Furry Friends Rescue Blog

People have health insurance so why not pet insurance?  Over the years, pet insurance has become increasingly popular.  While some people wonder why not just save money for accidents and emergencies – for some people this isn’t easy and they’re more comfortable paying a monthly fee and having insurance.  In some instances, people end up paying more for pet insurance in the long run, but it also helps keep peace of mind.

So how do you choose which program to go with?  Do your research.

One of the best places to start is www.petinsurancereview.com.  This fairly comprehensive website gives objective descriptions for most of the pet insurance carriers available in the United State and allows people to rate them.

Then make sure you visit the website for each plan you’re interested in, some things to consider while doing your research:

1) Does it cover pre-existing conditions and what do they consider as pre-existing? Most pet insurance consider on-going conditions that existed before you purchased the insurance to be a pre-existing condition.  However something like a broken leg that has healed usually is not.

2) Are there any exclusions of hereditary issues? There are some insurances that have lists of hereditary issues such as, hip dysplasia in German Shepherds, that don’t cover.  Make sure you look over that list.  Mixed breed dogs are usually exempt from most of these items.

3) Do they charge a higher premium for your breed of dog or cat? While most insurances don’t discriminate, there are others that might, get a few quotes from different places to see if there are higher costs specifically for your breed of dog.

4) Are there age limits? Most insurance don’t have age limits for pets that are continuously insured by that company.  However some do, when mom adopted her 11 year old dog it was difficult to find pet insurance, but Pets Best was one company that didn’t discriminate against age.

5) Is there a multi-pet discount if you have to cover more than one pet? You want to insure all your pets if possible right?  Well most of them offer discounts for registering more than one pet so check out different quotes to see what works best for you.

6) What does your policy cover? Most of them only cover accidents and illness which is typically what most people go to the vets office for.  However some offer packages to add-on which cover checkups, vaccinations, neutering, and other preventative care.  Estimate how much you would spend on checkups and vaccinations and see if the add-on is worth it for you.  For me, mom decided we didn’t need the add-on package since it would cost more than my year check-up and vaccinations.

7) Probably the most important – do you understand how the copays and payment/refunds work? Read over the policies carefully to make sure that there aren’t limits for certain conditions and that you understand what each incident limit and each yearly limit is.  An incident usually refers to any vet visits, procedures and medications related to a specific event – for example if I got hit by a car then all the vet visits whether it’s 1 or 5 will be considered as part of that incident.  A yearly limit is the amount of money that the insurance company will cover up to a year, regardless of the number of incidents.  There are some companies, such as VPI who has limits for individual types of procedures, so read over that carefully if it’s a concern to you.  Other companies don’t limit individual procedures and just go by incidents and yearly limits.

8 ) Understand the “making a claim” process. Most pet insurance websites are incredibly comprehensive and you can find all the information to these questions on their sites.  Make sure you understand the entire process from beginning to end and that it’s something you are comfortable with.  Typically insurance companies require you to pay up front first and then reimburse you after evaluating the claim.  Take a look at the turnaround for getting claims paid and make sure you can handle those types of expenses.  Don’t forget to work with your vet, many of them can be quite accomodating.

9) Read the cancellation policy. Choosing a pet insurance is a very subjective process and you need to find the one that works for you.  Ask others for information and do your research.  Also look at the cancellation policy in case you don’t like them and want to switch.

10) Ask questions! Don’t be afraid to contact their customer service to get all your questions answered and have them explain the process.  This also gives you an idea of how helpful they are going to be when you file claims.

Mom and I are not pet insurance experts, we just wanted to share our experiences in choosing pet insurance for me and mom’s first dog.  However we did find Pet Insurance Review’s website to be incredibly comprehensive and helpful!  According to user ratings the top 3 pet insurance carriers were:

1) Pet Plan

2) Trupanion

3) Embrace Pet Insurance

Please note, Furry Friends Rescue does not endorse any insurance companies, we try our best to present as much information for consideration as possible.
This is part 2 of a 3 part series, to go to part 1 or 3 click the links below:

How to Prepare for Pet Costs pt. 1 of 3

How to Prepare for Pet Costs pt. 3 of 3

Many people aren’t aware of the all costs associated with having pets.  The cost of food and supplies can grow quickly if you’re not aware – after all I made sure mom created a special treat and toy fund just for fun stuff for me!  While you can plan and budget for most of these items, what about medical emergencies?

Statistics show that dogs end up in the vets office twice as much as cats (we tend to get into things more).   With all the new medical advances today, vets can help sick and aging pets live longer, however this also means it can become more expensive.  Cancer treatments, emergency surgeries, and other medical issues can cost thousands of dollars.

So what are ways you can prepare?

First of all – create a separate savings account and put some money in there each month.  Don’t touch it!  This money is for your pets medical emergencies only!  According to an MSN Money article pet owners may actually spend more over time on their animals than those without, however regardless of what you choose – you can prepare for those unexpected costs.  You should also ask yourself, how much are you willing to spend on their health?

There are other ways to also help trim the fat and save money on your pet’s medical costs:

• 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 chapter, animal control department or veterinary hospital for leads.  Most Pet Food Express stores in the Bay Area holds weekly shot clinics – this saves you the cost of a vet appointment and some shots are cheaper through these clinics!

• Get second opinions. You’ll 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 pet’s condition and recommended treatments.

• Ask for samples. Your vet may have free starter packets of many popular medications. It doesn’t hurt to ask.

• Shop around for meds. You can call around to other vets, check out pet catalogs or search the Internet, many online places offer free shipping and larger discounts than vet offices.

• Don‘t 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.  Just like eating healthy and exercising for humans reduces medical problems, the same works in animals as well!  This is an investment in your future, there are articles put out by the Whole Dog Journal and in Bark magazine that help you read food labels.

• Keep their weight down. Just as with people, obesity in animals can trigger 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.)
• Keep their teeth clean. Dental health is related to physical health so keeping your pets teeth clean is another way to cut down costs.  Look for pet friendly toothbrushes and toothpaste (DON’T! use human toothpaste it can hurt them).  Check out our past post on dental health.

This list was compiled from the following sources: www.furryfriendsrescue.org, moneycentral.msn.com

This is part 1 of a 3 part series, to go to part 2 or 3 click the links below:

How to Prepare for Pet Costs pt. 2 of 3

How to Prepare for Pet Costs pt. 3 of 3

When most people start looking for a pet, it’s usually a photograph that captures their attention, draws them to that one particular dog or cat and makes them fall in love.  Well with new technologies, Furry Friends is taking advantage of video and YouTube!

After all if a picture is worth a thousand words so videos must be worth millions!  So many words I lose count on my tiny little paws!  It’s a requirement that when a family wants to adopt one of our dogs or cats that everyone in the family needs to meet the animal.  But it’s still hard to know exactly what that animal’s personality might be like and that’s what videos can help with.  When we shoot our videos we try to caputre a particular aspect of that pet just as we try to express what they’re like in the descriptions.   This gives you a little more insight into their personalities and an idea of how they might be with your family!

Check out our videos on YouTube – www.youtube.com/user/FurryFriendsRescue.

We’ve already heard from several adopters that it was actually the videos that captured them and made them inquire about a particular pet.  It also helps with some of our more camera shy dogs and cats!

This was taken from an email sent by the Yes on SB250 supporters – http://www.yesonsb250.com/sb250-home.php

ALERT:
The first SB 250 vote in the California State Senate is April 15th in the Senate Local Gov’t Committee. In order to be counted in the committee’s analysis, ALL LETTERS MUST BE SENT BY 5:00 PM WEDNESDAY, APRIL 8th.

Dear Supporters:

Three More Days to send letters! Time is critical, and so we have created a new automated letter tool to make it easy for you to have your voice heard. Please send your letter, and please call the committee members:

Step 1 – Send your letter!

You can write your own letter, or click here to create and automatically send a letter in only 30 seconds. If you write your own letter, here’s what to do: Individuals, please write a simple letter, print your letter and fax it to our author Senate Majority Leader Dean Florez at (916) 327-9057. If you are representing an organization or group, please print the letter on your group’s letterhead, and fax it to our author Senate Majority Leader Dean Florez at (916) 327-9057.

Step 2 – Call the Committee!

Please call the five committee members. Please be really nice and brief and ask them to Support SB 250 on Wednesday April 15th when they vote. Please note that you can call the committee right up until Wednesday morning, April 15th. Senator District Phone number Senator Patricia Wiggins (Chair) Humboldt, Lake, Mendocino, Napa, Solano & Sonoma (916) 651-4002 Senator Dave Cox (Vice-Chair) Alpine, Amador, Calaveras, El Dorado, Lassen, Modoc, Mono, Plumas, Sierra, Nevada, Placer and Sacramento (916) 651-4001 Senator Samuel Aanestad Butte, Colusa, Del Norte, Glenn, Nevada, Placer, Shasta, Siskiyou, Sutter, Tehama, Trinity and Yuba (916) 651-4004 Senator Christine Kehoe Del Mar, Lemon Grove, San Diego, Casa de Oro-Mo, La Presa, and Spring Valley. (916) 651-4039 Senator Lois Wolk San Joaquin County, Solano County, Sacramento County (916) 651-4005

If you would like to join us on this important day, please plan to be at the Capitol in Sacramento April 15th at 9:30 am in Room 112. The actual bill will be heard at 11:00 am.

Thank you so much for your ongoing support, and please forward this email to all of your animal loving friends.

Warm regards,

Judie Mancuso
President, Social Compassion In Legislation (SCIL)
A 501(c)(4) non-profit organization focused on reducing pet overpopulation through legislation.
www.YESonSB250.org

Check out Event Details on our Events Page!

The Fleurty Orchidscapes are super popular. Learn to create a beautiful and artistic Orchidscape with fresh flowers. Once you create it, it’s easy to change out the plant with another orchid to keep it always looking fresh.

Instructor:
Tina Thao & Sachi Yamazaki

An Orchidscape is a highly stylized potted arrangement of which a blooming orchid plant is the focal feature. A great addition to any interior space and a wonderful gift to give! Learn design layout, get basic care tips, and use enchancements on your custom piece. The class fee includes the organic tree fern fiber box planter, living orchid, fresh cut flowers, AND you will help the lives of animals in need.

Sign up early, space is limited to a class of 8!

Fee:$100 includes orchidscape. 75% of the fee will be donated to Furry Friends Rescue.

RSVP 1-800-Fleurty or info@fleurty.com

While it’s rare to find Obsessive Compulsive Disorders (OCD) in dogs, it does happen.  This behavior often manifests itself in behavioral issues where the dog is focused on a particular object, whether it’s a part of their own body or an inanimate/animate object.

One example of this is tail chasing.  When a dog is young, tail chasing is usually just a sign of immaturity and the dogs outgrow the behavior.  However in older dogs it can be a sign of boredom, anxiety, play, or a sign of a neurological problem. (cited from Allexperts.com)  According to Jill Connor, PhD, OCD in dogs is usually a problem that develops through emotional or psychological trauma, neglect and abuse.

A study recently published in the March 2009 issue of Journal of Small Animal Practice showed a possible link of tail chasing to high cholesterol levels.  High cholesterol is also found in humans with similar OCD type of disorders.  This finding may help develop diets to help reduce the behavior in dogs.  However, if it’s mild, it may just be an indication that your dog is bored and needs more exercise, day care or stimulation of some sort.

OCD usually manifests in other symptons other than tail chasing.  If your dog has a fear or shadows or chases and barks at them, has unusual avoidance behaviors or is scared of seemingly normal things then it may need professional help.  Recently it’s been found with some dogs that playing with a laser pointer can lead to an obsession with shadows, so it’s best to avoid using those in play.  Once a dog develops OCD it can be very difficult to break the behavior.

If you notice your dog starting to obsesses distract them and re-direct them to a different activity.  Make a noise, call her name then re-direct the behavior.  It generally doesn’t take a dog very long to forget what she or he was doing.  Have them play with a ball instead or do a sit or down, then reward and praise him or her.  Jill Connor suggests using a leash to restrain the dog if the distraction/re-direct doesn’t work.  Leashing them can calm the dog and interrupt the behavior.  However if it gets worse, always consult a veterinarian and ask for a neurological evaluation.