Petsecure Pet Health Insurance

Pet Health Insurance Month - True Tails Contest!

Are you a Petsecure member? Has Petsecure pet insurance helped your pet with their recent accident or illness vet costs? Tell us about it! We want to hear your True Tail!

Go to www.petsecure.com/truetails and submit our story along with a picture of your pet and you could be one of 10 lucky winners to receive a $50 Visa gift card!

All completed True Tails submissions will be entered to win a $50 Visa gift card!

Contest runs September 8th - 31st, 2011. Winners will be announced in October.

Here’s one of last year’s winners:

True Tails: Meet Benno

In June 2009, my then four month old Bernese mountain dog, Benno, had a pretty serious rash on his belly. We first thought it was just bug bites though after taking him to the vet we learned it was much more!

The vet discovered Benno has allergies and after visiting the Ontario Veterinary College, we learned Benno not only has a bacterial skin infection and a superbug that is resistant to antibiotics, which makes treating Benno very difficult, he also has environmental allergies. Benno is allergic to trees, grass, dandelions, clovers, ants and mold. Therefore we started Benno on his own immunotherapy to help him deal with his allergies.

Benno’s treatments have been pretty extensive and without Petsecure’s help I probably wouldn’t have been able to afford to keep Benno. Petsecure has covered everything needed for his treatments from his numerous antibiotics, to special shampoos and conditioners for his skin, to eye and ear medication, to foot soaks for his paws, antibiotic creams for his pustules and now his allergy injections which have been developed specifically for him to further treat his ongoing allergies.

Our journey continues and I am extremely grateful for Petsecure’s help with Benno on his road to recovery and relief!

Thanks Petsecure for helping me keep my beautiful Berner Benno!

Linda Gross

Kitchener, Ontario

 

Petsecure pet insurance presents 'Ask-A-Vet Tuesday'!

Every Tuesday on Facebook (www.facebook.com/petsecure), you can have your pet health questions answered by our Chief Veterinary Officer, Dr. Colleen Skavinsky. She keeps Petsecure pet insurance connected to vet practices and the vet community. Her wealth of knowledge helps Petsecure pet insurance with products, ongoing claims and advice to members.

Not on Facebook? Send us an email with any pet health questions or concerns to Dr. Skavinsky at askavet@petsecure.com

 

Dear Dr. Skavinsky,

My 5 month old kitten just got neutered yesterday. He is home today with a cone, and every time we briefly take the cone off he tries to lick the area. He tries even with the cone on! When is the incision healed enough so we can remove the cone and not worry?

Dear Pet Parent: There are several reasons a kitten or puppy will lick at a surgical incision: discomfort, itchiness, or...just because they can. You want to make sure that there is no evidence of a problem post-op. A neuter incision should be clean and dry with no signs of redness or anything “sticking out”. I recommend that you take a peek at least once or twice day to ensure that things are healing well and calling your veterinary hospital if you have any concerns. If there are no problems, most kittens will stop being pre-occupied with the area within three or four days. At that time, I usually have clients take off the cone or Elizabethan collar when the pet can be directly supervised and monitor for any further over-zealous interest. If the kitten licks a few times to clean himself and goes on to his regular activities, then you can often keep the cone off for good. 

 

Dear Dr. Skavinsky,

My 12 year old dog is a MultiPoo. He continuously gets ear infections. He’s been given meds, but it still comes back. He also had blood in his urine and the vet said it was UTI and that they would like to put him on antibiotics. He had a little blood the first day but now his urine is all clear. His vet would like to re-test him. What should I do? Also, he sleeps a lot and his hearing hasn’t been very good in the past month.  

Dear Pet Parent: At twelve years old, your MultiPoo is considered a senior citizen. I definitely recommend that you follow your veterinarian’s advice concerning the recheck examination and testing. Your vet will want to look down your dog’s ears with an otoscope to make sure that his ear drums are okay. Dogs with chronic ear infections can have ruptured ear drums or middle ear infections that can cause deafness and may require additional therapy to properly treat the condition. Some ear medications themselves can cause hearing loss in certain individuals, and your doctor will want to ensure that this is not what is happening in your pet. You do want to make sure that he’s not sleeping more because he’s not feeling well. However, some dogs who develop deafness will sleep more deeply, simply because they can’t hear the normal things that previously roused them.

As far as his urinary problem, blood in urine is not always visible to the naked eye. There can still be abnormal cells and blood at the microscopic level which may be causing discomfort or other internal problems. Your veterinarian is being thorough and reasonable in asking for the second sample. 

 

Have a question for Dr. Skavinsky? Email her at askavet@petsecure.com

For more information about your pet’s health, visit Petsecure's Pet Healthipedia at: www.pethealthipedia.com

 

 

 

Celebrate Pet Health Insurance Month with Free Petsecure Desktop Wallpapers!

September is Pet Health Insurance Month! Celebrate with these fun styles 'Insured Cat' and 'Insured Dog' and simply download them for free to your desktop!

For more information about Pet Health Insurance Month and to enter our contest, visit: www.petsecure.com/phi-month!

960x640	960x640
1024x768	1024x768
1024x1024	1024x1024
1280x800	1280x800
1280x1024	1280x1024
1440x900	1440x900
1600x1024	1600x1024
1680x1050	1680x1050
1920x1200	1920x1200

Portosystemic Shunt: Learn about Your Pet's Health with Petsecure Pet Insurance!

  
Multi-tasking.  There should be a picture of the liver next to this word in the dictionary.  The “hepatic system” is very important in overall metabolism and general body functions.  The liver produces a number of important factors that allow blood to clot and the immune system to protect against infection.  It also makes or stores many of the important vitamins and minerals required by the body for optimal health.  Up to 15% of the body’s red blood cells may accumulate in the liver at any one time.  Carbohydrates and fat are metabolized by the liver to produce energy for the body.  The production and storage of bile within the gall bladder allows for the digestion of fats in the small intestine and excretion of the toxic metabolites produced during protein digestion. 

The liver needs two different kinds of blood supply to perform all of these amazing functions.  There are the hepatic arteries which come off the aorta and supply blood to the liver cells for all of their regular duties.  Then there is the portal blood system.  The portal system takes blood from the stomach, intestines, pancreas, and spleen directly to the liver to allow this important organ first access to all of the nutrients absorbed during digestion. The blood from both the hepatic arteries and the portal system eventually flows back through the caudal vena cava and into the heart. 

Portosystemic shunts refer to a situation where blood from the digestive tract by-passes the liver and flows directly into the caudal vena cava via an abnormal blood vessel or “shunt”.  There may be one abnormal vessel or several smaller vessels involved.  Pets may acquire shunts in response to liver hypertension and disease as they age, but more commonly we see congenital shunts that are present at birth.  Breeds which may be predisposed to congenital shunts include Yorkshire terriers, Cairn terriers, Maltese, Miniature Schnauzers, Irish Wolfhounds, Australian cattle dogs, Himalayans, and Persians.  

When blood is shunted away from the portal system, the liver cannot properly metabolize and filter the by-products of digestion and other body processes.  These toxins build up in the system and cause several different kinds of symptoms.  Puppies and kittens may be stunted and unthrifty.  Other signs tend to be related to the gastrointestinal tract, the urinary tract, and the central nervous system.  A pet with a liver shunt may have chronic vomiting and diarrhea.  Ammonia, a by-product of protein digestion, will end up being excreted by the kidneys in abnormal levels and may result in the formation of calculi or stones in the kidneys, bladder, and urethra.  Ammonia is also a major toxin in the development of nervous system signs-a condition known as hepatic encephalopathy.  A pet may initially seem lethargic and disoriented.  With on-going progression of encephalopathy, there may be the development of blindness, seizures, coma, and even death in untreated or poorly responding animals. 

Symptoms may start off subtly.  In most cases of congenital shunts, signs are obvious before the pet is six months old.  A pet parent may see a waxing and waning of clinical signs which are especially noticeable after a protein-rich meal.  A veterinarian will diagnose a portosystemic shunt in an animal based on history, clinical signs, and laboratory testing.  Special X-rays, ultrasound, and CT scans also offer very important information regarding the type of shunt and extent of liver dysfunction.  

There is a condition known as hepatic microvascular dysplasia or portal atresia where the smaller vessels of the portal system are abnormal but there is no true shunt.  This disease can cause similar symptoms and is diagnosed in breeds that are also predisposed to portosystemic shunts.  A veterinarian may need to differentiate between the two conditions before deciding on the course of treatment for a given patient. 

Medical treatment in dogs with portosystemic shunts is aimed at decreasing the amount of ammonia circulating in the blood stream.  Low-protein diets, antibiotics, and supplements are generally prescribed and allow most dogs some improvement. In the majority of dogs with liver shunts, surgery becomes the best option for the long term.  In general, dogs respond better to treatment than cats.  Where the surgeon is able to completely ligate or tie off the shunting vessel, the prognosis is very good for a normal life.  A partial ligation procedure where there are multiple smaller shunts or the shunt is contained within the liver tissue itself carries a more guarded prognosis.  These pets may still require medical therapy to treat their liver disease.  Unfortunately, some pets will not respond to medical treatment or surgery and will need to be euthanized. 

The key to treatment in any pet with a suspect portosystemic shunt is early intervention and good communication between the pet parents and their veterinarian. 

Find out more about caring for your pet’s health with Petsecure, by visiting: www.pethealthipedia.com 

Petsecure pet insurance’s Chief Veterinary Officer, Dr. Colleen Skavinsky explains the importance of keeping our pets cool this summer and how to prevent heatstroke

After months of cold and snow, we all look forward to the sunny days of summer.  As pet parents, we need to remember that our pets deal with heat and high humidity in different ways than we do.  Dogs and cats only have sweat glands in the areas between their paw pads, so they cannot perspire the way we do.  They’ll pant to help get rid of excess body heat, but this physiological mechanism has its limits in keeping the body temperature at normal levels. 

Heatstroke refers to a condition where the body can no longer cool itself and maintain normal internal temperatures.  Normal body temperatures for a dog range between 38.0° and 39.5°C (humans sit at about 37.0°).  Once a pet’s core temperature goes above 40.5° to 41.0°C, they are reaching a danger zone and can suffer from heatstroke.  Initially a pet will begin to pant and appear distressed and may begin to salivate large amounts of drool from the mouth. In some cases, you may see a very runny nose; this phenomenon belies the myth that a wet nose is always a sign of good health!  Without treatment these pets can eventually seizure, become comatose, and die.

Never leave your pet in a car on a warm day.  As a matter of fact, the Stanford University Medical Center found that the temperature inside of a car may rise over 15° C in as little as an hour.  This means that the inside of your car may be at a pleasant 22° C when you leave your pet, but the interior will be a stifling, possibly life-threatening 36° C by the time you return from your errand.

There are several reasons your pet may be prone to heatstroke under the best of circumstances.  Obese animals have a very difficult time keeping their temperature in the normal range when the environment is hot and humid.  Dogs or cats who have diseases that affect their upper airway may also be predisposed to these problems, because they are not able to pant efficiently and relieve all that pent-up body heat.  The short-nosed (brachycephalic) dog breeds in particular such as Pekingese, Pug, English Bulldog, etc. suffer from this “ineffectual panter syndrome”.  Any pet who suffers from a chronic illness may have issues in hot weather.

  We are the first line of defence in preventing heatstroke for our furry little friends: 

• Ensure that your pet has ample water to drink and can seek shelter in shady or cool areas, such as a basement.
• When possible keep air circulating with a fan.
• NEVER leave your dog or cat in a vehicle (ask yourself if you would leave your child in the car).
• Exercise your dog during the coolest times of the day such as early in the morning and later in the evening.
• Consider cooling your dog by hosing him or her down before exercise.
• Avoid hot sidewalks and pavement which may cause tender paw pads to burn.
• Dogs can be like kids who love to play and won’t stop until they are already suffering from heatstroke.  Ensure your dog is getting plenty of water and resting frequently. 

What to do when you suspect heatstroke:

• Remove your pet from the hot environment and place them in a shaded/cool place.
• Increase air circulation by directing a fan or an air conditioning vent toward the pet.
• Learn how to take your dog’s temperature and what normal is for him or her.  Be comfortable taking your dog’s temperature when it is sick.  This information will be very helpful to your veterinarian.
• Cool the body slowly with cool, wet towels under the neck, in the armpits and in the groin region.  Do NOT use ice.
• Transport immediately to a veterinary hospital.  Your pet may need professional care to prevent shock, seizures, or even death.

Dogs love to play outside on sunny days.  We have a responsibility as pet parents to make summer a safe and happy time for our pets to enjoy.  Happy summer holidays everyone!

To learn more about your pet's health, visit Petsecure's pet healthipedia at: http://content.petsecure.com/

New Petsecure pet insurance desktop wallpapers for free download!

Check out our new desktop wallpapers for August!

Choose from these two fun styles - 'Slumber' and 'Sun Soaked' and simply download them for free! Check back next month for new wallpaper designs!

960x640	960x640
1024x768	1024x768
1024x1024	1024x1024
1280x800	1280x800
1280x1024	1280x1024
1440x900	1440x900
1600x1024	1600x1024
1680x1050	1680x1050
1920x1200	1920x1200

Petsecure pet insurance Top 10 Claims for June!

We love our pets and no matter how much love and care we provide, we can't protect them against accident or illness. That's why Petsecure pet insurance is committed to ensuring you and your pet are...All taken care of.

Check out our Petsecure dog and cat members who made the Petsecure pet insurance Top 10 Claims list for June!

Petsecure pet insurance is happy to have been able to help these pets get back on their feet! 

Pet Name	Type	Breed	Amount	Condition
Jackson	Dog	Border Collie Cross	$5201.37	Growth
Sheba	Dog	German Shepherd Dog Cross	$5078.30	Hip Dysplasia
Behnsen	Dog	Old English Sheepdog	$5000.00	Foreign Body, Gastrointestinal
Cully	Dog	Border Collie Cross	$4912.64	Hip Dysplasia
Coco	Dog	Retriever (Labrador)	$4764.83	Hip Dysplasia
Mittens	Cat	Domestic Shorthair	$3225.74	Urolithiasis,
Rasta	Cat	Domestic Longhair	$2442.88	Hyperparathyroidism, Primary
Jace	Cat	Siberian	$2233.34	Foreign Body, Gastrointestinal
Roxy	Cat	Manx	$1971.03	Gastroenteritis
Meneou	Cat	Domestic Shorthair	$1537.70	Fracture-femur

 

 

Join Petsecure pet insurance this Friday, June 24th in supporting 'Take Your Dog to Work Day'

This Friday June 24th, Petsecure pet insurance will join thousands of forward-thinking offices across North America by spending some extra time with our canine friends and helping to raise awareness for animal adoption, by bringing our dogs to work for the day.

Since 1988, pet care education group Pet Sitters International has chosen the Friday following Father's Day as TYDTWD – or ‘Take Your Dog To Work Day’. According to the group, studies have shown that allowing pets to play a permanent role in the workplace can not only provide a boost to company morale, it many cases it has been proven to raise productivity and improve sales! 

Not sure if your dog's ready for this special day? What should you do as a responsible pet parent to be well-prepared? Here are some handy tips to make sure your celebration is an all-round success:  

Getting Suited-Up for a Day at the Office:

If your dog is socialized (meaning, they regularly interact with a broad community of other dogs) you should feel comfortable bringing them into your workplace. 

Packing a Basic Doggy Briefcase:

Max or Maxine will need a few important items to ensure a comfortable day at your workplace. Be sure to pack these basic items for your dog's important day:
- A leash and harness/collar

- Water bowl (and water, just in case)
- Treats (as rewards for good behavior)

- Chews (toy or rawhide to help keep them calm and occupied)

- Doggy bags, wet wipes, and paper towels (for quick clean-ups)

Don't Forget Those Important ‘Extras’
Depending on your workspace and flexibility, you may want to bring along a few extras to support your own productivity, as well as to distract and entertain your pet throughout the day:

- Blanket or pillow/bed (ideally one that’s used and smells familiar)

- A few favorite dog toys

- Food and food dish (especially if they normally self-feed)

Be Poised for Success

Dogs that participate in TYDTWD should be able to sit, stay, and respond to your commands. If you have taught your dog patience and social ‘pettiquette’, you won't need to worry about having her bark every time someone enters your cubicle, or whine each time you leave to use the washroom.

You should also consider locating (in advance) a nearby spot to walk your dog, and plan to take more breaks on this special day, not only to provide them with a place to do their business, but also to work off the stress and tension created by the unfamiliar routine and environment. 

Even though it sounds like a lot of preparation just to bring your dog to work for one day, your hard work will pay off. Events like ‘Take Your Dog to Work Day’ are pivotal to building your pet’s self confidence, providing healthy and much need mental stimulation, as well as strengthening the important bond you and your dog share. 

Whether it's spending time with your own dog, or simply enjoying your co-worker’s pets in the workplace, have a great TYDTWD this week!

For more information, visit: www.takeyourdog.com

 

 

The Importance of Pet Health Insurance: Petsecure's Chief Veterinary Officer speaks out

For over 20 years, Dr. Colleen Skavinsky, our Chief Veterinary Officer, has seen how pet health insurance has affected her patients and her patients' families. Here, she shares her experience about the benefits of pet health insurance, as a practioner, and explains what is truly the focus in every vet visit.

Dear Pet Parent,

I have been a veterinarian for 21 years and I have worked for Western Financial Insurance Company now for seven weeks. I would like to share with you my feelings about pet health insurance and hope you can share with me your own impressions.  Let’s see where we go with this...

I love animals, I love my patients, I am very fond of my clients, and I have always wanted to offer the best medical and surgical interventions available.  As a veterinarian, I have to establish a relationship with each pet family in a way that allows for appropriate and effective communication about what may be involved for any specific condition or treatment regimen.  The hows and whys and why-nots of what is best for an individual patient create huge opportunities for discussion and debate within a veterinary hospital exam room. 

I have heard everything including “Doc, she’s my baby and I’ll do whatever it takes to make her better.” I have had clients who grieve their lost pet for eight years before they can bring themselves to walk into the Humane Society and look for another cat ,while others who went out three hours later and adopted a kitten from the neighbourhood shelter. There are still other amazing long-time clients who have changed their lifestyles and they don’t have room in their lives for pets anymore.  In all of the examples above, all of these clients have big hearts with lots of room for love.  The point I’m trying to make is that we all make different decisions based on what’s going on in our own lives and our personal situations dictate our decisions about our pets. As veterinarians we don’t make judgements, we sympathize with the tough decisions our clients make every day.

I remember when our practice first heard about pet health insurance back in the early 1990s and I thought, what’s this about?  Back then, most people dealt with veterinary emergencies by using their credit card or putting their pets to sleep. That’s right; people sometimes have no choice but to euthanize a beloved pet even when there are reasonable expectations of having a healthy pet after treatment.  All Because of money. I can share with you that the most difficult thing about being a veterinarian isn’t putting the animals to sleep, it is having to put them down because of money.

Pet health insurance can make the difference between life and death for some pets.  Many years ago, I had a four month-old Rottweiler puppy named Carl come into the hospital for a weepy sore on his leg that wasn’t healing.  He was just “not doing right” in other ways.  He ended up having a fungal infection called Blastomycosis which threatened his life.  The diagnostic work and therapy cost thousands of dollars and fortunately Carl's pet parent was able to treat her puppy because she had purchased a pet health insurance policy a few weeks beforehand. 

I never “sell” insurance in my hospital as a private practitioner.  I am too busy caring for my patients.  Do I offer more to my clients who hold insurance policies for their pets?  Absolutely not.  Everybody gets the same advice for similar problems.  Do I perceive that I can go further for some patients because their families have insurance?  Absolutely. 

In this day and age, when veterinary medicine rivals human medicine in scope and breadth, some people will make the conscious choice to pursue advanced medicine and surgery for their pets. 

Having pet health insurance coverage so that unforeseen illness or injury in a beloved pet can be treated to the best of our collective abilities makes sense to me.  Little Carl, who became much, much bigger Carl made a believer out of me.

 Sincerely,

Dr. Colleen Skavinsky

Chief Veterinary Officer

Petsecure pet health insurance

Roadtripping with your dog: Petsecure pet insurance offers helpful tips to keeping your dog safe in the car

 

The long weekend is just around the corner and like many of us you might be planning a trip out to the cottage, to the beach or a weekend of camping. 

With the bags all packed and grocery list in hand, all that's left is for the family to hop in the car and get on the road before the weekend traffic begins! Nothing like heading out on the highway, windows rolled down, breeze blowing with anticipation of the exciting May long activities ahead! It seems only natural to allow your dog to jump in the car, hang their head out the window and enjoy the fresh air too, right?  How harmful could it be? 

Take this quiz to see just how safe your dog really is when travelling in your vehicle. (answers below) 

1.) Which of the following is true?

a.) It’s a bad idea to let your dog ride in a bed of a pickup truck.

b.) It's OK to let your dog ride in the bed of a pickup truck.

c.)  It’s a great idea to let your dog ride in a bed of a pickup truck

 

2.) Why is the bed of a pickup truck especially dangerous for dogs on a hot day?

a.) The dog can easily dehydrate.

b.) The dog can easily burn its paws on the metal bed.

c.) None of the above

 

3.) What are the soft ear flaps on your dog called?

a.) Soft ear drum

b.) Pinnels

c.) Pinnae

 

4.) What does repeated flapping of the pinnae cause?

a.) Blood to pool in the ear

b.) Painful swelling

c.) Scarring

d.) All of the above

 

5.) Repeated trauma of the pinnae can cause:

a.) hearing loss

b.) life-long problems

c.) hair loss

d.) all of the above

 

6.) The best way to transport your dog in a vehicle is with:

a.) a crate

b.) a restraining seat

c.) any of the above

 

7.) The best place for your dog to ride in a vehicle is:

a.) the cabin

b.) on your lap

c.) the front passenger’s seat

 

8.) Falling out of a car can easily cause a dog:

a.) broken bones

b.) internal injuries

c.) death

d.) all of the above

 

9.) Allowing your dog to ride with their head out the window puts their eyes at risk to possible:

a.) scratches

b.) punctures

c.) All of the above

 

 

Answers:

1.) It’s a bad idea to allow your dog to ride in the bed of a pickup truck. All of the dangers of sticking their head out the window from inside the car are increased, since the bed offers little to no protection from wind, debris, or ejection.  

2.)  A pickup’s metal bed can reach dangerous temperatures on a hot day, which can cause damage to the soft tissue on a dog’s paws.  

3.) The soft ear flaps are called Pinnae. 

4.)The repeated and rapid flapping of the pinnae against your dog’s skull from high-speed winds actually causes trauma to the ear, blood pools in the ear flaps, which can cause painful swelling.  

5.) After repeated trauma, the soft tissue in the ears can scar, causing lifelong problems for your pooch.  

6.) Crating your dog or purchasing a special car seat that restrains it like a small child is the best way to make sure you and your pooch arrive at your destination happy and healthy.

7.) Ultimately, the best place for your dog to ride is secured inside the cabin of the vehicle.  

8.)Your dog’s head hanging out of the window can easily lead to falling out the window if you encounter bumpy terrain or some other jarring road obstruction. A spill can cause broken bones, internal injuries and worse if other cars can’t brake in time to avoid hitting your pet. 

9.)With your dog’s head out the window, itheir eyes are exposed to dust, dirt, rocks and anything else that gets kicked up by your car and other on the road. Allowing your dog to stick it’s head out of the window while you drive leaves your dog’s eyes exposed to possible scratches or punctures.  

Courtesy of: howstuff works.com – a Discovery Company