Posted by: H.M.
For Pets Best Insurance
If you are like many pet owners across the country, you may be considering buying pet insurance for your dog or cat. With veterinary care getting more expensive, taking good care of our furry family members can become a real economic hurdle.
A good dog or cat insurance policy can help with those costs, allowing your pet to receive the best care available. But you will want to do your research carefully because pet insurance costs do vary from plan to plan.
What will be covered?
First, you will need to find out what kinds of veterinary care pet health insurance companies cover. Below are some coverage options to consider:
• Routine – Routine care is usually not covered as part of a basic pet insurance plan. Routine services include physical exams (not related to an illness or injury), vaccinations, some routine lab tests, etc. Companies like Pets Best Insurance offer a plan that includes routine care for an additional monthly fee.
• Vet services related to a health problem – The majority of basic pet insurance plans cover services related to illness, accidents or injuries. This usually includes emergency visits, surgeries, hospitalization, diagnostic lab blood work, tests like MRIs and X-rays, prescription medicines and more.
• Alternative treatments – Another add-on you might consider are “alternative” treatments like chiropractic care or acupuncture. Some companies charge an additional fee for this kind of care, but Pets Best Insurance offers limited annual coverage for chiropractic and acupuncture in its standard plans.
• Levels of care – Many pet insurance companies offer a menu of plans, mainly on different levels like “Basic,” or “Premier” and are priced accordingly.
• “Limited” Coverage – Some cat and dog insurance companies will offer limited coverage for things like pregnancies, hereditary conditions, behavioral problems and mortality expenses.
Know Exactly What Your Costs Will Be
A reliable, high-quality pet insurance company will spell out all the costs and coverage of its plans so you’ll know exactly what you’re paying for, and what you’ll get. You shouldn’t have to worry about unexpected or hidden costs. Ask lots of questions from the customer service representatives until you are satisfied and feel confident in their responses.
Select a Pet Insurance company
After you have researched and factored in all the costs of a plan, you can determine what will be the best pet insurance for you and your pet. Some people will opt for a very basic pet insurance plan, and others may decide a full array of services will suit them. But only you know what will fit into your budget or what is comfortable for you.
For more information about cat and dog insurance, visit www.petsbest.com.
Puppies are delightful. Watching their antics and enthusiasm for life is contagious. But that adorable fluff ball can grow into a problem child if not properly trained! After signing your pup up for dog insurance, house training is one of the next most important things your puppy will need. Start your puppy training program with a good potty training. It takes patience and perseverance, but training your pet is worth the ultimate goal: a house trained dog and a happy owner.
Getting Started
There are several effective methods of house or potty training your puppy.
• Paper or pad training – Newspapers used to be the only option, but now there are chemically-treated pads for your new puppy that attract them with scent. When you see signs that he needs to go, like sniffing the floor, etc., pick him up and carry him to the paper/pad and encourage him to go there. Gradually, move the pads closer to the door and then outside. Be sure and praise him every time he uses the pad.
• Crate training – The idea is that a puppy will not eliminate where he sleeps. So the size of the crate is critical. it should be roomy enough for him to comfortably stand and move around. A too-large crate may result in him using a corner to eliminate. Using the proper sized crate trains a puppy to hold it until you’re able to let him outside– but the time-frame should be reasonable.
A puppy should also be crated when he isn’t under observation. Before and after he is crated, be sure to take him outdoors. Don’t play with him on these trips outside – the objective is for him to eliminate only. Praise him when he goes. Then you can play a quick game of fetch.
• Supervised continuously – If you’re able to be with the puppy at all times, you can watch for his pre-elimination behavior and whisk him outside to go. When he goes, praise him and take him back in right away.
Most training sources agree on the two main rules that are critical to the success of your puppy’s house training:
Never punish when you didn’t see him do it. When you punish a puppy that had a previous accident, he has no ability to make the correlation between eliminating in the wrong spot and your actions. When you catch him going where he shouldn’t, pick him up calmly and sternly say “no” and take him outside.
Praise him when he does it right – Animals love to be praised and receive positive attention. Using praise appropriately will help to counterbalance the “no’s” he’s hearing when he goes in the wrong place.
For more information about training puppies and pet insurance, visit www.petsbest.com.
During summer, it is essential to protect pets and other domesticated animals from possible encounters with local wildlife, which can result in injuries to pets as well as expose them to dangerous diseases. This is why proper attention to pet health and safety, and researching the best pet insurance, is essential in order to ensure the well-being of household pets in the great outdoors.
Fencing Around the Home
Fences are a good first step in preventing pets from coming into contact with other animals, but they only provide a basic level of protection and cannot defend against wildlife that can dig or climb over these barriers. Fences should be maintained and checked for holes and gaps.
Rabies Shots
One of the greatest risks to pets is the threat of contracting rabies from infected wildlife. Reported rabies cases are up this year in several areas of the country. The Virginia Department of Health, for example, is cautioning pet owners in the New River Valley district that the number of cases of rabies through May of 2011 has already matched the number for the entirety of last year. Cases have been reported in skunks, cats, raccoons and cows. Other areas of the state are similarly affected by the highly infectious disease.
The best way to ensure pet safety and to protect pets against contracting this deadly viral infection is to ensure that they get annual vaccinations against rabies as part of their regular veterinary routine. Rabies vaccinations are required in most areas of the country and provide nearly 100% protection for pets against contracting the disease. Some pet health insurance plans cover a portion these and other routine vaccinations.
Habitat Alterations
In Florida, the growing coyote population is beginning to pose a threat to domesticated animals. There have been a number of substantiated reports of coyotes stalking cats and dogs and even attacking them, according to Greg Andrews of Pinellas County Animal Services.
One way to make lawns and outdoor living areas less attractive to coyotes and other predators is by ensuring that pet food and garbage cans are not readily available food sources outside. Additionally, keeping the grass short and hedges and shrubs neatly trimmed is safer for pets since it presents fewer hiding places for undesired wildlife.
Another way to protect pets from wildlife and outdoor dangers is with pet insurance. Pet health insurance helps to manage costs associated with most possible wildlife-related incidents and also help ensure the best possible veterinary care is more afforable to your beloved pet.
If you look in the dictionary under “hardest working dog,” you might see a picture of an Australian Cattle Dog (ACD), also called a Blue Heeler. Many dog lovers and pet insurance enthusiasts alike have a fondness for this particular breed.
This breed is a member of the herding group and his skills in this area are quite impressive. One of the most intelligent breeds, this loyal, protective dog does best when he has a job to do.
Breed Description
The ACD is muscular with a compact body. He has straight front legs with round feet and short toes. His head is broad and curved between the ears, which are wide-set. He has dark brown, oval eyes. The ACD has a smooth double coat with a dense undercoat. The coat colors range from red speckled, blue, blue-mottled and can either have markings or not. The puppies are born white due to a gene passed down from past crosses with Dalmatians.
Temperament
Because this breed is a herding dog, he needs an active life, preferably with a job to do. Without sufficient exercise and activity, he is easily prone to boredom, which can lead to destructive behaviors. A short daily walk is not enough for this dog to be healthy and happy. Because they are so intelligent, they respond to a high level of obedience training. But if you don’t have the time to invest in both good training and a high level of exercise, the Australian Cattle Dog is not likely for you. You may want to factor hiring a trainer and looking into dog insurance, when considering the cost of dog ownership for this specific breed.
It is imperative that owners establish dominance at an early age or this breed can become aggressive to other dogs and can be difficult to control. The owner needs to be alpha in the ACD’s “pack” and to enforce that fighting will not be tolerated. But with adequate training, this dog can be a very grounded, trustworthy and happy pet. Nipping at people’s heels is sometimes seen as the dog trying to herd them. This behavior needs to be addressed as unacceptable.
Size
Because the ACDs are such strong, muscular dogs, they would appear to be heavier, but males weigh between 32 and 35 pounds; females are 30 to 35 pounds. They are 17 to 20 inches in height; females are 17 to 19 inches.
Health Issues
This breed is prone to hip dysplasia and progressive retinal atrophy (PRA), which can lead to blindness. A dog insurance policy is always a good idea to help with the cost of veterinary care.
Puppies can be trouble. They are curious and mischievous which means they can get into all kinds of things and cause chaos. A puppy that is left alone can do some serious damage, like chewing your favorite shoes, or even causing damage to your home. Dog insurance can cover your puppy if she gets carried away and actually ingests something she should not eat, like your shoe, a child’s toy, a favorite towel, or even your wedding ring.
Lack of puppy exercise is a major contributor to boredom, which leads to puppies chewing excessively. Puppies that chew excessively can end up destroying their toys, and if they are left for long periods of time, puppies can chew other items in the home including furniture, personal items, and even the actual walls of the house. Dog insurance helps to ensure that if your puppy does eat something, the vet bill won’t leave you financially strapped.
Eating non-food objects can lead diarrhea and other pet health conditions in puppies. A foreign object is a serious medical concern. Foreign objects can cause a blockage of the intestines, which can lead to death if not treated. If the object perforates the intestines, the situation then turns into a medical emergency. Pet insurance should be a requirement for all puppy owners in case the worst happens to your curious puppy.
To keep your puppy from chewing things they shouldn’t, keep them in an area where they can be supervised at all times. Use pet gates to keep your puppy out of rooms that are not puppy-proofed. Exercise your puppy daily to help stimulate them both mentally and physically.
