{"id":373,"date":"2019-08-26T20:09:53","date_gmt":"2019-08-26T20:09:53","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.secondhomepetresort.com\/blog\/?p=373"},"modified":"2019-08-26T20:09:53","modified_gmt":"2019-08-26T20:09:53","slug":"september-2019-newsletter","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.secondhomepetresort.com\/blog\/september-2019-newsletter\/","title":{"rendered":"September 2019 Newsletter"},"content":{"rendered":"

Is Pet Insurance Right for You and Your Pet?<\/a>
\nOverweight Pets and the Risks<\/a>
\nHow to Keep Your Pets Cool in the Heat<\/a><\/p>\n

<\/a>Is Pet Insurance Right for You and Your Pet?<\/strong>
\nThere\u2019s a lot of talk about pet health insurance and whether it\u2019s right for you and your pet, and if it\u2019s worth it?<\/p>\n

As with health insurance for humans, there are many similarities. It \u201chelps cover the cost of veterinary care if your pet becomes ill or injured,\u201d according to the article, \u201cWhat is Pet Insurance\u201d at petMD.com. Some plans will reimburse for wellness procedures including spay\/neuter, vaccines, and heartworm testing.<\/p>\n

According to the article, the similarities to some human insurance plans include that they both have:<\/p>\n

\u2022\tDeductibles
\n\u2022\tCo-pays
\n\u2022\tMaximum payouts
\n\u2022\tPremiums
\n\u2022\tWait periods
\n\u2022\tNo coverage on pre-existing conditions<\/p>\n

Pet insurance is different from human health insurance because:<\/p>\n

\u2022\tIt\u2019s a reimbursement plan
\n\u2022\tNo networks are used<\/p>\n

So, do you really need pet insurance? According to the article, \u201cDo you need pet insurance?\u201d at AVMA.org, veterinary medicine is now more advanced and the cost has increased. \u201cPet insurance can help by offsetting some or most of the costs of diagnosing, treating and managing your pet’s illness or injury,\u201d the article said.<\/p>\n

However, pet insurance may not be for everyone. There are many considerations. To start, the AVMA.org article recommends speaking with your own vet and doing research. Some considerations include:<\/p>\n

\u2022\tNo matter the insurance provider, \u201cyour veterinarian should be monitoring the health of your pet as part of a valid Veterinary-Client-Patient Relationship,\u201d the AVMA.org article said.
\n\u2022\tInsurance providers should provide details to include limitations and exclusions for routine care and emergency care as well as premium increase as pets age.
\n\u2022\tAdd-on options including dental.
\n\u2022\tThe provider\u2019s definition of pre-existing conditions.
\n\u2022\tDoes the provider exclude particular breeds?
\n\u2022\tIs there a discount for multiple pets?<\/p>\n

Before you decide on pet insurance, compare and contrast companies and the pros and cons to see if it\u2019s right for you and your pet.<\/p>\n

<\/a>Overweight Pets and the Risks<\/strong>
\nOne extra treat for your pet becomes another and before you know it, your pet is overweight.<\/p>\n

According to the article, \u201cLong-term Effects of Obesity on Pets\u201d at petMD.com, \u201cthe reality is that the extra treats and the resulting extra weight are causing lasting damage to your pet\u2019s internal organs, bones, and joints — some of which can never be remedied even with a change in diet and exercise.\u201d<\/p>\n

Today vets are seeing more obese pets. They are in as much danger as an overweight person. It\u2019s important to make habit changes so that your pet can live out a long and healthy life.<\/p>\n

\u201cAccording to recent findings by the Association for Pet Obesity Prevention (APOP), more than 45 percent of dogs and 58 percent of cats can be classified as overweight or obese,\u201d the article said, adding that the following conditions can occur due to excess weight:<\/p>\n

\u2022\tExercise intolerance, decreased stamina
\n\u2022\tRespiratory compromise (difficulty breathing)
\n\u2022\tHeat intolerance
\n\u2022\tHypertension (high blood pressure)
\n\u2022\tDiabetes or insulin resistance<\/p>\n

There are things you can do to help get your pet back on track and lose the weight, according to the article, \u201cObesity in Dogs and Cats: The Most Common Health Threat to Our Pets,\u201d at Petful.com.<\/p>\n

While humans may \u201csuper-size their meals\u201d they are often doing it with their pets, too. The following are tips for a healthier weight for your pet according to the Petful.com article.<\/p>\n

1.\tDiscuss your pet\u2019s weight and diet with your vet and do a weigh in.
\n2.\tDon\u2019t allow your pet to graze.
\n3.\tMake mealtime an interactive activity using puzzle feeders.
\n4.\tDon\u2019t overfeed. Read labels for serving size suggestion.
\n5.\tExercise more.<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re not sure what to do for your overweight pet, start by speaking with your vet.<\/p>\n

<\/a>How to Keep Your Pets Cool in the Heat<\/strong>
\nThe heat\u2019s still on and that means making sure you know how to keep your pet safe and cool. <\/p>\n

Not only does the heat make humans and pets feel uncomfortable, it can be dangerous, according to the article, \u201cKeep pets safe in the heat,\u201d at The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS.org).<\/p>\n

The article offers some tips to keep your pets safe and cool:<\/p>\n

\u2022\tNever leave your pet in a parked car, even if the car is running with AC. It\u2019s still dangerous!
\n\u2022\tWhen it\u2019s hot, keep the exercise limited.
\n\u2022\tFans don\u2019t cool off pets as they do humans, so you\u2019ll need more than a fan.
\n\u2022\tAlways have lots of water and provide shade when outdoors with your pet.
\n\u2022\tMake some homemade pupsicles, and always have water on hand.
\n\u2022\t\u201cKeep your pet from overheating indoors or out with a cooling body wrap, vest or mat,\u201d the HSUS.org article said.
\n\u2022\tWatch for signs of heatstroke, including glazed eyes, heavy panting, and rapid heartbeat.
\n\u2022\tHave a disaster plan on hand in case of a power outage.<\/p>\n

According to the article, \u201cHot Weather Safety Tips,\u201d at ASPCA.org, don\u2019t leave pets unsupervised around the pool as \u201cnot all dogs are good swimmers.\u201d<\/p>\n

If you have a dog with long hair, don\u2019t shave him. \u201cThe layers of dogs\u2019 coats protect them from overheating and sunburn,\u201d the ASPCA.org article said. \u201cBrushing cats more often than usual can prevent problems caused by excessive heat. And be sure that any sunscreen or insect repellent product you use on your pets is labeled specifically for use on animals.\u201d<\/p>\n

When temps are high, keep pets off the hot pavement and asphalt as it can burn their paws.<\/p>\n

While we all have to deal with the heat during the hotter months, it\u2019s important to keep your pets safe and cool.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Is Pet Insurance Right for You and Your Pet? Overweight Pets and the Risks How to Keep Your Pets Cool in the Heat Is Pet Insurance Right for You and Your Pet? There\u2019s a lot of talk about pet health insurance and whether it\u2019s right for you and your pet, and if it\u2019s worth it?… Read more »<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[1],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.secondhomepetresort.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/373"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.secondhomepetresort.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.secondhomepetresort.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.secondhomepetresort.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.secondhomepetresort.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=373"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.secondhomepetresort.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/373\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":374,"href":"https:\/\/www.secondhomepetresort.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/373\/revisions\/374"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.secondhomepetresort.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=373"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.secondhomepetresort.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=373"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.secondhomepetresort.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=373"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}