Is Pet Insurance the Solution to Rising Vet Costs? Compare Plans

If you are finding that you are spending a nice chunk of your hard-earned dollars on pet care, you are not alone. According to the Dallas Morning News:

...owners are expected to spend a record $43 billion on their pets this year, $2 billion more than last year, according to a survey by the American Pet Products Manufacturers Association.

About 67 percent of U.S. households own a pet, and chances are they spend half their pet costs on vet visits and over-the-counter medicine, the survey said.

Whereas a new toy for our pets may be optional, medical care is a necessity and it isn't getting any cheaper. The Dallas News article recommends pet insurance, as does WP's Taming Costly Vet Bills:

If your cat comes down with pneumonia, the bill could run $1,900. Cancer therapy for a dog averages nearly $3,600. James Busby, veterinarian and author of How to Afford Veterinary Care Without Mortgaging the Kids recommends that pet owners ask upfront about all treatment options and costs, including for routine care. For example, many vets vaccinate dogs every year. But according to an American Animal Hospital Association study, adult dogs need most shots only once every three years.

The typical insurance premium for a dog is about $40 per month -- that's $5,280 if a dog lives 11 years, the average canine life span in the United States. Policies usually cover illness and accidents, although some insurers provide only accident protection. A few policies cover preventive care, such as regular checkups and vaccines.

Payouts depend on the insurer, but it's common for companies to foot 80 percent of the bill. To compare the benefits, co-payments and deductibles of major pet insurers, go to http://www.petinsurancereview.com.

Dog Sun Umbrella -- Give Your Pet Much Needed Shade

Protect your pup from the sun's heat and harmful rays. With the Dog Sun Umbrella no need to worry whether your pet has a a cool and safe spot to veg out in the shade.

The umbrella can be used anywhere and is equipped with an integrated swivel tie-out stake if you need to secure your pet. Your dog's lead won't become tangled in the umbrella. Add a functional Ultimate Outdoor Dog Bed where your pet can relax!

A carrying case is included. Dog Sun Umbrella.

Dog Whisperer™ Fortified Water for Dogs by Cesar Millan -- Promote Your Dog's Good Health

As Super Cool Pets recently reported, Cesar Millan's Dog Whisperer™ line of products are now available at PETCO.com

*Healthy Bones Fortified Water for Adult Dogs -- Herb

*Fresh Breath Fortified Water for Dogs & Puppies -- Mint

*Healthy Skin Fortified Water for Dogs & Puppies -- Parsley

Among the other products in the Dog Whisperer™ line are:

* Organic wet and dry dog food, treats and chews
* Fortified water
* Liquid supplements
* Collars and leashes
* Toys
* Grooming products
* Beds
* Bowls & feeding supplies
* Instructional series of DVDs
* Stain & Odor
* Training pads

Before Grain -- Feed Your Pets the Way Nature Intended

Are dogs and cats vegetarians by nature? I think we all know the answer to that, yet so much commercial pet food is chock full of grain.

You can feed your pets the way nature intended with Before Grain dog and cat food.

• Grain free, no fillers
• No artificial colors, flavors
• Natural preservatives
• For all life stages

Before Grain is available in many Varieties -- Dry and Canned. Yummy flavors -- tuna, salmon, chicken, beef, buffalo, quail, tripe for cats and dogs.

On this topic, food for thought from Only Natural Pet Store - Everything Natural for Dogs & Cats:

Dogs are classified as carnivores, but as a practical matter, they are omnivorous and can easily survive without meat, as long as they eat a balanced diet. Dog relatives like foxes and coyotes consume lots of fruit or other vegetation at certain times of the year. While not ideal for every dog, most dogs can be successfully converted to a vegetarian or even vegan diet, and there are several suitable commercial dog foods as well as homemade diets. If you are considering a vegetarian rather than vegan diet for your dog, a lacto-ovo vegetarian diet has more flexibility by allowing dairy products and eggs as protein sources.

Cats, however, are exclusively carnivorous by nature and by physiology. The cat's body has made many specific adaptations to its expected diet of prey, which consists mostly of protein, fat and moisture. While you may hear stories about successfully vegetarian cats (including one lion), as a veterinarian, I cannot recommend trying to make a cat exclusively vegetarian or vegan. I've just seen too many problems from it. However, one company makes a good canned food that can be helpful in reducing the amount of meat you need to feed your cat.

Comfy Cone - Let Your Pet Heal in Comfort

Let your pet heal in comfort with Comfy Cone. After surgery, so many vets send their patients home with the uncomfortable and unwieldy plastic white cone around their head, making the pet feel even more miserable and strange. The cone blocks out peripheral vision, so the pet bumps into walls and furniture, knocking things over.

Comfy Cone is made of nylon laminated onto ½ inch foam, so the Cone is soft and yielding while still being sturdy and protective. The many positive features include:

• Has elastic loops to thread the pets own collar through to keep the Comfy Collar secure in place and keeping it from being pulled off or from falling off
• Allows your pet to eat and drink in comfort
• Collar can be folded back when eating and drinking or when checking wounds and irritations.
• Velcro closures and tabs which adjust to many sizes and opens so you do not have to put pet's head thru Comfy Collar
• Unique reflective binding to help protect you and your pet while going outside at night for walks and bathroom breaks
• Water resistant and repellent
• Easy to wipe clean and dry.
• Fold flat for easy storage.
• More eco-friendly than the plastic e-collar

Available in Small, Medium, Large and X Large

Is Your Cat Healthy? -- Find Out with Scientific Professional Brand Cat Litter

If your cat is behaving strangely, he or she may need medical care. One common disease in cats is Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease (FLUTD), which you may be able to diagnose yourself.

According to Scientific Professional Cat Litter--Drs Foster & Smith, your cat may have an infection if he or she:

• Urinates frequently or has problems urinating
• Deviates from usual litter box habits
• Leaves blood or blood-tinged urine in the litter box.
• Paces restlessly
• Cries
• Vomits
• Cleans his/her genitals frequently
• Rests on cool surfaces such as bathtubs or tile floors

They go on to say that cats previously treated for FLUTD are very susceptible to and are at the highest risk for recurrence. Neutered males are also at very high risk due to the physiology of the male cat's narrower urethra.

Scientific Professional Cat Litter is a lightweight cat litter formulated to indicate high urine pH by changing color. High urine pH can be one cause of urinary problems in cats.

• Ultra lightweight - 70% lighter than clay
• Virtually dust- and tracking-free
• 3 lbs of this litter works like 21 lbs of clay litter
• Clumping, flushable
• Unscented
• Ecologically friendly

Note: This litter should be used under the supervision of your veterinarian.

Available at Scientific Professional Cat Litter--Amazon and Scientific Professional Cat Litter--Drs Foster & Smith

Herbal Medicine for Pets -- Natural Pet Care for Cats and Dogs

Wild animals are thought to heal themselves by eating plants that they are drawn to intuitively in their surrounding environment. Herbs and plants have healing powers, and many modern medicines are plant derivatives. This science has been around for eons. Here are two books on the subject.

Veterinary Herbal Medicine
By Dr. Susan Wynn and Dr. Barbara Fougere
Written by two prominent veterinarians, this full-color reference offers practical, evidence-based guidance on using more than 120 medicinal plants, including how to formulate herbal remedies to treat common disease conditions. A body-systems based review explores herbal medicine in context, offering information on toxicology, drug interactions, quality control, and other key topics.

All You Ever Wanted to Know About Herbs for Pets
By Mary Wulff-Tilford and Gregory L. Tilford
This comprehensive guide offers step-by-step instructions on how to find, prepare, and use herbs to treat common pet ailments. The book covers North American herbs, including Western, Ayurvedic and Chinese herbs that grow in North America. It also provides detailed information on each herb.

[via Christie Keith @ SFGate]

What Took So Long -- Oral Contraceptives for Animals on the Horizon

Good news: a birth control pill for animals is finally on the horizon. Surgery always has its risks and recently some concerns about the future health ramifications of spaying/neutering have cropped up.

The pill works by inhibiting the maturation of the egg, not the entire cycle, Kraemer says.

"We are confident we can develop this pill in the not too distant future, but we still have plenty of tests to complete," he says. "It's an exciting and much-needed project, but more funds will be needed, especially since deer and wild pigs are consumed by humans. One of the more interesting challenges will be to develop methods for feeding it to the target animals without affecting other species."

The compound can be mixed with animal feed and must be eaten daily during the critical time. It may also be encapsulated to decrease the frequency it has to be consumed.

"We believe we are the first to test this compound for this specific purpose," Kraemer says. "We're trying new uses for this previously approved compound."

When perfected, the pill could eventually be used as an oral contraceptive for pets, but that application will take some time to develop, Kraemer says. In dogs, for example, the ovulation process is especially complex, but researchers are confident such a birth control pill can one day be successful.

According to the American Humane Society, about seven million dogs and cats are euthanized each year at animal shelters. One female cat can lead to the production of 420,000 offspring in her lifetime.

Read article.

Federal Marshalls Seize Pet Food Products at PETCO Warehouse

Rodent and bird droppings have allegedly been found throughout a PETCO warehouse, according to MSNBC: Pet food seized at PETCO warehouse

CHICAGO - Federal marshals carrying a search warrant visited the Joliet distribution center of PETCO Animal Supplies Inc. on Thursday, seizing animal food products that were allegedly contaminated.

The seizure came one day after the government filed a lawsuit and obtained the warrant to seize products at the warehouse operated by the San Diego-based animal food and supply company.

There were no known public health risks posed by the pet food and no incidents of human or animal illness have been traced to the products, U.S. Attorney Patrick J. Fitzgerald and other officials said in a statement issued by his office.

The center distributes pet food to Illinois, Alabama, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas and Wisconsin.

3 Ways to Protect Your Super Cool Pets from the Hot Sun

Why protect your pets from the sun? Reasons:

• To prevent sunburn and the associated pain
• Protect against the development of malignant skin tumors
• Prevent skin inflammation that can lead to dermatitis and aggravate pre-existing skin disease

Sun protection is recommended for the following pets:

• Short and thin haired pets
• White and light haired pets
• White and pink skinned pets
• Hairless dog breeds
• Breeds predisposed to skin tumors (i.e. boxers, dobermans, bull dogs, pit bull terriers, bull terriers, bichons, poodles, schnauzers and others)
• Outside living pets
• Shaved down pets
• Pets with allergic and inflamed skin
• Working dogs
• All pets subjected to excessive sun exposure as during activities such as boating, hiking, visits to the dog park, walking and visits to the beach.

For the outdoor pet, 3 ways to protect:

1- Shade and Cool Water

Available all day long. Seems obvious, but must be said.

2- Sunscreen

Epi-Pet Sun Protector Sunscreen Spray for Pets is the only pet sunscreen that meets the FDA guidelines for ingredient stability. Features:

• Waterproof
• Quick Dry Formulation
• Non-Greasy, it doesn't leave an oily film like human sunscreens
• Includes sunscreen ingredients that rate equivalent to 30-40 SPF in human sunscreens
• Effective in blocking both UVA and UVB sun rays
• Spray can is environmentally friendly and it provides a constant spray from all angles
• Contains vitamin E and other ingredients that act as antioxidants and enrich skin
• Leaves a pleasant vanilla fragrance

At Super Cool Pets we also like Doggles Sunscreen, available at Amazon along with Uvet Sunscreen Spray

3-Apparel

Another method of pet sun protection is the UV Protective Rashguard for Dogs. Features:

• UPF 50+ Rated/UV protective shirt
• High Quality UV protective fabric and construction
• Fast drying and keeps the coat nice and clean

UV Protective Rashguard for Dogs is available in sizes Small to XX Large at Muttropolis -- $5 flat rate shipping for a limited time!

Safety Turtle Swimming Pool Alarm System - Alerts You If Your Pet Falls in the Water

This Safety Turtle Pet Immersion Alarm alerts you if your pet falls in the water, say into the pool or off the boat. Your dog or cat may be able to swim, but can drown in no time if not trained to how get out of the pool or floundering in the pond or ocean. The Safety Turtle can be used in all fresh water as well as salt. The Safety Turtle Alarm system consists of:

• Safety Turtle Swimming Pool Alarm Base Station
• One or more Turtles of the same color which includes a Velcro Safety Turtle Wireless Pet Adaptor to securely attach the Turtle to any pet collar, and "baby Turtle" coding plug for the Base Station

The Safety Turtle Swimming Pool Alarm Base Station is placed inside the house, boat or anywhere within 100 feet of the pool or body of water. The Safety Turtle Wireless Pet Adaptor is attached to your pet's collar or Life Vest.

If your pet enters into the water, a loud alarm will sound at the Base Station (when the Turtle is immersed in water). The alarm continues to sound until it is reset. Rain, light spray or ground moisture won't trigger the alarm. The Turtle is small and light enough to be worn by the tiniest dog or cat.

Also available are Turtle Wristbands sold separately for children. Any number of Turtle Wristbands of the same color can be used with one Base Station.

As an extra precaution, Safety Turtle Wireless Gate Alarm can be installed on any wood or metal gate. It never needs to be disabled--it has an adult bypass feature, so pets and children will set the alarm off while adults will not. The Safety Turtle Gate Alarm is sold separately and must be used in conjunction with the Safety Turtle Swimming Pool Alarm Base Station.

Visit the website for detailed information.

5 Tips to Keep Pets Cool in Summer

This is probably *preaching to the choir* ....

From Sit Stay Speak some tips to keep our pets safe from the summer's scorching heat. The rule of thumb: if you would be uncomfortable in the environment, same (or worse) for animals.

Never leave your pet alone in a parked car. Parked cars are potential death traps for pets during the warm months. Even on a mild day, the temperature inside a car can quickly climb to more than 120°.

Provide adequate shelter for protection from the heat if your pet lives outdoors. Outdoor kennels should be well ventilated and in a shaded area. There should always be an area where your pet can go to get out of the sun.

Make sure that there is plenty of fresh drinking water available. The bowl should ideally be placed in a shaded area. Utilize a spill proof dish or provide a few bowls in case your pet tips one over.

Avoid excessive exercise during hot days. Exercise is important, but over-exertion during hot weather can result in heat stress.

Keep your pet well groomed. Overgrown and matted hair prevents good air circulation with your pet's skin, making it more difficult to maintain a comfortable body temperature.

Be aware of symptoms of heatstroke. Heatstroke is a life-threatening condition that results when pets cannot maintain a normal body temperature. The warning signs of heatstroke include panting, staring or anxious expressions, a refusal to obey commands, warm and dry skin, high body temperature, rapid heartbeat and possibly vomiting. Call your veterinarian immediately if your pet exhibits any of these signs.

Bone Pill Case Organizes Your Pet's Pills (and Helps You Remember to Give Them!)

Ever wonder if you already gave your pet their pill? Organize your pet's meds in this handy Dog Bone Pill Case.

[via Book of Joe]

Need an easy way to administer pills to your pet? Try Pill Pockets!

Keep Your Dog Afloat with a Fido Float Jacket Preserver

Keep your pet safe while swimming and boating. Yes, dogs instinctively swim, but don't take their water skills for granted. They tire easily, but won't let you know. Fido Float Jacket Preservers for Dogs will keep his or her head above water.

• Dog life vest with U-shaped neck support for head buoyancy
• Specially placed handles simplify lifting pet out of water
• Fits your dog's body contours to prevent twisting or swimming out of vest
• Signature collar-to-tail back zipper closure ensures easy on and off.
• Reflective label and brigh color aid visibility
• Easy care nylon

In all sizes at Amazon and Drs. Foster & Smith