Jack L. Stephens Dvm asked:


Like most things these days, the price of pet care is increasing. However, unlike the price of gas, which is set by supply and demand, the cost of caring for your pet is driven by an increasing expectation for the quality of care.

The advancements in high-tech diagnostics now provide for a faster and more accurate diagnosis, which in turn allows your veterinarian to provide the appropriate treatment faster.

Pets are living longer due to improved health care and treatments, just as we are. And, just as with human aging, aging in pets sometimes brings the complications of chronic medical conditions, such as arthritis, kidney and heart failure and, of course, cancer. Cancer is the leading cause of death in pets over six years of age, and – also as with humans – cancer can be successfully treated in most pets.

What pet owners often overlook is the cost involved. While cancer treatments are far less expensive for our pets than they are for us, treating cancer can still be quite costly for most families whose beloved pet needs treatment.

It is not unusual today for cancer treatments for an ill or injured pet to cost into the thousands of dollars. For most people, this cost is a budget buster and creates a dilemma for pet families as they struggle with shuffling the budget to pay for the treatment or facing the emotional trauma of not being able to afford the needed care.

What are pet owners to do?  There are several options, but each has their downside.

Savings – The trouble here is that you won’t have it for another emergency when you need it, or for your retirement. Time is also an issue here as it takes years to have enough put aside if the problem is severe.

Credit Cards – With credit cards, we all know what happens to the interest rate if a payment is late and sometimes even when not. It’s exorbitant.



Disposable Income – If you’re like most, there is very little left after you’ve met your monthly bills for unexpected expenses, especially those that can cost hundreds or thousands of dollars.

Pet Insurance – This is another solution that allows pet owners to budget and always be able to afford most any care that occurs once coverage is secured. Pet health insurance is a good option and an easy way to budget for your pet’s care. Since most plans reimburse you 80% after a low deductible, it gives pet owners peace of mind knowing they can afford care, whether minor or major.

Far too often, we think nothing will happen to our pets. This is wishful thinking because invariably, something will happen. When not prepared, this reality can lead to the hard decision of whether or not to pay for the pet’s treatment.

With pet insurance you pay an affordable monthly premium, and you’re prepared for the treatment of any of the thousands of illness and injuries covered by pet insurance.

Chances are that your pet will be faced with more than one large veterinary bill; having pet insurance means you’re prepared. Just like children, pets can get into plenty of trouble and have many of the same medical conditions as humans. Pets  are also subject to some diseases that do not afflict humans.

One aspect of pet insurance to keep in mind is that pet insurance does not cover medical problems that are already present, whether diagnosed or not. If the condition exists prior to coverage, then it cannot be covered. Because of this, pet owners need to purchase pet insurance when the pet is healthy or before major medical complications develop.  See how pet insurance plans work and visit http://www.petsbest.com/gettingstarted/howpetinsuranceworks.aspx.

When researching pet insurance policies, be sure to check for these things:



The ability to use your own veterinarian

That the policy pays a flat percentage of eligible expenses with no set schedules that may be considerably less than your veterinarian, emergency clinic or specialist might charge.

A reasonable deductible. The higher the deductible the lower the premium usually, since you are taking on more risk.

The company is recommended by your veterinarian. Your vet or their staff knows which companies pay, which ones provide good service, and which don’t.

Pets of any age are insured with no termination of coverage due to age. As pets age their medical conditions increase. When they are young, accidents are more prevalent. But remember, misfortune can attack pets of any age. You want your pet insurance coverage (http://www.petsbest.com/plans/illnessaccidentplans.aspx) to stay in effect to be prepared for those problems.

Fast reimbursement. Most vets require you to pay up front and then seek reimbursement from the pet insurance administrator or company. That means you don’t want to wait long for your money, since the cost may be on your credit card.

Affordable yet provides good value. How do you tell? It is tough. Ask friends who have experience. Ask your vet or shop carefully, as many companies and plans look alike but function very differently. Again, your vet will have recommendations. You can also go to the Pets Best Insurance website (http://www.petsbest.com) to check out a leader in the field.



If you want peace of mind knowing you’ll always be able to afford whatever care your pet needs, consider pet health insurance as the best option. It makes sense.

And remember, obtain pet insurance before your pet needs it. This will keep you from having to revert to savings, disposable income, a loan or using a credit card when medical emergencies occur.



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Stephanie Larkin asked:


As much as people do not like to think about their beloved pets falling ill or getting injured, it can still happen, and treatment can be expensive. In order to provide an alternative for pet owners who fear that they might not be able to afford unexpected veterinary bills, various companies have started offering pet health insurance which can be used much like standard medical insurance would be used to cover visits to the doctor or hospital for the pet owners themselves. Before running out and buying insurance for your pets, though, it is important that you understand how pet health insurance works, what the limitations on it are, and how much it is going to cost so that you don’t end up paying more than you have to for something that will not offer as much coverage as you would like.

How Pet Health Insurance Works

Much like the health insurance that you would purchase for yourself or your family, pet health insurance is designed to provide financial coverage that will cover veterinary care in case your pets become sick or injured. The coverage is also designed to help cover routine veterinary care such as checkups, rabies and other annual shots, and regular medication such as flea and tick medicines or any other specific medications required by pet illnesses. Some forms of pet health insurance work directly with veterinarians to cover the expenses with no up-front cost to you, while others may require that you pay for the care that your pet receives when it’s due and then file a claim so that you may be reimbursed for the amount that you have paid.

One thing to remember is that there are some things which are not covered by pet health insurance, including pre-existing conditions or certain types of pet care. Additionally, pets under a certain age may not be eligible depending upon the specific rules of the insurance provider.

Levels of Coverage

The level of coverage that you receive from a pet health insurance plan will depend upon the type of pet that you have and the number of pets that you are planning to insure under the same policy, as well as the company or organization that you purchase the policy from. There may also be different amounts of coverage available for different price ranges, though that may vary from one company or organization to another.

Many companies and organizations which offer pet health insurance feature separate plans for dogs, cats, and other types of pets which are based upon the specific health problems that different pets may be more prone to. If the company that you are considering buying pet health insurance from offers different levels of coverage beyond that, you will most likely have the option of covering only emergency care and special visits or of covering all veterinary expenses (including both emergency care and routine visits.) There may be additional options which allow for the cost of prescription medications for your pets, or those costs may be included in the standard packages. Make sure that you take the time to find out exactly what expenses are covered before deciding on a particular plan.

Acceptance of Pet Health Insurance

Pet health insurance is not nearly as widely accepted as medical insurance for yourself or family members, which is one of the reasons that it isn’t more widespread in its use. While there are certain brands of pet health insurance which can be processed directly from a veterinarian’s office without the need for you to fill out paperwork and send it off yourself, most types of pet health insurance require you to file a claim for reimbursement after the treatment has been given and you have already had to make an up-front payment. Keep in mind that it doesn’t matter where you get the treatment done in those cases, so there is at least an advantage to that type of insurance since you don’t have to worry about the vet’s office refusing to accept it.

Cost

The cost of pet health insurance will vary from one company to the next, and can also be affected by the area in which you live, as well as your pet’s medical history, you pet’s age, and whether or not you’ve had your pet microchipped. You will also need to remember that for most types of insurance you’ll be required to front the cost of the initial veterinarian’s bill out-of-pocket and then wait to be reimbursed by the insurance provider after the fact. Some insurance providers may use a deductable or have a maximum annual claim amount that you can submit per pet, so keep that in mind when figuring out the cost to see if pet health insurance is worth what you would have to pay.



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Jay Schindler asked:


Owners who are considering purchasing pet health insurance for their dogs should make sure that the eye health of their dogs covered by the insurance policy. Because many insurance companies will not insure the eyes of a dog whose breed is habitually diagnosed with chronic eye problems may want to consider purchasing their puppy from a CERF (Canine Eye Registration Foundation). Breeders who are recognized by the CERF have been publicly acknowledged as breeding puppies without known health problems. In some cases insurance companies might also require that the owners have genetic screening done on the puppies before they can be insured.

Glaucoma is a common eye condition that begins with very subtle symptoms such as dilated pupils that don’t respond well to light, and eye that appears to be red, poor vision, and corneas are often cloudy. One California-based veterinarian claims that because the initial symptoms of Glaucoma can be very subtle many California pet owners to not immediately bring their dogs and for an examination. If Glaucoma is not immediately seen by a veterinarian within 24 to 48 hours the increased pressure in the eyeball can lead to permit it cases of blindness. In severe cases of untreated Glaucoma veterinarians have been forced to remove the pet’s eye.      Any dog who has the developed an irritation in their eye that causes them to square to produce extra tears is called a “squinting dog”. Most cases of squinting is caused from a minor irritation such as an in turned eyelash or minor scratch to the cornea. However some cases of squinting dog has led to the early diagnosis of diseases such as cancer and Blastomyosis. The Dermoidis is a benign corneal neoplasam. It is sometimes referred to as the third eyelid. Hair growing from the Dermoidis can irritate the dog’s eye which can cause discharge and occasionally cause an ulcer to appear on the eye.      Once you have seen a person or animal with cataracts you will always be able to diagnose them. The official definition of a cataract is opacity of the lens. When you look into an eye that has a cataract it looks as if a darkly tinted contact lens has been placed over the lens. If the cataracts become too thick the pet will go blind. Shar Peis. Cocker Spaniels, Labradors, and Rottweilers are susceptible to eye condition called Entropion. Entropio, happens when an eyelid fold inward toward the eye and causes the eyelashes to brush against the cornea. The irritation of the eyelashes rubbing the cornea generally gives the eye a squinty drippy appearance. Bulldogs, Poodles, and Cocker Spaniels are often diagnosed with a condition called Cherry eye.

Dry eyes is the term used to describe the eyes of a dog that isn’t producing enough tears. Lhasa Apso, Pugs, and Shih Tzus are breeds that are particularly susceptible to dry eyes. Dog owners should bring their dogs to the veterinarian as soon as they notice any of the following conditions; squinting, tearing, pawing at the eye, cloudiness, bloody eyes, a blind eye (this can happen very abruptly), constantly dilated pupils, and swollen eyelids. Dog owners need to understand that early diagnosis is often the key to preventing further eye issues.



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