Dr Fox, Dr Heneghan, Dr Haynes, Liz, Lauren, Brandy, Lisa, July, Blanka, Tina, Michelle, Rafal & Nikki
Pet Insurance
'Tis the season to be jolly - but also to be prepared for the unexpected veterinary visits that may occur this time of year.
From
turkey leg and peppermint candy ingestion, to chewing on the decorative
lights, our pets face quite a few holiday hazards. That's why
considering pet insurance is a good idea.
Pet
health insurance helps cover the costs of medical expenses should your
pet become ill or have an accident. Some pet insurance companies also
offer wellness coverage, which include vaccinations, spaying or
neutering, and other more routine procedures.
Pet insurance is similar to human health insurance in that it:
• Has premiums, deductibles, co-pays and maximum payouts
• Does not cover pre-existing conditions
• Has waiting periods that define when coverage starts
Pet insurance differs from human health insurance in that:
• It
is a reimbursement program. This means you pay the vet bill, and then
you file the claim with the pet insurance company for reimbursement.
• Pet insurance companies do not use networks. You are able to visit any licensed veterinarian in the
US.
If you are considering obtaining pet health, make sure that the company you select has the following attributes:
• The
company should cover both accidents/ injuries and illnesses, which
include coverage for cancer, coverage for chronic disease, continual
coverage for chronic disease, coverage for hereditary and congenital
diseases, and coverage for diseases that are common to your pet's breed.
• The
company should have a good reputation, which you can research via the
Pet Insurance Review, the Better Business Bureau, or your state's
department of insurance.
• The
company should have an affordable premium. You can compare plan costs
using different deductibles from several companies at the following
site:
www.trupanionpetinsurance.com.
• The company should pay claims in a timely fashion.
If
you think that pet insurance is the right option for your pet, always
do your own research before buying it. Make sure you understand all the
exclusions and requirements listed in the policy. It is also very
important to not wait until your pet has an illness or injury before you
buy pet insurance as it will be considered a preexisting condition and
will not be covered by your policy. Most companies also have an
enrollment age range of the plan. This is the age your pet must be to
sign up for a new policy.
Questions? Call us!
Dental Special
As you probably remember, we have an annual “sale” on dental services.
Starting
now through January 31, all dental-related services are given at a 10%
reduction. This is a good time to check your pets’ teeth. If you see
tartar or discoloration of the teeth, red, inflamed, bleeding or
pus-infected gums, or if you experience that depressing feeling that you
don’t want to kiss your pet any longer, it’s definitely time for a
visit to our practice.
Here’s what’s involved in a dental prophy:
For
young pets, we administer a short dental anesthesia using the safest
anesthetics drug available, followed by ultrasonic scaling of the teeth
and then by polishing the cleaned teeth. Older pets should have a
geriatric blood test before the prophy; in any event they will get IV
fluids before anesthesia, and some will get dental X-rays. In almost
every case, we’ll send your pet home later the same day, with kissable
breath and a beautiful smile. And they’ll feel bright-eyed and
bushy-tailed!
Some
pets, whether due to genetics, poor feeding habits, or neglect, will
have periodontal disease (pyorrhea) so bad that we’ll have to take some
or many extractions. These pets will be given antibiotics as well. When
we send them home, you’ll get complete instructions on how to try to
prevent tartar form building up so quickly.
Needy Animal Fund
It
has been a rough year for a lot of people, and we’ve tried to help
where we can. It addition to holding down our fees, so far in 2010 we
have used over $3000 from our Needy Animal Fund (actually more than we
had in our fund) to help pets with conditions as diverse as a MRSA
infection, kidney disease, a couple cases of cancer, heart failure, and
an orthopedic problem. A lot of the money comes from donations we make
to honor special patients who have passed away, but some of the money
also comes from you, and we thank you for helping those in need.
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