Our ShelterBest “Racing to Save Pets” campaign took a huge leap forward at the recent Western Veterinary Conference (WVC) in Las Vegas last month as the visual of the racecars, the passion of our Pets Best team, and the ShelterBest WVC Challenge Cup Race at the Las Vegas Speedway brought attention to our campaign to save shelter pets. 

The presence of Thompson Motorsports and Brett Thompson’s NASCAR racecars on display during the convention helped bring Pets Best and “Racing to Save Pets” front and center with one car in the Mandalay Bay exhibition hall foyer and another outside next to the racecar trailer.  Our hope and goal was to help promote shelter adoptions.  We also added a place for conference attendees to come and pet the dogs at the puppy play area outside next to the racecar trailer.

Brett Thompson and his team have helped us spread the word about the needs of shelters and shelter pets. 

ShelterBest “Racing to Save Pets” is a means to communicate with the public about the need to adopt pets from shelters across the country. As part of the program, we help to raise awareness, money and provide added value for shelter adoptions. Most importantly, the program will increase pet adoptions and reduce euthanasia.   Our goals are three-fold:

1.   To increase shelter adoptions -  Despite years of spay/neuter programs, unwanted, surplus pets are still a huge problem and a shame on our society that so many millions of pets are euthanized each year.  This is a societal problem, and it is imperative that we help change people's attitudes about where they obtain their pets.

2.  To provide financial responsibility -  Pets Best offers its ShelterBest protection for adopted pets and other family pets, making it convenient and economical to insure family pets.  With Pets Best, pet families know they will always receive 80% after the deductible reimbursement for covered accidents and illnesses.  Having this help makes it much less likely they will return the pet to the shelter for a costly accident or illness.

3.  To provide added revenue for shelters -  The Pets Best shelter program provides pet owners with discounts, which can be donated to the local shelter.  All or part of their Pets Best discount can automatically be donated to their shelter.  Additionally, Pets Best makes another donation to those shelters when those pets are insured.

Our goal is to have more pets adopted, more pets insured, and to keep pets in families by covering 80% of their healthcare needs.  We believe that ShelterBest “Racing to Save Pets” is an integral part of saving thousands (hopefully millions) of pets who deserve loving families and good care, including necessary healthcare. 

When you share the word about shelter pets, you are making a difference.  Our heartfelt thanks go out to everyone who is working tirelessly for the needs of pets, especially shelter pets.  The race is a long one, but one I believe we can win.

Jack L. Stephens, DVM

What a great age!  Sixteen, second only to twenty one as a magical day.  How I looked forward to reaching sixteen and being able to drive – a milestone year for most, a year that brings much to look forward to. 

Sixteen is also a milestone year for our pets, but for a different reason.   Sixteen for them is more like reaching our 90^th birthday.  Skeeter, my special little angel man, turned 16 on January 25th. 

He lost his hearing a couple of years ago and is basically blind now, with slight light vision in his right eye only. We were able to stall his inevitable blindness for nearly two years with “Nu Eyes.” 

His front leg shakes more often.  He sleeps more.  At times, he becomes disoriented and shows signs of senility.  He now has less control of his bladder, and although much more onerous for my wife and me, we recognize that it is something that comes with the aging process and we simply have to prepare and allow for it.

Skeeter, a miniature pinscher has been my constant companion and pal for nearly sixteen years now.  He came to me at six weeks of age after the loss of my special Spanky, another miniature pinscher that helped me through my ordeal with cancer in many special ways.  I did not want another dog, certainly not that soon.  My shock and grief at losing Spanky were overwhelming. 

After all, what dog could ever replace my dear Spanky?  I felt it would be unfair to other dogs to bring them into my life, where I would constantly compare them to Spanky.  No dog could ever measure up to the companionship and mystical ways of Spanky. 

Fortunately for me, my wife and our special breeder, Norma Cacka, forced Skeeter on me, despite my ungracious attempts to repel this little six week old puppy.  Alas, my self pity and grief was not meant to be. 

Skeeter very quickly captured my heart, even though he was nothing like Spanky.  In fact he was not only very different, but almost the opposite.  Day by day, he became even more endearing and more special to not only to me, but to the community of my acquaintances and nearly the entire Veterinary profession.

Skeeter moved me to a higher plane of bonding with a pet.  Skeeter soon traveled everywhere with me, whether it was a short trip or cross-country.  He goes to the office with me daily and occasionally on vacations. Skeeter has indeed been a constant companion.  In fact he became the “icon” for pet insurance.  I remembering overhearing people say, “There’s Skeeter, the insurance dog.”

Skeeter has had a special life, meeting many movie stars and dignitaries, even Walter Cronkite, who was enamored as everyone else has been with Skeeter’s demeanor and dignity.  Skeeter is steadfast and loves everyone, while Torrey, my other constant companion can be difficult and might even bite people, letting them know to leave her alone.  Not Skeeter, he is comfortable in a room with hundreds of people, walking among them, mixing, being picked up by anyone, and petted by anyone.  He will sit for hours on a stage, as he did twice during veterinary graduation commencement speeches and cancer survivor events that I participated in.  He is the epitome of stoic behavior, friend to all, calm and loving.

Skeeter is special in many ways, and his accomplishments are too numerous to mention, but a few bear sharing.  His accomplishments are remarkable when you consider he only weights nine pounds and is a dog.  The following is a testament to this mighty little package of dog, now sixteen years of age!

• Two Commencement Speeches, first at University of Missouri and later at Texas A&M Veterinary schools, where he sat on the stage in a chair during the entire exercise with his own cap and gown.  He stoically sat for hours on stage next to me or on the podium.  While I spoke, he simply starred at the audience or dozed.
• He participated in several other speeches where he sat on the podium in front of hundreds.
• Honorary Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree (DVM) from the University of Missouri Veterinary School
• Broke the no pet barrier for Veterinary Conferences
• Honorary Board member of the Western Veterinary Conference, the largest veterinary conference in the world
• Scholarships in his name at two Veterinary schools
• Skeeter Foundation named in his honor that promotes research that provides scientific proof of the physiological benefits of pets and pet therapy visits to hospitals and nursing homes
• Hugged by movie stars too numerous to name
• Logged so many flights he should have his own frequent flyer card
• Chairman of Pet Relations for Pets Best Insurance
• Photo hung in the MGM Grand Hotel in Las Vegas for several years, in the hallway of stars
• Funded research to validate the positive benefits of pets in humans

Most importantly, this wonderful dog has been a steadfast, loyal companion for sixteen years to this person awed by the positive powers of pets and animals on human health and well being.  Happy Birthday, my dear friend.

Jack L. Stephens, DVM

Brett Thompson & Bowdy

Far too many pets are euthanized in animal shelters after not being adopted, in spite of the value they could bring to pet families. In response, Pets Best has put together the Pets Best ShelterBest program.

ShelterBest is a program designed to increase adoptions, provide financial responsibility for a pet’s care, decrease the cost of insurance and provide needed donations back to the shelter.

Local Shelter Leaders

Here is how it works: ShelterBest is a Pets Best program for shelter adoptions that insures shelter pets at a discount for the adopter, creating a positive outcome for the new pet family. Pets Best also donates needed funds back to the shelter.

Importantly, pets with insurance receive better care when needed and are much less likely to be relinquished back to the shelter due to a medical problem or accident. Pet owners pay a budgetable monthly premium and have the peace of mind knowing we are there when an accident or illness occurs. The ShelterBest plan is simple and easy to understand, paying 80% after deductible and providing coverage worldwide.

Pet owners receive a shelter discount on Pets Best insurance, and shelters receive donations back. In addition to our donation, pet owners will have the opportunity to donate their insurance discount back to the shelter to further increase shelter donations, saving even more pets. This program is a win-win for everyone, especially shelter pets.

Racing!

Pets Best wants to not only help get pets adopted by offering a discount on policies, but Pets Best is “Racing to Save Pets” with NASCAR driver Brett Thompson and his adopted shelter dog, Bowdy. As we race the #61, Pets Best Insurance Monte Carlo across the country racing to save pets we are also raising awareness of the need for shelter pet adoptions and how wonderful a shelter pet can be. Follow the racing action at http://www.thompsonnascar.com.

Shelter pets make great pets. My wife and I know this from the personal experience we’ve had adopting, socializing, training then placing abandoned pets in many households.

Cooper, our little Doxie/Chihuahua mix, was rescued from a dumpster, where he had been abandoned several years ago. He is a now wonderful therapy pet and great addition to our home. Santos, a rescued puppy from Todo Santos, Mexico, became a wonderful addition to a local family after we adopted him on a vacation in Mexico and brought him back home with us. My wife and I have many personal stories of rescued pets becoming wonderful family members.

Friends of local shelter

With our ShelterBest effort, our hope is that we will raise awareness of the wonderful pets waiting to be rescued, help pet owners by discounting policies and help shelters through our donations and the donations from pet families. Rescue a wonderful pet, save yourself money, and help your community shelter. Thank you for helping us in our Race to Save Pets.

Previously I have reported how I have personally witnessed people eliminate antidepressants by the simple act of obtaining a dog, especially a “lap” or household dog or cat.  I have also shared how it is being scientifically documented and measured that pets can reduce and even eliminate mild depression.

Now, the National Women’s Health Resource Center and Support Partners has a national education campaign dedicated to people with depression, touting the benefits of a dog in overcoming depression.  They suggest that petting your dog will help relieve stress and anxiety, taking your dog for a walk gives you exercise and relieves stress, and teaching your dog a new trick will give you a sense of accomplishment.

More and more social and healthcare professions are seeing the value of pets in helping to keep us healthy and improving our health when we are ill, stressed or depressed.  Why is this important?  Because the acknowledgment by national organizations and health care professionals will expand the access and awareness of the valuable role that pets play in our health.  What more natural way to stay healthy and happy than by having the joy of owning a pet?

If you review some of my previous blogs you will see where I discuss the exact biochemical feedback mechanisms we experience when we are with our pets.  How pets improve our health and well being by altering our biochemistry is still under investigation, and I will share the findings as they continue to develop.  In summary a few benefits of pets are as follows:

According to a leading clinical psychologist, “While a doctor, family and friends should form the basis of a support network for clinically depressed individuals, dogs can play an important role by being a constant companion. Depression is often associated with strong social stigma, causing people to withdraw from their lives and intensifying the emotional symptoms of the illness.”

You and I know walking your dog will bring on more social contacts, make you feel better and help you lose weight, which are all beneficial to your emotional health and physical well being.  Having a constant companion in your home will decrease the feeling of loneliness, provide you with activity that makes you feel needed and improve your biochemistry.  So, take care of your buddies, and they will take care of you.

Jack L. Stephens, DVM

“Prescribe Pets Not Pills”

Recently Pets Best joined the Morris Animal Foundation’s campaign to find a cure for cancer in dogs. Pets Best made a multi-year $1 million pledge to the Morris Animal Foundation for their quest to fund research that could find a cure for cancer. This effort by the Morris Animal Foundation is notable even for non-pet owners, because finding a cure for dogs will be a shortcut to finding a cure for human cancer. I will speak to their efforts and progress in future communications, as well as in our newsletters.

As you may know from previous blogs, my wife and I love our dogs. They are truly family members. The following photo was taken in our car as we drove to Colorado to be acknowledged by Morris Animal Foundation for our pledge. Four of our little guys went with us on the three-day, 1,600-mile round trip from Idaho through the middle of beautiful Colorado. 

The return trip was not as leisurely, and we drove eleven hours straight through in order for me to be back at the office on Monday. Torrey, Skeeter and Cooper are seasoned travelers both by car and air, and Pepper, our new addition, fit right in. They had two beds, a pillow and, of course, our laps from which to choose their round-robin siestas for the long drive. Torrey, however, seldom relinquished my lap during the trip.

One night we had to drive an extra sixty miles in order to find a hotel that accepted pets. But I must say, both my wife and I marvel at how much more relaxing a long road trip is with our pets than in the days when our human children were young.  Two years ago we took a 4,000-mile trip with six of our dogs and thoroughly enjoyed the entire time! Each night was a chore, with the kennels and taking turns to “do their business,” but they enjoyed the experience and all the new smells and places to pee. Dogs simply accept their circumstances and do not have any great expectations, other than the simple pleasure of our company and some attention. 

Finding a cure for canine cancer is special to me, not only because of my own prior cancer, but because I lost a special pet to its devastating affects. Treatments are much better now, but costly and cost-prohibitive for many pet families. As a resource, we will be sharing with you in the near future how you can find the best treatment options and expected outcomes for all the many types of cancer.

I will also be sharing with you the many other things that Morris Animal Foundation does for animals and how you can help also. They are truly working in many diverse ways to help animals throughout the world.

Jack L. Stephens, DVM   

As you may know from my previous blog posts, Skeeter, my miniature pinscher, is over fifteen years of age and still going strong despite being deaf and also almost completely blind due to retinal degeneration and cataracts.

As in humans, cataracts are part of the aging process in dogs that causes the lens in the eye to become very dense.  They can be removed surgically to prevent blindness; however, before undertaking the surgery, a pet ophthalmologist should examine the retina to be certain that the retinas are not degenerating. 

If the retina is degenerating then cataract removal would provide only temporary improvement at best and may actually accelerate the retinal degeneration, due to additional sunlight reaching the retina or inner eye, without the lens.

When Skeeter started developing cataracts, I had him evaluated by two pet ophthalmologists.  Both related that indeed Skeeter had retinal degeneration and said that cataract surgery would not result in any improvement beyond a few months at best. 

They determined he had no vision in his left eye and maybe 10% vision in his right eye.  His vision at night, especially, was extremely poor.  They recommended a product called Can-C for his right eye that might slow the cataract progression.

Although skeptical that the eye drops would even diminish the progression of the cataract—let alone improve the eye—I went to my local pharmacy to purchase the drops.  After driving to six pharmacists who had no idea how to obtain the drops, I went on the Internet to learn more and hopefully purchase the drops.  The eye drops had to be ordered from Great Britain with payment via credit card and a two-week shipping time.  The cost was nominal, a box that cost me $50 with shipping, which was expensive enough to make me to wonder if it would be worth it.

On the heels of my skepticism I thought, “How can I let Skeeter simply go blind without trying?”  I ordered the drops and started medicating him with one drop twice a day.  At first I did not see any improvement and almost stopped using the drops, but then I decided I would give it a few more months. 

Then I began to notice that the left cataract was becoming much more pronounced with that white denseness taking over most of his eye, while the right eye was not progressing.  I noticed he was seeing better also, especially at night. 

After a year of the drops, I can state that his right cataract has diminished!  His vision although not improved has stabilized. For his age and the progressive nature of retinal degeneration, the drops are another modern scientific miracle for our pets.

If your pet has cataracts, ask your veterinarian or a pet ophthalmologist about Can-C. From my observations it has made Skeeter’s aging process easier and kept him from going blind at least another year and still counting! 

Can-C has allowed Skeeter to maintain his limited vision longer and is worth every dollar!

Jack Stephens, DVM

While the FDA is assuring pet owners that 99% of all pet food is still safe, Sunshine Mills joined the recent recall by pulling dog biscuits sold under five different brands, including Ol' Roy, Lassie and Pet Life.

ABC reported in its "Pet Food Recall Expands to Include Biscuits" <> that Menu Foods has also once again expanded its recall by covering "cuts and gravy"-style products made between Nov. 8 and March 6, which is earlier than the original recall date of Dec. 3.

T.W. Enterprises of Ferndale, Wash., is also asking consumers not to use their American Bullie A.B. Bull Pizzle Puppy Chew and Dog Chew products because they have the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella.

Resources on these new recalls can be found at:

Sunshine Mills Release and Recall List
Menu Foods Expands Recall Dates
FDA Issues Health Hazard Alert for Pet Chews

As a precautionary measure, Del Monte Pet Products is voluntarily recalling select product codes of its pet treat products sold under the Jerky Treats®, Gravy Train® Beef Sticks and Pounce Meaty Morsels® brands as well as select dog snack and wet dog food products sold under private label brands.

Read the full press release and affected brands here.

Nestle Purina PetCare Company also announced late Friday that it is voluntarily recalling all sizes and varieties of its ALPO(R) Prime Cuts in Gravy wet dog food with specific date codes. The company is taking this voluntary action after learning that wheat gluten containing melamine, a substance not approved for use in food, was provided to Purina by the same company that also supplied Menu Foods. The contamination occurred in a limited production quantity at only one of Purina's 17 pet food manufacturing facilities. Purina says they are confident that the contaminated wheat gluten has been isolated to this limited production quantity of ALPO Prime Cuts canned products.

Read the full press release here.

Hill's Pet Nutrition, Inc. is also voluntarily recalling Prescription Diet m/d Feline dry food from the market. Hill's is taking this precautionary action because during a two-month period in early 2007, wheat gluten for this product was provided by a company that also supplied wheat gluten to Menu Foods. Prescription Diet m/d Feline Dry represents less than one half of one percent of all Hill's products.

Hill's is reiterating that there is only one product affected by Hill's voluntary recall announcement yesterday: Hill's Prescription Diet™ m/d™ Feline Dry Food. This is the only product Hill's currently sells in the United States and Canada that contains wheat gluten from any supplier. No other Hill's Prescription Diet® or Science Diet® products are affected by this voluntary recall.

Read the full press release here.

As always, we will keep you informed as new reports are released. Do continue to check your cupboards and monitor your pets for illness. If they are vomiting, lethargic, not eating, drinking excessively or urinating excessively, have them checked by your veterinarian. Again, our sympathies go out to everyone affected by the recall during this stressful time.

The Associated Press is now reporting that another company, not connected with Menu Foods, is recalling dog, cat and ferret treats that could be contaminated with salmonella. The announcement that came yesterday from Eight in One Inc., is unrelated to the more extensive recall of melamine-tainted dog and cat food that led to kidney failure in pets around the country.

Eight in One Inc., a division of United Pet Group Inc., is recalling all packages of Dingo Chick'N Jerky, Dingo Kitty Chicken Jerky and Dingo Ferret Chicken Jerky.

Salmonella can cause serious infections in pets and children, the elderly and people with weakened immune systems. In pets, salmonella can cause diarrhea, fever, vomiting, loss of appetite, lethargy and abdominal pain. Animals that do not get sick can infect other pets or humans.

The bacteria could also infect people handling the pet treats. Humans infected with the salmonella can experience fever, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and abdominal cramps. It could also cause more serious problems such as arterial infections, endocarditis, arthritis, muscle pain, eye irritation and urinary tract problems.

Eight in One said they received a report of a dog infected by salmonella, which lead to further testing of this product. Some, but not all, of the samples tested were contaminated.

The treats were sold around the country at Target, PetSmart and other stores.

Speculation is that the Menu Foods recall and testing has led to more diligent testing of other brands and may have revealed the presence of salmonella in the Eight in One treats.

Today the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced that testing of Menu Foods pet food had revealed the presence of melamine, a chemical used in fertilizer, but has not been able to confirm the findings of aminopterin, the rodent poison that was reported last week to have been the likely culprit.

In a news conference earlier today, it was also reported that the tainted wheat gluten was sold to an undisclosed manufacturer who produces dry food, as well. The FDA could not say whether or not dry food had been contaminated, only that it was under investigation and that it would alert the public quickly if melamine was found in any foods other than the recalled pet food.

MSN is also reporting today that Menu Foods has received more than 300,000 calls from worried pet owners, and the most recent numbers from the Veterinarians Information Network, a website of 30,000 veterinarians and veterinary students, said members had reported nearly 500 cases of kidney failure since the recall was announced.

As a pet family dad of six dogs and two cats, I want pet owners to be armed with the best information and financial assistance to provide the best healthcare possible and prevent disease and illness when possible, and we will continue to post updates as we are made aware of them.

On Saturday, I spoke with yet another pet owner who only recently learned of the Menu Foods recall.  She said that she hadn’t taken her cats in yet, though one of them had been vomiting.  Cats (and dogs to a certain extent) tend to hide symptoms of illness.  This is troublesome and means that even if you have stopped feeding the recalled food and think that things are fine, if your pets show any signs of illness, it’s best to have them checked.  Kidney failure can sometimes take weeks or months to manifest signs, but early detection is truly the key to saving your pet and reducing the trauma to the kidneys.

At Pets Best, our heartfelt sympathies go out to every pet family affected by the recent pet food tragedy, especially those who are financially unable to pay for their pet’s care, as we read about last week.  In response, we have committed to all policyholders affected by the recall to pay claims at 100% up to policy limits, waiving the deductible and co-payment, which we will recoup ourselves from the manufacturer.

We believe that pet owners have been affected enough by the stress of the recall and want to do what we can to help ease the emotional and financial burden for pet families.

We also learned over the weekend that Menu Foods has expanded their recall, and it was announced today that the New York State Food Laboratory is continuing their tests on the food to confirm that aminopterin is to blame for the deaths and illnesses of pets who consumed the “cuts and gravy” style food.

ABC News and others this morning are reporting that a rodent-killing chemical is the toxin in the tainted pet food that has killed pets across the nation.

A source close to the investigation told ABC News that the rodenticide, which the source says is illegal to use in the United States, was on wheat that was imported from China and used by Menu Foods in nearly 100 brands of dog and cat food.
The Food and Drug Administration, which was notified of the tainted food one day before the recall, said it's frustrated and realizes the growing crisis is an emotional one.

"This is tragic," said Stephen Sundolf of the FDA's Veterinary Medicine group. "It is certainly uncommon. We expect pet food to be safe."
The New York Department of Agriculture has announced a press conference for 1 p.m. EDT.

Again, if you believe your pet ingested any of the foods on the recall list, stop feeding the food immediately and call your veterinarian to schedule a blood test.

As news of more and more pets affected by the recalled food continues, we want to share with you some of the questions we are receiving from callers to help ease fears and provide resources during this time.

As promised, we want to keep you updated as we learn more information about the pet food recall.  Below are some of the things we have learned and information specifically for our policy holders, as well.  We are also working on information to help you change your pet’s diet, if you have been feeding one of the recalled products, and will continue updating you as we learn new information.  For more information on the recall itself, call Menu Foods at 1-866-895-2708.

THE PROBLEM IS BIGGER THAN WE THOUGHT

IMPORTANT THINGS FOR YOU TO KNOW

We have also been receiving calls from our policyholders about coverage and want to assure customers who have questions about whether or not their medical bills will be covered.

YOUR PETS BEST POLICY

For those of you who signed up for the additional wellness coverage, your wellness coverage will

Wellness benefits provide much more per year, however, these tests are pertinent to this issue if you have the wellness coverage and simply want to have your pet tested as a precaution.

PETS BEST WILL ALSO SUBROGATE (HELP YOU COLLECT) ANY CO-PAYMENT AND YOUR DEDUCTIBLE FROM THE PET FOOD MANUFACTURER THAT IS OVER AND ABOVE OUR 80% PAYMENT OR PER-INCIDENT LIMIT.  We will be providing subrogation forms should you wish our help.  Do keep any proofs of purchase, including store receipts and can or pouch labels.

Few things, other than politics, can bring up such emotion as pet food preferences.  The recent recall of certain "wet" pet foods has gained national attention.  The results are not in as to how many pets were negatively affected and what it was in the pet food in question that caused the problems, but I commend the pet food manufacturer for their rapid action and even recalling pet food beyond what was to be expected.  This rapid and broad response demonstrates how committed the pet food manufacturers and distributors are to your pet's health and to protecting their brands.

It has been several years ago, but I have visited pet food plants and was amazed at how clean and efficient they were.  In fact I found the few I visited were even cleaner and more modern than a couple of the canned food plants for humans I visited.  Food contamination whether pet or human is most regrettable and shakes our faith. 

Fortunately it is not that common or prevalent.  We must stay diligent to prevent this type of problem from reoccurring, and I am sure this episode will create more safeguards to protect our pets.

When I was a child, commercial pet food was not common.  Now we have special diets for particular medical problems, gourmet foods and a large selection from which to choose. 

I have witnessed incredible growth in the pet food industry, from few commercial selections to today where the pet food isle is the largest single product area in a grocery store. I have also witnessed the expanded life spans of pets, much of which is due to great quality commercial pet foods.

In addition, I can relate that after 25 years of reviewing pet health insurance claims, pets have fewer medical problems, such as pancreatitis or inflammation of the pancreas and other ailments, when on a stable diet of high quality pet foods as compared to feeding leftover people food (or people food in general).  My best advice is to not panic or overreact and to be certain your cupboard does not have any of the suspected products.  (See http://www.menufoods.com/recall/ for the list.)

I am sure more answers will be forthcoming and that they will find the cause of the offending agents.  If your pet has been eating any of the products listed on the pet food manufacturer's website, call or make an appointment with your local veterinarian and have a urinalysis and blood screening test performed on your pet.

The tests are easy, fast and can detect a host of other problems, as well as detecting kidney failure. Early detection is the key, while there is still time to prevent symptoms or disease and before the damage is irreversible.  Remember, if you have a pet wellness plan, those tests are covered, and your pet should have those tests annually anyway.

When anything new develops that will help you have a healthier pet, or we learn more news on the pet food recall that might help, we will keep you informed.

As you know from my prior blogs, and the book I am writing, pets are good for us. Pets have measurable positive effect on our biochemistry that improves our health and well being.

Recently there was an Associated Press article titled "Americans Tenderly Stuffing their Pets with Drugs" and another version "Americans Increasingly Medicating their Pets," both on the same theme. The article pointed out that $2.9 billion was spent on drugs for pets and was now larger than spending on drugs for farm animals.

Basically, the article's premise is that we continue to indulge and spend more on our pets. It was interesting to note that pet owners quoted in the articles where not complaining, they were simply stating how they felt it was important to them to provide whatever medication their pet needed. One pet owner estimated she spent $5,000 over the past two years. "You cannot put a price on that," she was quoted as saying. And her husband, replied, "And I don't want to."

Why are pet owners willing to spend so much more on their pets?

Could it be they are receiving enough value from their pet to offset the expense?

The benefits of pets are just now being fully understood by science, something pet owners have known all along. Pets relieve stress, decrease feelings of anxiety, reduce and even eliminate depression. Pets entertain us, provide us with a feeling of security, cause us to exercise more, provide valuable services such as for the deaf, the blind, the physically handicapped and in psychotherapy. They make us smile. When we smile, we feel better. Pets are a "social lubricant" for meeting, greeting and conversing with others.

Scientific measurements have shown that sitting with your pet (dogs were used for the study) and petting them, improves your biochemistry of hormones and neurotransmitters. Your stress (bad hormones) decreases and your good hormones increase by that simple act. Your immune system is believed to be positively impacted by pets, thereby helping you to fight off disease and illness.

Pets make people feel less lonely and they provide us with unconditional love, which is hard to find these days. Pets listen to us (97% of pet owner's report they talk to their pet) and even though they cannot answer back, we always feel better after talking to them.

DIFFERENT APPROACH

A better story would be "Pets make us Healthier," thereby decreasing our own reliance on drugs and reducing human medical cost. All medications have unintended consequences, even if unnoticed. Why not allow interaction with a companion pet improve your health and decrease your reliance on some medications?

In a survey of surgery patients, those with a companion pet reported less post-surgical pain than those without a pet. Less post-operative pain would indicate that pet owners required less medication and shorter hospital stays. Heart attack victims with a companion pet had a higher survival rate than non-pet owners. It has been demonstrated that quiet pet interaction decreases our blood pressure.

I strongly believe that increased spending on pets is the result of people intuitively knowing they feel better and want to maintain and reward that relationship by providing the medication necessary to increase their pet's longevity and health.

As to cost, the articles stated that even at $2.9 billion spent on pet drugs, it was only 1% of the cost of human drugs. The headline would lead one to think spending on pet drugs is excessive.

However, consider the benefits of pets with only one very prevalent epidemic in America, depression. There are an estimated 48 million people (16% of the population) with some form of depression in the United States. If only 25 % of these people were able to eliminate antidepressants and it saved only $200 per year, that would translate into a savings of $2.4 billion annually in decreased drug cost for those drugs alone! Add to that the fact that those people would have the extra benefit of not having the many side affects that these drugs can cause and you can see how the cost of owning a pet is money well spent.

Of course we know that the actual annual cost of medication for depression is higher, but you get my drift. Pets pay for themselves many times over, and we receive so many more benefits from pets than simply helping to relieve or prevent mild depression.

I have personally witnessed a number of people on antidepressants who have eliminated the need for the drugs completely by the singular act of obtaining a household companion pet.

A close relationship with a companion pet increases your sense of well being, improves your body chemistry, increases natural anti-depression chemicals and enhances your immune system, thereby improving your odds of fighting off disease and illness: all natural methods biologically rooted into humans. Why not indulge something that helps you so much and in so many ways? Imagine how much money we might save in our present health care system by simply prescribing a companion pet.

My motto? "Prescribe Pets Not Pills."

Jack L. Stephens, DVM

In the United Kingdom it has been reported that 15% of dogs and 4% of cats-or 19% of U.K. pets-have pet health insurance.  Yet, in the United States we are just approaching 2% of all pets being insured, which leads to the question: Do the British love their pets more than we do?

I am repeatedly asked why there are not more pets insured in the United States.  Having been the pioneer of pet insurance in the U.S. and sitting here as a bonded pet owner with my Chihuahua in my lap as I write this, I have firsthand experience to both pet insurance and the joy pets bring to our lives, and I can definitively state that the British do not love their pets more than Americans do, even if one uses the acceptance of pet insurance as a measurement.  There are actually several theories I have as to why pet insurance is not as common in the U.S. as it is in the U.K.

Pet insurance in America has larger obstacles to overcome than in Europe, beginning with the individual regulatory requirements for each of the 50 states and the District of Columbia.  Insurance regulations and financial qualifications in America are more onerous and have set higher financial standards, even for pets. 

In Britain, pet insurance is unregulated, making it easier to start and operate a pet insurance plan.  In the U.S. the financial and regulatory requirements set some high hurdles for companies to jump. 

Second, there is more competition in the U.K., which increases awareness of the service, provides more features, options and price ranges from which a consumer can choose. 

A third difference is the maturity of the field itself.  Pet insurance started initially in 1946 with Dog Breeders Insurance (DBI) in the U.K., whereas I started pet insurance in the U.S. in 1982.  The reason these dates are relevant is because the current 27% compound annual growth pattern of pet insurance in recent years is similar, demonstrating a much higher acceptance of the concept than the actual numbers show. 

The fourth-and I believe biggest-reason for the enrollment difference is "risk transfer," or the fact that pet care was simply not that expensive compared to most Americans' disposable income, until recently.  This is certainly not the situation now.  Previously, most veterinary expenses could be managed through discretionary income.  This has changed dramatically, though, with the increasing acceptance by pet owners of more sophisticated-yet more costly-care.

More and more often, people in America refer to their pets as family members, which means that their care and well being have a higher priority than a dog or cat who is considered "just a pet."  That is a good thing. 

Pet insurance is simply one method that allows pet owners to budget and always be prepared for their pet's medical expenses.  Other methods are tapping your savings, borrowing, foregoing other expenses or worse yet, credit card debt.  Budgeting with affordable monthly premiums is a better method.  At Pets Best Insurance we are proud of our part in helping pets always receive the care they need and protecting your pocketbook, despite the cost.

Man’s Best Friend comes through again.

Feel like talking or not?  If not, tell people you sell insurance! Several years back, while traveling extensively to promote pet health insurance, I noticed something interesting.  Everyone that travels has had the experience of going on a flight and after you are seated you or the person next to you ask where you are going?  Are you going home, traveling on vacation or on business?  Then they will invariably ask you what your occupation is.

For many years at parties or social gathering, I was reluctant to offer my occupation, not because I was ashamed, but because I would be overwhelmed with stories about pets or asked for medical advice on pets.  Flying was the same.  If I told my fellow passenger that I was a veterinarian, then a litany of pet stories would ensue and sure enough, I would be provided some pet symptoms and asked for my medical opinion.  I found I could not read, contemplate or get any work done.

Quickly I discovered that if I wanted to read or work or simply did not feel like talking due to some major issue that I was pondering, I would tell my fellow passenger that I sold insurance.  That ended the conversation!  I must have given that answer to over 100 people over a 20 year period.  And, you know, not ONE person asked what kind of insurance I sold.  I guess they were afraid I would try to sell them an insurance policy.

In fact, I never really liked insurance or the thought of insurance ever since I was a senior at Veterinary School and was bombarded by all the University ex jocks who sold life insurance.  They descended upon soon to be graduates like a lynch mob in the Old West.  But here I was, a veterinarian who sold insurance.  I always distill things down to the basics and it was true, like so much in life we never know where life will take us.  Yet, I slowly and deliberately chosen my new career path and was not about to change.  I was helping many hundreds of thousands of more pets than I ever could have done in my pet practice and was providing a service that protected family bonds and pet health.  But my method sure stops people from chatting if you are ever on a plane and not in the mood to talk!

I Sell Pet Insurance
Telling people I am a veterinarian has one path of continued dialog, telling them I sell insurance ceases all dialog; but tell them that I sell Pet Insurance and watch out.  At first, they just sit or stand there, with their mouth partly open; pondering the dichotomy of a vet, who is generally held in high regard or even revered by some and combined with selling insurance which is similar to being a used car salesman, although with more education.  Then, after a few seconds of silence, their whole face brightens up and they say, “That is a wonderful idea. Did you think of that?”  Their first impression, which they do not share, is “that is the dumbest thing I ever heard.”  But during that silent pause to be courteous, they realize that pet insurance is a good idea.  Why?  I think because everyone in America and throughout the more urban societies is starting to recognize the REAL VALUE of pets.  As we leave more rural areas and agricultural societies to dwell in urban societies we lose the ties of family and small close knit groups who help one another.  We also lose the interaction with animals that has been rooted in our biology over many thousands of years. We have more time from labor intensive activities; we have more complex relationships that create stress and emotional upheaval which causes us to seek solace and non critical companionship.  It is easy to understand why pets with their unconditional acceptance of us play a vital role in our health and well being.

 Not sure?  Animals, especially pets have a biological relationship with us that has developed over the eons of time.  This longstanding relationship has created positive biochemical and hormonal reactions within us that helped us survive and cope.  We have known for some time that pets can lower our blood pressure.  In fact studies have shown that simply sitting in front of a fish tank will lower our blood pressure.

Petting even a strange pet will increase good hormones, chemicals and neurotransmitters and decrease stress hormones in our bodies. It also results in an increase in serotonin levels in the brain, which is a natural antidepressant.   Pets are so good for us, that innately we want to provide for them.  Often my wife will tell me that she wishes I would respond to her greeting as enthusiastically as I do to our pets greeting.  She is right and it is a good reminder of my deficiencies as a husband.  But our pets display the same overwhelming exuberance when I am gone from the house for a few minutes as they do when I return from a long trip.  They are simply glad to see me and they have to outdo one another in their greeting.  Whenever my wife or I return form a brief trip to the store or from a long trip we receive the same “pack welcome”, which makes us feel good.  Think how many times you are anxious to go home and see your pet, because of their greeting.  Just the thought of your pet greeting you at the door is enough to make you smile.  Watch pet owners who talk about their pet, they are smiling.  Stop and think of your pet now or describe some episode with your pet and you will smile.  Each of us has our own special memories or daily activities with our pets that make us happy.

Happy Hormone
Oxytocin is a natural human and animal hormone.  We think of it as only being a hormone for women that increases with pregnancy and is responsible for helping mothers give birth.  In fact, oxytocin is given to animals to stimulate birthing. But men also have very small amounts of oxytocin, which is one reason why men and women are different.  Oxytocin also is thought to be primarily responsible for the feeling of “warmth and comfort,” in men and women.  Oxytocin has much higher levels in women and is thought to be the reason why women are more responsive to children.

Petting your pet increases the oxytocin levels in our bodies, even men!  It gives you that feeling of well being and warmth.   Don’t worry men; your level will not increase enough to cause you to want to give birth.  But it will give you a glimpse into the feelings that women have for children.

“If there are no dogs in Heaven, then when I die I want to go where they went.”
Will Rogers

I can think of nothing more rewarding, stimulating and at times as frustrating as being a veterinarian.  As a youngster I knew early that I wanted to be a veterinarian.  I loved biology, the logic of science, animals, critters (bugs) and nature, so becoming a veterinarian was my only option from which I never deviated.  For me nothing was more rewarding than being skilled and knowledgeable enough to help animals and to perform sophisticated surgery or perform medical detective work to arrive at a diagnosis and heal a pet.  I would have done it for free if I could, but alas I had a family and mortgage.

But, early in my practice career, I found out that far too many pet owners simply could not afford or would not pay for needed care for pets.  As a new graduate I wanted to heal and treat pets, not simply vaccinate, treat symptoms or put pets to sleep if their medical condition was chronic, serious or expensive.  I wanted to utilize ever more sophisticated diagnostics, when needed, to accurately treat a pet’s medical condition and perform surgery if, necessary to restore a pet’s health.  But good medicine can be expensive and pet owners had to pay for that care from disposable income, which more often than not was not available or budgeted.  Every veterinarian, early in their career, goes “overboard” treating pets for less than it cost, at times for free or making whatever payment arrangements they can to treat a treasured pet, rather than put it to sleep.  But reality sets in when you realize that you are losing too much money with your generosity.  Unfortunately, many people learn of your empathy and “prey” on it, seeking discounts and waiving of fees when they simply do not want to pay for a pet’s care.    Giving away services does not allow a veterinarian to pay decent salaries, pay for their education debt or invest in the business if insufficient charging and discounting becomes the predominant way of doing business.  Every veterinarian gives away services, but there must be a limit if they want to stay in business.  I always knew there had to be better options.

FRUSTRATION

So, the frustrating side of being a veterinarian is not being able to treat pets when they need treatment.  Too often, people are either unwilling or lack the funds to provide for necessary care.  Although my practice was in an affluent community, I found that many clients would ignore their pet’s health needs or put their pet to sleep (euthanasia) if a pet’s care cost more than they were prepared to pay.  Putting pets to sleep when they can be healed is very frustrating and demoralizing to veterinarians, the veterinary staff and to pet families.  But it was a hard and common fact then and even now it is a common negative alternative, when pet owners are not financially prepared for an accident or illness.

WE KEEP PETS FOR A REASON

As pet owners, we are the stewards of our pets.  Pets and domesticated animals depend wholly upon humans for their care and well being.  Of course, if you are reading this, I know you are a good pet steward, and that you are committed to your pets care; otherwise you would never have even found me or our web site.  Your affiliation with your pet springs from the fact that you have discovered the “human-animal bond”.  That special feeling you have when you are with your pet.  As a result of those feelings engendered in you by your pet, you are willing to provide for their needs.  In future discussions, I will be sharing with you the many varied reasons why you and I feel the way we do about our pets and how pet interactions are mutually good for us, as well as good for our pets.  There is an abundance of scientific evidence which demonstrates that the simple act of petting your pet improves your biochemistry and thus has positive effects on your emotions and even on your health.  I hope my findings will help you express your feelings to skeptics, because they need to know about our “SECRET WEAPON” of pets.

We keep pets for a reason; in fact the canine and feline ancestors of our present day dogs and cats are thought to be the very first animals domesticated by man. Although we have kept dogs for maybe as long as 25,000 years and cats for 9,000 years, until recently we thought that we kept them for more rational or practical reasons, such as hunting, protection, herding, guarding and controlling rodents.  To keep them for other reasons was either a sign of wealth or thought to be impractical.   Keeping a household pet had to have a utilitarian reason, just like livestock or it was as sign of social stature to be able to afford and house an animal for strictly personal, non economic reasons.  The societal norm was that animals had to have an economic value no greater than their replacement cost.   Sadly, until a few decades ago that was the attitude and mind set of even the Universities that taught veterinarians.  This attitude was due to the emphasis placed on domestic animals that spilled into the training of companion pet practice.  The concept was that a pet was replaceable and as such, no one should ever spend too much on a pet, unless they were wealthy. 

This attitude of an economic value was instilled in my generation, as it had been for hundreds of years because of the utilitarian value of pets being viewed similar to livestock.   I did not want to be a large animal veterinarian for that reason; I wanted to use my training and skills to a higher degree than that of the simple economics of an animal’s worth.  Somehow that view still seeped into my psychic.  But that’s another story- more on how a small dog changed me at a later time.

When I was a young boy, my dog meant a lot to me, but to my parents, bringing her into the garage or my father’s workshop in the cold of winter was a big accommodation.  Dogs and cats belonged outside and they ate leftovers.  Commercial pet food was still a novelty.  As I entered veterinary practice I noticed that people had moved their pets from the yard to the house. 

And in a few short years I saw commercial pet food become the norm and then special pet food, formulated with higher cost ingredients Pets in the house fulltime then became the norm.  Then in even a shorter time span I witnessed pets sleeping on the bed with their adult owners.  I remember the few times, as a child I slipped my dog into bed with me, it was done so at the risk of punishment.   Now my wife and I feel lost if we don’t have 3 or 4 of our dogs in bed with us, under the blankets!  In fact, we are so forbearing when it regards our pets that will tolerate an awkward position, before we will disturb our pets.  I had one pet, Spanky who took over my pillow by sleeping inside the pillow case. My wife found it incredulous that I would endure loosing my pillow.   Now, I hear more and more of pet owners preparing gourmet home cooking for pets.

 Did you know that expenditures for pets in the U.S. are higher than for toys and is growing at twice the rate as total consumer expenditures!   Who would have imagined this level of spending and an attitude shift so swiftly in our society?  What happened?

Was it simply that as a society we had become so affluent that we could afford to indulge our pets?  If so why was spending for pets growing faster than our indulgence in toys for children?  My bias towards a pet’s value changed later in my life, after my wife brought Spanky, a miniature pinscher into our household.  And my attitude changed even more after a bout with cancer.  Over those terrible months of treatment I witnessed the remarkable power of pets.  I came to realize that a small dog could dramatically affect our lives.  This experience caused me to look deeper into these changes in society and in myself.  I will be sharing my extensive and compelling findings with you in future talks.

“A dog is the only thing on earth that loves you more than he loves himself.”
Josh Billings

As you can see from the photo of my wife and me with our dogs, we are indeed pet lovers, especially our dogs!  We also have photos with our cats which I will be sharing, but on this particular day they made the collective decision of not cooperating, as only cats can, despite the fact that they interact and play with the dogs daily.  It must have been my mood that day.  In addition to our household family pets my wife also has miniature horses and a miniature donkey.  Since early childhood I have had pets and critters.  Everything from tarantulas, bats, fish, ants, pigeons, chickens, owls, birds, lizards and almost anything you can imagine, even a raccoon.  I did not live on a farm, but a small town in southwest Oklahoma.  Their care, housing and feeding were totally my responsibility.  Today it is my dogs in particular that I am most fond.  In fact Torrey my tea cup Chihuahua and Skeeter, my fourteen year old miniature pincher go to work with me most every day.  It is rare to see me without them.  They are my constant shadows.  I love nature and its diversity and feel compelled to protect not only individual pets as a Veterinarian, but nature and ecosystems in general that provide for wild animals.

In my ensuing discussions of “Pet Vet -Talks” on the Pets Best Community web site I will share with you a host of diverse subjects about pets and how PETS ARE GOOD FOR US EMOTIONALLY AND PHYSICALLY.  I will talk as a Veterinarian, a business owner, as a pet dad and as one who demands logic.  I will share the logic I discover behind why we humans love our pets.  And why some of us are “over the top” when it comes to pets.  I will also bring you the perspective from one who has had a successful career as a no nonsense business person, a successful entrepreneur and as America’s first insurance executive for pets.  Mostly I will share my journey of discovery on “Why we are so nuts about our pets,” a personal journey to understand myself and other pet owners.  It will surprise you that the benefits of pet interaction is more than emotional, it did me.  There is now scientific evidence that helps us better understand the relationship of humans and animals that can be demonstrated even to the pet skeptic.  As you will hear from me many times, the relationship with animals is “Rooted in our Biology.”

 I was asked to share all my many stories and experiences with others because of my diverse experience, credentials and my genuine love for animals.  But as we journey along in the ensuing Pet Vet- Talks you will judge for yourself the value of taking your time to hear me out.  I am human and like all complex humans have sides of me that you may not agree with at times, but, being direct, honest and constantly searching will not be one of my faults. Time is a precious gift and I will try not to waste yours. 

Being the founder of Pet Insurance in the U.S. way back in 1980 and now starting, Pets Best in 2005, I will obviously have some insight that I will share with you about pet insurance.  Providing pet owners with a reliable method to budget for a pet’s health and to always be able to accept needed care, without worrying about how to pay for that care has been my passion since 1979, when I first started exploring the concept of pet health insurance.   After 24 years as the founding CEO of the first pet health insurance company and building it to over $100 million in annual sales I left in 2004 and soon realized I wanted to re-invent pet insurance to better address changing pet care and pet owner’s expectations of pet insurance.  I developed the business plan for Pets Best and began a search for an Insurance Company to underwrite the plan.  Fortuitously, after I moved to Idaho from California I met Greg McDonald and Dan Crandall, the Chairman and CEO, respectively of General Fire & Casualty Company.  After several meetings and after reading my business plan, they asked me to join them.  They were in the agribusiness of insurance and always wanted to provide pet insurance, but lacked the expertise.  It was a perfect match that enabled me to do it over again and with their help and ideas improve upon the concept of pet insurance.  I was able to utilize new ideas, apply what I had learned and of course benefit from my mistakes.  It is very gratifying both personally and professionally to be able to take what one has learned and make it better.  One thing about an inventor or an entrepreneur, you love the chance to do something again and hopefully better.  With my zeal to help pets, Dan and Greg’s confidence and support, Pets Best insurance was born.