1. A German Shepard had to undergo emergency surgery for ingesting an entire bottle of gorilla glue. The glue expanded in its stomach and it solidified to a very large mass. He recovered fully after surgery.

2. A Labrador ate a wooden spoon when the owner was busy baking cakes and did not realize what his dog was up to. The dog was taken to a vet, who advised an X-ray. The wooden spoon had broken into pieces and the dog had to be operated to remove the pieces.

3. A cat found a girl’s Halloween costume lying in the house and conveniently swallowed five rubber fingers. The cat had to be taken to a vet who had to surgically remove them from inside the cat’s stomach.

4. One of the biggest claims was when a dog was infected by a virus and developed Ehrilichiosis. The dog was finally cured and the owner received more that $6,000 in pet insurance claims.

5. A bulldog was left alone at home and felt extremely lonely. It is not clear as to what he had in his mind when he decided to eat a wooden chair. When the owners returned they saw the chair completely broken and parts of it missing. Then they realized that the dog was in extreme discomfort and this was due to his eating the chair. He had to be immediately taken to a vet.

6. An English spaniel was playing with a stick for quite some time. He was trained to fetch the stick after it was thrown by his owner. Unlucky for the dog, when he was bringing the stick back, he fell down in such a way that the stick punctured his neck. However, following surgery he recovered almost completely but has stopped playing with sticks.

7. Becca, Labrador retriever ate one of her favorite socks, vomited it up and later ate it again,this time it had to be surgically removed to correct intestinal blocking.

8. Another dog was in trouble when it ate an entire pack of ibuprofen and had to be put on a drip and kept under observation for days before it recovered.

9. This one really takes the cake. A female Vallhund, an extremely aggressive dog used by Vikings, was bitten on the lip by a rat and had to be hospitalized.

10. A Labrador retriever ate a three pronged fish hook after he stuck his nose in a bait bucket. He had to be tranquilized before he was taken to the vet to have the hook removed

Pet Assurance at Its Best

Pet assurance offers many attractive features like coverage for all pets irrespective of their age, medical condition or any pre-existing conditions. The waiting period required is very minimal and moreover you need not necessarily fill in the claim forms. The best thing about an assurance plan is that there is absolutely no amount of deductibles involved. As far as assurance plans are concerned there are no particular limits for receiving maximum coverage.

Coverage for medical expenses under assurance plans for pets includes routine procedures as well as spays or neuter care. Treatment of pets with cancer also gets coverage under the pet assurance plan. Hospitalization expenses are also included without the pet owners having to pay any extra money. One of the drawbacks in an assurance plan is that the veterinarian involved in treating the pets should be within the network area of the assurance company.

Why Go For Pet Insurance

Pet health insurance on the other hand is relatively costlier with various features like claims, benefits and deductibles that vary considerably depending on the type of coverage plan you choose. The waiting period is generally about two weeks and an average of about 80% of eligible expenses should be taken care of by the pet owner after duly filing a claim form. As far as deductibles are involved, it is about $50 per incident for most insurance plans.

In case of medical expenses, one can claim the expenses only if the eligibility criteria are met. Treatment for specialty cases like cancer is very limited and additional amount (usually $99 annually) has to be paid even for routine treatment procedures. For the neuter or spay routine there is a 65% reimbursement offer. The maximum limit depends on the whether it is per incident, annual or lifetime category. The veterinarian can be any registered practitioner.

Choosing the Right Plan

At the outset when you compare assurance and pet health insurance plans, the former will seem to be more beneficial in terms of money and time saved. But when you look closely no particular plan can be opted as the right one for all pet owners in general. The needs and conditions vary from individual to individual. You can compare the various benefits and actual cost of both pet insurance plans as well as the pet assurance plans with the help of several comparison charts offered by many related websites.

Whether you decide to go for an insurance or an assurance plan just make sure that it is right for you and your pets needs.

You can set up a contract with a pet care facility to take care of your pet in case of your demise. Your estate executor will be empowered to deal with the pet’s future caretakers. Ensure that all the terms are written down and are legally binding. Wills for pets can be a tricky issue and you should have an attorney go through the points. Copies of legal documents pertaining to your will should be made available to other beneficiaries of the will and also the caretaker. The pet’s caretaker and your attorney should also have copies of your pet’s medical records.

Keep in mind that your pet will need care from another person not only when you are no longer alive but also when you are around but no longer physically and mentally capable of taking care of the animal. And such a situation may arrive unannounced, so you need to plan for it in advance.

If you plan on placing your pet in a pet-care facility, you should visit the facility to check whether it has the wherewithal to look after the pet. Find out if they put pets up for adoption. Learn about the facility’s policy in case they face closure or have funding issues. Such organizations may either take the pet from you with a one-time fee to them or on the basis of money you bequeath to the pet.

If age has taken its toll on you and you are considering moving into an old-age facility or a nursing home; you can actually take your pets with you in some of these homes. This can work out as a wonderful arrangement for both you and your pet.

You should also have some kind of an emergency preparedness in case something happens to you and your pets need immediate care. Ask your neighbors to step in if ever you are incapacitated because of injury or sickness. Entrust them with the responsibility of feeding your pets. Authorize them to interact with the vet and your will executor on your behalf with respect to the pets.

While you expect your neighbors to pitch in during an emergency with your pets, you should be prepared to help them should the need arise with them.

Another avenue for pet owners is Pet Living Wills which is an online registry of your pet’s key health care information. It enables your caretakers to carry out your wishes about your pet’s care should you be unavailable at that time. The details of the Pet Living Will that you come up are available at all times to the vet and caretaker but only you can alter the details.

It is a good idea to go for pet insurance for certain breeds of dogs such as Dobermans, Pit bulls, German Shepherds, etc. Large dogs are energetic and also sometimes aggressive. Another category of pets that warrants consideration for pet liability insurance is that of exotic pets. Snakes and spiders pack a mean bite that can be venomous as well. Birds can carry viruses. Something as innocuous as a lizard may carry salmonella. You have to be careful because it is unavoidable that your pets will come into contact with people in the form of visitors to your place, people outside, pet sitters, etc. In fact, pet insurance companies offer specific pet insurance policies designed for pet sitters.

You should look up an insurance company that covers the type of pet you own under its pet liability scheme. Earlier there was a greater chance of you getting coverage under homeowners insurance for damage done by pets but now this type of cover is not so easy to find; primarily because of the large number of claims related to accidents caused by pets. There are chances that you may be denied pet insurance if your pet has a history of violence, has attacked people before, or belongs to an aggressive breed.

Basically, pet liability insurance will cover the cost of damage done to a party that is legally on the pet owner’s premises. This insurance does not cover attacks on trespassers. While pet liability insurance gives you some financial cover, you can still be hauled to a court of law if your pet causes grievous injury to a person. A pet liability insurance cannot save you from going to jail if the courts so decide.

If you think that pet liability insurance is important for you then you can try and boost your chances of getting pet insurance by getting your pet to clear some pet obedience training courses; neuter males so that they lose their aggressive edge, prevent your pets from straying away from your property; and having the animal on leash when outside.

Broadly speaking, anything other than dogs and cats qualifies as an exotic pet; so this includes rodents, reptiles, birds, fish, pigs…you get the idea. Exotic pets can be expensive; they are exotic and sourced from locations far away. Their lifestyle and health requirements may be a little different from what a dog or a cat demand. Therefore it is advisable to have exotic pet insurance so that you can have financial assurance when u need it. Basically when going for an exotic pet insurance policy you need to consider the type of coverage and the premiums that you have to pay.

With rodents such as hamsters and mice, you need to ensure good dental care as their teeth grow continuously. Their lifespans are short; usually not more than two years.

Some reptiles on the other hand have very long lifestyles. Taking care of these sluggish creatures is easy but if you are getting a pet turtle then know that you are going to be responsible for a long time. Snakes, chameleons, lizards are other popular reptile pets. These are cold-blooded animals and reticent. Good feeding and nutrition should see them through.

If you opt for an exotic pet of the avian variety then you should be ready to foot bills related to accidents, injuries, and also respiratory diseases. Pet birds are delicate and they need care. Keep these things in mind when going for a pet insurance policy for exotic birds.

Fish are also categorized as exotic pets; you can learn online about best practices regarding aquarium fish both saltwater and freshwater.

You should be able to evaluate your pet’s health requirements and weigh them against the various policy options. Cheap exotic pet insurance will offer your pet some basic short term protection with stiff financial and time-bound caps.

Medium price exotic pet insurance will cover a greater number of illnesses and will require more investment on your part.

With exotic pets, long-term pet insurance often turns out to be the best choice for some pet owners because of the all-round high expenses associated with exotic pets. Vet costs will vary with the species and conditions peculiar to them. One cost that most exotic pet owners worry about is the cost of losing the pet or having it stolen. Exotic pets are not easily available and they cost a fair amount. This is why there is a thriving black market for these animals. If you have an exotic pet that you know is popular with thieves then do consider lost / theft insurance for the pet.

To wind up the article, here are some considerations when going for exotic pet insurance. Consider what you have paid for the pet; how long will it be around; the animal’s age; conditions that the breed is susceptible to; and how easy it is for you to get health care for your exotic pet in your area.

Once you have these points covered you can get down to the business of getting an online quote for exotic pet insurance.

• Ensure that your dog has been vaccinated for distemper, parvovirus, coronavirus, hepatitis, Lyme disease, parainfluenza, and Bordatella.
• Breeds such as Doberman Pinschers, Rottweilers, and Pit Bulls need an additional fourth booster shot so that they can develop complete immunity.
• Use flea and tick killing powders periodically; at the very first indication of your dog being troubled by these parasites; spray the animal. Fleas and ticks can spread a lot of disease such as Erlichiosis and Babesiosis.
• As far as heartworm is concerned, prevention is definitely better than cure. The treatment procedure is risky, long-drawn, and expensive. Take your dog to a vet for regular heartworm checks and keep your dog on good heartworm preventative medicine.
• Keep a check on what food items cause a food allergy to your pet pooch. It could be maize, chicken, beef, seafood, wheat, etc. This way you can regulate the animal’s diet so that it gets maximum nutrition and no discomfort from the food it ingests. Skin inflammation and itchy skin as well as repeated ear infections are signs that the animal is suffering from some form of allergy.
• Dogs are susceptible to respiratory infection, particularly if they are with other dogs in an animal center. Dust and mold can also cause such infections. Fever and dry cough are signs that the animal is probably experiencing some form of infection.
• Keep your dog free from fungal infection because not only do they make things miserable for your pet; some infections like ringworm are transferable to humans.
• As dogs age they experience joint pain and mobility-related issues that come with age. This is more common with the larger breeds such as Labrador Retrievers.

A neutered cat does not suffer from testicular cancer; if neutered young it reduces the chances of your pet cat spraying its scent marking on the wall and your favorite carpet. Also a neutered cat is less likely to wander out in search of mates; this reduces its chances of contracting a disease or getting hit by a speeding vehicle. Fixing a cat also makes it less aggressive and it is less likely to come home injured after a territorial turf war. It is a misconception that neutering leads to obesity.

By fixing your cat, you ensure that at least you and your family are not contributing to the problem of stray cats. Every year, millions of cats are put to sleep and millions are abandoned because pet owners do not bother to neuter or spay their pets.

The procedure can cost anywhere between thirty dollars to one hundred and seventy five dollars. Some vets may suggest a blood test to check the cat for blood sugar levels as well as liver and kidney health.

A three month old cat is ready for spaying; if you get your pet cat from a shelter then ensure that the animal is fixed. The surgery is a simple one and gets over in minutes; usually general anesthesia is used. Do not give the cat any other vaccine or injection when it is undergoing the neutering / spaying procedure. Cats do not take long to recover, usually a night’s rest sees them back to normal; however you need to ensure that the cat does not jump or run as the stitches and surgery wound need to heal. In a testicle removal operation, sutures are not required. All you need to do is to apply the prescription medicine that the vet recommends and see that chances of infection are minimized. The convalescence period may take a week. During this period do not hassle the cat; make it easy for the pet to use the litter box and provide it with fresh water.

Remember that by fixing your cat you are not just eliminating the risk of unwanted pregnancies; you are doing your pet’s health a world of good. If you have cat insurance taken out then you can easily get back a major percentage of the procedure expense.

Although pet insurance premiums are not very high; treatment and care of certain conditions and procedures such as CT scans are quite expensive.

If you have established a level of trust with your existing veterinary doctor, then you may not wish to enroll for plans that offer vets from a specific panel aligned to the pet insurance provider. You’re lucky if your pet cat’s doctor is a part of that panel. It would be a good idea to consult your vet and ask for his recommendation on a good pet insurance company. Take his opinion of the routine and preventive procedures that are most beneficial to the long-term health of your cat; keeping the breed of your cat in mind.

Your coverage type will probably be a little different if your cat has the opportunity and space to go outdoors; here you may want accident insurance keeping in mind road traffic and the very curious nature of cats. Cats that live indoors can suffer problems with their fur and skin because of central heating and poor access to sunlight; it may experience behavioral abnormalities due to lack of physical stimulation.

If age has caught on with your cat, you should look for policies specifically targeted at older cats. This will increase the chances of your claims being accepted without much problem, should the need ever arise. Compare insurance companies, check if there is a discount for insuring multiple pets, is there a discount-week going on somewhere, can you avail coupons, compare maximum limits, and ceiling on coverage. The internet is an exhaustive repository of information and you can easily compare quotes.

The advantage of cat insurance is that if it ever comes down to taking a decision on an expensive procedure, you don’t have to think much - you can go for it because you are covered. 

Although pet insurance premiums are not very high; treatment and care of certain conditions and procedures such as CT scans are quite expensive.

If you have established a level of trust with your existing veterinary doctor, then you may not wish to enroll for plans that offer vets from a specific panel aligned to the pet insurance provider. You’re lucky if your pet cat’s doctor is a part of that panel. It would be a good idea to consult your vet and ask for his recommendation on a good pet insurance company. Take his opinion of the routine and preventive procedures that are most beneficial to the long-term health of your cat; keeping the breed of your cat in mind.

Your coverage type will probably be a little different if your cat has the opportunity and space to go outdoors; here you may want accident insurance keeping in mind road traffic and the very curious nature of cats. Cats that live indoors can suffer problems with their fur and skin because of central heating and poor access to sunlight; it may experience behavioral abnormalities due to lack of physical stimulation.

If age has caught on with your cat, you should look for policies specifically targeted at older cats. This will increase the chances of your claims being accepted without much problem, should the need ever arise. Compare insurance companies, check if there is a discount for insuring multiple pets, is there a discount-week going on somewhere, can you avail coupons, compare maximum limits, and ceiling on coverage. The internet is an exhaustive repository of information and you can easily compare quotes.

The advantage of cat insurance is that if it ever comes down to taking a decision on an expensive procedure, you don’t have to think much - you can go for it because you are covered.

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