Going the distance for Fluffy


If youre in the latter category and you dont have sufficient savings to cover the treatments, you might consider pet insurance. But do your homework before you buy:

Shop around. Policies and premiums can vary widely. Note not just the monthly or annual cost but the differences in deductibles, co-pays and caps, which may limit payouts by incident, annually or the animals lifetime. Ask whether the insurer offers discounts for insuring multiple pets. Some of the companies to check include:
PetCare Pet Insurance, (866) 373-7387
Pets health Care Plan, (800) 807-6724
Premier Pet Insurance, (877) 774-2273
Veterinary Pet Insurance, (800) 872-7387
Check with state insurance department. Like human health insurers, pet insurers should be registered with your state regulators.

Scrutinize the policy and understand the exclusions. Remember, the conditions most likely to afflict your pet are often the ones most likely to be excluded from your policy.

Beef up your savings. A Consumer Reports analysis found that pet owners with insurance may actually spend more over time on their animals than those without.

8 ways to keep overall pet costs low
Whether or not you opt for pet insurance, you can help control how much your animal costs you. Here are some other ways you can trim vet bills:

Use low-cost clinics for shots. Your vet may host one or two such clinics each year, or you can call your local Humane Society, animal control department or veterinary hospital for leads.

Get second opinions. Youll have time, with most conditions, to consult another vet before committing to expensive treatments or drugs. You also can consult The Merck Veterinary Manual online for a rundown on your pets condition and recommended treatments.

Ask for samples. Your vet may have free starter packets of many popular medications. It doesnt hurt to ask.

Shop around for meds. You can call around to other vets, check out pet catalogs or search the Internet. Discountpetmedicines.com has links to sites that offer lower-priced medications.

Dont cheap out on pet food. An investment in better-quality food can pay off in fewer health problems, particularly with cats, which can be more susceptible to urinary tract infections if fed inexpensive cat food. Check with your vet.

Keep their weight down. Just as with people, obesity in animals can trigger more health problems.

Keep your pet indoors or on a leash. Free-running animals have more accidents, contract more illnesses and take a bigger toll on the environment than pets that are kept under control. (In other words, Fluffy will live a longer, healthier life indoors, and the songbirds of the neighborhood will thank you.)

Consider a cat -- or a mutt. Next time youre in the market for a pet, remember that dogs tend to wind up in the vets office twice as often as cats, and that purebreds tend to have far more hereditary weaknesses than your average pound puppy.

Petplan offers quality, lifetime cover for dogs, cats and rabbits.

Is Pet Dental Health Really Important

In addition, the quality of your pet's food can contribute to the status of your pet's breath.

She said that some states have not updated their policies through the Department of Insurance. First, discuss your situation with your Veterinarian. Pet insurance can cost ,000 to ,000 over the life of an average pet, and the chances are slim youd ever have to shell out that much for treatments. Food allergy and intolerance symptoms that pets suffer from are very similar to those seen in humans, for example, eczema, dermatitis, vomiting, diarrhea and lethargy, all of which can be difficult to attribute to diet alone as this can be caused by so many other disease processes. In fact, many people will say that a vet has to be even more knowledgeable than a doctor because his/her patients cannot talk, and because vets have to be able to treat all animals not just one species. Call 1-866-473-7387.