old lab and last November there was a lump on her neck where my other dog bit her so she was given anti-inflammatory the lump then disappeared. Does this need to be mentioned on the pet insurance application…
It asks if your pet has received any other veterinary care other routine check ups and vaccs.
If they ask you if your dog had any medical conditions in the past year, then no as it isn’t a "condition". I was asked if my pet had received any medication in the past year and I had to mention it. I would think you will need to as well.
Has anyone has a problem with Pet Plan when submitting a claim?
Now that my vets have submitted a claim for my pug/shitzu they have backdated exclusions onto the policy – but when I rang on Monday to book in the same pet again they were happy to insure him with no exclusions?
Unless your pug/shitu had a preexisting condition which was overlooked when the policy was taken out, I cannot see why they would backdate exclusions to your policy. Ask to speak to a claims manager, if a customer service representative cannot resolve your query.
My dogs have been insured with Pet Plan for years & in my experience the money has been well spent, the cover is extremely comprehensive & the claims settled quickly.
I strongly DISAGREE that insurance is a waste of money & you would be better off saving money.
Yes, you could take out an interest free credit card, get a loan or try & arrange a payment plan with the vet, BUT it’s still a debt that has to be repaid.
When one of my Dobermanns was diagnosed with cancer the total bill was in excess of £8,000, I paid £255.
Referral to a cardiologist £900.00,
Thyroid testing £200.00
Broken tooth & skin testing £453.00
Pedal infection £200
TPLO surgery + physiotherapy & hydrotherapy in excess of £3,500
Emergency spay £900.00
can i take my puppy out after her first vacinations as long as i avoid other dogs?
Posted by admin in Dog Vacinations on December 19, 2009
i know i need to not allow contact with other dogs until she gets her second sets of vacinations and that i should avoid other dogs urine with her etc.
I think you should be fine. I have two dogs they are different in age and my puppy did just fine after his vaccines. Just ask you Vet they will reassure you that you do have to be as worried
tips on making my own dog door?
I already have a Dog Door installed but It needs replaced and doesn’t seem to be a good quality. I would just like to get my own instead of replacing it all the time. What tips do you guys have I want to do it myself not buy a more expensive one.
Frame the inside of the door with wood. Then buy some plastic or make a screen door yourself, and screw it to the top of the wood frame.
I looked on DIY and they only had how to install a store bought one. I would think if you asked Home Depot they’d help you get all the material and give you a rough idea on how to make one that will last for a longer time.
Dog insurance, is it a good idea or a bad idea?
Posted by admin in Dog Insurance on December 19, 2009
I just took my dog to the vet for the first time today and it was expensive. And she still has a few shots to go if I heard correctly. I can’t keep paying so much. So is pet insurance like Veternary Pet Insurance a good idea?
Hi Silvia
First of all, a disclaimer: I work for Embrace Pet Insurance in Cleveland, Ohio.
Veterinary care is expensive. But the things that veterinarians can do today are simply amazing.
One thing I wanted to talk about was the different ways you can look at pet insurance. Some pet parents look at pet insurance as a way of paying for vaccinations, office visits, spaying/neutering, and other everyday things. Other pet parents though look at pet insurance as a way of protecting against high veterinary bills and "economic euthanasia."
The second group – those who look at pet insurance as more like "catastrophic" coverage – are going to get better value out of pet insurance than the first group. To understand why you have to go back to first principles: what is insurance for?
Insurance is for the unexpected, expensive things that can happen. Routine care is neither unexpected nor, in most cases, is it expensive. Insurance doesn’t work properly when applied to routine care, the economics get out of whack and you – the pet parent – end up paying for this in the form of higher premiums than necessary.
Another common thing we find is that pet parents think of pet insurance as a form of savings. No insurance product is a form of savings really. Insurance is just a transfer of risk from you to the insurance company. Looked at in this way you can see that pet insurance is not going to save you money, you buy it because you want peace of mind and because you want to be able to pursue any course of treatment to help your pet if, God forbid, something should happen.
So what is "good" pet insurance? The answer is a plan that protects your pet against all of the nasty, expensive stuff that you can’t plan for. Many pet insurance plans offer this to one degree or another but there are some ‘gotchas’ that you should be aware of.
For example, I always recommend that pet parents ask the following questions:
1. Does the plan cover congenital and hereditary diseases? You want these covered, even for mixed breeds, because sometimes it’s not clear what is and isn’t hereditary and you want to know when you claim that this sort of thing will be covered. Embrace Pet Insurance and other companies cover congenital conditions provided they are not pre-existing when you sign up.
2. Does the plan cover chronic and recurring illnesses? Some plans consider things that happened in your first year of coverage to be pre-existing in the second year.
3. What is and is not covered? Is it clearly stated on the company’s website or over the phone? The last thing you want is to make a claim and only later find out that the company considers your condition not covered.
4. Are there per-incident limits that effectively cap the amount you could receive back? For example, some plans have a $3,000 per-incident limit. If you had a claim for $5,000 with one of these plans then the most you would get back would be $3,000.
5. What are the rules around pre-existing conditions? Are they excluded permanently or temporarily?
6. How long does the company take to pay claims?
7. Does the plan reimburse claims based on a benefit schedule or the actual veterinary bill? If you choose a plan with a benefit schedule you should understand that you may not get very much money back as the benefit schedule can cap your reimbursement for certain diagnoses at amounts less than you’ll commonly find, especially in metro areas. Try to find a plan that reimburses you based on your actual veterinary bill or a "usual, customary, & reasonable" (UCR) table.
One thing I encourage all pet parents who are interested in pet insurance to do is read reviews and testimonials from real customers at http://www.PetInsuranceReview.com . This is a good website to get the skinny on every plan out there.
So armed with these questions and by doing some homework of your own, you can make an informed choice and get a plan that’s right for you and your pet.
Good luck!
Alex
Embrace Pet Insurance
http://www.EmbracePetInsurance.com
Florida’s Pet Health Insurance
Valparaiso FL. Florida is located in Florida’s Okaloosa County. There are approximately 6,408 people living in the city of Valparaiso Florida equaling approximately 2000 households. The average income per household in Valparaiso Florida is approximately $39,521. Approximately 31% of the families in Valparaiso Florida and 6.7% of the general population in Valparaiso Florida are living below the poverty level.
Pet owners, who have recently brought their pets to Florida, should be aware of the potential medical issues involved with exposing their pets to strange surroundings, infectious diseases, and usual climate conditions, new external and internal parasites, infectious diseases, and emotional distress. Many of the parasites in diseases Florida has to offer are not all that different found in the rest of the country except the warm climates increase the amount of time your pet is exposed.
Pet owners have recently moved to Florida need to give their pets plenty of time to adjust to their new surroundings. To prevent losing their pets whenever they leave the house they should be on a leash or in a fenced yard.
Rabies is a terrible disease that is transferable from animals to humans. The most effective preventative medicine for rabies is a yearly vaccine. Every county in Florida has rules enforcing rabies vaccination for all pets. Owners should be aware that any pet that bites the human who has not had a rabies vaccine will be immediately euthanized. Pets should receive their first rabies vaccination when it is approximately 4 months old.
Dog owners should be aware of a disease called canine distemper. Canine distemper is virus that can be found all over the world that can be effectively controlled with a vaccination. Pet owners living in Florida should be aware that the canine distemper virus is present year-round in the state. The canine distemper virus travels through the air. Although treatment for canine distemper is available it is difficult, expensive, and has a low success rate. Dog should be first vaccinated for canine distemper as puppies and giving booster vaccinations for the rest of their adult life.
Parvovirus infection is an extremely contagious viral disease that affects the gastrointestinal tract of dogs of all ages. Dive to contract parvovirus infection generally die within two to three days if the condition is left untreated. Preventing parvovirus infection is done with a simple vaccination administered by her local veterinarian. Florida has reported many cases of parvovirus infection in recent years.
Because of Florida’s warm, moist, climate cats and dogs are able to pick up the case of internal worms and internal parasites year-round. Internal parasites found in dogs and cats include hookworms, whipworms, roundworms, and tapeworms. A simple worming regimen is used to flush the worms from a pet’s body. Because workers are potentially toxic to pets if administered improperly you should consult your veterinarian before putting your pet on a worming schedule.
Heartworms are large roundworms that live in the right side of the dog’s heart. Heartworms cause a significant amount of internal damage. Early diagnosis is the best way to ensure survival other pet that has contracted heartworm disease. Medication given on a daily and/or monthly schedule that a starter when the dog is just three months of age is the best way to ensure that your dog never suffers from heartworm disease. Because Florida has a mosquito population that is present year-round dog should be medicated against heartworm disease throughout the year. Florida dog owner should also bring their family dog to a veterinarian for a heartworm test every six months.
Because of the hurricanes that can sweep up and down Florida’s coastline pet owners in Florida should consider purchasing a pet health insurance plan that will protect their pets in event of a hurricane. This plan should cover any medical costs the Pat might acquire from stress or injury and owner should consider purchasing a plan that would cover the expense of boarding their pets in case of evacuation.
Janice Sherwood
http://www.articlesbase.com/pets-articles/floridas-pet-health-insurance-670995.html
Is Pet Insurance Right for you and your Dog?
Posted by admin in Veterinary Pet Insurance on December 18, 2009
Many dog owners today try to be frugal on their dog’s medical care, Deciding if pet insurance is right for you and your dog can be difficult. Here is the question: can you afford an unexpected thousand dollars’ expense? Or even more? If not, then you should consider pet insurance.
Your dog’s medical care, including diagnostic tests and treatment options, is becoming more sophisticated. Treatments and procedures are now available that were not previously possible. With that comes a hefty price many dog owners cannot afford.
Veterinary costs alone can rival your own medical doctor’s fees. For example, a large breed dog with a relatively common life-threatening condition called “bloat” can be hospitalized and treated in many veterinary hospitals and emergency clinics across the country. The cost for this life-saving treatment ranges from $2,000 – $5,000 or more. A broken leg requiring fracture repair can range from $500 to $2500 depending on the specific treatment and where in the country you live.
Here are 3 more questions to help you determine if pet insurance is right for you…
1. Do you love your dog?
2. Do you want the best care for your dog?
3. Do you consider your dog as a valued member of your family?
If you answer is yes to these three questions, again, you should consider pet insurance. It will provide you with a peace of mind knowing you have help paying the medical costs for your dog’s accidents, poisonings, or illnesses including cancer.
As a veterinarian, I love to see dog owners with pet insurance. Dog owners with pet insurance that come to our emergency hospital don’t have to worry about compromising the care for their pets because of cost restraints. They don’t have to decline treatments or even consider euthanasia due to their limited budgets. If an unexpected expense would be difficult for your budget, then you should consider pet insurance.
Optional pet insurance coverage is also available as regular veterinary care such as vaccines and other routine wellness care is critical to the long-term health of your dog.
Your dog’s health & your finance’s bottom line:
There are many things in life that you can be frugal about, such as entertainment, travel and dining expenses. However, when it comes to your health, your family’s health or your dog’s health, you should never be frugal, especially if you love your dog and want the best care for him or her.
There will come a time when your dog needs medical attention. Here’s one final question: will you be ready?
Dr. Debra Primovic
http://www.articlesbase.com/pets-articles/is-pet-insurance-right-for-you-and-your-dog-103573.html
Dog Insurance
Posted by admin in Dog Insurance on December 18, 2009
Many people could not contemplate a life without their dog as they see them as more than a family member but as a regular companion that they may not have ever experience in another human being. A dog will get just as much enjoyment from lying on the floor near you if you haven’t the energy for a walk, never complaining. Whatever the weather, your dog would follow you without even a whine but never as for anything other than you love in return.
Other than love, there are few ways we can really show our appreciation for the love and companionship a dog provides except by keeping them in first class health which can be done with a dog insurance plan. These policies provided by various pet insurance companies cover a wide range of services starting from accidents, serious illnesses and even routine health care for the pets. Even the healthiest of dogs can become sick and knowing you have an Dog Insurance policy that will pay for medical attention means that the cost is never a concern.
Fortunately for us, our pets are now in safer hands than ever before and we have improved medical techniques to thank for this but these treatments are only available if you can afford them. It is not uncommon now to hear about a pet that has undergone an organ transplant procedure or one that has had their hips replaced. Just like people, dogs too can be prone to certain conditions and disease, some of which may be caused by genetic traits.
The unfortunate fact is that many conditions that dogs are prone to suffer from are only visible when the dog reaches a certain point in their life by which time they are a valued family member. A dog insurance policy therefore helps the owner to provide the best treatment in such circumstances without feeling the financial pressure of providing the best health care for the dog. Keeping a dog healthy requires a bit more than just good food and a bath because regular checks by the vet can help remove unwanted and unhealthy parasites that all dogs carry as well as looking after their hearing and teeth.
Most policies will cover these costs as part of the maintenance plan which should make the situation easier financially speaking and the peace of mind knowing that your companion is looked after. Our dog may not fully understand the lengths you are going to for their good health but it does mean they should have a long carefree life with you. If you are not sure where to start in your search for a good plan then ask some of your neighbors who have dogs and see if they can advise you on a dog insurance plan that will cover everything discussed here.
Learn more about dog insurance and much more dog related stuff at DogSearcher.com
Andrew Mills
http://www.articlesbase.com/pets-articles/dog-insurance-668161.html
How to Stop My Dog From Jumping on People
There are some specific reasons why dog obedience training for puppies is important. One of those is to stop puppies from jumping on people. It may not grow out of the habit and pounce on you continuously.
In order to express emotions, your puppy tends to jump or pounce on you. It may look harmless at the start or even cute. However, what happens when it starts to jump on little kids who come around your house? Would you like your dog jumping on you after a tiring work day or slobbering saliva on your shirt?
The most important thing that you might want to look at is the puppy’s age. Four months is usually the ideal age to enroll your dog into a program. However, you need to consider the breed of the dog. The bigger the size, the earlier you have to start the training.
You should outline a proper dog obedience program for your puppy to prevent it from jumping. You might be giving mixed signals before this by rewarding it for jumping on you. There are times when you just pat it, hug it or give it a biscuit when it jumps up and down in front you.
Well this should stop. The syllabus should be standardized so your puppy will not be confused. Never allow yourself to reward it with anything when it jumps up and down from the start.
The simplest obedience step to prevent jumping for puppies is to teach them to sit-stay. It is not easy to restrain your puppy from feeling excited to see someone they like but there is a way to do so. You might not even notice how simple this part of the training is.
This will teach your puppy to sit-stay when someone walks through the house door. You can just walk from the front door to the back door to demonstrate this dog obedience part of syllabus. Before that, you have to instruct your puppy to sit stay.
Get the help you need from your children or spouses for more effective dog obedience training. Have them walk from the same route but asking your puppy to sit-stay before you open the door. If may be hard at first for your puppy to conceal its excitement but if it is repeated several times, the dog should get a clear picture of the step.
Training should be carried out as frequent as possible for the puppy to grasp the concept. Training it once a day will make it less efficient than it should be.
This sometimes might tire you out. Regardless of how tired and frustrated you are to get the puppy to understand what you are trying to convey, never lose your temper. Resorting to yelling or even physical abuse, might only ruin your carefully planned dog obedience sessions. Try to incorporate reward biscuits in the dog obedience program. By giving it dog biscuits when it manages to sit-stay, your puppy will learn what it should do the next time the doorbell chimes.
Terence Young
http://www.articlesbase.com/pets-articles/how-to-stop-my-dog-from-jumping-on-people-40926.html
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