Welcome to Pet Insurance Tips

The Responsibility of Pet Ownership

Pet ownership is a job, but as any pet owner knows, it is also a responsibility. Pets require attention, care, and love, just as humans do. They also require pet health care. In the past, a majority of pet owners have only visited their vets when there was an emergency or health problem.

Today, more pet owners are engaging in pet wellness care that helps prevent some problems before they start. Vets are encouraging this wellness care too, because they know it helps create happier healthier pets. Many experts now recommend two vet visits a year, and vet pet insurance can help defray the costs of these visits if they cover office visits and routine care.

Pet owners want their pets to live longer, healthier lives, and one way to accomplish this is to be a responsible pet owner and take a greater part in your pet's health and wellness, including more check-ups annually, and investing in vet pet insurance for your pet's health needs.

What you must know about veterinary surgical procedures

Common veterinary surgical procedures that most pets may need to have done once in their lifetime may include surgeries like spaying and neutering, dental veterinary surgery like tooth removal, removal of tartar and cleaning procedures. Accidents and emergencies in pets always need urgent veterinary surgical procedures. Fractures, deep wounds and cuts, and other conditions caused due to falls and slips are other conditions for which emergency veterinary surgical procedures will be needed.

Other difficult veterinary surgical procedures like hip replacement surgery, tumor removals, cataract removal, repair of torn ligaments, gastrointestinal and urogenital surgery may be need to be done in special centers that your family veterinarian may refer you to.

All veterinary surgical procedures do involve a moderate degree of expenses and then depending on where and who is doing the veterinary surgery the expenses may vary from affordable to very expensive. However, if you have a pet insurance plan that has veterinary surgical procedures included in the plan, you can give your pet the best veterinary care without having to worry so much about the costs incurred.

Your 30 second guide to veterinarian exams and procedures

Make sure that the pet insurance policy you get covers all the routine veterinarian exams and procedures. Veterinarian exams could be a complete pet health checkup with veterinary diagnostic tests included. That could be blood tests to check for anemia, white blood cell counts, blood sugar levels, heart worms, liver and kidney conditions.

Veterinary procedures could be minor examinations like eye, ear and throat examinations or slightly more difficult procedures like endoscopy,bronchoscopy or cystoscopy. In these procedures, an endoscope is passed. That may require mild sedation and anesthesia for a short time. So, there is an element of risk involved here.

Then, there are other veterinarian exams done to make diagnosis easier. These include veterinary imaging tests like X rays and ultrasound, CT and MRI scans. All these veterinarian exams may work out to quite a bit. If you have already taken a pet insurance policy for your pets that includes veterinary imaging tests, veterinary procedures and veterinarian exams, then going through any of these veterinary procedures may not work out so expensive for you. In fact, when you get a pet insurance policy for your pets, 80-90% of the veterinarian exam fees including expenses on pet prescription diets will be reimbursed. Remember, some companies promise to reimburse 100% of your veterinarian exam costs.

The Cat Wellness Exam

Experts recommend twice-yearly exams for dogs and cats to catch unidentified problems the owner might not be aware of before those health-related problems damage a cat's health.

The cat exam will usually consist of taking blood or other lab samples for testing, a dental check, a parasite check, listening to the heart and circulatory system, and an overall view of the cat and the cat's condition.

These exams don't take a lot of time, but they can make a real difference in the well being of your cat. The doctor gets an idea of how the cat's health is day-to-day, and can quickly assess any problems that might appear. Most vet insurance polices cover the cost of these plans. They understand that routine exams mean better health and fewer health problems down the road.

Communication With Your Vet During Exams

Communication with your vet is a key ingredient in your dog's health. During your dog exam, remind your vet of any prior health issues your dog has had. Your vet may not remember each detail of prior treatment.

Also tell your vet how your dog is behaving, eating, drinking, eliminating, etc. All of these may seem minor details to you, but your vet may hear something that's not quite right, which can lead to a health problem you might not even be aware of. Don't be afraid to ask questions, either.

If you have vet insurance, they may have a list of preferred vets in your area. If not, ask friends and family who they recommend, or check with your local animal shelter for vets they recommend. Some vet insurance companies require you to see registered providers. If you're not happy with that provider, be sure to let your vet insurance company know.

Vet Wellness Plans

More pet owners are discovering that managing their pet's wellness can add additional years to their pet's life. Creating a wellness plan should be the goal of every pet owner. Most vets will help you create a plan that meets your pet's needs and your own concerns.

This is especially important if you own a breed of dog or cat that is prone to certain illnesses. If you don't know if your breed falls into this category, check with your vet. Vet insurance can help with the costs of these wellness plans in many cases, because more vet insurance plans are now covering preventative medicine as well as accidents and diseases.

Most vets urge owners to bring in their pets twice a year for an exam. It only takes a few minutes, but it can add years to your pet's life. It can also bring you peace of mind that you are doing all you can to make your pet as healthy as possible.

Non-Routine Pet Exams

Today, most veterinary hospitals resemble any large city hospital. They contain x-ray machines, CAT scan machines, surgeries, and patient recovery areas. Some even have their own labs where they can run tests and get the results back quickly.

That means your vet can do many non-routine exams in his office now, from echocardiograms to x-rays, lab tests, CAT scans, MRIs, and much, much more. Your pet can receive the same high-quality care that you do if you have a health concern.

Because of these non-routine exam procedures, vet insurance is necessary even for what you think might be a routine office visit. Veterinary pet insurance can help defray the costs of these non-routine exams, and can help you get the highest quality care for any of your pets.

Pet Eye Exams

Another important pet exam not to ignore is the pet eye exam. Pets can get many eye diseases such as cataracts, glaucoma, and many others, and at least some of these diseases can lead to permanent blindness.

Pets can't tell you when they can't see, or when they have blurred vision, and you may not even notice a gradual change in your pet's eyes. Many vet pet insurance policies cover wellness exams, or you can purchase extra protection to cover these twice-yearly exams. As pet owners continue to take better care of their pets, veterinary pet insurance will play an increasingly important role in pet health and veterinary care.

The Pre-Anesthesia Exam

When your cat has an exam that requires anesthesia, it is a good idea to have a pre-anesthesia exam to determine the cat's overall health, and to ensure the health of the heart, kidneys, and liver, so they will not be damaged or affected by the anesthesia. The doctor will do a blood test to check the kidneys and liver.

This exam is especially important for cats with health problems, or a cat who has never had anesthesia before. If the doctor does not administer the correct amount of anesthesia, it can have devastating affects on the cat, so this pre-exam is extremely important.

Vet pet insurance should cover the cost of this exam. If you're in doubt, always check with your vet pet insurance company before you have any procedure. Today, anesthesia is not as dangerous as it once was, but you never know how your cat will react to the various anesthetics used today, so make sure not to skip this vital exam.

Pet Dental Exams

Part of your regular dog or cat exam should be a dental exam. The doctor will look at your dog's teeth, mouth, gums, and lips to make sure there no abnormalities or other health problems. For example, a lack of color in gums could mean your dog has anemia.

The dental exam will also look at the dog's teeth. Healthy teeth are white and clean. If your dog's teeth need cleaning, you can schedule a cleaning appointment with your vet during this exam. Most vet pet insurance covers the cost of regular dog exams and teeth cleaning, so you can keep your dog healthy and happy.

Teeth cleaning requires anesthesia for your dog, so ask your vet if there are any precautions or preparations you should make before your dog's appointment. Dental exams are a key part of keeping your dog healthy and happy.

Pre-paid Vet Insurance

Pre-paid vet pet insurances is another way vets are maintaining pet health while serving their clients' needs. They work with a third party to create different plans for wellness care and routine pet exams, such as annual check-ups and vaccinations, etc.

Clients can choose from several different packages that fit their needs, and the packages all combine a number of medical procedures at reduced prices. The clients know in advance what their health costs will be, and can even pay before they visit their vet for a pet exam, shots, etc.

Pre-paid vet insurance makes it easier for pet owners to keep their pets healthy, and it helps doctors by educating their clients about pet wellness and the necessity for routine check-ups and exams.

Veterinary Acupuncture

Veterinary acupuncture first made an appearance in the United States in the 1970s, and has consistently become more popular with many doctors and pet owners. It consists of treatment of the entire animal and its needs, rather than simply treating symptoms or problems.

Vets who practice acupuncture must study the process and be certified before they can offer acupuncture services. Acupuncture has become especially popular in pain relief, treatment of some diseases, and many horse problems and illnesses.

Most veterinary pet insurance policies do not cover the costs of alternative treatments, such as acupuncture. However, you should check with your particular vet pet insurance company, because the practice is becoming much more common and accepted, and more companies may cover this type of treatment in the future.