Do You Really Need Dog Insurance?

A domestic dog is a man’s best friend and I am sure all dog owners will agree wholeheartedly with me and the welcome wag of its tail and the friendly lick can make you grin even after a hard stressful day at work. Dogs are invariably there when you want them, ready to go out for a walk if you are or just keeping you company when you would prefer a night in. They are a loved and valued member of the family, one that doesn’t get upset because they have lost their favourite shoes or that they haven’t had that bath you promised.

This is why we should show our appreciation by ensuring their continued good health and provide them with a dog insurance policy. Insurance plans for pets cover many different areas thus you can custom them to suit your position but at the very least you want a insurance that covers regular health visits to the vet. These dog insurance policies make it easy for the owner to look after their pet without any financial concerns bothering them.

Advances in medical science even for pets has advanced so that many situations that only a few short years ago could not be treated, are now routine but they come at a high cost. Dogs and other pets are now able to benefit for transplantation surgery and for certain pets, they can even replace hips which even now is hard to believe. Once dogs reach a certain age, then there are genetic diseases which can affect them.

Many diseases that dogs are prone to suffer from do not occur until they reach middle age and of course by then, the dog is a member of a close family and loved by everyone. A dog insurance policy therefore helps the owner to provide the best treatment in such circumstances without feeling the financial pressure of providing the best health care for the dog. Dogs, irrespective how well looked after do require regular checks for the numerous other problems they can be prone to: like mites, worms and vaccinations plus having their teeth cleaned for example.

Your dog health insurance plan will cover these costs and will make you sleep easy knowing that your beloved pet is looked after as well as the rest of your immediate family.

If such care is taken it will ensure a happy and loving association between the dog and his owner. You may find that your local vet is the best person to ask about dog insurance as he in all likelihood has contact with many providers and can recommend an insurance company.

Does My Dog Have Arthritis?

There’s nothing worse than having to watch your pooch suffer from arthritis pain. You can tell by the look in their eye they hurt. Chances are you desperately want to do something to ease their misery. The good news is there are things you can do to slow down the progression of this painful disease, or perhaps prevent it from ever happening at all!

Arthritis is considered by many to be an auto-immune disease which causes the body to attack its own healthy tissue in the joints, causing pain and inflammation. In dogs, arthritis can appear in many forms and can’t affect canines of all ages.

This disease affects the cartilage of the joints and causes it to degenerate. Since cartilage connects and projects the joints between bones, when cartilage breaks down it can lead to the bones rubbing against each other which is very painful. In dogs, most owners will first notice arthritis in the major joints such as the hips and knees, although arthritis can affect any joint in the body.

Symptoms of arthritis in dogs include:

v Difficulty sitting, standing, or getting up from the floor or bed
v Favoring a limb
v Decreased activity, sleeping more, lack of interest in play
v Weight gain
v Attitude or behavior changes
v Appearing to have stiffness or sore joints
v Swelling around the joints

In recent years, scientists have been studying Glucosamine as a way to treat arthritis in dogs. Glucosamine is a glucose molecule produced naturally in the body. Its job is to fuel cartilage cells to produce the proteins that hold joint tissue together. As dogs age, they are less able to produce glucosamine, which causes the cartilage to wear down and stiffen.

Along with glucosamine you may want to consider chondroitin, which is found in cartilage and can help slow down the enzymes that are causing the breakdown of the cartilage. Combining these two components and giving them to your dog regularly can help them create new cartilage and relieve their arthritis suffering.

Glucosamine plus chondroitin has been clinically proven to prevent arthritis symptoms in rats with arthritis in up to 54% of cases, as opposed to 96.5% of the group that received no treatment. What this means is that by giving your dog this compound you have an over 50% chance of helping them get rid of some, if not all of their arthritis symptoms.

Secondary arthritis usually occurs as a result of surgery or injury. This conditions as well as osteoarthritis show promising results when treated with glucosamine and chondroitin supplements.

Last, but not least, studies indicate Glucosamine/Chondroitin supplements are a safe and effective supplement to add to your dog’s diet at an early age. However, there are conflicting reports on this topic and it’s best to consult with your veterinarian and determine if this is the best option for you and your dog.