Which Health Plans Offer Pet Health Insurance?

When pet owners purchase a pet they shop around at the various pet shops,
breeders, pet rescues, and animal shelters until they find the dog, cat, or
exotic pet that suits them, what very few pet owners do is consider the cost of
veterinarian cost for their new pet. The oversight can prove financially
devastating and emotionally heartbreaking.

The cost of veterinary cost is on the rise. Technology, liability insurance,
medications, and medical research have forced veterinary clinics to raise their
cost. Veterinary clinics in rural areas of the country (especially ones that
combine their small animal practice with a large animal practice) find it
difficult to attract young vets who are graduating from vet school to their
clinics; they are forced to offer higher salaries in order to compete with
clinics located closer to major cities. The increase in the payroll is then
transferred to pet owners.

It was recently estimated that the average dog owner will spend about two
hundred dollars a year at the vet's office. Cats were a little cheaper; their
owners only spent about a hundred and sixty dollars in veterinary bills. When
you consider what the average life expectancy is for a pet, especially on kept
inside, that's a lot of money. And what if the pet isn't your run of the mill
dog or cat? What if the pet is something more exotic like a pot bellied pig, a
ferret, a rabbit, a snake, or even a skunk? The more exotic the pet the more
the pet owner is likely to spend on the veterinarian bills, especially if they
have a pet such as a skunk which will probably require a vet with special
skills. What happens to the pet if it suddenly gets sick or is injured in a
freak accident? How much will it set the pet owner back if they have to take
their family pet to a university's veterinary school, will they be able to
afford it or will they be forced to euthanize their pet for economic reasons?

Many pet owners try to keep the unexpected veterinary bills at bay by providing
excellent care for their pets. They make sure that the pet is kept well groomed
to prevent insects and skin disorders. They only feed their pets foods that are
very carefully balanced with a proper blend of nutrients. They make sure the pet
maintains a healthy weight, not to thin and not to fat. Some pet owners won't
let their pets out of the house, fearing a freak accident. While pet owners
should take the best possible care of their pets and do everything in their
power to keep their family pet safe, even the most careful, health conscious
pet owner can not prevent everything.

Pet health insurance is one way to prevent veterinarian bills from becoming
overwhelming. Pet health insurance is insurance pet owners purchase to help
cover veterinarian bills similar to human medical insurance. The chances of a
pet owner being able to purchase a pet health care at the same health insurance
company where they purchase their human health insurance is slim. Most pet
owners will find that they have to go to a separate insurance company that
specializes in pet health insurance.

What You Need to Know About Pet Health Care Insurance

Before you purchase a pet health care insurance plan for your pet, check the
list of the companies approved veterinarians to see if your veterinarian will
accept the companies check. Ask your local veterinarian what type of pet health
care insurance plan would best suit your family pet. Ask your local veterinarian
to read over the plan and listen to their advice. Talking to your local
veterinarian will also help you establish if the insurance company you are
considering purchasing your pet health care insurance plan from is reputable.

If you have purchased a pet that is as of yet unaltered you'll want to look for
a pet health care plan that includes neutering and spaying.

Before you pay for a pet health care insurance plan you need to carefully read
how the policy handles prescription coverage. Most companies that sell pet
health care insurance do not include prescription coverage in their basic
medical health care insurance plan. If you are concerned about the cost of any
prescription your pet might need during the course of its life you should
probably consider buying a prescription coverage rider to complement your pet
health care insurance. Although this rider may appear expensive and unnecessary
you'll probably wish you had purchased it if your pet is ever given a
prescription for anything. Just like the human counterparts prescriptions are
very expensive.

One of things you need to take into consideration when purchasing a pet health
care insurance plan is the deductible. The deductible is the amount of money
you pay out-of-pocket for veterinarian services rendered that your pet health
care insurance plan does not cover. Different pet health care plans require
different deductibles. The higher a the deductible you choose the lower your
monthly payments to the insurance company but the higher deductible the more
out-of-pocket extension had each time you visit the veterinarian's
office/clinic.

Most pet insurance companies have "cap" or limit placed on each pet health care
insurance plan. This cap varies from one procedure to the next a broken leg will
probably have a different cap then cancer treatments will for your pet. Before
you purchase your pet health care insurance plan talk to the company
representative about waiting periods. Find out exactly how long it'll take over
the policy to be effective and how long the general wait for claims to be
reimbursed is. Most companies have a ten day period between the time they
receive the vet bill and when the check gets placed in the mail. Also find out
how the refund is processed. Does the pet health care insurance company pay the
veterinarian directly or do you have to pay the vet and the company mails the
check to you when they receive the bill.

Why you have the company representative on the phone task about any and all
exclusions that might be included with your pet health care insurance plan.
Specifically ask about any and all pre-existing conditions and hereditary
defects that might come up later in your pet's life. Many pet owners
especially, those that have dogs, discover that hereditary defects come into
their particular dogs are not covered by their pet health care insurance plan.
Some companies will allow you to cover these potential problems with an
additional rider. In some cases your local veterinarian will be able to warn
you about any exclusions.

If you are considering a comprehensive health care insurance plan ask if the
plan covers teen veterinarian visits such as; dental care, immunizations, and
heartworm testing. Also ask if the pet health care insurance plan also covers
the office call.

Using Multiple Pets to Find Pet Health Insurance for a Low Cost

You love your pets. They are the first things you see when you wake up in the
morning. They lay at your feet while your eating breakfast, they run with you
as you get your early morning exercise, they look heart broken when you leave
them behind, when you get home from a long day at work they are so happy to see
you that they can hardly contain their joy, they listen attentively as you rant
and rave about the trails and tribulations of your day, at night they crawl
into bed with you and keep the nightmares at bay while you sleep. What they
don't do is criticize you, judge you, or abandon you.

There is very little you wouldn't do for your pets. That's what you think
almost everyday of the year but on the days you have to take them to the vet
and pay the obligatory bill you have to wonder. All your cat had done was a
treatment for a mild case of ear mites. And your dog had been a yearly rabies
vaccination. The whole processes for both pets took less then fifteen minutes.
How could it possible cost so much?

You might be able to see the benefits of pet health insurance. You might
salivate at the idea of not dealing with the ginourmous vet bills you get every
six months ago. You might even daydream about the day you don't dread the
financial repercussions of taking your dog or cat the vet. But right now you
simply don't think you can afford to monthly bill a pet health insurance bill
would put on your budget, after all its not like having pet health insurance
would make the vet bills completely disappear, more then likely you would still
have to pay the office visit.

You might not think you can afford pet health insurance at the moment but don't
walk away from an offer, not yet. Looking at a policy does not mean that you
have to walk away from it. If you are a clever bargain shopper there are ways
to find pet health insurance at a low cost.

If you have more then one pet you probably automatically qualify for a lower
premium. Lots of pet health insurance companies offer multiple pet discounts.
There is one little catch, a lot of the companies only offer multiple pet
discounts if the pets are the same species. In other words if you have two cats
that you insure you will pay a lower premium but if you have a cat and a dog
lots of pet health insurance companies will consider it two completely
different accounts.

Are you starting to despair? Don't worry two much, while many companies don't
consider pets of separate species ground for a multiple pet discount a lot of
those same companies have a policy that offers discounts to customers who carry
more then policy with the company. The multiple policy discount usually takes
about ten percent off the total bill but a good bargains shopper can find
companies that offer higher discounts all they have to do is be willing to
spend the time to shoe around.

Pet Insurance Moreover Health Insurance Quotes: An Online Guide

A recent survey estimated that the average dog owner will visit the vet
two-three times a year and spend an average of two hundred dollars. Pet owners
who have cats will spend a little bit less. That estimate is for the normal
routine stuff like sterilization (spaying or neutering), vaccinations, worming,
and a heartworm test; you're normally in and out of the veterinarian's office in
approximately fifteen minutes. It's hard to imagine what the trip to the
veterinarian's office would cost if your pet was suffering from a really
serious medical problem such as benign tumors or a broken leg.

Approximately three percent of pet owners in the United States have decided
that the best way to deal with financing their pets vet bill is to purchase pet
health care insurance. Pet health care insurance is similar to human health care
insurance. The pet owner pays a monthly premium and when the pet has to go to
the veterinarian's office the insurance company will pay a certain percentage
of the bill minus the deductible.

Before a pet owner purchases a pet health care plan they need to get some
estimates/quotes on various plans. Before the pet owner goes online to find a
quote they need to grab a pad of paper and write down two things. The first
thing they need is a wish list of the type of pet health insurance coverage you
would like to get. This list can include things like prescription coverage, low
deductibles, dental, annual checkups, spaying and nueturing, declawing and
anything else you can think of. It is important to remember that you may not be
able to find a pet health insurance plan that will have everything you want,
circle the items that you simply can't live without. The second thing you need
to write down is what is the most you can spend each month on your pet's health
insurance plan. Keep this number close by so you don't splurge on an insurance
plan you won't be able to afford.

Now do a couple internet searches to find all the names of pet health insurance
companies. Go through the list and find all the companies that have health
insurance plans that are compatible to your wish list and seem to be in your
budget. Try to narrow the list down to the five most likely possibilities.

Now that you have five health insurance companies that seem like real
possibilities go to their quote section on the webpage. Follow the instructions
and enter all of your pet's pertinent information. If the quote is satisfactory
its time to proceed to the next step. Call your pet's veterinarian and ask the
clinic will accepts this particular brand of insurance. If the vet clinic you
use doesn't accept insurance from that company move to your next possibility.
You'll probably have a harder time finding another good vet then another pet
health insurance company. Now all you really have left to do is to talk to the
pet insurance companies representative.

Potential Problems for AKC Dog Owners who Wish to Purchase Health Insurance

There are times when adopting that shaggy non-descript mutt at the neighborhood
shelter is an advantage over purchasing an expensive AKC model. The first
advantage is the start up cost, AKC registered pups seldom start at less them
three hundred dollars from there the prices can sore into the thousands. The
adoption fee for your local pound puppy shouldn't be more then two hundred
bucks and a lot of times they are up to date on all their shots and are already
neutered or spayed.

The second time you will notice an advantage to your pound puppy is when you
purchase liability insurance. Liability insurance is an insurance policy that
will pay out to the injured party if your dog suddenly bites somebody. Several
breeds recognized by the American Kennel Club are on several liability
insurance companies list of high risk dogs and cost the owner an extra high
premium. Many dogs who were bred to be guard dogs are considered a high
liability.

The third time you will see a distinct advantage to your pound puppy is if you
choose to purchase pet health care insurance. Many pet health care insurance
companies will not insure against potential genetic disorders that are common
in a particular breed.

Owners of English Cocker Spaniels may experience a difficult time insuring the
their puppies kidneys until the dog is past its second birthday. English Cocker
Spaniels have been known to develop a genetic condition called Familial
Nephropathy. A puppy with Familial Nephropathy kidneys will start shutting down
between the ages of six months and two years old. This disease is normally
fatal. Right now there is not a really good way of identifying what puppies
might develop Familial Nephropathy.

Owners who purchase large dog breeds that have a history of hip dysplasia such
as the American Staffordshire Terrier's, Great Danes, German Shepards,
Rottweilers, and Caucasian Mountain Dog's. Hip dysplasia is a hereditary
disease that affects the hip joints of the dog. Dogs that have hip dysplasia
walk with a loose wobbly gait; they usually have a hard time bringing their
hind legs up and underneath themselves. Most pet health insurance companies
will probably not be able to insure there new puppies hips until a test has
been run and the puppy is declared sound and dysplasia clear.

Bulldogs have a history of breathing problems because of their flat face and
smashed breathing passages; they are prone to heat stroke, sleep apnea,
birthing problems, cherry eye, allergies, hip problems, and cataracts. Great
Danes have a genetic history of slow metabolism, bloat, twisted gut, hip
dysplasia, congenital heart problems yeast infections, and staph infections. If
you buy a Great Dane that is mostly white in color it will probably be deaf and
possibly blind. Some pet health insurance companies won't insure the eyes of
certain dogs unless the puppy was bred by a breeder certified by the Canine Eye
Registration Foundation (CERF). Breeders that hold a certification from this
foundation have been acknowledged as breeding puppies with no known eye health
problems.

Reasons to Purchase Pet Health Insurance for Your Cat

Cats are funny creatures. One minute they want to be petted and stroked, the
next they are taking a swipe at your hand and acting like you are public enemy
number one. Some people love the conundrum of pet cats and other people hate
them.

Love them or hate them they are a still a common pet and have a whole host of
potential health issues that will require veterinary care and might have their
owners considering the pros and cons of pet health insurance. When cat owners
first bring their brand new kitten to the vet they should have the kitten
vaccinated for distemper.

Cat owners who have a cat that is entering into the golden years of its life
should know that kidney failure is the most common problem senior cats have to
deal with. Hairballs are often the very first thing cat owners think about when
they stop to consider possible threats to their cat's health. Hairballs are
clumps of hair that can be found in the cat's digestive system. Cat owners can
purchase food additives that will help eliminate hairball. In extreme cases the
cat will have to undergo surgery to have a hairball removed.

Just like their owners cats can develop urinary tract infections. Cats who have
a urinary tract infection generally cry when they are using their litter box. If
a cat is suddenly "missing" the litter box and having accidents around the house
it could be a sign of a urinary tract infection. Treating the urinary tract
infection generally depends on the type of infection. After doing tests to
determine the origin of the infection vets will normally put the cat on a round
of antibiotics. If the infection has spread to the kidneys or caused a blockage
immediate veterinary action is needed.

Cats kept indoors do not usually develop upper respiratory problems. Cats that
have a respiratory illness often cough, sneeze, have runny noses, discharge
from the eyes, and are listless. Some cats will run a fever. Just like humans
cats that have an upper respiratory illness are contagious and should be kept
separate from other cats. Cats with upper respiratory problems should be
encouraged to drink lots of fluids. If your cat develops a fever take him to
the veterinarian for a round of antibiotics. High fevers, if left untreated,
can lead to brain damage and death.

Some cats are prone to getting abscesses. Abscesses are wounds, sometimes
small, that heal over, trapping infection under the skin. As the pus gathers a
bump will appear on the cat's skin. Cats with abscesses could be taken to the
veterinarian's office to have the abscess lanced (cut open), drained, and an
antibiotic cream applied. Depending on the abscess veterinarians might attach a
tube to the animal to let the pus drain. When the abscess has been drained,
cleaned, and dressed the veterinarian will probably prescribe a round of
antibiotics. Some cats that have abscesses will run a fever.

Lots of pet cats develop diabetes. Many pet health insurance plans will help
offset the cost of vet bills.

Rabbits; an Exotic Animal that Could Benefit from Health Insurance that Insures
Pet Medical Needs

Many pet owners enjoy the company and companionship of having a pet rabbit in
the house. People are attracted to the idea of house rabbits because rabbits
are not only playful and fun to watch they are also very social. Rabbits tend
to appeal to people who like the size and feel of cats but are put off by the
aloof manners cats sometimes display, most rabbits, if handled properly, are
friendly all the time. Rabbit owners need to be aware that because rabbits are
so social they need to spend allot of time each and every day playing with
their pet rabbit. Rabbits that do not get enough attention can become
depressed. Like cats pet rabbits are low maintenance and are easily litter box
trained. Rabbits chew on everything, the best way to spare your furniture is to
give your pet rabbit lots and lots of chewy toys. Rabbits and young children are
not a very good combination, kid's habit of grabbing and running around makes
rabbits nervous and they can start biting, and rabbit bites hurt. If you decide
to keep your pet rabbit in the house you need to be prepared to clean the litter
box on a regular basis.

Rabbits need to be taken to the veterinarian on a regular schedule for routine
vaccinations and check ups. Rabbit owners who keep their rabbits in the house
recommend spaying and neutering your rabbit. Pet rabbits are not known for
their willingness to take medications. If you have to give your pet rabbit
liquid mediation you will need to use a syringe (just the syringe not the
needle) or an eye dropper. I prefer syringes because it is easier to measure
the proper dosage of medication.
Holding the rabbits head and neck with one hand slide the syringe into the
rabbit's mouth behind the teeth, Check to make sure that the tip of the syringe
isn't stuck out the other side of the mouth, point the tip of the syringe
towards the rabbit's throat. Depress the syringes plunger.

If your vet prescribes a medication for your rabbit that is in a pill or tablet
form you are going to have to crush up the pill. Once you have crushed the pill
into a powder mix it with a little bit of flavored Sustacal or Ensure until you
have a watery paste. Use a syringe to administer the paste like a liquid
medication.

It only takes being bitten by one mosquito for a rabbit to become infected with
a severe viral disease call Myxomatosis. Most rabbits die just a few short hours
after contracting the disease. The only way to treat Myxomatosis is to vaccinate
your pet rabbit before it ever comes into contact with Myxomatosis. Rabbits
should be vaccinated when they are six weeks old. Do not give a pregnant rabbit
the vaccination; wait until her babies are born. Rabbits are still at risk for
Myxomatosis for fourteen days after being vaccinated. Your pet rabbit will need
booster shots.

Health problems commonly associated with rabbits are uncontrolled bleeding when
injured, blood in the urine, broken bones, breathing problems, falling body
temperature, and severe diarrhea. If you would like to purchase an insurance
plan to help cover the cost of veterinary expenses for your pet rabbit you will
probably have to look for an exotic animal policy offer by a pet health
insurance company.

Questions Cat Owners Need to Ask Themselves Before Purchasing Cat Health
Insurance for Their Pet

Before cat owners purchase health insurance for their family cat there are a
few questions they should ask themselves. Asking themselves these questions
will give the cat owner a reasonable idea of what type of policy will best suit
them.

The first thing they should consider is whether or not they would like a
discount insurance plan or a comprehensive insurance plan.  The next question
cat owners need to ask themselves is how attached are they to their local
veterinarian. Some veterinarians will not accept pet health insurance from
various pet health insurance companies for a variety of reason. If the cat
owner does not feel comfortable taking their family pet to a different
veterinarian they should look for an insurance company their veterinary clinic
accepts. Cat owners should also be aware that in certain instances the local
veterinarian or animal hospital cannot help their pets and might refer them to
the State University veterinary clinics. When purchasing a health-insurance
plan for their owner should double check and make sure that any expenses
charged to the university veterinary clinic will be covered by the insurance
plan.

Before cat owners purchase a health-insurance plan for their family cat they
should decide if they would like to neuter or spay their cat. Some pet
insurance companies offer health insurance plans for pets that will cover the
cost to neutering or spaying. If the policy you are thinking about purchasing
does not include neutering or spaying you might want to purchase an additional
rider to help with the expense. Remember that if you have adopted your cat from
a local animal shelter you will be required to neuter or spay your cat if the
shelter hasn't already done that. This is also a good time to get the first
round of your cat's annual shots out of the way.

How much can you actually afford to pay in addition to the monthly or yearly
cost of your pets health-insurance plan? If you have to bring your cat to the
veterinarian will you be able to pay a deductible? A deductible is the amount
of money you have to pay the veterinarian out of your pocket each and every
time you visit them. The higher the deductible you carry the lower your monthly
premiums are on your pet's health-insurance plan.

If your cat gets injured in a freak accident or suddenly becomes sick will you
be able to pay for any medication that the veterinarian might prescribe.
Prescription drugs are expensive whether they are for humans or for pets. If
you are concerned about the potential cost of prescription drugs you may want
to purchase a rider that will help cover the cost. Purchasing a co-pay option a
prescription drugs get help lower your annual fee.

Before purchasing a health-care plan for your cat find out if the plan just
coverers your cat's immediate health care issues or if it will also cover the
cost of the veterinarian's office visit. Cat owner should remember that the
time to research the various types of pet health-care insurance is normally
before they purchase their pet. Most injuries and illnesses occur during the
pets early years of life.

Pet Health Insurance

Recent revelations in scientific research have provided pet owners with the
means to now save their beloved family pets from injuries and diseases that
would have caused the pet to be euthanized in the not so distant past. The sad
news is that when the unthinkable happens and a pet life hangs in the balance
most pet owners find that they are unable to afford the often staggering price
of the treatments which can range from $3000-$10000 and some cases even more,
and are forced to euthanize their pets anyway. It is in these instances that
pet owners wish they had the foresight to purchase a pet health insurance
policy.

Pet health insurance is similar to human health insurance.

Pet owners who purchase pet health insurance plans from pet health insurance
companies do so for a variety of reasons. They might be intrigued by the idea
that they will be able to save on their pets annual trip to the vet or they
might just be worried that if a serious health crisis develops they wont be
able to afford the treatment,

Pet owners can pick from a variety of plants such as pet fatality/mortality
insurance, major medical insurance, and basic medical insurance (policy names
may vary from company to company.) Many pet health care insurance companies
offer option a variety of additional riders to complement the pet health care
insurance plan.

Mortality/fatality pet insurance is similar to human life insurance. The owner
pays a premium every month the pet is alive in any event of its death the owner
is reimbursed a predetermined amount of money. While the mortality/fatality
insurance does not take the sting out of losing a beloved family pet it may
help of any additional medical bills that accumulated at the end of your pet's
life. Many owners used the check to assist with purchasing a new family pet.
One thing's owners should be aware of when they possess AA mortality/fatality
pet insurance plan is that most companies require that the owner contact them
be for the pet is euthanized. They will often asked to speak to the
veterinarian in charge of your pet's case.

Basic medical health insurance typically covers veterinarian expenses such as
accidents, non-elective surgeries, hospitalization, and illnesses. One popular
insurance company offers a plan that pays from cuts to cancer up to $1000; most
pet owners use this plan for emergencies only. Pet owners are advised to
purchase a pet health care insurance plan as early in their pet's life as
possible. Many insurance companies and veterinarians point out that most freak
accidents happen in the early years of a pet's life. Owners should be aware
that most pet health insurance plans do not convert genetic dis-orders that
develop in certain breeds and some of the more expensive surgeries. Most
insurance plans also will not touch pre-existing conditions.

Horse owners may want to consider purchasing a loss of use policy for their
horses. A loss of use policy pays if the force is injured so badly it is no
longer able to be ridden or bred, but is not so badly injured to justify
euthanizing the animal.

Pet Health Insurance in the USA

Pet health insurance companies are hoping that someday pet owners in the United
States will catch up with European pet owners. A recent poll taken of American
pet owners suggested that approximately three percent of American pet owners
had purchased pet health insurance for their family pet. A veterinarian who was
interviewed after the survey was stunned by the results. She felt that the
survey was generous. She believes that less then one percent of her patients
have any health care insurance.

In Europe approximately twenty-five percent of all pet owners have some sort of
pet health insurance on their pets. The numbers are even higher in Sweden where
approximately fifty percent of all pet owners rely on pet health insurance to
help pay their pet's medical expenses.

Some experts believe that the reason so many pet owners in the United Kingdom
have pet health care insurance is because of an act passed in 1971. In the
United Kingdom dog owners are liable for any accident that their pet is found
responsible for. This means that if a dog darts out into traffic and causes a
seven car pile up the dog's owner is responsible for paying all the damages.
Unwilling to dip into their own pickets to cover their pet's misadventures pet
owners in the United Kingdom purchase something called third party insurance.
Third party insurance is a simply a liability insurance specifically geared to
pet owners.

Many American pet owners don't realize that there are similar pet liability
insurance plans available in the United States. Pet owners who would like to
purchase pet liability insurance to cover any damages their pets might be
responsible rather should be aware that certain breeds of dogs are listed as
high risk insurance cases and the owners will be required to pay extra high
insurance policies.

It is unclear why more pet owners in the United States don't purchase pet
health insurance. One possibility is that pet owners simply don't understand
exactly how expensive pet health care is. Fifteen minutes spent in a
veterinarian's office can sometimes cost as much as a hundred dollars.

When a pet owner finds themselves facing the cost of an emergency surgery or
has to take their family pet to a university hospital to have an illness
treated they quickly find themselves whishing they had something to help cover
the enormous vet bill. All too often pet owners who find themselves in an
emergency situation are forced to euthanize their beloved pet for economic
reasons.

Pet owners who are city dwellers probably feel that they don't need to worry
about something like pet health insurance because they can't possibly for see
when they would need it. Their pets live inside, what could possibly happen to
them. What these pet owners don't realize is that illness can sometimes affect
house pets the hardest because their immune systems haven't had a chance to
build up any resistance.

Farmers and ranchers have a very clear cut idea of how fast and accident and
how expensive vet care is. Most of them would like to insure the health of
their pets but there simply isn't enough extra money to afford the monthly
premiums. Ranchers and farmers also tend to have a working knowledge of
illnesses and injuries that lets them treat their pets on their own.

Canada's Pet Health Concerns that Benefit from Canadian Pet Health Insurance

There are two health care issues that might make Canada's pet owners consider
purchasing Canadian Pet Health Insurance for their family pets. Cancer and
Tularemia.

Cancer is a type of malignant tumor or growths that invade the surrounding
tissues and use the bloodstream to move spread to other parts of the body. Some
cancers reappear even after removal of the offending tumor. Cancer can cause
that unless the tumor is removed and any remaining cancer cells properly
treated. Because of improvements in veterinary care at nutritional needs family
pets are living longer. As a direct result of the longer life span of family
pets wore more cases of cancer are being seen.

Signs that the family pet might have cancer are abnormal swellings that
continue to grow, sores are a few heel, bleeding or other discharge from body
openings, the pet is having a difficult time eating and swallowing, persistent
lameness, difficulty breathing, painful urination, chronic coughing, weight
loss, fevers, lack of appetite, and stamina. If you notice your pet experience
the any individual or combination of the symptoms you should consult your local
veterinarian.

In the not so distant past cancer and pets was a virtual kiss of death. In
today's medically advanced world of veterinary medicine your pet's outcome is
more positive. Early detection followed by timely intervention is the most
positive here for your pet's cancer.

In some cases simple removal on the tumor is all that is required to other may
any cancer cells. Some types of cancer require or surgery. The surgery has an
excellent success rate with cancers that were detected early on. If your pet
has a tumor that is inoperable your veterinarian might suggest radiation,
chemical, or biological therapy.

Radiation therapy exposes the malignant cells to high level of radiation with
the hope that the radiation will kill the cancer cells. Chemical therapy is
medication design to kill the cancer cells. In particularly aggressive forms of
cancer chemical and radiation therapy is used jointly. Other forms of therapies
used to treat and comfort your pet when they are diagnosed with cancer are
grooming, nutritional support, Soft bedding, pain management, ulcer prevention,
and physical therapy. If your pet is diagnosed with cancer discuss treat to the
veterinarian and call your pet health care insurance representative to find out
what can be done to extend life of your pet.

On October 2, 2004 Health Canada issued an advisory about a potential health
concern to dwarf and regular hamsters called Tularemia.

Tularemia is caused by a bacterial disease that is most commonly seen in wild
rodents and rabbits. Although it only happens rarely Tularemia is transferable
to humans causing flu like symptoms. Tularemia typically found in all muskrats,
squirrels, beavers, rabbit, skunks, dear, bison, foxes, opossums, and
woodchucks. Although Tularemia is seldom seen in dogs and cats can be
contaminated through water, eating infected rabbits, and being bitten by
contaminated ticks. The typical symptoms of Tularemia are fever, a loss of
appetite, weakness, and diarrhea. If the condition is left untreated infected
animals frequently died.

The typical treatment plan for pets infected with Tularemia is to first
eliminate any infected ticks from your pet's fur. After that the drugs
Strptomycin and Gentamycin are administered for one to two weeks. Tetracycline
and Chloramphencicol have also been used to treat pets diagnosed with Tularemia.

Animal Health Insurance for your pet Ferret

Ferrets are long, silky, fun filled, and cuddly. They can provide endless hours
of fun. They can also give you a migraine as you try to pay for the vet bills
you didn't think about when you spontaneously purchased that impossibly cute
ferret with the incredibly pointed face at the local pet store.

The average lifespan is 7-10 years old with each year equaling ten human years.
The tempaeture of a healthy ferret is between 100 and 104 degrees, with most of
them hovering at a comfortable 101.9 degrees. The heart rate of the average
ferret is about 225 beats per minute but it can range from 180-250 beats per
minute. Ferrets have an average respiration rate of 33-36 breaths per minute.
It is important to get to know your pet's personality, the better you know your
ferrets personality the quicker you will be able to recognize any health issues
your ferret might have.

The first thing you might learn about your pet ferret is that not only will it
love to have your undivided attention it can also catch that twenty-four hour
flue you had a few days ago. The ability to catch diseases from their human
owners is one of those unique traits that separates ferrets from cats and dogs
(cats and dogs can not catch the flu from humans). Hopefully now that you are
armed with that knowledge you will be savvy enough to bring your pet ferret to
the veterinarian (preferably one with knowledge and experience about ferrets)
before it starts showing flu like symptoms. Ferrets are very sturdy animals
when they are healthy but once they get sick they can go down hill fast. It is
important your veterinarian sees your pet and prescribe a treatment as soon as
possible.

Young ferrets are often fed hard food before they are really ready for it. The
hard food can cause your new pet to develop a prolapsed rectum (the rectum is
on the outside of the body instead of inside). Oddly enough this is not
normally something your local veterinarian needs to see. Normally the rectum
returns to its normal position after a few days. Smear a small amount of
Preparation-H on the exposed rectum to help keep it moist and keep a close eye
on it. Remember that pink is good. As long as the flesh of the prolapsed rectum
is a nice healthy looking rosy pink it's healthy. If the healthy pink color
starts to fade take your pet ferret to the vet for a consultation.

Ferrets suffer from a variety of diseases and tumors such as insulinorma,
tumors, heart disease, intestinal conditions, and complications involving the
liver and intestines and spleen. Many pet ferrets are plagued with multiple
issues at the same time. Most diseases commonly found in ferrets will need some
type of veterinary care which will often include surgery.

If you are concerned about being flooded with an endless amount of expensive
veterinarian bills that you don't know if you will be able to pay you may want
to consider purchasing animal health insurance for your pet ferret.

AKC Pet Health Insurance

You either love them or you hate them, the members, breeders, and owners who
are affiliated with the American Kennel Club. Puppies who are registered with
the American Kennel Club are the aristocracy of the dog world, granted entry
into the finest clubs and most exclusive clubs. The breeds not recognized by
the American Kennel Club or dogs that are of a mixed ancestry often feel like
outsiders or commoners.

For all the hoopla surrounding the American Kennel Club only members actually
seem to know what it really is.

The American Kennel Club is the largest registry of purebred dogs in the entire
world. In 2006 there were over nine hundred thousand dogs registered with the
American Kennel Club. In addition to registering dogs the American Kennel Club
also host several large shows including the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show
(it is actually older then the kennel club) and the AKC/Eukanuba National
Championships. The American Kennel Club has been registering puppies for over
one hundred and twenty-two years. In 2006 the AKC signed a contract with the
pet stores Petland but later rescinded the offer after a flurry of controversy.
In addition to hosting dog show and overseeing the registration of hundreds of
thousands of dogs each year the American Kennel Club also takes an active
interest in canine health research. Some dog owners are familiar with their
current advertising campaign promoting their commitment to healthy dogs.

Because the American Kennel Club realizes that the high cost of veterinary care
can be difficult for many dog owners to afford they now offer AKC pet health
insurance.

The American Kennel Club Healthcare Plan is designed to help offset the high
cost of Veterinary treatments, surgery, and prescriptions.

On the American Kennel Club website they have a list of claims that have
recently been paid to dog owners who have purchased an AKC pet health care
plan. These claims included a $2,600.00 doller claim for poison toadstools, for
a recent case of bee stings they paid a claim of $2,200, and the owners of a dog
that was bitten by a snake received a check for 1,262, $2,000 for an intestinal
resection, and $2,800 paid out for a ruptured ligament. The biggest claim
currently listed on the website is for a ruptured vertebral disc that would
have cost the owners an additional $3,329 out of their pockets The American
Kennel Club estimates that the average daily cost of a healthcare plan for your
dog is approximately sixty-eight cents a day (this is based on the Essential
plan's annual price). You can pick from four different types of healthcare
insurance plans, you have a variety of wellness options you can choose from
that will help cover dental cleaning, shots, and checkup. Applying for the
insurance is supposed to be easy and you can choose to pay monthly or yearly.
You get to continue to use you very own veterinarian. The American Kennel Club
also offers coverage for cats.

One of the really nice features about the AKC pet healthcare coverage is the
sixty-day complimentary trail period.

A Comparison of Five Pet Health Insurance Plans

It doesn't matter if you have already decided to purchase health insurance for
the family pet or if you are simply. When you are comparing the quote of one
health insurance quote to another remember that the base doller amount is not
the only number you have to consider. In addition to the monthly payment make
sure you also check out exactly what type of veterinary care and treatments are
covered (some basic insurance plans do not include cancer treatment), what kind
of deductible you, the pet owner, will be expected to pay, is there a yearly
cap on medical expenses, and what type of discounts are available.

At the moment there are only a handful of companies that offer pet health
insurance. Five of the most popular companies are Pets Best Pet Insurance,
Veterinary Pet Insurance, ShelterCare, Pets Health and PetCare.

An insurance plan through Pets Best Pet Insurance will cost approximately
$32.00 a month ($384.00 annually). Pets Best will cover pet sterilization
provided the pet owner purchases an additional wellness plan. Pets Best does
not cover pre-existing medical conditions a pet has so its best to insure them
early in life before problems develop. Pets Best has a life time limit of
$99,750 dollars per pet. Pets Best health insurance plans come with a $75.00
deductible. Multiple pet discounts are available. Pet's Best pet health
insurance does cover cancer.

Veterinary Pet Insurance is a company that offers pet owner a $14,000 a year
cap on an insurance plan that only costs approximately $20.00 dollars a month.
Veterinary Pet Insurance offers plans with a $50.00 deductible (after the
deductible they pay ninety percent of the bill) on plans that include pet
sterilization and cancer coverage. Veterinary Pet Insurance does not accept
pre-existing conditions and does not offer multi-pet discounts.

ShelterCare is a pet insurance that cost pet's owners approximately $29.95. For
that $29.95 there is absolutely no deductible and cancer treatments are covered.
ShelterCare will not pay for pet sterilization nor will they cover any
pre-existing conditions. ShelterCare does not have a benefit cap. ShelterCare
offers premium discounts for multi-pet plans, medical service, and micro-chips.

A pet health insurance policy through PetsHealth insurance company will cost
the pet owner approximately $37.17 dollars per month. PetsHealth covers 80% of
the pets vet bill after the $100.00 doller deductible is paid. PetsHealth has a
$13,000 doller cap on each per year. PetHealth does insure pre-existing
conditions after ninety days. Multi-pet discounts are available through
PetHealth. PetsHealth does offer pet health insurance plans that cover cancer
on a case by case basis.

PetCare is a pet health insurance company that estimates the average cost for a
policy for a pet is $29.95 a month. This plan includes a fifty doller
deductible. While PetCare is happy to cover the cost your pet's cancer
treatments they will not pay for any pre-existing conditions nor will they pay
for pet sterilization. PetCare offers discounts for multi-pet plans and medical
service.

None of the estimated monthly prices for these insurance companies include any
extra insurances riders. Any one or all of these companies can change their
policies between now and the time you purchase a pet health insurance plan.
Remember to read the fine print before you sign up for a pet health insurance
plan. All five of these pet health insurance companies have their own websites
where you can go to get up to date pet health insurance quotes.

There are other pet health insurance companies with different prices,
discounts, stipulations, and benefit caps if you are not content with the
previous five comparisons.

Care and Health Insurance for your Pet Pot Bellied Pig

There have been lots of books written about dogs like Old Yeller and Where the
Red Fern Grows, Black Beauty is every girls dream horse after his memoirs were
so cleverly translated, and a recent string of mystery novels featuring
sleuthing cats have earned felines a place in the literary annals.

Considering that isn't it interesting that some of the animal characters most
people seem to remember the best are pigs. When book lovers think of pigs they
smile as they remember the sweet innocence of Wilbur as he strutted around the
barnyard, or they shudder with delicious distaste as they think about how
George Orwell's Napoleon ruled the farm after overthrowing the humans in Animal
Farm.

Recently pigs have been finding their way into more and more homes as family
pets. Many pet owners are delighted by the pig's keen intelligence and dynamic
personality. Or they walk into a neat tidy barn and spot and entire litter of
new piglets sleeping in a little pig heap on a bed of straw. The next thing
they know they have purchased a young pot bellied pig and are taking it home.

The first mistake people often make is assuming that a pot bellied pig would
make a good pet for their family is that they don't really understand that the
cuteness fades...fast. One minute they are holding a cute little piglet, the
next they are looking at a short legged growing piglet with a strangely shaped
skull, drooping jowls, and stiff hair.

The next mistake pet owners make when they purchase a potbellied pig is that
they assume it will stay miniature sized. While it is true that the pot bellied
pig is considerably smaller then its barnyard cousins pet owners need to
understand that the pigs that are used for bacon and Easter hams are normally
butchered at weight surpassing three hundred and fifty pounds. The full grown
sows can weigh in at well over five hundred pounds.

Once you have purchased a newborn potbellied pig you need to start thinking
about its health care. Pot bellied pigs need to be spayed or neutered, they
need to have their feet trimmed on a regular basis, they need to have their
long tusks trimmed, and they need yearly vaccinations. Purchasing a pet health
plan for your new pet might help make veterinary care more affordable. If you
decide to purchase a health insurance plan for your pot bellied pig make sure
it is one that it will still be valid at the end of your pets life, which could
bet twenty years away. If you are unable to find a pet health insurance company
who is selling coverage for potbellied pigs try to get a deal through an
insurance company that insure farmers' valuable livestock.

In addition to health insurance pot bellied pig owners should probably consider
getting some type of liability insurance in case their pot bellied pig
accidentally hurts someone. For the most part pot bellied pigs are low key and
amiable but once in a while you can stumble across one that gets irritated with
people. Just like their larger, barnyard cousins, pot bellied pigs a re very
strong they literally toss a full grown man to the side with just a little
nudge of their snout.

Pet Health Insurance Veterinary eye Concerns for Pet Dogs

Owners who are considering purchasing pet health insurance for their dogs
should make sure that the eye health of their dogs covered by the insurance
policy. Because many insurance companies will not insure the eyes of a dog
whose breed is habitually diagnosed with chronic eye problems may want to
consider purchasing their puppy from a CERF (Canine Eye Registration
Foundation). Breeders who are recognized by the CERF have been publicly
acknowledged as breeding puppies without known health problems. In some cases
insurance companies might also require that the owners have genetic screening
done on the puppies before they can be insured.

Glaucoma is a common eye condition that begins with very subtle symptoms such
as dilated pupils that don't respond well to light, and eye that appears to be
red, poor vision, and corneas are often cloudy. One California-based
veterinarian claims that because the initial symptoms of Glaucoma can be very
subtle many California pet owners to not immediately bring their dogs and for
an examination. If Glaucoma is not immediately seen by a veterinarian within 24
to 48 hours the increased pressure in the eyeball can lead to permit it cases of
blindness. In severe cases of untreated Glaucoma veterinarians have been forced
to remove the pet's eye.

Any dog who has the developed an irritation in their eye that causes them to
square to produce extra tears is called a "squinting dog". Most cases of
squinting is caused from a minor irritation such as an in turned eyelash or
minor scratch to the cornea. However some cases of squinting dog has led to the
early diagnosis of diseases such as cancer and Blastomyosis.

The Dermoidis is a benign corneal neoplasam. It is sometimes referred to as the
third eyelid. Hair growing from the Dermoidis can irritate the dog's eye which
can cause discharge and occasionally cause an ulcer to appear on the eye.

Once you have seen a person or animal with cataracts you will always be able to
diagnose them. The official definition of a cataract is opacity of the lens.
When you look into an eye that has a cataract it looks as if a darkly tinted
contact lens has been placed over the lens. If the cataracts become too thick
the pet will go blind.

Shar Peis, Cocker Spaniels, Labradors, and Rottweilers are susceptible to eye
condition called Entropion. Entropio, happens when an eyelid fold inward toward
the eye and causes the eyelashes to brush against the cornea. The irritation of
the eyelashes rubbing the cornea generally gives the eye a squinty drippy
appearance. Bulldogs, Poodles, and Cocker Spaniels are often diagnosed with a
condition called Cherry eye.

Dry eyes is the term used to describe the eyes of a dog that isn't producing
enough tears. Lhasa Apso, Pugs, and Shih Tzus are breeds that are particularly
susceptible to dry eyes. Dog owners should bring their dogs to the veterinarian
as soon as they notice any of the following conditions; squinting, tearing,
pawing at the eye, cloudiness, bloody eyes, a blind eye (this can happen very
abruptly), constantly dilated pupils, and swollen eyelids. Dog owners need to
understand that early diagnosis is often the key to preventing further eye
issues.

Pet Health Insurance for VIP's

When most people think a pet is spoiled feel that it is getting to many treats,
has too many expensive toys scattered around the ground, or it's allowed to
sleep at night in bed with its humans, normally taking up the entire bed and
hogging all the covers. I once even saw a pot bellied pig who was so spoiled
that its humans designed an built the miniature porker its very own out house
so it wouldn't get cold answering natures call.

Japanese pet owners take the term very-important-pets to a whole new level. In
Japan well loved pets enjoy aromatherapy, acupuncture, trips to the doggie spa
where they a lovingly massaged, and in some cases have their very own personal
trainers.

It is a well known fact that we tend to spoil our pets because we love them we
want them to have the best of everything but recent studies have shown that
pampering our pets might actually doing as much harm as good. One recent study
from an undisclosed source claims that we are actually making our beloved pets
stupid by spoiling them. We are in such a hurry to make their lives easier that
we take away their need to problem solve on their own. The less they have to
loose their brains the less they can do on their own. This problem is
especially common in households were the dog seems to be running the show. What
would happen to that pet if it really had to think for itself?

A concern veterinarians have regarding spoiled pets is weight. The more spoiled
the pet the more obese it seems to become. The obesity can lead to later health
issues that can actually decrease the life of the pet. Weight can affect the
skeletal system until hip problems start to develop, obesity can cause
respiratory and cardiac problems, the extra pounds of blubber constantly
pushing on the joints can start to create stiffness and discomfort.

It is not uncommon for veterinarians to see a lot of the spoiled pet as it
enters into the last few years of its life. The problem with older overweight
pets is that every time they are brought to the vet clinic they are exposed to
more germs, bacteria, and viruses that can lead to still more endless trips to
the vet.

For the most part the humans caring for the very-important-pet don't have to
worry about the increasing number of the visits to see a doctor. Most doting
parents bought pet health care insurance during the early years of the pet's
life. All of the pet's health care needs are essentially bought and paid for.

I wouldn't be the least bit surprised if in a few years you didn't see pet
health insurance companies raising the rates of their VIP customers. On
solution to the pudgy, somewhat shallow house pet is the appearance of
specialist animal slimming clinics. Pet owners can go to these clinics and
learn all about their pets nutritional needs and exercise programs that will
help the spoiled child start to shed some of those unnecessary pounds.

Pet Health Insurance Coverage

A decrease in students applying to and getting accepted into veterinary
colleges, expensive state-of-the-art equipment, liability insurance, expensive
prescription drugs, and the cost of maintaining a veterinary clinic/office has
inflated pet owners veterinary bills to never before imagined prices. When the
beloved family pet suddenly falls ill or is injured in a freak accident many
pet owners find themselves forced to put the family pet to sleep in a decision
called economic euthanasia. Many family pets could have been saved from
economic euthanasia if their owners had only thought to purchase pet health
insurance coverage.

The cost of veterinary expenses for the average dog owner is approximately two
hundred and eleven dollars per year. The average dog owner will visit the local
veterinary office about 2.8 times a year. The typical reasons for dog owners to
take the family dog to the local veterinarian is her basic routine health care
such as physicals, vaccines, dental work, neutering or spaying, nail trimming,
and heartworm testing.

The typical cat owner will visit the veterinary and 2.3 times per year to take
care of declawing, physicals, vaccines, dental work, neutering or spaying, and
ear mites. D. average yearly cost for these 2.3 visits to the local
veterinarian each year it is approximately one hundred and seventy-nine
dollars. These statistics are based on a 2005 survey done by the American Pet
Product Manufacturers Association.

Pet health insurance coverage and is insurance coverage that helps pay
veterinary costs if your family pet becomes ill or is injured. Depending upon
the policy you purchase your family may be reimbursed if your family pet is
stolen, lost, or dies. Pet owners purchased pet health insurance coverage for a
few various reasons. The main reason people purchase pet health insurance
coverage is to pay for unanticipated and extremely expensive veterinary bills.
In many cases the purchase of pet health insurance coverage can be the
difference between a recovery and economic euthanasia for many family pets.

Pet health insurance coverage is not a brand new concept. Horse owners have
been ensuring their valuable show and pleasure mounts against major medical
bills and the fatality/mortality for years. In Europe cut health-care coverage
has been available since the 1940s and approximately 25% of all British pet
owners care in some type of pet health insurance coverage. It is estimated that
nearly 50% called loved household family pets have some type of pet health
insurance coverage. All developed countries offer some type of pet health
insurance coverage.

Many dog owners in the United Kingdom also carry a type of insurance called
Third Party Liability insurance. This insurance became popular after the 1971
animals act came into being; this act states that if a dog is directly
responsible for an accident, like a car crash, the dog's owner will be held
accountable.

Pet health insurance coverage does not typically cover potential hereditary
conditions, pre-existing conditions, and normally include a cap on surgeries
and other miscellaneous medical expenses. Some pet insurance companies will
also cover the cost boarding your pet at a local kennel or veterinary hospital.

Texas Pet Health Insurance

The general population thinks of cowboys, Quarter Horses, rattlesnakes, Brahma
bulls, and Longhorn steers when they think about the livestock and pets
typically found in the Lone Star State. When they think of pets they probably
think of Australian Heelers, Heinz fifty-seven mixes, barn cats, and other
ranch related working animals. What you probably don't think of is English
Cocker Spaniels. You should. Texas A&M University School of Veterinary Medicine
just announced that they have a new genetic test for Familial Nephropathy in
English Cocker Spaniels.

Familial Nephropathy is an inherited renal disease that is recessive. Breeders
of English Cocker Spaniels have been aware of Familial Nephropathy for more
them fifty years. Typical symptoms of Familial Nephropathy are excessive
drinking, excessive urination, the dog is suddenly loosing weight because they
don't have much of an appetite, vomiting and diarrhea. Most signs of Familial
Nephropathy start to show up when the dog is somewhere between six and
twenty-four months old.
Dogs that are going to develop Familial Nephropathy are difficult to predict
because they are born with two completely normal kidneys. As the dog grows and
develops the kidneys start to deteriorate from the lack of a certain type of
collagen.

Familial Nephropathy is normally fatal. Because it is a genetic disorder most
pet health insurance plans will not cover the cost of any treatments the dog
owners wish to pursue. In addition to researching Familial Nephropathy Texas
A&M University sees over 11,500 small animals a year. That is 11,500 pet owners
that could have saved money by purchasing a pet health care policy for their
family pet.

Some pet owners in the state of Texas like snakes, the more exotic the snake is
the happier the pet owner. Like with all pets there are certain health care
needs that snakes have that other pets do not. Typical snake health care issues
can be respiratory infections, eye infections, mite infestation, metabolic bone
disease, abscesses, belly burns, and parasites. The problem with pet snakes and
other pet reptiles is that signs of health care issues are not as easy to
identify as with their mammal counterparts.

A big part of maintaining the health and well being of your pet snake is
finding a veterinarian. One of the first things you need to do when selecting a
veterinarian for your snake is making sure they are comfortable around snakes.
The reality of the world is that everybody has phobia and lots of people are
phobic about snakes. If your veterinarian is uncomfortable handling your
treasured snake they will not be able to accurately diagnosis any health
problems it might be having. In addition to the typical dogs, cats and horses,
many Texans also have exotic pets such as ferrets, wallabies, glider squirrels,
and Coatimundi's. People who purchase exotic pets should realize that the more
exotic the pet the harder it is going to be to find the proper veterinary care
and the more the veterinary care is going to cost. Before you purchase an
exotic pet you might want to research how much you could potentially spend on
veterinary care during the pets life time and find out if it is possible to
purchase a pet health insurance plan.

Pet Health Insurance in California

In 1849 hundreds of men made the grueling climb across the Rocky mountain range
before stepping onto California's soil. These men, who history remembers as
forty-niners, came to California with dreams of striking a mother lode of gold
and spending the rest of their days in the lap of luxury. Few of these
forty-niners had possessions worth speaking of, just the tattered torn clothes
they were wearing, a shovel, a pan specially designed to sift through river
sediment, and an old mule to haul their find out of the mountains.

Over a hundred and fifty years have passed since the last forty-niner made
their final trek across the Rockies with only his own voice and a cantankerous
old mule named Worthless for company. In this new modern world a different type
of person is journeying across the country seeking the answers to all their
dreams and prayers in the warm California sunlight. Today its students, freshly
armed with brand new high school diplomas and a tiny sub-compact car loaded down
with expensive clothing and glamour shots, seeking not gold but rather fame
under the bright lights of an acting studio. Like the fortey-niners, many of
these future stars have only their CD collections and a family pet to keep them
company on the long drive across the country.

What many of these Hollywood hopefuls don't realize is the animal health branch
of the California Department of Food and Agriculture has rules and regulations
for bringing pets into the state. Most of the rules will involve the young pet
owner to take their pet to the veterinarian for a round of shots and an exam
before leaving for the land of movie stars and millionaires. The purchase of
pet health care coverage can sometimes let the youngsters get the routine vet
work out of the way without forcing them to dip to heavily into their savings.

Domestic cats that are infected with a contagious disease are not allowed into
California. Cats are not required to have a current rabies vaccination nor do
they have to have a Certificate of Veterinary Inspection before they cross the
state line into California. They must have a health certificate if they are
coming from an area that was under rabies quarantine. If you are coming into
the state of California via airplane check with the airline about what health
requirements they enforce before allowing your cat to fly. Before you leave
your home town for the California shore line, ask your veterinarian what can be
done to make the trip as comfortable and safe for your cat.

Just like cats the California Department of Food and Agriculture will not allow
dogs that are carrying an infectious disease to cross the state line into
California. Any dog over four months of age is required to a certificate
stating the date of its last rabies vaccination, the type of vaccination used,
the manufacturer lot number of the rabies vaccine used, and the name of the vet
who gave the injection. If you are traveling by plane ask the airline about any
additional health requirements your dog must meet before it is allowed to fly.
The sooner you contact your airline the better.

If you are bringing a more exotic type of pet, such as a potbellied pig, into
the state of California you may be required to have an entry permit.

Pet Health Insurance Valparaiso, Fla.

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.

Pennsylvania's AKC Health insurance for Pets

Throughout history most of a veterinarian's clientele was farm livestock (large
animals). Dogs, cats and other household pets made up such a small amount of
their daily business there was very little reason to study up on it. Even the
beloved European veterinarian, James Herriott, counted on the Yorkshire farmers
for a majority of his country clinics business. In 1884 that began to change
when the University of Pennsylvania's veterinary school opened the United
States very first clinic specializing in the veterinary needs of dogs. In 2001
the United States of America had over 28,000 veterinarians who specialize in
small animals.

It is fitting that Pennsylvania opened the very first vet clinic that
specialized in the veterinary needs of dogs, the state has had a long running
bond with the canine population, starting with the states founders, William
Penn's, Great Dane. A portrait of this Great Dane standing beside his master
can be seen hanging in the governor's reception room of the governor's mansion
in Harrisburg Pennsylvania.

Pennsylvania considers the Great Dane the state dog. Owners of Great Dane's
appreciate the breed's faithfulness, intelligence, beauty, courage, and
tolerance. Great Danes stand approximately 30-34 inches tall and weigh anywhere
from 120-200 pounds, people who have Great Danes believe that the larger the dog
the better. Because of their large size Great Danes are not an exceptionally
long lived dog; their bodies simply aren't designed to last very long. Many
Great Danes suffer from heart problems, bloat, twisted intestines, and tail
injuries. Some Great Danes have been diagnosed with hip dysplasia. Great Dane
owners are not advised to take their Great Danes jogging until the puppy is at
least one year old. Dogs featured in ancient Greek art work bear a strong
resemblance to today's Great Dane. German hunters were especially impressed
with the dog's ability at hunting bears and wild boars and bred the best great
Danes to the best Greyhounds which helped create a leaner more agile breed.

Dog owners in the state of Pennsylvania are more then eligible to purchase pet
health insurance for their dogs from the American Kennel Club. The American
Kennel club estimates that the average pet owner who purchases an essential pet
health care insurance plan (the essential health insurance plan is the name of
the AKC's lowest health insurance policy) through them will only pay
approximately sixty-eight cents per day. Pet owners who purchase pet health
insurance through the American Kennel Club have four different types of health
insurance plans to choose from. The American Kennel Club Insurance company is
happy to include cats into its health care insurance program. The American
Kennel club is so confident that pet owners will love the benefits of
purchasing pet health care insurance through them that they proudly offer
owners the opportunity to test drive their insurance policy free for sixty
days. Pet owners who insure their pets with pet health care insurance offered
by the American Kennel Club are allowed to decide if they would like to receive
a monthly statement in the mail or if they would rather pay for the an entire
years worth of insurance in one lump sum and then not have to worry about it
for twelve months.

Noninfectious Reasons to get Health Insurance for the Family Cat

Most people do not to think about purchasing pet health insurance for the
family cat simply because it seems as if cats never get sick. The veterinary
concern most cat owners worry about is what will happen if their family cat
gets run over by a passing car. Cat owners who keep their cats in the house
don't even worry about that. The truth is that there are many health problems
that can cause the family cat to need to visit the family veterinarian and most
of them are expensive. On the rare occasions cat owners find themselves facing
an emergency vet bill they wish they had purchased a pet health care policy for
their cat.

When humans think about cat allergies they automatically assume you are talking
about humans who are allergic to cat hair what they don't realize is that cats
can have allergies all of their own that can plague them for the rest of their
lives. Some cats suffer from inhalant allergies, these are allergies caused by
inhalant allergens with are airborne particles that irritate the respiratory
system. Inhalant allergies often make themselves apparent in asthma like
symptoms. Some cats who suffer from inhalant allergies will also have skin
lesions and experience hair loss. Dusty kitty litters, pollen, perfumes,
cleaning sprays, deodorizers, dust, and smoke are all things your family cat
might be allergic to.

A second type of allergy cats suffer from are called contact allergies with are
allergies that are caused be physical contact with a substance that causes a
physical reaction (often hives, swelling, and/or hair loss). Contact allergens
a house cat might be exposed to are plants, carpet fresheners/cleaners,
household cleaners, dust, synthetic fibers, wool fibers, some medicated skin
crams, and ink.

If your cat has any type of allergies do not treat it with an over-the-counter
anti-allergy medication without your veterinarian's advice. Some cats require
veterinary care for anal gland problems. Anal glands are glands are small
glands in the anal sphincter muscle. Sometimes these glands become, impacted,
injured, or infected and require veterinary care.

Veterinarians say that most cat constipation is caused by a hairball that is
plugging up the cat's system. If the hairball is extremely large your
veterinarian may have to perform immediate surgery to remove it. Like their
human owners some cats suffer from liver and kidney disease. Liver and kidney
disease is most commonly seen in older cats although some younger cats will
suffer liver disease that can be caused by parasites, medications, infections,
cancers, and toxins. Blood tests are normally needed to accurately diagnosis
kidney or liver disease.

A potentially lethal inflammation of the pancreas is called panaceatitis.
Pancreatitis can be caused by infections, shock, infections, trauma, and/or
metabolic disorders. Cats that have pancreatitis typically have abdominal pain,
fever, elevated heart rate. If you suspect your cat is suffering from
pancreatitis you can try with holding food and pushing water spiked with
electrolytes. Your vet should be consulted immediately. Pancreatitis is often
associated with diabetes.

Dog Health Insurance for Your Pet

The word insurance is one of those words that just makes you cringe. Next to
putting gas in your car it seems like the biggest expense you have and there is
just so much that you need. You need to keep insurance on your car (it would
have been really nice if somebody would have told how big a financial drain
that was going to be), if you own a home you pay homeowners insurance, if you
rent an apartment you have renters insurance, you struggle with the ever
soaring cost of health care insurance, and if you are a really responsible
family member you have life insurance. And now you find you are hearing that
you should consider purchasing a health insurance plan for your pet dog.

You love your dog, he's more then a pet, he's a valued member of your family
and probably your best friend. But health insurance? You can barely afford to
put food on your table how are you supposed to be able to afford to insure your
pet. Besides he's just a mutt, dog health care insurance is for fancy purebred
show dogs, not your rescue pet.

The shoestring you're probably living on is the very reason you might want to
consider putting pet health insurance on your pet. The average dog owner takes
their pet dog to the veterinarian approximately 2.3 times a year and it will
cost you approximately two hundred and eleven dollars per year. My guess is
that each time you pay the vet bill your budget is screaming for mercy.

What happens if your dog contracts a disease, or gets hurt? It doesn't take
much to rack up some pretty serious vet bills. What if you have to leave town
and can't take your dog with you? Can you really afford to leave your dog at a
boarding kennel? You already know how much you have to pay for your
prescriptions, do you really think that a dog prescription is going to be any
cheaper.

Your dog is your best friend and a treasured member of your family could you
really live with yourself if you had to put him to sleep just because you
couldn't afford his vet bill.

It is possible to get health care insurance for your dog for approximately ten
dollars a month. While it might not cover all of your dogs vet care needs it
could help. If you shop around and read each plan carefully you should even be
able to find a pet healthcare plan that will help pay for your routine vet
visits. Some pet insurance plans will even cover some boarding expenses.

Some questions you should ask the pet health insurance company you are
considering buying a pet health care policy from is whether or not your vet
accepts that particular type of insurance, if there is a cap on treatments, how
much is your deductible, and how will they handle any pre-existing conditions
your dog might have.

Compare Pet Health Insurance in the USA

In Europe over twenty-five percent of all pet owners carry a pet health
insurance policy on their pets. Approximately half of Sweden's pet owners carry
insurance. A recent poll of pet owners in the United States predicted that only
three percent had purchased a pet health care plan. Many veterinarians feel
that three percent is a very generous estimate. One of the big reasons
veterinarians believe so many Europeans carry pet health insurance is because
of a bill passed in 1971 that stated if a dog was considered at fault for an
accident, like a car wreck, then the pet's owner would be held responsible.
This prompted many dog owners to purchase something called Third Party
Liability Insurance which would pay for any damages caused by the policy
holder's pet dog.

Chances are good that if you were to ask ten of your neighbors how they felt
about pet health insurance you would probably get ten very different answers.

Some pet owners are fanatical about their pets. They will except nothing but
the best for their family pet, the best food, the best water, the best doggie
bed, and of course the best medical treatments available. Every time it even
looks like their cat or dog is about to cough or sneeze they rush the pet to
the veterinarians clinic and start a fresh round of antibiotics. Because
maintaining the absolute best health care available is quite expensive this
type of owner is quick to purchase animal health insurance that promotes good
pet medicine. At the slightest hint you are even considering purchasing pet
health insurance for your pet and this over the top pet owner is shoving all
sorts of flyers and brochures and applications in your hand, sometimes they
even offer to call their pet health insurance rep. for you. This is fine and
dandy but generally (not always) their monthly pet insurance bills are higher
then you can afford.

Another owner might love their family pet just as much as the over the top
owner. They might wish they could provide their pet with the very best but it
simply isn't economically possible. This pet owner's advice about pet health
insurance would be your own pet health insurance. Put the money you might have
spent on a monthly insurance premium aside and use that to cover your pets
medical needs. After all if you put aside thirty dollars a month then you'll
have enough money to cover the routine visits to the vet's office plus have a
little extra set aside if an emergency happens down the road. This type of
insurance is called self insurance. While it sounds like a good idea there are
a couple of problems. One if a medical emergency happens right away you might
not have enough money on hand to cover the treatment and be forced to accept
economic euthanasia for your pet. A second problem with self insurance is that
its money that's just laying around, its way to easy to see it as spare cash
and use it on the family vacation or as a down payment on that laptop you've
always wanted.

If as a pet owner you decide that pet health insurance simply isn't for you or
your pet you will want to check and see if your homeowners insurance covers any
potential accidents caused by your pet. If a dog or cat bites somebody the
bitten person can sue you and in some cases demand that the pet be euthanized.
If your homeowners insurance does not cover pet mishaps you should probably
give a lot of thought to purchasing pet liability insurance.

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