Your Pet Insurance Guide

Have A Plan For Your Pet's Healthcare Expenses

What You Need To Know: Having one or more pets is a huge responsibility and this includes having a plan in place to pay for your pet's healthcare. Your pet's life just might depend on it. As a veterinarian, I see clients everyday who apparently haven't given this much thought until their pet suffers an unexpected and expensive accident or illness and they realize they aren't financially prepared to handle it. My friend, Dr. Jason Nicholas (The Preventive Vet), sums it up this way: Dr. Nicholas has a website dedicated to helping pet owners be aware of potential dangers to... Read more →

Pet Health Tip: Chocolate Toxicity In Pets

What you need to know: Recently, I had a 95 lb. Great Pyrenees present after ingesting a whole box of chocolates. The owner had called ahead and I was prepared to induce vomiting, start on IV fluids if necessary and provide supportive care. When he arrived, the dog had a normal physical exam - normal temperature, attitude, heart rate, etc. Luckily, the owner brought the box that had contained the chocolates. What I like to do with any potential toxicity is have the owner call one of the animal Poison Control Centers before or upon arriving at our hospital. He... Read more →

Beware of Pets Suffocating on Snack Bags!

Here is a report that every pet owner should read that appeared in my latest copy of the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association (JAVMA). I have heard my friend, Dr. Jason Nicholas (The Preventive Vet), talk about this issue before, but not seen the actual stats about known cases. I have interviewed Dr. Nicholas twice on the Pet Insurance Guide Podcast - links below: Episode 12 Episode 41 Read more →

Most Common Pet Insurance Claim By Month - March - Intervertebral Disk Disease (IVDD)

Petplan's most common claim for the month of March 2016 was for Intervertebral Disk Disease. Most people associate this problem with the Dachshund breed, but IVDD can occur in many canine breeds and less frequently in cats. Source: Press Release I'm going to point you to a webpage that does a good job explaining the different types of IVDD with illustrations and how it is diagnosed and treated - both medically and surgically. Next, watch this video as a neurologist talks about IVDD: It is important to read a sample policy when doing your research before purchasing pet insurance for... Read more →

Most Common Pet Insurance Claim by Month - February - Periodontal Disease

Petplan's most common claim for the month of February 2016 was for Periodontal Disease. Most people probably aren't aware that studies have shown that periodontal is present in 70-80 percent of dogs and cats by 3 years of age unless steps are taken to prevent it. Source: Press Release What is Periodontal Disease? The periodontium is comprised of tissues that support the tooth - the gingiva (gums), cementum (connective tissue that covers tooth root), alveolar bone (socket), and periodontal ligament (fibers that attach the tooth to the alveolar bone). So, how does periodontal disease develop and what are the potential... Read more →

Most Common Pet Insurance Claim By Month - January - Cruciate Ligament Injury

Petplan's most common claim during the month of January in 2016 was anterior cruciate disease in dogs. I often explain this injury to owners by mentioning similar injuries to athletes which they are familiar with. Source: Press Release Anterior cruciate ligament injuries are commonly seen in middle-aged to older large breed dogs although they can occur in any breed. A veterinary surgeon once told me that a hindlimb lameness in a middle-aged to older dog is a torn cruciate until proven otherwise. The ligament weakens with age due to degenerative changes making it more susceptible to injury. Young dogs can... Read more →

Most Common Pet Insurance Claim by Month - December - Allergies

December's most common Petplan claim for 2016 was allergies. This was surprising to me because the most common allergies I see in practice are due to atopy and are usually more common during pollen season (spring, summer, and fall). Source: Press Release Most allergies manifest themselves by inflammation of the skin, ears or gastrointestinal tract. This usually manifests itself with itchy skin or ears or gastrointestinal symptoms. In fact, itchy skin/ears is a more common manifestation of food allergies than GI signs. The good news is that there are new treatments for itchy skin that are very effective with fewer... Read more →

Most Common Pet Insurance Claim by Month - November - GI Diseases

We are continuing the series on Petplan's most common claim by month from my perspective as a practicing veterinarian. Source: Press Release Perhaps the most common illness I see is some sort of acute or chronic gastrointestinal (GI) disorder - either vomiting or diarrhea. Fortunately, most cases are treated successfully with symptomatic therapy. Most of the time we don't know what caused such illnesses. Acute cases can be mild (out-patient treatment) or severe requiring hospitalization with IV fluids and medications to treat the symptoms. While gastrointestinal signs can occur secondary to disorders of other organs e.g. the liver, pancreas, kidneys,... Read more →

Most Common Pet Insurance Claims by Month - October - Ear Infections

We are continuing Petplan's most common claim by month in 2016. I also include some insight and tips from my perspective as a practicing veterinarian. Source: Press Release Hardly a day goes by that I don't see one or more dogs with ear infections. They are not common in cats. Otitis is actually inflammation of the ear pinna and/or canal. Infections are usually secondary to the inflammation. I tell clients that the top three underlying causes of ear infections in dogs are allergies, allergies, and allergies. This may be food allergy (usually the protein source in the food) or environmental... Read more →

Most Common Pet Insurance Claim By Month - September - Pancreatic Diseases

Petplan Pet Insurance Company looked at 2016 claims data to determine the most common condition for which claims were submitted by month. For September, it was pancreatic diseases in dogs and cats. Source: Press Release Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency This syndrome is caused by a lack of digestive enzymes being secreted by the pancreas. This can occur in young animals and it is suspected that it may be inherited particularly German Shepherd dogs. The disease can also occur later in life secondary to repeated bouts of pancreatitis that destroys the cells that secrete these enzymes. Because the food eaten by the... Read more →

Most Common Pet Insurance Claim by Month - August - Heart Disease

I am continuing the series highlighting the most common pet insurance claim by month by Petplan pet insurance company and giving my perspective as a veterinarian. This month's focus is on heart disease. Source: Press Release The most common heart disease in cats is hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. It is usually seen in middle-aged cats, but can also occur in very young or older cats. Some cats with cardiomyopathy have a heart murmur or an arrhythmia. Cardiomyopathy in cats is usually diagnosed with an echocardiogram (ultrasound of the heart). Anytime I hear a new murmur in a cat, I recommend an echocardiogram... Read more →

Most Common Pet Insurance Claim By Month - July - Fractures

The focus this month is on fractures in our continuing series of Petplan's most common claim by month. Source: Press Release Pet insurance companies usually offer "accident only" policies which would cover fractures. These policies are inexpensive and cover a list of conditions the company considers "accidents." This list will often vary from company to company, so be sure and read a sample policy and/or call the company to be certain what conditions are covered by such a policy. Personally, I recommend getting an "accident and illness" policy that offers much broader coverage, but at a higher premium. Fractures are... Read more →

Most Common Pet Insurance Claim By Month - June - Cancer

This is part of a continuing series based on Petplan's statistics about the most common pet insurance claim by month of the year. This month the focus is on cancer which is one of the most common diagnoses in middle-aged to older pets. The diagnosis of cancer often brings up emotions of fear and dread whether in people or their pets. As you know, the earlier cancer is diagnosed, usually the better the prognosis. I find that there are some pet owners who are very perceptive of subtle changes in their pet's routines and know when things just "aren't right."... Read more →

Most Common Pet Insurance Claims By Month - May - Bite Wounds

Last month I started a series of post about Petplan's statistics of the most common claims submitted by policyholders by month. I decided to comment about each month's claim from my perspective as a veterinarian. Source: Press Release Bite wounds in both dogs and cats frequently become infected and require treatment by a veterinarian. In fact, it is best to have your pet examined as soon as you realize there are bite wounds present to try and prevent an infection that will require more extensive and expensive treatment. Injuries sustained when a dog fights with another dog or a wild... Read more →

Most Common Pet Insurance Claims By Month - April - Foreign Body Ingestion

I recently received a press release by Petplan Pet Insurance Company where they compiled a list of the most common claims that are filed for each month of the year. A comparison of multiple years would need to be done to determine if these stats are potentially significant or just an interesting tidbit. I have decided to use this list to write monthly about the condition that was the most common for that month and offer any tips I can to help prevent these problems or at least educate pet owners about the condition from my perspective as a veterinarian.... Read more →

Chihuahua Dies After Ingesting Mushrooms In Backyard

Most mushrooms are not toxic, but your backyard may contain some that are - especially during the rainy seasons. This tragic story should serve as a warning to all pet owners to regularly inspect their yards for anything that could harm their pets. Although this blog is primarily dedicated to pet health insurance, because I am a veterinarian who believes that preventing problems is better than treating them, I'll sometimes pass along pet health tips to help you keep your pet healthy. For more tips, check out the "pet health tips" category in the right sidebar of this blog. Preventing... Read more →

Providing Comfort and Care For Aging Pets

I came across an excellent article with information about the needs of our senior pets and products that can improve their quality of life and comfort. Many of these same recommendations are made by veterinarians to their clients with senior pets to help them manage various chronic conditions and meet their stage of life needs. Be sure to ask your veterinarian if using a particular product would be beneficial for your pet's condition and well-being. Have you used any of these or similar products, and if so, what was your experience? Read more →

Halloween Treats That Are Toxic To Your Pet And Other Precautions

Dr. Jules Benson of Petplan pet insurance offers excellent advice about Halloween treats that can be toxic to your pets and how to prevent a potentially expensive visit to the vet during this holiday. You can also listen to the podcast interview I had with Dr. Benson about Petplan and their policies. Read more →

Pets Best Pet Insurance: Claims Paid

The Pets Best Insurance Blog recently did a series of articles on common toxins that affect pets. It's worth the read if only to make you aware of potential toxins that you probably have in and around your home so you can take steps to make sure your pet doesn't have access to them. Otherwise, you could face a rather expensive trip to your veterinarian or an emergency clinic for treatment of a preventable and potentially life-threatening condition. At the end of each article, several examples of actual claims that Pets Best paid for the treatment of that particular toxicity... Read more →

What Dog Breed Would Be Best For Me?

My son emailed me yesterday because his in-laws are thinking about getting a Great Pyranees puppy. They want my input as a veterinarian. I mentioned a couple of things in my reply, but also sent them to Embrace Pet Insurance company's Pet Health Center. It is an amazing resource for reading about the characteristics of many breeds of dogs and cats as well as various medical and behavioral conditions, etc. So, if you're trying to decide which breed dog or cat to get or just want some advice about various medical or behavioral conditions, check out this resourse. Another good... Read more →

Cancer Treatment Often Successful And Expensive: Pet Insurance Can Help

Cancer is a common problem not only in people, but in our pets as well. If diagnosed early, treatment can either cure or achieve remission giving the pet a longer and good quality of life. The mainstays of treatment aren't much different from those recommended for people - surgery, chemotherapy and/or radiation therapy. While the costs of such treatments are nowhere near the cost in human medicine, it can still run into the thousands of dollars. Most pet insurance companies cover cancer treatments as long as the condition wasn't pre-existing. Some pet owners have reservations about treating their pets for... Read more →

Be Cautious With Candy and Pets On Halloween

I just wanted to write a quick reminder about making sure you keep candy and candy wrappers out of your pet's reach during the Halloween season. This also means making sure your children are well aware that some candies are toxic to pets and can be fatal if ingested. Most people know about chocolate, but raisins, grapes, some nuts, and the sweetener xylitol found in sugar free gums and candies can cause severe and even life-threatening problems if ingested by your pet. A couple of articles highlighting specific dangers all pet owners should be aware of are found on the... Read more →

The Human - Animal Bond

Perhaps you saw this story recently about a man's love for his dog that illustrates the strong bond that forms between a person and his or her pet. I just love such heartwarming stories and wanted to share it with you. Read more →

Deaf Pet Awareness Week

I got an email from Trupanion Pet Insurance Company today letting me know about Deaf Pet Awareness Week. They have a page on their website that gives pet owners a lot of good information about living with a deaf pet and also how to prevent hearing loss in your pet. Read more →

Recommended Website For All Pet Owners

I just found a new website last week that is a great resource for all pet owners. It was started by Dr. Jason Nicholas whose professional interest is in emergency and critical care. This website is called The Preventative Vet and was born out of an idea similar to the one I had when I wrote The Wise Pet Owner. This website could end up saving you a lot of money if you heed Dr. Nicholas' advice and, more importantly, save your pet's life. Spend some time browsing the website, but be sure and read Dr. Nicholas' bio on the... Read more →

Celebrating the Human - Animal Bond

A few days ago, I posted the interview I did with Rene Agredano on the Tripawds Blog Talk Radio show. Rene and her husband Jim had a dog named Jerry who developed bone cancer and had to have a front leg amputated. Their story is featured in this video starting at the 15:00 mark and then again toward the end. I know this video is about 50 minutes long, but if you have pets and/or are a pet lover, I promise you that you'll absolutely love this video. Let me know what you think about the video and your relationship... Read more →

Be The Best Advocate For Your Own Pet

I came across this article that really appears to be an excerpt from Dr. Nancy Kay's book, "Speaking For Spot." There is also an interview (audio) on this same page that is worth listening to. Pet insurance is mentioned because of the increased used of technology in the diagnosis and treatment that our pets receive these days and the subsequent costs involved. But, that isn't the main focus of the conversation. Every pet owner should read this article and listen to the NPR audio because sooner or later, you'll be faced with major decisions about the treatment of your pet... Read more →

How Pet Insurance Statistics Can Help You Prevent Accidentally Poisoning Your Pet

How many of the things in the list below were you aware of before reading this article that can either poison your pet or make your pet sick so that you might have to visit your veterinarian or emergency clinic? Deadly Dark Chocolate Contributes to 100,000 Cases of Pet Poisoning in the U.S. According to Embrace Pet Insurance NEW YORK, Mar 01, 2012 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- --Can a little table-side reward really hurt your dog? Embrace Pet Insurance has opened up their database to reveal the human foods that poison the most pets the company insures, ahead of Poison Prevention... Read more →

More Cold Weather Tips For Your Pet

Dr. Larry McDaniel followed up Dr. Bill Craig's post with more excellent cold weather tips. It's good information especially for pets in very cold and/or snowy environments. Read more →

Winter Pet Health Tips

Dr. Bill Craig at PurinaCare pet insurance company wrote an excellent blog post about protecting your pets during the winter months that could save you an unexpected, and potentially expensive visit to the vet if you heed these tips. Read more →

Holiday Health Tips For Your Pet From PurinaCare Pet Insurance

Dr. Bill Craig recently wrote an excellent article on the PurinaCare blog that might just save some pet owners from a trip to the emergency clinic during the holidays, and therefore, also save them a nice chunk of change. Dr. Craig is one of the veterinarians that I converse with via e-mail quite a bit about PurinaCare's pet insurance policies. He has always been extremely helpful for which I am very grateful. Read more →

Detecting and Treating Cancer in Pets

Cancer is one of the more frequent diseases that veterinarians see day in and day out. One of the keys to successful treatment is early recognition - just like it is in humans. Diagnosing and treating cancer can be expensive and pet insurance can certainly come in handy. Most pet insurance policies will cover cancer, but make sure you get a policy that not only covers chronic diseases, but has adequate coverage. A reader sent me a link to an article on the National Canine Cancer Foundation blog. It gives an excellent overview of cancer in dogs, especially how pet... Read more →

Pet Insurance Company Statistics Can Serve As Helpful Reminders To Pet Owners

I've been posting lately several articles that are very informative that arose out of statistical analysis of pet insurance claims. Today's article has to do with claims for foreign body ingestion. It is amazing what pets can and will swallow. There have actually been contests in veterinary journals where veterinarians send in x-rays of some unbelievable things that pets have ingested. This should serve as a reminder and warning to do your part to prevent your pet from swallowing something that could cause you to make a costly visit to your veterinarian or local emergency clinic. Even then, accidents can... Read more →

Top 10 Reasons Pet Owners Take Their Pet To The Veterinarian

The top 3 reasons that pets are taken to the veterinarian according to claims submitted by VPI pet insurance company are often related to the same underlying problem. They are: Ear infection Skin allergy Skin infection/hot spot "I can't imagine how my pet got an ear infection!" is a comment I hear from pet owners. An acute ear infection caused by a foreign body in the ear canal or getting too much water in the ear canal when giving a bath is actually uncommon. Most ear infections seen by veterinarians are secondary to an underlying allergy, most notably something in... Read more →

Top Ten Causes of Broken Bones In Pets

VPI recently listed the top 10 causes of broken bones in pets based on the insurance claims they receive from pet owners whose pets are insured by VPI. As suspected, and as I alluded to in my last post, many of these causes are preventable. One of VPI's veterinarians, Dr. Carol McConnell states, “Injury prevention includes careful management of a pet’s environment by removing possible threats and eliminating situations that might put a pet at risk. Broken bones are painful for pets and costly for pet owners." One of the most common predisposing factors (40%) that led to broken bones... Read more →

The Wise Pet Owner

I have been trying to find a commercial that I remembered seeing years ago to illustrate the reason that I wrote “The Wise Pet Owner.” I thoughtI remembered it being a Midas commercial, but I found an old Fram Oil Filter commercial that illustrated the point and contained the particular words I was looking for. The words I remembered were, “You can pay me now, or you can pay me later.” In the context of the commercial, it meant that you can pay a little for regular maintenance on your engine or you can pay a lot later to have... Read more →

Gardening With Your Dog's Safety In Mind

Many Americans like to garden. Dr. Jules Benson makes pet owners who also like to garden aware of potential hazards to their pets. Read more →

Pet Owner Finally Quits Smoking For Her Dog's Sake

I've told my own clients and have written an article abstract about the effects of second-hand smoke on pets. It causes many of the same health problems in pets that it does in humans. Here is a story that is heartwarming and not only speaks to the issue of the hazards of second-hand smoke, but also the special relationship that exists between some pet owners and their pets. Read more →

Pet Insurance Claims for Grape/Raisin Toxicity

I found a blog post today about claims that Trupanion has paid for this common toxicity in dogs and cats. Many people are surprised to learn that grapes and raisins are potentially toxic to pets. I've actually had clients volunteer that they occasionally offer a few grapes to their dog. As you can see, treatment for this toxicity can be expensive. Of course, it's best to prevent this potentially lethal toxicity by not feeding your dog or cat grapes or raisins. Ok, time to fess up. How many of you have fed your pet grapes or raisins? How many of... Read more →

New Software Could Benefit Pet Owners

There is a new software that helps pet owners store their pet information. You can keep track of expenses for your pet's healthcare and pet insurance premiums. You can store vital information about your pet e.g. your veterinarian's name, address and phone number, insurance policy number, examination and vaccination dates and reminders, microchip number. You can keep track of when to give medications and mark that you gave them,etc. This is an Apple OS X application, but is also available as a downloadable app for your iPhone or iTouch. For more information go here. Read more →

Pet Health Savings Accounts

While doing some research this weekend, I came across several companies that offer Pet Health Savings Accounts. It works somewhat like my own Health Savings Account my wife and I have with two exceptions. First, it isn't tax deductible. Secondly, it isn't tied to a high deductible insurance policy. Unfortunately, some of these companies are positioning themselves to compete with pet insurance companies for pet owner's dollars. I believe that a savings account and pet insurance should compliment each other, not compete against each other. The idea behind my HSA is that with my savings I can pay for minor... Read more →

Dog Breed Database

I was browsing the new Embrace Pet Insurance website today and came across really good information about many of the dog breeds. It details the characteristics about each breed and covers many of the diseases and problems that the breed is predisposed to. This should point out to pet owners the importance of buying a policy that covers hereditary conditions. It is likely that the problems and diseases associated with each breed in this database wouldn't be covered by a company that doesn't cover hereditary conditions. You should also take this into account if a company has limited coverage for... Read more →

Pet Assure

Pet Assure is advertised as an alternative to pet insurance. You would be surprised, however, how many times I see it called an insurance company on the internet - sometimes by websites, e-books, etc. who profess to be advisers on pet health insurance. Pet Assure is a company (club) that has a network of participating veterinary hospitals that offer their services at a discount (25%) to members of the club. Usually, the pet owner pays an annual membership fee to belong to this club and be eligible for the discounts. It is not insurance. There are no deductibles or co-pays.... Read more →