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Heading back to school may take a toll on pet health

Posted on: September 9th, 2010 by

By: H.R.
Pets Best Insurance Editorial Manager
La La the Chihuahua sits on the bed waiting for her owner to return home from work.
As much as I hate to admit it, summer is coming to a swift end. And with the cooler temperatures and the start of football season, pets across the nation are beginning to adjust to their owners’ schedules for work or back to school.

Instead of spending warm days playing Frisbee in the park, your pet is getting back into the routine of patiently waiting for you by the front door, or hoping you might swing by at lunchtime for a potty break. And although many well-trained pets often do just fine, some will display increased anxiety and pet health can even be at risk.

Before I began working for a pet insurance company, my Chihuahua La La grew accustomed to spending most days with me. Upon heading back to work, I noticed my tiny dog was not happy. Although La La cannot speak her mind in plain English, she let me know she had an, ahem, bone to pick with me by leaving me a little brown present my first day back at work.

Similarly to humans, some pets may have adjustment issues with new schedules. It’s not all that uncommon for pets to act out if they’re unhappy with the new day-to-day activities just like La La did. With less interaction from their owner who is now elbow deep in text books, or leaving the house earlier in the morning and coming home later at night, pets are looking for an alternate means of entertainment.

Common signs that your pooch or kitty may not be happy with the end of summertime fun might include these pet health and pet behavioral issues:

• Urinating and defecating in the house
• Barking, howling or whimpering
• Digging in the yard or chewing off-limit items
• Pacing back and forth
• Eating more or less
• Sleeping more
• Increased anxiety or excitement when you try to leave

If you know your schedule will be changing, it’s a good idea to introduce the change slowly to your pet. You can do this by implementing shorter periods of separation and then gradually increasing the time you are away.

You can also reward your pet with a treat or play fetch a few times before departing for the morning. This can help your pet associate you leaving with something positive.

The most important thing to remember is that change can be hard for your pet, so attempt to work with your pooch or kitty until it feels comfortable with your new schedule.

If you notice increased anxiety or other pet health issues in your pet, talk to your veterinarian about options for treatment or medications that can help.

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How pet insurance saved our puppy’s life

Posted on: September 7th, 2010 by

By: Jacqueline White
A Rottweiler puppy rests in his bed.
My family recently lost our wonderful Rottweiler, Maddox, to dog lymphoma. We were saddened by the sudden loss. He had been to the veterinarian’s office in March for his annual check-up and was deemed to be in good health. Just three short months later we noticed the lymph nodes in his neck were swollen.

We took him into the vet the next day and our worst fears became a reality. The cancer had already spread to his other lymph nodes. We knew that his time here with us was going to be cut short. We tried to make him as comfortable as possible. Even though we provided him prompt dog health care, in just four short weeks his health had declined to the point where euthanasia was our only option.

After Maddox passed away, we knew that we wanted to get another Rottweiler. We searched online and found a puppy that had been an “owner surrender” at the local animal control office. With our three girls in tow, we headed to meet the puppy face-to-face. Although initially the little ball of fluff was very scared– my husband and I determined that we would adopt it.

We had our new puppy, Duke, checked out by our veterinarian the day we picked him up from animal control to ensure he received the best possible dog health care. Soon, however, he became very ill.

We took little Duke back to the veterinarian’s office and he was diagnosed with parvo virus, which can be life threatening to dogs. The estimate, a whopping $600 for treatment was startling, but luckily for us the puppy came with a three-month membership of pet dog insurance.

The insurance ended up paying for most of Duke’s treatment. If it wasn’t for Duke having dog insurance I don’t know what we would have done.

Having pet health insurance kept our family from suffering another loss. After our experience with both

Maddox and Duke, I would never own another pet without getting pet insurance—you never know when you might need it.

For more information about pet insurance visit www.petsbest.com.

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Five tips for choosing the perfect doggie daycare

Posted on: August 31st, 2010 by

By: Chryssa Rich
Pets Best Insurance Marketing Associate
Jayda smiling after her first daycare visit.
In the past few months, I’ve become one of “those people.” You know, the type of person who purchases a pet insurance policy, buys clothes for her dog and shells out money for doggie daycare.

I’ve become a doting pet owner who wants to ensure my pets’ health and happiness. But in my defense, my short-haired American Dingo (aka Carolina Dog) shivers like crazy when we camp in the summer, and sleeps much better with a hoodie or jacket.

As for the doggie daycare—she goes once a week and it’s well worth the money. She plays like crazy and I get about 36 hours of peace and quiet afterwards while she rests up. It’s also nice to know that she has a familiar place to stay if I ever need to board her overnight.

If you’re considering a doggie daycare or hotel for your best friend, here are a few things to look for:

Friendly and Professional Staff
The staff should be friendly and show sincere care for your pet. (This is not the place for apathetic teenagers saving up for spring break.) At my dog’s daycare, they remembered Jayda after just two visits. They sent us home with a cute picture after her first day, and they are genuinely concerned about dog health care, as they always give her a breath-freshening treat before we leave.

Free Trials and Perks
Most pet daycares and hotels will offer at least a half-day free to be sure your pet is friendly and is a good fit. In addition to offering a warm-up session for your pet, it ensures the buddies he’ll be staying with are also well-adjusted. Once you’ve chosen a place, you should inquire about competitive pricing, discounts or rewards when you purchase multiple days or refer a friend. The amount you should expect to pay for doggie day care will vary by region, but can range anywhere from $17 to $30 per day.

Attention to Pet Health
The doggie daycare you choose should require vaccination records for every pet, no exceptions. If they don’t ask for your pet’s records, they’re probably not getting them from anyone else. You should also sign a plan outlining what to do in the case of a pet health emergency. Because Jayda has Pets Best Insurance, I was able to pre-approve veterinary care up to a high limit without requiring the doggie day care to contact me first. I can relax knowing that if anything happens, they’ll get her to the vet pronto and I won’t be in financial distress.

Amenities and a Webcam
Remember that we’re talking dogs, here. They don’t care about marble countertops or spa-like atmospheres. Jayda’s daycare has two large rooms: one for small dogs and one for large, both with couches, plus a fenced outdoor area. And for me, a webcam is available 24/7 so I can see what she’s up to anytime.

Listen to Your Pet
If your dog seems scared or uncomfortable when you pick her up, or tries to avoid going into the daycare after a few visits, it’s time to shop around. I know Jayda loves hers because she takes me to the appropriate doors to get in, and rarely looks back once she’s off her leash inside. It makes me happy to know she’s excited about where she’ll be spending the day.

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Top 5 tips to prevent pets from waking you early

Posted on: August 27th, 2010 by

By: Chryssa Rich
Pets Best Insurance Marketing Associate
Kitties Monica and Luisa snuggle under a red blanket.

Even before I began working for a pet insurance company I was a bonded pet owner. I’ve always let my cats sleep wherever they please—which is usually the top of my bed during the summer and under the covers when it gets chilly.

I like having my cats curled up beside me, but I’m not a fan of early morning annoyances when they decide they want to get up and eat. Over the years, I’ve gathered a few tips that might help other pet owners enjoy a little more shut-eye.

1. Ignore them
It’s easiest to establish good habits when your pet is new. Make it clear from the very beginning that the day begins when you choose to wake up. If a new pet is pestering you to wake up, try ignoring him or her and don’t get up until they stop. This will help establish a mind frame of, “Hey, my human gets up when I’m quiet.”

If a new puppy needs a potty break before you’re ready to be up for the day, quietly let him out without making eye contact, petting him or talking to him (aside from a little praise for going potty outside). After the break, it’s straight back to bed.

2. Give them a bedtime snack
My tabby Monica went through a phase where she’d wake me up by patting my face every day at 5 AM. After a few days of caving in and getting up to feed her, I realized she was going right back to sleep after eating. To ensure optimum cat health care, and also get some more shut-eye, I started giving her a few kibbles right before bed every night. I now enjoy an extra hour or two of sleep most mornings. For new cat owners, try feeding kittens right before bedtime as well for a more restful night’s sleep.

3. Keep your bedroom dark
When the sun comes up and the birds start chirping, your pet thinks it’s time to get moving. Install light-blocking curtains to help keep your house dark and quiet – they also act as a sound barrier and can even help lower your energy bills. Need proof this works? Think about the time change every spring: most pet owners enjoy a week or so of extra peaceful sleep in the mornings until their pets readjust.

4. Invest in an automatic pet feeder
If your pets don’t steal each others’ food, an automatic pet feeder might be a good idea for both cat health and racking up your Zzzzs. The device will dispense food at a certain time each day so you can sleep while they eat their kitty chow.

5. Keep a squirt bottle handy
Every once in a while, my cats will have a day where they just want to get up and play. Regardless of whether they’ve eaten, they want to jump around the bed and bite my toes and chew on my hair. In these cases, a fine mist of water from a squirt bottle is enough to send them running to another room while I keep snoozing. In fact, just hearing the water slosh in the bottle is enough to do the trick now.

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Five pet supplies for owners with a sense of humor

Posted on: August 24th, 2010 by

By: H.R.
Pets Best Insurance Editorial Manager

Being an animal lover and a dog owner, I’m always searching for interesting toys and pet products for my Chihuahua, La La. One of my favorites thus far, was a “Chewy Vuitton” squeaky purse my mother bought for her “grand-dog” for Christmas one year.

There is truly nothing more hilarious than watching a tiny Chihuahua trot around the house, holding her designer handbag by the handle.

Now that I work for a pet insurance company, I literally spend hours doing very important “research“ on new and upcoming pet health and other pet related products. The following were some I stumbled upon that were too funny not to share.

1. Does your mother-in-law drop by unexpectedly- maybe every Sunday morning at 8:00 AM? Throw her to the dogs with the KyJen Funny Fleece In-Law doll. Not only is this passive aggressive toy a funny way to get your point across, but this in-law will never remind you that you forgot to dust your shelf.

A silly squeeky toy for dogs with In-Law written across the front.

2. Have you always thought that your dog was rather, dapper, suave… maybe even a touch debonair? If so, your pet is likely still missing one thing—the Humunga Stache Rubber Funny Dog Toy. Give your pet this knee-slapping chew toy and entertain your family and friends alike. Try to keep it together as your pet trots around the house with a black, curled moustache on his upper lip.

A silly squeeky toy for dogs that makes it appear as though they have a moustache.

3. Ever wish you could kick back and share a cold one with man’s best friend? Well, although real alcohol can be detrimental to pet health, you and your pet can now imbibe together with the Silly Squeakers Hiney Sniffen Funny Dog Toy. With an obvious nod to the well-known Heineken beer, laugh for hours as your dog chews on this silly bottle-shaped toy.

A silly squeeky toy for dogs that looks like an alcoholic beverage.

4. Do you have a coprophagic dog on your hands? This common medical condition refers to a pet that eats, ahem, its own, or other animals’ poo. Although that’s pretty much the grossest thing I can picture, you can at least try to deter your dog’s affection for excrement by offering up the Mr. Poops Funny Squeaker Dog Toy instead. It even comes in two sizes.

A silly squeeky toy for dogs that looks like poop.

5. Finally, there is nothing more hilarious than a dog with a really long tongue—especially if it’s also a fetch toy. This Humunga Tongue Rubber Funny Dog Toy has a gigantic red tongue on one end, and a ball attached to the other. Is your dog sticking its tongue out because he’s hot, or is he just being sassy? You’ll never know.

A silly squeeky toy for dogs that looks like the dog has a long red tongue.

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