Pet Insurance Tips

When it comes to Pet Insurance, we've been there, done that, now serving 172 tips in 15 categories ranging from Cat Dental Care to Veterinarian Exams and Procedures.

A New Pet Exam

When adopting a pet from the shelter they recommend taking it in for a new pet exam right away. If you do not already have a vet then you can use this opportunity to interview a vet and see if they are a good fit for you and your pet. During the pet exam you should find out how the vet feels about veterinary pet insurance and what plans they take. After you find out what plans the vet accepts, take a close look at what each plan covers and what it does not cover. Some plans cover almost anything with a co payment, while others exclude many diseases and accidental injuries. If you decide to get veterinary pet insurance remember that no plan covers preexisting conditions so it is better to get covered right away while the pet is young and without medical problems. Always remember that you get what you pay for when it comes to any insurance. The higher the premiums the more coverage you will get when you really need to use. it. The lower the premiums, the more you will pay out of pocket when it comes time to use the insurance

   

Dog Tape Worms

Dog Tape Worms or "Dipylidium Caninum"(their scientific name) is a parasite that can be found in the small intestine of a dog. They can grow to 20cm long and they have hook like mouths that they can hook themselves onto the dog's intestinal walls. Dogs can get worms by eating fleas off of their own body. After being eaten, the fleas break down in the body and the cysticercoids (larvae) develop into worms in dogs. When the worms develop tails, they break off and you can find them near the dogs anus or in their feces. (they look like small grains of rice) Dogs mainly get this from fleas, but can also get them by eating small rodents or lizards. It is easy to treat this by going to your vet and getting a pill that will kill the tapeworms and it also leaves little side effects. you can regularly get dog de-worming from your vet, but it is really important to keep the fleas away. There are many good flea treatments that are natural and stronger ones that are prescribed by your Vet. Take these actions to have a healthy, happy wormless dog for a very long time.

   

Understanding And Identifying Tapeworms

Almost every cat will get tapeworms at some point in their lifetime. Cat tape worms are an internal parasite that can be very troublesome and thus needs to be treated as soon as possible. Before you put your cat through any form of treatment though, you will need to know what to look for. Usually parts of the tapeworm will be found in the cat’s stool or in their hair around their anal region. They will look like a large grain of rice or a small pasta noodle so they can be easily seen by your naked eye. If you see this, collect a sample of their stool to take to your veterinarian who will be able to identify them on sight. They may still want to do a fecal exam in order to confirm that tapeworms are present, especially true if this is the first time that your cat has ever had any type of a tapeworm infestation. This will get you on your way to having a healthy cat again.

   

Proper Feeding To Ensure Your Pet's Optimal Health

It is imperative to your pet health that you feed your dog a very high quality dog food. This should either be a raw diet that is commercially available via pet stores or a human grade dry food. If you decide to feed your dog a commercial dog food, you will want to make sure that somewhere on the package it clearly states that, “This food has been proven to be nutritionally complete or adequate for all life stages.” Otherwise you should opt for either a puppy food when you have a young dog or an adult dog food for older dogs. Regardless of what type of commercial dog food you purchase, you will want to look to ensure that it is AAFCO certified. This basically means that it meets the industry’s standards. On the other hand, if you opt for a human grade dog food, it will usually come in a can. This type of dog food will have a high moisture content, which will help encourage your dog to urinate properly so as not to develop a urinary tract infection.

   

Dog Health Care

Buying a new dog is exciting, and finding the right one can be a fun process. When you have found the new addition to your home, you will also need to consider the types of dog health care will need. Taking good care of your family's dog is a responsibility that must not be taken lightly. Annual examinations and regular visits to the veterinarian will be necessary to keep your furry companion healthy and happy. Dog health care examinations generally include checking the teeth, and testing a fecal sample for parasites.

Another aspect of dog health care is being prepared for accidents, you can do this by purchasing dog accident insurance. Dogs are naturally inquisitive and many times they need emergency treatment to remove inedible objects, or because they have been hit by a car. Dog accident insurance offers coverage for accidental death, allergic reactions due to insect bites, bone fractures, and lacerations. Dog accident insurance policies can be customized to include other kinds of accidents like burns and poison ingestion.

Along with vaccinations and regular examinations, proper dog health care will need to be applied in the areas of grooming, nutrition, training, and exercise. Regular visits to a professional groomer will keep their coats and teeth clean. Maintain your dog's health with proper nutrition. Ask your veterinarian about nutritional needs and selecting the best dog food. Never feed your dog scraps of food from the table. This can cause serious problems in dogs with digestive problems or sensitive stomachs.

   

Dog Dental Care: Don't Neglect Your Friend's Teeth

It wasn't long ago that even the most conscientious dog owners overlooked the important task of dog dental care. For centuries, a good chew on a bone or a stick, and eventually a hard dry dog biscuit, was all a dog could hope for when it came to dental care.
But now we know much better. We want our beloved pets to lead long, happy and healthy lives. We groom them and take care of their regular medical preventive care. Make sure you add cleaning your dogs' teeth to your weekly list of to-do's! Not only will their breath be more pleasant, but you will be doing your best to prevent painful dental issues in the future! Broken teeth, cavities and gum issues happen to dogs, as well as to people. Even an old dog will learn new tricks, when a yummy flavored doggy tooth paste is used!
In addition to regular brushing and the occasional dog dental treat, be sure to have your veterinarian give your dog's teeth a thorough exam when you are there for your regular appointment. They may recommend a professional cleaning to remove plaque build-up and other pain and cost saving measures. It is far better to invest in this preventative measure now, than to have your dog suffer the agony of tooth loss, and you the financial burden of a major procedure.

   
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