Early Detection, Home Health Screening Kit for Cats & Dogs
January 25, 2008 | Leave a Comment
How ThePetCheckup works For Dogs & Cats
The Pet Check up is an easy to use, early detection urinalysis test. When you give this home health screen to your dogs and cats on a regular basis (we recommend monthly) you can locate many common illnesses that affect their health—even before symptoms appear. The same test materials in ThePetCheckup are used routinely in veterinary clinics. Now they are combined in a home health kit so that you can take a more active role in keeping your cats and dogs healthy and happy. Robert Wiegert, Doctor of Veterinary Medicine and technical advisor for this product, says, “Many of the conditions that we see are correctable, often by dietary changes alone, if they are detected early enough. The problem is that by the time we see the animal, the condition is often advanced and more difficult to treat.”
If a test result does indicate an abnormality, you will be able to get veterinary care before the problem becomes serious and more difficult to treat.
Early detection means:
• Prevention of more serious illness
• Simpler, more effective treatments
• Less pain and discomfort for your pet
• Less expensive treatments for you
• Peace of mind
Give your animal friend and your veterinarian the advantage of early detection
LIMITED TIME SPECIAL OFFER
We’re providing 2 extra free tests in our kit… 8 tests instead of 6… So you can feel comfortable getting to know our product. After your first test you will feel like a pro.
Get your kit today!
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Complete Kit $26.95
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Refills $14.95
Find out more at: http://www.thepetcheckup.com
All Pets With Cancer in U.S. Provided Free Consultation
January 22, 2008 | Leave a Comment
When Jack Stephens, DVM, founder and president of Pets Best
Insurance, was diagnosed with throat cancer, he received emotional support from his small dog, Spanky. Recognizing that cancer now claims the lives of one in every two dogs and cats who are 10 years or older, this cancer survivor set out to find a way to assist companion animals diagnosed with this disease.
Effective immediately, all pets diagnosed with cancer in the United States are eligible for a free cancer consultation from Oncura Partners, a national pet cancer specialty firm with the costs underwritten by Pets Best Insurance. Pet families are not required to have a policy with Pets Best Insurance, but their consultation request must come from their veterinarian.
Veterinarians are embracing this news, including Alice Villalobos, DVM, a pioneer in pet cancer medicine and author of Canine & Feline Geriatric Oncology: Honoring the Human-Animal Bond. “The bonds that clients have developed with their older pets are especially strong and drive the increasing demand for more proficient and highly compassionate medical treatment of companion animals diagnosed with cancer,” says Dr. Villalobos, who operates the Pawspice Care Clinic in Hermosa Beach, Calif. and the Animal Oncology Consultation Service in Woodland Hills, Calif. Dr. Villalobos continued, “we applaud this important effort by Pets Best and Oncura Partners. Making treatments for cancer more accessible will certainly save a great deal of grief for many pet families and extend the lives of many, many pets.”
Early Diagnosis Is Vital To Curing Cancer
Pets Best Insurance recognizes that the key to successful cancer treatment is an early diagnosis and effective treatment regime. Sadly, qualified cancer specialists are not always available locally. This may cause pet owners and their local veterinarians to not seek specialized treatment. Or, the costs may be high and the travel time for treatments may be prohibitive for some pet owners.
With this new initiative, local veterinarians are encouraged to visit the
Pets Best web site and click on a special web site created by Pets Best, or go directly to http://www.petcancerfoundation.org to obtain the free
initial consultation from a board-certified veterinary oncologist who will
identify what treatments are the most effective for each specific cancer.
Although the Pet Cancer Foundation web site is for pet owners, the
consultation can only be provided to a licensed veterinarian. The web site, however, does provide information on cancer in pets for consumers.
“All too often, cancer treatments for pets do not happen because of the
hassle of taking your pet elsewhere, sometimes requiring driving long
distances for specialized treatments that may be needed weekly or even more often,” says Dr. Villalobos. “Or people have to hospitalize their pets far from home for weeks or months.”
“Now with this process, many cancer treatments can be successfully
implemented, monitored and adapted by a person’s own veterinarian with the benefit of a cancer specialist assisting in every step,” she adds.
In the broader perspective, this initiative was created to keep pets living longer, healthier lives and enable them to bring joy to their families. “And that is our mission at Pets Best,” stated Dr. Stephens. “We strive to provide the reimbursement for the best pet care possible.”
This effort by Dr. Jack Stephens and Pets Best Insurance is in addition to the pledge of $1 million to the Morris Animal Foundation (MAF) canine cancer cure campaign made in July of this year. Dr. Jack Stephens and Pets Best Insurance have been honored and recognized by MAF as a “Canine Cancer Campaign SuperHero’s,” joining Pfizer Animal Health as the second $1 million contributor to the campaign.
About Pets Best Insurance: Pets Best Insurance reimburses pet owners for services from the veterinarian they choose, with no schedules or fee restrictions, truly establishing it as “Pet insurance that really pays!” Pets Best Insurance was founded by Dr. Jack Stephens, the pioneer of American pet insurance with over 25 years in the pet insurance industry. Dr. Stephens is also an accomplished veterinarian and avid pet enthusiast. Pets Best includes a choice of three affordable coverage plans with a straightforward 80:20 claims reimbursement structure and no benefit schedules. The Pets Best Insurance team is a highly skilled and professional group of pet lovers who have developed products based on innovation and insight into veterinary care. Visit Pets Best Insurance at http://www.petsbest.com or phone Pets Best Insurance at 877-PetsBest (738-7237). Pets Best, Simply the Best Pet Insurance.
About Oncura Partners: Oncura Partners provides comprehensive cancer care for companion animals through our partnership with board-certified oncology professionals and the use of online tools and veterinary facilities, nationwide. We offer these resources to help improve your patients’ quality of life using advanced techniques to treat cancer, while supporting the business of veterinary oncology. Learn more by visiting its web site at http://www.oncurapartners.com or call toll-free at 866-233-9100.
(Please Note: I have not had any experience with Pet’s Best Insurance nor Am I being reimbursed for the mention of the Pet’s Best Insurance Company in this article.)
Feline Heartworms: The Best Cure Is Prevention
January 21, 2008 | Leave a Comment
Heart-worms are now a recognized problem in cats and prevention is the name of the game.
Heartworms do not need to reach maturity to cause illness in cats, which makes the disease more and hard to diagnose than veterinarians previously believed. The effects of feline heartworm disease are also more extensive than the veterinary community had previously known and because diagnosis and treatment of the disease are problematic prevention is very important.
Effects of Heartworms on Cats
The death of immature heartworms can cause marked lesions in cats lungs, as well as the alveoli, bronchioles and bronchi. Thus cats can develop airway disease and arterial disease even when infected with immature heartworms. Dogs, however are not usually symptomatic until the heartworms are adults.
In studies done at the University of Florida it appeared that even transient exposure to immature parasites can leave cats with substantial lung pathology that may persist long after traces of the parasite have been eliminated. Knowing this, it would be wise for all of us to take a more aggressive stance in promoting heartworm prevention in cats.
Heartworm Symptoms
The symptoms of heartworms in cats are:
- Respiratory Distress
- Chronic Coughing or
- Chronic Vomiting
- Sudden Death (as in dogs)
Cats with Heartworms are often misdiagnosed as having asthma.
Treatment
Treatment for cats is the same as for dogs but is very dangerous and recovery is a long process. Symptoms are treated with Prednesone the heartworms are treated with a heartworm adulticide.
Prevention
Again the same preventatives are used in cats as in dogs:
- Heartgaurd30 for cats
- Interceptor for cats
- Revolution for cats
- Revolution (has the advantage of killing fleas, ticks and ear mites at the same time.)
Article Source: www.MizHizzyFitz.com
Vick’s House Going to The Dogs!
January 20, 2008 | Leave a Comment
A Texas charity called the Vick House Project is raising money to purchase Vick’s house in Surry County. The group wants to transform Vick’s house into an animal shelter.
On their website (http://thevickhouse.org), the group says that they have $12,515 in donations so far. The website states, “It is a chance for animal lovers to contribute to a noble cause. It is a chance to create a happy final chapter to a sordid and tragic tale.”
The current owner of the property, Wilbur Ray Todd Jr., rejected a bid of $747,000 for the property and said that it would cost about $1 million to build a similar house on 15 acres.
The Vick House Project said if they can raise enough money to purchase the house, they will ask a group like the SPCA to help run the proposed animal shelter.
The group added that if they do not raise enough funds to purchase the house, they will give all of the donations to the ASPCA.
Speaking Of Pet Insurance
January 20, 2008 | Leave a Comment
Sarah Harper and Woo Lee said goodbye to their cat, Pete, in October.Pete developed epilepsy last year and had to be euthanized. And now that he is gone, the couple is still required to pay for Pete’s wellness plan at Banfield, the Pet Hospital.
When Harper and Lee took Pete into Banfield, hospital staff recommended that they sign up for an “optimum wellness plan.”
For Harper, it seemed reasonable to pay an enrollment fee of $69.95 and $16.95 in monthly payments for Pete to receive regular vaccinations and exams and discounts on medical service.
Harper thought the wellness plan was like insurance.
And now, since her cat is gone, Harper thought she could terminate Pete’s wellness plan. But, Banfield said she couldn’t because she had signed a one-year contract.
Harper stated, “Pete was our little guy. Charging for his healthcare after he’s dead? That’s just evil.”
But Banfield said this is all explained in the paperwork and contract that owners sign.
The company explains that their wellness plans are not insurance policies. Instead their plans are a way for pet owners to manage the fixed costs of routine checkups, and payments can be paid yearly, but most pet owners decide to make monthly payments to spread the cost.
In Banfield’s contract, it states “monthly payments could be required if the total amount of services rendered by Provider prior to cancellation (valued at Provider’s full retail prices) exceed the sum of monthly installments retained or recovered by Provider.”
On various websites, other pet owners who have signed up for Banfield’s wellness plan have complained about the same situation that Harper and Lee are going through, and how they are still paying their premiums even though their pets has passed away.
A Banfield spokeperson said, “It’s unfortunate that those are out there. We have 2 million pets on wellness plans. We take good care of them.”
Source: Chicago Tribune
Pets, Cats, Dogs & Pet Insurance
January 10, 2008 | Leave a Comment
In spite of the fact that Americans spent $9.2 billion dollars on their pets veterinary services in 2006, less than 1% - fewer than 750,000 of the 163 million cats and dogs in the US are covered by pet insurance - compared to 20-50% of European countries. With 1 in 3 pets requiring unexpected veterinary care in any one year, more and more pet parents/guardians are now getting pet insurance to help manage vet bills. The pet insurance industry is growing rapidly from just over 200,000 policies in 2002 to approximately 750,000 today.
Veterinarians Back Pet Insurance
According to a recent newsletter, 76% of veterinarians asked said they would like to see more pet owners using pet insurance to help reduce euthanasias for economic reasons.
Pet Insurance Has Unexpected Benefits
Research has shown that insured pet owners:
They do so because they have more money to spend because of the addition of the insurance benefits they are receiving.
Three Key Factors Influencing This Trend
- The increased sophistication and associated increase in costs of veterinary treatment.
- A shift in demographics to an older, wealthier group of pet owners 45 to 64 years old.
- The on-going trend to humanize our pets, thinking of them as full fledged members of the family.
Studies done by the American Veterinary Association show 16.9% of cats are living 11 years and longer (the oldest cat on record is 34 years old!) up 13.3% from just 5 years ago. with similar rises in dogs. Our aging pet population with it’s attendant veterinary needs is creating additional financial burdens for their senior guardians, many of whom are on fixed incomes and can ill afford the cost of unexpected vet bills.
Before You Buy Pet Insurance
Nine insurance companies offer policies to pet owners across the US. However, not all pet insurance companies are the same. Before buying pet insurance you should look into:
- Know the reputation and experience of the company. According to Proctor & Gamble (Iams PetFood), more than 50 Insurance companies have gone out of business in the last twenty years. The insurance company should be well established and have an AM Best insurance rating of “A”. AM Best Company is a leading provider of ratings, news and financial data for the insurance industry worldwide. http://ambest.com
- Your pet insurance company should have comprehensive coverage of hereditary (genetic) conditions.
- Some companies have “Experience Rating”, which means your rates are increased every time you submit a claim. Inquire about that companies “Experience Rating” policy.
- Ask if they provide coverage for chronic conditions. Some companies will pay for an illness for the duration of the policy, normally 12 months. On renewal of the policy, any condition that occurred in the previous policy period will be automatically excluded as pre-existing.
- Benefit Schedule; Check to see the maximum benefit for vet fees and whether that amount is reinstated yearly or whether there is a running total per condition. Some policies only pay up to a certain amount for any illness or injury. This means that over a pet’s lifetime the policy will only cover up to a set figure per condition. You must pay the balance.
- Customizable policies; Different companies cover different maximum amounts. Some offer the option of selecting the level of co-insurance deductible and coverage, with coverage as high as 100% of treatment cost. That puts you in control of the premium payment and the reimbursement you receive.
