All about Dog

When pet owners purchase a pet they shop around at the various pet shops, breeders, pet rescues, and animal shelters until they find the dog, cat, or exotic pet that suits them, what very few pet owners do is consider the cost of veterinarian cost for their new pet. The oversight can prove financially devastating and emotionally heartbreaking.

The cost of veterinary cost is on the rise. Technology, liability insurance, medications, and medical research have forced veterinary clinics to raise their cost. Veterinary clinics in rural areas of the country (especially ones that combine their small animal practice with a large animal practice) find it difficult to attract young vets who are graduating from vet school to their clinics; they are forced to offer higher salaries in order to compete with clinics located closer to major cities. The increase in the payroll is then transferred to pet owners.

It was recently estimated that the average dog owner will spend about two hundred dollars a year at the vet’s office. Cats were a little cheaper; their owners only spent about a hundred and sixty dollars in veterinary bills. When you consider what the average life expectancy is for a pet, especially on kept inside, that’s a lot of money. And what if the pet isn’t your run of the mill dog or cat? What if the pet is something more exotic like a pot bellied pig, a ferret, a rabbit, a snake, or even a skunk? The more exotic the pet the more the pet owner is likely to spend on the veterinarian bills, especially if they have a pet such as a skunk which will probably require a vet with special skills. What happens to the pet if it suddenly gets sick or is injured in a freak accident? How much will it set the pet owner back if they have to take their family pet to a university’s veterinary school, will they be able to afford it or will they be forced to euthanize their pet for economic reasons?

Many pet owners try to keep the unexpected veterinary bills at bay by providing excellent care for their pets. They make sure that the pet is kept well groomed to prevent insects and skin disorders. They only feed their pets foods that are very carefully balanced with a proper blend of nutrients. They make sure the pet maintains a healthy weight, not to thin and not to fat. Some pet owners won’t let their pets out of the house, fearing a freak accident. While pet owners should take the best possible care of their pets and do everything in their power to keep their family pet safe, even the most careful, health conscious pet owner can not prevent everything.

Pet health insurance is one way to prevent veterinarian bills from becoming overwhelming. Pet health insurance is insurance pet owners purchase to help cover veterinarian bills similar to human medical insurance. The chances of a pet owner being able to purchase a pet health care at the same health insurance company where they purchase their human health insurance is slim. Most pet owners will find that they have to go to a separate insurance company that specializes in pet health insurance.

There are two health care issues that might make Canada’s pet owners consider purchasing Canadian Pet Health Insurance for their family pets. Cancer and Tularemia.

Cancer is a type of malignant tumor or growths that invade the surrounding tissues and use the bloodstream to move spread to other parts of the body. Some cancers reappear even after removal of the offending tumor. Cancer can cause that unless the tumor is removed and any remaining cancer cells properly treated. Because of improvements in veterinary care at nutritional needs family pets are living longer. As a direct result of the longer life span of family pets wore more cases of cancer are being seen.

Signs that the family pet might have cancer are abnormal swellings that continue to grow, sores are a few heel, bleeding or other discharge from body openings, the pet is having a difficult time eating and swallowing, persistent lameness, difficulty breathing, painful urination, chronic coughing, weight loss, fevers, lack of appetite, and stamina. If you notice your pet experience the any individual or combination of the symptoms you should consult your local veterinarian.

In the not so distant past cancer and pets was a virtual kiss of death. In today’s medically advanced world of veterinary medicine your pet’s outcome is more positive. Early detection followed by timely intervention is the most positive here for your pet’s cancer.

In some cases simple removal on the tumor is all that is required to other may any cancer cells. Some types of cancer require or surgery. The surgery has an excellent success rate with cancers that were detected early on. If your pet has a tumor that is inoperable your veterinarian might suggest radiation, chemical, or biological therapy.

Radiation therapy exposes the malignant cells to high level of radiation with the hope that the radiation will kill the cancer cells. Chemical therapy is medication design to kill the cancer cells. In particularly aggressive forms of cancer chemical and radiation therapy is used jointly. Other forms of therapies used to treat and comfort your pet when they are diagnosed with cancer are grooming, nutritional support, Soft bedding, pain management, ulcer prevention, and physical therapy. If your pet is diagnosed with cancer discuss treat to the veterinarian and call your pet health care insurance representative to find out what can be done to extend life of your pet.

On October 2, 2004 Health Canada issued an advisory about a potential health concern to dwarf and regular hamsters called Tularemia.

Tularemia is caused by a bacterial disease that is most commonly seen in wild rodents and rabbits. Although it only happens rarely Tularemia is transferable to humans causing flu like symptoms. Tularemia typically found in all muskrats, squirrels, beavers, rabbit, skunks, dear, bison, foxes, opossums, and woodchucks. Although Tularemia is seldom seen in dogs and cats can be contaminated through water, eating infected rabbits, and being bitten by contaminated ticks. The typical symptoms of Tularemia are fever, a loss of appetite, weakness, and diarrhea. If the condition is left untreated infected animals frequently died.

The typical treatment plan for pets infected with Tularemia is to first eliminate any infected ticks from your pet’s fur. After that the drugs Strptomycin and Gentamycin are administered for one to two weeks. Tetracycline and Chloramphencicol have also been used to treat pets diagnosed with Tularemia.