INSURANCE

Pets are part of our lives and our families for years, and difficult financial situations can arise in an instant - how can we assume that someone should not have a pet just because they are in a tight spot financially? Problems arise if this is a chronic occurrence, but it is worth pointing out that there are situations where "innocent" people find themselves in a situation where money is tight and their pet is sick.

Sometimes people assume that vets should treat the ones that can't afford medical treatment for no charge, since "vets care about animals." Yes, this is true - vets care about animals. Vets love animals. However, medical supplies, veterinary office and staffing expenses, insurance fees, and the normal expenses from running a practice all add up, and it is a difficult situation when vets are asked to give free services and supplies. This is compounded by the fact that health insurance for animals is not as available as for their human counterparts, so going to a vet may not be as financially easy as going to the doctor is for a human on a group health plan. So what can be done? The purpose of this article is to offer ideas on how to be prepared and ways to help during financially tough times when a pet is sick.

BE PREPARED

Knowing your vet and the services s/he provides is the first place to start.

Finding out answers to the following questions will help you know what to expect and plan ahead:

• What are the payment policies?
• Are payment plans available?
• Does your vet offer emergency hours at the practice?
• If not, where would you be referred to for emergency and overnight care?
• What are the payment policies?

Another way to be prepared is to research the various health insurance and health maintenance plans. These are offered by various insurance companies, and some veterinary practices also offer health maintenance types of plans.

The Uses of aromatherapy for your pets is very similar to how we use essential oils with aromatherapy for ourselves, plus it is environmentally friendly. If your pet has something wrong with it, whether it is your dog, cat, birds or whichever pet you might have the benefits are all the same.

If you are having problems with Flea's in your house or around where your animal sleeps, this method will help and is much cheaper than the commercial remedies that you can by in a department store. The best part about using this natural way, you know these environmentally friendly products will work and has no harmful chemicals in it that could harm your animals.

To have environmentally friendly carpets try using this aromatherapy home recipe, add 2.5mls of all of these essential oils citronella, cypress, eucalyptus, lavender and peppermint. Add these oils to 250ml of bicarbonate of soda and mix the ingredients in a bowl, then put in a jar, seal it, and leave it to stand for about 2 days before using.

For a friendly house for everyone try this Anti-flea Concentrate. Use 5mls of all these oils, citronella, cypress, eucalyptus, lavender and peppermint. Add these oils to 60mls of vodka or brandy shake the ingredients in a glass bottle.

To make environmentally friendly solutions for flea spray, add 10 drops of the anti-flea concentrate that you have made to 250mls of water, put in a spray bottle, and mix.

Instead of expensive flea collars try this instead, it works fantastically. Soak your pet's collar in some anti-flea concentrate that you made, take it out, let it dry, then put it back on your pet. Do this every month.

Aromatherapy is great for making environmental products like flea shampoo too. To make the flea shampoo all you need to do is add 2 drops of the anti flea concentrate mixture to 30 mls of shampoo and mix.

Now you know all the recipes this is the best way to prevent flea problems. Wash all the blankets and bedding and add 1 teaspoon of anti-flea concentrate to the final rinse. Spray the air spray around where ever your pets sleep lay. Sprinkle the carpet powder over the carpet every 2 nights and leave it there overnight and vacuum in the morning. Do this for two weeks straight to eliminate the problem and then maybe once a week for prevention. Keep shampooing your pets regularly to eliminate the fleas and then just do as usual once a week. Once the animal is dry after their bath, and the collar is dry put the collar back on. Then the last thing is just spray the air spray on the animal 2-3 times a week rubbing it into the fur, (this is not suggest for cats).

For abscesses Use 1 drop of tea tree oil, put it on the abscess 2 times a day until it has completely healed.

For arthritis use 4 drops of rosemary, 2 drops of chamomile and 2 drops of lavender. Blend all the oils in 20mls of carrier oil and massage into the affected area.

For Coughs & Colds, you can use different methods, you can make up a spray for room, use in a burner, or make up a warm compress if the animal is really in distress, and put it on their chest and back. With all of these methods use 4 drops of eucalyptus and lavender oils.

For Skin Problems like dermatitis, eczema or mange, mix these ingredients into 20mls of carrier oil, 4 drops Chamomile, 4 drops lavender. Mix altogether, then using cotton wool dab onto affected areas regularly.

Bacterial infection of the urinary tract in dogs and cats is often caused by one of a number of specific types of bacteria. This type of bacterial infection doesn't occur from your pet eating old food or ingesting other not so appetizing treats that most can only imagine. No, bacterial infection of the urinary tract in dogs and cats is primarily caused by bacteria entering the body through the urethra.

Upon gaining access to the urinary tract your pet can still fight off a potentially problematic infection if their immune system is functioning efficiently. On the other hand if your dog or cat has a weakened immune system brought about by advanced age or disease then trouble is likely just around the corner.

The two most common types of bacterial infection of the urinary tract in dogs and cats are bladder infection and to a lesser degree kidney infection:

• Bladder infection.  Your veterinarian will likely refer to this condition as bacterial cystitis. If your pet has this condition you will likely start to see a number of fairly obvious changes in behavior such as urinating in uncharacteristic places, urinating frequently, and possibly yelping or crying when attempting to urinate. Additional signs can include cloudy urine, blood in the urine, and possibly tiny crystal in the urine.
• Kidney infection.  The medical name for this condition is pyelonephritis. Once the invading bacteria move through the bladder the next stop is the kidneys. Stones in the kidneys which may interfere with urine flow also are a common cause. If your pet has this condition you likely will notice a number of changes in behavior such as lethargy, fever, and a loss of appetite. Additional signs can include excessive urination, unusually high levels of thirst, and vomiting. In summary bacterial infection of the urinary tract in dogs and cats is normally treatable with antibiotics. In healthy animals the success rate of treatment is very high. On the other hand if your dog or cat is very old, very young, or has a weakened or damaged immune system then the risk of serious complication increases dramatically.

Additionally, many pet owners are opting for a natural treatment for maintaining urinary tract health, supporting immune system function, and avoiding bacterial infections. Natural pet remedies and supplements such as homeopathy are considered by many natural health advocates to be an effective way of maintaining urinary tract health and reducing the risk of illness. If you have been searching for a natural treatment option this is an area worth investigating further.

Pet urns can be a beautiful way to keep your pet close to you after your friend passes on. Many pet owners opt to have their beloved pets cremated, and while some may scatter those ashes in their yard or perhaps a favorite place outdoors where the pet liked to sleep or play, others choose to keep the ashes with them by purchasing a pet urn.

Pet urns come in a variety of materials like wood, marble and metal. The choice of an urn is a very individual one, depending on your own personal taste and even the decor of the room where you plan to display the urn. Some people prefer to keep the urn in the room of the house where the pet spent the most time, while others opt to display the urn in a central location or the room they may spend the most time in so they can see it often.

Urns for your pets can be found to fit any decor, with some available in specialized shapes, styles and colors. But the traditional wood, marble or metal pet urns can look good in almost any room because of their classic lines and colors.

Marble, metal, granite, glass and ceramic are some options for materials that are classically beautiful. Among just those materials the varieties are almost endless. Pet urns are often indistinguishable from the urns people have used for their loved ones' ashes for years, though pet urns are on a much smaller scale. The beauty and quality of the containers, however, is on the same level with traditional urns.

The manufacturers of pet urns understand that beloved pets are a part of your family. And after they're gone, their memories should be treated with the same respect as any loved one, even though they had four legs instead of two, or they flew, crawled or swam instead of walking. The loss of a pet can be devastating, and the beautiful, keepsake designs of pet urns are designed to help you through that loss by remembering your pet in a dignified and comforting way.

If you don't want a traditional-looking urn but rather one that's more about your pet's personality, several designs are available. Special urns for certain dog breeds are available, with the urn as a box on the bottom and small statue of that breed on top. Cat urns come in similar styles and even horse urns are available with the most popular breeds adorning the tops. Certain keepsake pet urns come in interesting shapes, and some may be in metal or have a metal plate suitable for engraving your pet's name.

Picture urns allow you to put a favorite photograph of your friend right on the container for an even more meaningful keepsake. And keepsake pet cremation jewelry like beautiful necklaces or other jewelry that serve as tiny pet urns are popular, as they allow you to keep a small amount of your pet's ashes with you in the form of a lovely pendant.