Pet Vet - Talks

Pet Insurance Myths

Jack Stephens — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Recently Pets Best conducted another set of focus groups of pet owners in order to find out if we are addressing what pet owners really want and to see if they understand the value concept of pet insurance.

Overall we verified previous observations from years of prior experience and learned more about perceptions of Pets Best. One thing of note-which was prevalent in all the focus groups-is that there are definitely still myths floating around about pet insurance. The following are the highlights along with my responses to those lingering myths:

Pet Insurance is only for sick pets.

Actually, you must purchase insurance before your pet is sick for it to be effective, the same as you would buy auto or homeowners insurance before you have an accident or catastrophe.

Insurance is a hassle.

Pets Best plans are simple, you simply pay your veterinary bills and submit the bills to us and we reimburse you directly, usually in less than a week.

Unlike some plans which are complicated and use schedules which may be substantially less than your actual veterinary expenses, with our 80% payment, after the deductible, it is easy to figure out how much we will reimburse you for claims.

Since pet owners are typically out-of-pocket for their pets' medical expenses, unlike human health care where hospitals and doctors bill the insurance company, the turnaround time for payment is important when choosing a pet insurance company.

We could not choose our own vet.

Fortunately with most pet insurance plans there are no managed care principals, pet HMOs or veterinary PPOs to contend with. At Pets Best-and most other pet insurance providers-you can always select the veterinarian of your choice. Pet insurance is not typically involved in the decision process for treatments, care or cost. As with most things, there are exceptions, though, and at least one company is currently working to set up a network of veterinarians.

Pet Insurance must be expensive.

Although premiums vary by company, plan type, the age of the pet, and species (cat or dog), in most instances pet insurance is more affordable than you might imagine with the monthly cost being about what you would pay for a dinner for two. Pet owners can also choose even less costly plans with lower limits and a higher deductible or higher cost plans with lower deductibles and higher limits. Prices will vary from company to company, but most are reasonable.

Pet Insurance has too many exclusions or does not cover what I need.

When it comes to accidents or illnesses, pet insurance actually has very few exclusions. Pet insurance is designed to transfer the risk of your pet's future unknown health cost to the insurer. When it comes to your pet's health and the many thousands of accidents and illnesses that can happen to pets, other than hereditary, congenital and pre-existing, all accidents and most illnesses are covered.

With Pets Best many of the typical exclusions are limitations, where the payment, although smaller does provide some coverage and value. Ask your veterinarian or their staff how many times a pet's illness can present financial hardship and hard decisions for pet owners. Pet insurance is like your own health insurance, it is designed to help pay for your pet's medical needs, whether it is a simple skin rash, a virus, an ear infection or severe cancer.

Although your actions in insuring your pet speak to your understanding the myths and knowing the value pet insurance can provide to your peace of mind, our recent focus group shows that most pet owners still do not completely understand pet insurance. I will not rest until every pet owner is at least aware there is pet insurance coverage that can be budgeted at a reasonable cost so they never have to be concerned with their pet family member's health cost.

ShelterBest "Racing to Save Pets" Wins Big in Vegas

Jack Stephens — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 00:00:00 GMT

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

Sweet Sixteen

Jack Stephens — Thu, 14 Feb 2008 00:00:00 GMT

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

ShelterBest: Racing to Save Pets!

Jack Stephens — Tue, 16 Oct 2007 00:00:00 GMT

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.

Help Overcome Depression with a Dog

Jack Stephens — Wed, 12 Sep 2007 00:00:00 GMT

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:

The quiet interaction of petting a pet will lower your blood pressure, decrease your stress hormone and increase the levels of good hormones and neurotransmitters which will all help you feel better.

The simple act of watching fish in a fish tank will lower your blood pressure and decrease feelings of anxiety.

Interacting with your pet will increase your serotonin levels, which are instrumental to decreasing the feelings of depression.

Walking your pet will help you lose weight better than other traditional weight loss methods and improve your sense of well being.

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"

Fighting To Cure Canine Cancer

Jack Stephens — Wed, 11 Jul 2007 00:00:00 GMT

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

Who Is Actually Buying Pet Insurance?

Jack Stephens — Wed, 06 Jun 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Who Is Actually Buying Pet Insurance?

In one of my previous posts, I talked about the myths of pet insurance that we learned from our recent series of pet owner focus groups. The pet owner focus groups also told us in these sessions who they thought would buy pet insurance, and the results may or may not surprise you.

We found that:

The Pet Owner Perception of a Buyer Is Someone Who:

Considers the pet part of the family.
Sees the cost benefits of insurance.
Has had experience with the cost of veterinary care.
Is a first-time pet owner who is concerned with the unknown expenses of veterinary care.
Is a high-income, well-educated, sophisticated purchaser.

People Who Actually Purchase Insurance Are People Who:

Consider their pets part of the family.
Are professionals who see the value of insurance.
Are pet owners who want to budget for their pets' care.
Are primarily women who make the actual purchase.
Purchase insurance for their puppies and kittens (which may or may not reflect first-time ownership).
Have previously experienced high veterinary costs for a pet.
Have a pet who already has a medical problem.

As you can see perceptions and reality were actually very similar regarding the value of obtaining pet insurance, that is, those who are buying and the core reasons they purchase insurance.

Typically a pet insurance policyholder lives in a household where the pet is a family member, the family has experienced a high veterinary expense in the past and now wants peace of mind and protection for their pocketbooks. Pet owners also want their coverage to be broad, yet reasonable in cost and payable monthly, so it fits into their budget.

Of course there are other factors that pet owners take into consideration before purchasing, such as the level of customer service of the company, few plan exclusions, how quickly claims are paid, and options that provide for routine care, to name a few, but these are usually a concern only after they have made the initial decision to buy pet health insurance.

Once a pet owner has made the decision that pet insurance may be right for them, then they begin to seek out information about pet insurance and the different types of plans available. Most pet owners will use the Internet for information, but many will turn to their veterinarian or the pet hospital staff regarding their final decision. If in doubt, ask your vet or their staff for their recommendation. They've heard all the stories and can direct you to a plan and company that's right for you.

Jack L. Stephens, DVM

More Treats and Biscuits Added to Recall As Dates Expand

Jack Stephens — Fri, 06 Apr 2007 00:00:00 GMT

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

New Foods Added to Recall List

Jack Stephens — Tue, 03 Apr 2007 00:00:00 GMT

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.

Dog, Cat and Ferret Treats Recalled after Salmonella Found

Jack Stephens — Tue, 03 Apr 2007 00:00:00 GMT

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.

FDA Blames Melamine, Not Rat Poison

Jack Stephens — Fri, 30 Mar 2007 00:00:00 GMT

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.

Pets Best Offers to Pay 100% of Bills Related to Food Recall

Jack Stephens — Tue, 27 Mar 2007 00:00:00 GMT

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.

Pet Deaths Reportedly Linked to Rat Poison

Jack Stephens — Fri, 23 Mar 2007 00:00:00 GMT

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.

Questions Surround Pet Food Recall as Pet Owners Look for Answers

Jack Stephens — Thu, 22 Mar 2007 00:00:00 GMT

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.

If my pet is insured with Pets Best prior to the announcement of the pet food causing kidney damage is my pet covered for veterinary claims associated with the tainted food?

Yes, Pets Best considers this an accidental poisoning, and it is covered under ALL Pets Best plans.

When was this problem with pet food first noticed and the recall reported?

The recall began on March 16. Pets Best became informed the next day and immediately reviewed the information and sent an alert bulletin to all of our policyholders. Our emergency bulletin informed pet owners of the problem, provided a link to the list of pet foods affected, informed pet owners regarding the symptoms to look for and what to do if their pet had symptoms.

The problem may have been known some time prior to the recall, according to some news sources. Please note that the actual cause has not yet been determined. An investigation is underway to determine how it happened, what caused the problems and who is responsible.

If my pet has been eating the food listed from the website, what should I do?

You should I M MEDIATELY STOP feeding the food. Save the packaging or labels and any receipts you have and have your pet’s kidney function tested. Call your veterinarian for an appointment to have a simple blood test to check if your pet’s kidneys have been damaged.

There were 95 brands of dog and cat food affected by the recall, reportedly produced and sold between Dec. 2006 and March 2007. Go to www.menufoods.com/recall/ for the complete list.

What if my pet has damage to their kidneys?

Follow your veterinarians’ advice and seek the care they recommend. Treatments will vary according to how severe the kidneys have been damaged. The blood test and your veterinarian will determine the damage. There may be other tests that are recommended depending on the test results and your pet’s age and health status.

What are the symptoms of kidney damage?

The symptoms will vary by the degree of damage, but look for the following symptoms: lethargy, listlessness, vomiting, drinking excessive amounts of water, urinating excessively, not eating and general malaise or simply not feeling well.

So far, most of the affected pets have been cats, and they typically start with vomiting. Several pet owners have reported that their cat would not eat the offending food. Our first policyholder to submit a claim reported that her cats started with vomiting and staggering gait. She rushed them to the emergency clinic and most unfortunately one died. The other cat is undergoing treatment.

What should I do if my pet has these symptoms?

Consult your veterinarian immediately and, again, STOP feeding the listed food. Your veterinarian will need to take a small sample of blood for a laboratory test that will check kidney function, as well as a host of other tests to determine your pet’s general health. If your pet is demonstrating symptoms, the key is quick treatment.

How did this happen?

We do not know yet, our website will be posting the latest information as it develops. The manufacturer, Menu Foods, thinks it was an ingredient commonly utilized in pet foods that was from a new vendor who unknowingly provided the tainted product. Again, more research and much investigation will be conducted in order to determine the exact cause.

I heard that Pets Best has offered to pay policyholders 100% of the claims associated with poisoning from the recalled food up to the policy per-incident limit for this recall and then obtain the co-payment and deductible from the manufacturer. Does that mean I give up my rights to sue or seek restitution?

No, Pets Best is not involved in any legality or in the rights of affected consumers. We are offering to help our policyholders obtain a quick reimbursement of their pets’ medical expenses related to the food recall. Our action to help our policyholders has nothing to do with their rights as a consumer.

We are not even sure we will recover subrogation rights, however if we do, we will only seek the payments we made to protect and help our policyholders.

We will subrogate (or request that the manufacturer repay us) for our losses associated with any claims we pay on your behalf. This is important to avoid any rate increase due to this unfortunate incident that would otherwise affect our policyholders.

Our goal is to ease the entire financial burden quickly for our policyholders. This is a very abnormal situation, and we want pet owners to only worry about regaining their pets to a healthy state.

What is the Pets Best policy limit for poisoning?

For the Accident-Only plan, the accidental poisoning limit is $1,500, for Pets Basic the per-incident limit is $2,500 and for Pets First the per-incident limit is $7,000. If you are unsure which plan you have, please call or e-mail us. 1-888-899-0402 or customerservice@petsbest.com.

What if I want to sue the food company involved?

That is up to you. Pets Best is not and will not be involved in any legal proceedings associated with the recall. Our goal is simply to help our policyholders receive reimbursement for all expenses related to any damage their pet received from the pet food recall.

How many pets were affected by the offending pet food?

To date 16 pets have died and over 500 have been identified as probable for poisoning, however more are reported or suspected daily. The damage caused may be progressive or acute. Most reports are of an acute illness associated with the food, within hours or days. There may be more pets developing chronic kidney damage, especially if they received small doses over longer periods of time. It is still too early to determine the exact responses and illnesses that will be the result. Also, because there were pets experiencing kidney failure due to unknown causes prior to the recall announcement, there may be many more related illnesses.

I am not sure if my pet ate the offending food and he seems fine now, what should I do?

First, we recommend not overreacting. If you are concerned, have your veterinarian take a blood sample from your pet and screen all the internal organs and blood. This is something that you should have performed for your pet anyway. Annual exams and health screens are a must. You should consider twice-a-year health exams and screens if your pet is aged or has history of medical problems.

An annual blood test, along with annual exams and other wellness benefits are provided with our Pets Wellness coverage (which can be chosen in addition to your Pets First or Pets Basic plans). Your pet should have these benefits at least once a year to detect any problems early.

Will Pets Best pay for the blood test?

If you have Pets Wellness, an annual blood test is included in the benefits, as well as a urinalysis and wellness exam. Should your pet have kidney damage or any other abnormal finding that developed and was acquired after your pet’s policy went into effect the appropriate test would be covered under both Pets Basic and Pets First plans.

As a pet owner what is my recourse?

We will keep you posted on our website, but be assured the pet manufacturers and distributors are taking this problem very seriously. Our interest is to make sure you have the right information to protect your pet and help you pay for medical expenses when your pet requires veterinary care.

Why is Pets Best providing early information and advice?

We truly care about the health of your pet, which is why we provided the early alert bulletin, even when we were not sure of the severity of the recall. We will continue to post updates, status and advice for our policyholders and pet owners in general as they develop.

While paying for your pet’s medical needs is our business, I truly love pets and have six dogs, two cats and four horses of my own. Keeping your pet healthy is my passion and has been for more than 30 years.

PET FOOD RECALL UPDATE

Jack Stephens — Wed, 21 Mar 2007 00:00:00 GMT

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

Pets Best Insurance is receiving claims for kidney damage.
Veterinarians are treating more cases of kidney damage as now being reported in the leading veterinary network.
Preliminary estimates of affected pets may be low and requires a national reporting network. No one yet knows the magnitude of the problem, but the potential offending agent in the pet food could cause significant kidney failure in thousands of pets who ate the food. The longer they were ingesting the offending food, the worse the damage, though the specific cause is still not known.

IMPORTANT THINGS FOR YOU TO KNOW

Kidney damage can occur slowly. Symptoms and damage may be progressive or cause acute illness if larger doses of the offending ingredient are given or if the pet is older or in poor health.
Symptoms will depend on a host of factors, such as amount and time span of the toxin introduced into the pet, age, health, how quickly the toxin is removed, and how quickly treatment is initiated.
Look for lack of appetite, lethargy, vomiting, weight loss, listlessness, increased urination and drinking water excessively.
A simple blood test is the first and best solution to determine if your pet has any kidney damage.
If your pet is older, the damage can become more irreversible.
Your veterinarian can collect necessary samples and interpret your pet’s kidney function.
To date the pet food in question is only from certain “wet” pet foods, no dry pet food is known to be involved.

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

Will cover any kidney damage that developed from exposure after your enrollment.
Will pay 80% after the deductible, up to the per-incident limit of $2,500 or $7,000, whichever you chose at enrollment.

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

Provide $ 35 for a wellness exam.
Provide $ 60-100 for blood panel, which includes the kidney function (depends on your particular state coverage).
Provide $ 25 for a urinalysis test.

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.

Pet Food Recall

Jack Stephens — Tue, 20 Mar 2007 00:00:00 GMT

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.

Pets Improve our Health

Jack Stephens — Mon, 12 Mar 2007 00:00:00 GMT

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

Do The British Love Their Pets More Than We Do?

Jack Stephens — Thu, 01 Mar 2007 00:00:00 GMT

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.

Claim Examples

Jack Stephens — Wed, 03 Jan 2007 00:00:00 GMT

A Routine Visit Helps Identify Tumor Early

Bebe, a 10-year-old Bicon Frise, recently went in for a routine annual visit. Bebe's owner had enrolled in Pets Best's Best Wellness plan and was using the benefits for Bebe's annual visits.

It was suggested to Bebe's owner that since the wellness benefits provide for an annual blood test that blood be drawn and sent to the lab. Although it was almost an afterthought, the blood test revealed an elevated enzyme that occurs with liver damage.

Further testing, including an ultrasound, revealed that a tumor was present. A veterinary specialist in Los Angeles was able to remove the tumor, which would not have been found except for the routine annual visit and blood work.

Pets Best reimbursed Bebe's owner 80%, or $3,440 out of $4,300, since the per-incident deductible had already been met. Additionally, Bebe's owner was reimbursed $1,012 for the expense of her regular veterinarian. To date $4,452 has been sent to Bebe's owner for Bebe's squamous cell carcinoma of the liver, a very deadly tumor type that was thankfully caught in time.

Separate Incidents, Same Dog

Miss Pugsly, a 5-year-old Pug, recently developed pancreatitits, an infection of the pancreas. After a referral from Miss Pugsly's regular veterinarian and an emergency clinic to the Teaching Hospital at Texas A&M Veterinary School, a biopsy was performed. The biopsy cost was $2,341, of which Pets Best paid 80%. Thankfully, the mass was not malignant.

About a month after developing pancreatitis, our curious Miss Pugsly decided to swallow rat poison. For this trip to the vet, Pets Best reimbursed $1,400 towards this treatment, or 80% after the deductible.

We're hoping that 2007 is a stress-free year for Miss Pugsly and her owner!

Sam's Story

Sam, an 11-year-old Golden Retriever, developed severe diarrhea and vomiting, much to his owners' distress. X-rays revealed a foreign body in the intestinal tract. Upon exploratory surgery to remove the foreign body, it was discovered that Sam's intestines had ruptured, causing a severe infection in the abdominal cavity. The cost of Sam's surgery was $4,262, of which Pets Best reimbursed $3,344, or 80% after the deductible.

Paco's Troubles Still a Mystery

Paco, a 1-year-old Shih Tzu, developed vomiting for reasons that are still unknown to his owner. After a trip to the vet, Pets Best reimbursed Paco's owner $1,486, or 80% after the deductible, for diagnostic testing, including a blood panel and x-rays, hospitalization and treatments.

Pets & New Children

Jack Stephens — Fri, 15 Dec 2006 00:00:00 GMT

There are many reasons why people should not consider "getting rid" of a pet when a new child enters the home. Unfortunately, this happens all too often with pets that have provided years of companionship. They become disposable. The pet owner mistakenly believes that a new child and a pet are incompatible. They may be concerned that the added responsibilities will be too much for them, or that the pet might injure the child. However, the many advantages for pets in households with children far outweigh these concerns; usually, those who consider disposing of their pet are unaware of the many positive benefits that result from pets.

HEALTH BENEFITS
It now documented and scientifically proven that pets are good for our health and well-being. The simple act of petting a dog will improve a human's internal biochemistry in several ways. Interaction with a dog or other pet increases certain hormones such as prolactin (the feel-good hormone) and oxytocin (the warm-feeling hormone). These are interesting bodily changes in our chemistry, especially given that these hormones are higher in women and even higher in women with newborn infants! Prolactin is responsible primarily for milk let-down in nursing mothers, and oxytocin is primarily responsible for the birthing stimulus. In other words, Mother Nature gives women higher levels of these hormones, so they will be more nurturing towards infants. Over the eons of interacting with animals, this same biological benefit was also being developed by safe, quiet interacting with animals for both men and women. If pets provide us with higher levels of the very same hormones, ones that cause us to be more nurturing and to generally feel better, why remove the stimulus?

Pets also decrease cortisol, the stress hormone. Blood levels of the primary hormone that can be measured when we are stressed (cortisol) actually decrease when we pet a pet. It has been a long time since I raised my four children, and I loved them dearly when they were small; but I can tell you it was stressful being a parent. Why remove the pet that actually reduces your stress and has the other proven benefits of reducing your blood pressure?

Additionally, pets increase certain neurotransmitters and other favorable chemicals that allow your nerves to work more efficiently and effectively. Pets improve Serotonin levels, decreasing depression. Think about all the post-partum depression that occurs and how having a pet may play a role in alleviating depression. It has been well documented - and I have personally seen many times - that obtaining a pet will lessen or even alleviate depression. I have witnessed people eliminate antidepressants completely by the simple act of acquiring a companion pet. Notice I said "companion pet," because the pet needs to interact with you daily and be part of your life in order to obtain the maximum health benefits. If a household pet, such as a dog or cat is not feasible, consider an aquarium. There are even measurable benefits, such as lowering blood pressure, that have been observed with the interaction of pet fish and people.

INTRODUCTION OF CHILD AND PET
Household pets, especially older pets, should be introduced with the new child, just as you would introduce the new infant to a sibling. After all, we don't call pets our babies and treat them like children for nothing; and - as with human siblings - there can be some jealousy of a new member of the family. Proper introduction can head that issue off and prevent a negative association with the new member.

Allow the pet to see and sniff the new family member. Praise and pet the pet as you do the introduction, and always follow up with a treat. A few episodes of positive reinforcement with praise and petting, followed up by a treat, will soon associate the new family member with rewards. This same pattern should be used for any new family member, whether four-legged or two-legged. This should work in most all cases, if not; consult a professional behaviorist for advice. There is a solution to almost all situations.

THE CUROSITY FACTOR
Most pets are simply curious about a new family member. After all, this has been their household, and anything new in the environment demands their attention. Pets, like humans, need to assimilate and understand how change affects them. They have questions, which, while they cannot be expressed in language, are important to resolve through positive reinforcement and close supervision at the introduction.

Pets, like very small children, are curious and need to know how to avoid anxiety, frustration and undesirable results. Also, pets, like children, cannot express, nor can they understanding in our language, what is going on. In other words, you can not simply tell a dog how wonderful it is that the new baby is here and expect him to understand. Once their curiosity has been satisfied and they receive positive feedback for their curiosity, things will return to normal in most households, and nearly all pets will accept, if not welcome, the new member of the family. It is important to understand that a pet's behavior is a direct result of your actions and reinforcement through the positive feedback mechanisms of praise and reward.

WELCOME DISTRACTION
In our hectic lives pets can be a welcome, non-judgmental distraction from our stresses of the day. We have many demands, and a new child, although most welcomed, does come with stress. There are more concerns regarding how they are doing, their comfort, feeding, bathing, and changing of diapers, for instance, that increase the parents' work load. The argument that adopting the pet out will relieve a few more burdens or chores that take time away is not valid, because the pet does not take that much time away. And - as we know from the positive biochemical and hormonal changes pets provide - valuable improvements in our lives because of our pets allow us to be even better parents.

ALLERGIES
The old school of thought that keeping children, especially infants, away from pets was helpful for preventing allergies has now been scientifically shown to be wrong. Evidence supports that early exposure to pets is actually better at preventing future allergies and non-exposure causes greater allergies for many children. Having pets around infants may actually improve their chances of having fewer allergies, certainly to pet dander, anyway.

LOYALTY
In life, we owe certain loyalties to individuals, our family, society, the community and our government for the benefits they provide us. There is no less loyalty owed to a companion pet who has been there for you and been part of your family. You owe them an allegiance for the value they have brought to your life. Changes in your family situation do not change your loyalty to your other family members. It does not change your loyalty to society or to your community, nor should it change the loyalty you have to your pet. We are the protectors of children and pets. The creator granted us dominion over animals, but with that dominion comes responsibility. All things are temporary and transient, but how you deal with life and others is not. Pets give us unconditional love and loyalty. That loyalty should be reciprocated and not abdicated when family situations change.

PROTECTION
I realize your pet may not be a Lassie that will save your child as Lassie did for Timmy many times, but it does happen. Pets commonly protect children introduced to them when they are mature. As the children age, many animals bond to children in their homes, in a manner that is still to be quantified. In fact, many breeds of dogs were specially bred to protect the children of emperors and nobles. There are many stories of pets protecting children and families. Cats have awoken their owners when a fire was present in the home, saving their owners' lives. A pot bellied pig, when its owner suffered an incapacitating stroke, went into the street and would not move until a person followed her to her stricken master. Dogs have pulled children out of lakes and pools.

Dogs and horses have saved children from poisonous snakes. Even birds can be early warning signals for toxic fumes. Remember the canaries in the coal mines? Coal miners placed canaries in the mine shafts to warn of deadly toxic gases, by giving their lives as an early warning. Now instruments have been designed to take the canary's place and measure deadly gases in the air.

One never knows when disaster will strike, or what form danger could come in for your child. Why not have trusted pet companions that can sense and know things you do not and can be there when you are not to protect your child?

There are many positive benefits of companion pets for you and your child. With a few easy steps, you can be assured of a good relationship between you, your pet and your new child or family member. The benefits of keeping the pet far outweigh the attitude that when new family members come, pets must go.