The winter months bring about a time where accidents and injuries occur frequently in pets.

In addition to accidents and illnesses, pets often get sick during the winter. Having pet insurance for your dog can help with the expenses that come with the treatments you dog may need.

Poisonings happen often during the winter months; antifreeze poisoning is one of the most common. Other chemicals used in the winter, like snow melting chemicals, can also be potentially deadly to pets. Pets can also slip and fall on icy surfaces just as easily as humans, which can easily result in broken bones. If owners have dog and cat insurance for their pets, unexpected accidents like these are often more manageable. Pet insurance companies like Pets Best Insurance reimburse pet owners 80% of the total amount of the vet bill after their deductible, so long as the issue is not preexisting.

Frost bite and hypothermia are common risks for dogs during the winter. Outside dogs are at a much higher risk of developing these conditions. Indoor dogs can be affected as well because they are not used to being in the cold weather.

Skin and feet irritations are another common aliment during the winter. The dry heat indoors can wreak havoc on your dog’s skin. Their feet can become dry and cracked due to salt and various chemicals used to melt ice and snow.

If you don’t currently have dog insurance for your pet, now is a great time to get your pet covered. When choosing insurance, make sure you do a pet insurance comparison. Comparing pet insurance plans will allow you to choose the plan that fits the needs of you and your pet.

When a pet has a change in behavior, owners need to take it as a sign that something can be amiss with their pet. According to Mike Stickney, DVM, director of general surgery services at Texas A&M University College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, “dogs and cats can’t tell us when something hurts or doesn’t feel good.

But the owners that see them everyday will realize when they’re not just being their regular selves. Any change in your pet’s behavior from what it normally does is a reason to see your veterinarian.”

Ensure that your pet is covered by pet insurance plans to keep them healthy. Having pet insurance allows you to get treatment when your pet shows signs of pet illness.

The first sign of a serious health issue that your pet can exhibit is vomiting or diarrhea. Blood in vomit or diarrhea can be a sign of gastric ulcers or a foreign body (when a pet eats something they shouldn’t have, like a tennis ball or a piece of ribbon.)

Another possible sign of a serious illness is an increase or decrease in urination. Increased urination can be a sign diabetes, liver disease, kidney disease, or adrenal gland disease. A lack of urinating or straining to urinate can be a sign of bladder stones or an obstruction of the urethra. An obstruction of the urethra is a life threatening condition.

Lack of appetite or lethargy is a serious concern, especially if it lasts more than 24 hours. Cats are more prone to consequences from not eating. Often times, lack of appetite or lethargy accompany other signs of illness.

Though the symptoms may be caused by an easy to treat diagnosis, they could also be signs of a serious illness—don’t take any chances. Anytime your pet acts abnormally, get them examined by a veterinarian. Having pet insurance will ensure that your pet’s health isn’t dictated by your finances.

With over 30 years experience in raising and training dogs, the Monks of New Skete have compiled their knowledge in the updated edition of their book How To Be Your Dog’s Best friend: The Classic Training Manual For Dog Owners.

The book is comprised of two main sections including and step-by-step training manual and an explanation of the spiritual benefits of owning a dog. The original version of the book was first published in 1978 and has sold over a half million copies. The book is one of the most popular dog training books.

The focus of the book is honest and effective communication between you and your dog. The book gives details about dog training techniques, grooming, feeding, and behavior. The updated version includes up-to-date equipment, the newest trends when it comes to care and training of dogs and case studies to help with the training concepts found in the book.

The Monk’s believe that praise and discipline are an extension of a dog owner’s caring attitude and communication with their canine companion. The book covers topics from naming your new puppy, establishing the best sleeping arrangements, and dealing with dog loneliness. The focus of the book is the spiritual connection owners have with their dogs. The book expands and strengthens this relations with its training techniques.

This book is great choice for new or experienced dog owners and can help to build on the relationship you have with your dog.

Posted by H.R.
For Pets Best Insurance

Creeky joints and a stiff back can compromise pet health at any age, but it’s particularly a problem for senior cats, overweight cats, and cats who have suffered an injury.

Dr. Carol Osborne writes on her website that “the signs of arthritis vary depending on exactly which joint or joints are affected, the age of the pet and the severity of the disease.”

According to Osborne, who was the first veterinarian to be Certified as a Diplomat of the American Board of Anti-Aging Medicine in the United States, cat health care symptoms caused from arthritis can be subtle and difficult to detect. We may forgo specialized cat pet care, attributing slowing down to old age. Arthritic cats may become reluctant to move and often “miss” the litter box, because their stiffer joints ache when trying to climb into the box.

As in humans, cold air can worsen joint aches and stiffness. Some cats may benefit from heated cat beds in the winter, as this provides joints and muscles a soft, warm place to rejuvenate.

Holistic cat health care like acupuncture can help arthritic cats feel more comfortable. It is often covered by pet health insurance. Because of the vast benefits it provides, cat insurance may be a good option for pet owners with cats of any age. Acupuncture can even be done with lasers if the cat doesn’t tolerate needles well.

Gentle exercise is often prescribed by veterinarians to keep joints limber. There is even the option to give cats aqua therapy in warm water. The heat soothes joints and muscles, and moving in water is a gentle way to get exercise. Do a pet insurance comparison to see which cat insurance providers will help to cover these types of physical therapy. For more insight on aqua therapy for cats, talk with your veterinarian.

If you’ve decided to add a new member to your family and have adopted a cute little kitten you might be wondering considering purchasing a pet insurance policy, but you might also be wondering what you should feed him.

You may be confused with all the choices you’re presented with. Do you need a kitten food or is a food that states “for all life stages” okay? Do you choose a wet food or a dry food? Should you choose natural or organic? With all the choices, feeding kittens can be more confusing than it needs to be.

Kittens are energetic animals and burn large amounts of calories each day. They need to be fed a food that is specially formulated for kittens. Kitten food provides higher amounts of protein for proper growth.

Young kittens and those that are small can benefit from the additional nutrients in wet food. Kittens that are fed both wet and dry food should be fed twice a day. If only wet food is being fed, they should be fed four times a day.

Kittens that eat dry food can be “free fed” until around four months of age. Free feeding means the kitten has free access to their food throughout the day. Once the kitten reaches four months of age, he should be switched to a scheduled feed twice a day. Kittens that are overweight should not be free fed.

Wet food should not be left out for free feedings. Wet food becomes a breeding ground for bacteria and can make your kitten sick. Use separate bowls if feeding wet and dry food to keep the dry from being contaminated from the wet food. Opened cans of wet food should be kept in the refrigerator.

Whether you choose to feed your cat wet or dry food, make sure to choose a quality natural or organic cat food. These foods offer higher quality ingredients that will help your cat live a healthy life.

When choosing a healthy dog food or healthy cat food, a natural dog food or organic cat food may be at the top of your list. Do you know what the difference is between natural and organic food? Is one better than the other? Knowing the true definition of these terms can help you make an informed decision about your pet’s food and in turn, maintain pet health.

According to the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO), who establishes the rules and regulations of animal feed, “natural” is a food or ingredient that is derived only from plant, animal, or mined sources. It must be in either an unprocessed state or have been processed in a way that is listed in the AAFCO guidelines. Every ingredient must meet the definition of natural. Ingredients that do not have to meet the definition include: synthesized minerals, trace nutrients, and vitamins.

When choosing an organic cat food or dog food, be sure to check that each ingredient is listed as organic. Companies may have organics in their name but their food is not made from actual organic ingredients. Foods that have organic ingredients will have an organic certification seal on the bag.

The terms “holistic” and “human grade” are not recognized by the AAFCO and therefore, are meaningless when used to label pet food.

Although cat health care is best protected if kept indoors during the winter, some cats still want to spend some time in the great outdoors during cold months.

For cats that demand chilly outdoor adventures, protection from the cold is still a necessity. Should a cat owner need to leave home earlier than expected, a warm shelter designed for cats will provide safety and possibly keep cats away from dangerous sources of heat such as under car hoods. Providing safety for cats can ensure that cat insurance policies won’t have to be used due to an accidental emergency.

An outdoor cat shelter can be inexpensive and is actually a simple do-it-yourself project. Plastic storage bins, straw, and some waterproof tape can easily be fashioned together to create a warm and cozy shelter from wind, rain, and snow.

The Urban Cat League, a non-profit corporation of volunteer cat lovers who provide care and protection to street cats in New York City, published easy instructions on their website to build a secure and cozy cat shelter.

In addition to shelter, heated water bowls should be left outside—hydration is key to pet health. According to Rachel Kristiansen of the Second Chance Sheridan Cat Rescue in Wyoming, “Cats will not eat snow; they do not recognize it as frozen water. A cat can easily die of thirst even though they are surrounded by snow and ice.”

Christmas trees are generally the main attraction when it comes to decorating for Christmas. With its glowing lights and beautiful ornaments, trees are attractive not only to humans but to pets as well.

But Christmas trees can pose a number of hazards to your pet. Keep your pets safe from Christmas tree dangers this holiday season so you won’t have the need to use your cat or dog insurance.

A common danger when putting up a Christmas tree is the tree falling down and hurting you or your pets. Trees should be placed securely into tree stands and secured to a wall or window in order to prevent them from falling.

Another Christmas tree danger for pets is the needles of the tree. Whether you have a real or artificial tree, pets should not be allowed to chew on the needles. They can cause irritations in their mouth and intestines.

Ornaments offer another potential danger to pets. Tinsel should be avoided as it can cause intestinal blockages if ingested. Other types of ornaments to avoid are food ornaments like candy canes and popcorn. Glass ornaments or breakable ornaments should be placed at the top of the tree and out of your pet’s reach.

Electrical cords and light cords are also a danger to pets. Keep pets away from electrical cords to keep them from chewing them, which can lead to electrical shock or even death.

Before the holidays, it is a good idea to brush up on your pet first aid skills and to ensure you have a pet insurance policy for your dog or cat. Pets are more prone to accidents this time of year so being prepared with a dog or cat insurance plan is a good idea. Pet insurance policies also make great gifts for the dog or cat in your life.

If you are getting a new pet this holiday season, be sure to give your family the gift of peace-of-mind by getting pet insurance.

Pet insurance is a great way to ensure that your pet is covered in the case of an accident or illness. Not only is pet insurance a great gift for the holidays, it makes a great gift any time of the year.

It doesn’t matter if your new pet is pure bred or a mix, pet insurance makes sense. No dog is immune to accidents or illnesses. Pet health insurance is great to have when your new puppy decides to eat a sock and has an intestinal blockage that requires surgery. It’s also handy to have when your new kitten jumps off the couch and breaks its leg. Pet insurance is there for you and your pet when you need it most.

Pet insurance companies, like Pets Best Insurance, let you choose the pet insurance plan that meets the needs of you and your pet. You choose the deductible that fits your budget. You can also choose how much coverage you want your pet to have. It’s a customizable plan that covers what you need without breaking the bank.

Ease some of the stress that can come with owning a new pet by having them covered under a pet insurance plan. Call Pets Best Insurance today for a free quote at 866-440-2020 or visit them at www.petsbest.com.

*Please note: If you’d like to purchase a pet insurance plan as a gift, please make sure the pet’s owner reads and completes the application. It may take away some of the surprise of gift-giving, but it’s a legal requirement.

Allergies in dogs often consist of pesky irritations that see the dog returning to the vet time and time again for creams, ointment, pills and shots.

Dog allergy symptoms include hair loss, ear infections, hot spots, inflammation, and itchy, flaking skin.

Although Dog Insurance would help keep vet costs for dog allergies treatment more manageable, often all that is required is a change in diet. Having dog and cat insurance for pets helps ensure they get the treatment they need as soon as they needs it.

According to Carol S. Foil, DVM, MS, a Board-certified specialist through the American College of Veterinary Dermatology, dog allergy symptoms develop due to hypersensitivity to one more ingredients found in their diet, even if they’ve been eating the same diet for years.

“The allergen usually is a major protein or carbohydrate ingredient such as beef, chicken, pork, corn, wheat, or soy,” wrote Foil in Itching and Allergy in Dogs, an article published by the Veterinary Information Network Library. Foil continued, “Minor ingredients such as preservatives or dyes are also potential allergens.”

Veterinarians carry prescription diets comprised of limited ingredients, which can help alleviate dog skin allergies. There are also many similar diets available in pet stores, namely those labeled “grain-free.” Many pet owners are relieved when a change in diet offers quick relief after numerous tests and medicines fail to eliminate the allergy symptoms.

As skin problems in dogs, such as mange, can be caused by fleas and parasites, always take your dog to the vet to rule out more dangerous ailments. Pet insurance can help diminish the costs assocaited with your pet’s health. But a change in diet can be one step to a happier, healthier dog that enjoys a variety of meals at dinner time.