SCVMA member Monarch Veterinary Hospital in Laguna Niguel, CA received a grant for the Angel Fund to help the Frost family afford needed veterinary care for their cat Angel. Thank you Monarch Veterinary Hospital!
Americans are increasingly treating their pets as members of the family, feeding them gourmet food, paying for day care and throwing them birthday parties. Family sleepwear sets sold on PajamaGram.com even include matching jammies for the dog.
So it’s not surprising that an increasing number of “pet parents,” as they are known in the pet care industry, are seeking sophisticated medical treatments for their animals.
Enter pet health insurance, marketed as a way to help defray rising veterinary expenses and avoid “economic euthanasia” — the necessity of putting a pet down because the owner can’t afford treatment. More than two million pets in the United States and Canada (most of them in the United States) were insured at the end of 2017, up about 17 percent from the year before, according to the North American Pet Health Insurance Association.
But consumer advocates say that pet owners should make sure they understand how the policies work before buying them.
More than two-thirds of households in the United States own a pet, according to the American Pet Products Association. Americans spent about $70 billion on pets in 2017, including purchases of animals, food, veterinary care, medicines and other services.
“People are much more inclined to think of their animals like children, and treat them accordingly,” said James Serpell, a professor of ethics and animal welfare at the University of Pennsylvania’s School of Veterinary Medicine.
J. Robert Hunter, director of insurance with the Consumer Federation of America, said pet owners should bring a healthy skepticism when shopping for pet insurance. Purchase of the product is “often motivated by a combination of love and fear,” he said. “So the buyer may be particularly vulnerable.”
Details vary by insurer and policy, but premiums for pet insurance typically depend on factors like the cost of veterinary care where you live and the age and breed of the pet. The average annual premium for “accident and illness” coverage was $516 per pet in 2017, while the average claim paid was $278, according to the pet health insurance association.
Jeff Blyskal, a senior writer with Consumers’ Checkbook, a nonprofit group that rates services in major urban markets, said pet owners should compare policies with a critical eye. When years of payments are taken into account, he said, buying insurance could end up being more expensive for some pet owners than going without it, if their animal doesn’t require much care.
Pet policies typically don’t cover pre-existing conditions, Mr. Blyskal said, so premiums are generally lower when your pet is young and healthy. Even if you start early, though, you may end up paying more over time, he said, because some policies raise premiums as pets get older. This can increase costs substantially, he said, and cause owners to drop their policies as the animals get older — just when they are more likely to need the coverage. Industrywide, the average pet policy is maintained for three years or less, according to an insurer regulatory filing in 2016 in Washington State.
The expenses tied to pet health coverage usually include not only a regular premium but also other out-of-pocket costs, like a deductible — an amount that you must pay before insurance begins paying. Insurance may cover less than 100 percent of costs after the deductible, so you’ll still have to pay for part of the treatment. Some policies may cap payments, so ask if there’s a limit.
Rob Jackson, chief executive of Healthy Paws Pet Insurance, said insurance could protect against budget-busting events costing thousands of dollars. (Healthy Paws said a pet’s age affects premiums at initial enrollment, and also as the pet ages.) The Healthy Paws website cites examples like Fridgey the Bengal cat, who had a $4,600 hip replacement, and Lupa the German shepherd, who needed $52,000 in treatment for tetanus exposure.
One way to pay lower premiums, and possibly get broader coverage, is to buy pet insurance through your employer. Eleven percent of employers in the United States offer pet health insurance benefits, according to a 2018 survey by the Society for Human Resource Management, up from 6 percent in 2014. Typically, companies offer pet insurance as a “voluntary” benefit. It’s uncommon for employers to contribute to the cost of premiums, as they do with human health insurance. But insurers may give employees a break on premiums, or offer better coverage, because their marketing costs are lower.
Employees at Ollie, a specialty dog food company, receive a 15 percent discount on premiums from the insurer Healthy Paws, said Gabby Slome, a co-founder of Ollie. (Ollie also offers workers benefits like “pawternity” leave when they take a new dog home.)
“We had a strong belief that pets are a part of one’s family,” she said.
Scott Liles, president and chief pet insurance officer with Nationwide, said half of Fortune 500 companies offer their employees pet insurance from his company. Nationwide’s employer-based plans now underwrite by species — canines vs. felines — but not by age or breed, Mr. Liles said. That means, he said, you won’t pay a higher premium if your pet is older, or if its breed is prone to certain illnesses, unlike policies sold in the open market.
Here are some questions and answers about pet health insurance:
Do some animals cost more to insure than others?
Cats are generally less expensive to insure than dogs. The average accident and illness premium in 2017 was about $45 a month for dogs and $28 a month for cats, according to the pet health insurance association. Because some purebred animals are prone to certain health problems, some insurers may charge higher premiums for them.
Most, but not all, insurers limit coverage to common household pets. Nationwide, Mr. Liles said, offers coverage for birds, hamsters and more exotic pets, including tarantulas and even hedgehogs.
What if I can’t afford pet insurance?
Local animal shelters may offer basic services, like rabies vaccinations or spaying and neutering operations, at a discounted rate. The Humane Society of the United States lists groups that can help owners who can’t afford medical care for their pets.
Another option is to put money away each month — perhaps the amount of the premium you would pay — into a dedicated savings account so you will have some funds available for pet care if you need it.
What if I’m unhappy with my pet insurance policy?
Insurance products are generally regulated by state governments, so you may want to contact your state insurance commissioner about your concern. The National Association of Insurance Commissioners offers information about pet insurance and links to regulatorsin each state.
Correction:
An earlier version of this article, using information supplied by Healthy Paws Pet Insurance, misstated how a pet’s age affects premiums for the company’s policies. The pet’s age affects the premium at the time of enrollment and as the pet gets older, not just at enrollment.
Hospice care for dogs is a relatively new concept. Sadly, the word hospice often carries a negative stigma. It reminds us of lonely, sterile rooms and the fear of impending death. In reality, hospice care can be a wonderful gift for terminally ill people and pets. Rather than focusing on invasive medical procedures, hospice provides physical and emotional comfort to end-of-life patients and their families.
What is hospice care for dogs?
Hospice care is based on the philosophy that people and pets deserve to die with dignity. When a dog is suffering from a serious illness and a cure is not possible, hospice care provides a temporary alternative to euthanasia. The goal is to make their remaining days comfortable with pain medications, dietary strategies and human interaction.
Dr. Alice Villalobos is a world-renowned veterinary oncologist. She coined the term “pawspice,” which she describes as supportive care in evaluating and managing quality of life in the time leading up to a pet’s death.
“In-home ‘pawspice’ care is a wonderful next step,” Dr. Villalobos says. “It should be introduced as an interval between the thought and the final act of euthanasia, if the owner really feels that their pet still has a quality of life.”
Hospice care for dogs also allows families to come to terms with the impending loss of a beloved friend. In keeping a terminal pet comfortable, the human family members have time to come to terms with the situation. Hospice allows them to plan special moments with their dog, take family photos, and seek emotional and spiritual support.
A lot happened in pet food this year. Sadly, mostly bad news. Here is a review of pet food for 2018.
January 2018
In early January of 2018, we learned that industry hired a representative who submitted a proposal to AAFCO hoping to weaken the legal requirements of a human grade pet food. No decision has been made by AAFCO at year’s end.
January also gave us some misleading marketing published by Purina; highlighting the serious need for pet owners to have public access to pet food ingredient definitions.
February 2018 brought news of more pentobarbital in pet food. Washington DC television station WJLA News tested 62 samples of dog food. “After months of tests and re-tests, one brand repeatedly came back positive for pentobarbital. In total, we tested 15 cans of Gravy Train. Nine cans — 60-percent of the sample — were positive for pentobarbital.” And following the news of pentobarbital in Gravy Train, a class action lawsuit was filed against manufacturer Big Heart Brands/J.M. Smucker.
In February, TruthaboutPetFood.com provided a comparison to FDA’s handling of a kibble recall to a raw recall proving absolute bias by the agency.
We provided an in-depth look into the ‘Complete and Balanced’ pet food regulations – proving existing regulations could cause nutrient deficiency in pets.
In March of 2018, a pet owner who lives across the street from a rendering facility provided us with horrific pictures of what FDA considers pet ‘food’.
The State of Ohio stepped up in a big way in March of 2018 – with Representative Laura Lanese submitting a bill requiring pet food to be free from any euthanized animal including dogs and cats used as a pet food ingredient. Ohio is the first state to do this!
We learned from a concerned veterinarian that FDA does little to require pet foods to update labels after any ingredient change is made in that pet food. FDA told this veterinarian that pet food “firms should update labels as soon as practical. The FDA does not provide a set timeframe.”
In March of 2018, TruthaboutPetFood.com explained the ‘False Friends’ of pet food labels(misleading information on pet food labels and websites due to pet owners having no public access to pet food ingredient definitions). Also, TruthaboutPetFood.com explained how FDA ignores the risk of dead bacteria on pet food ingredients (ignores the certain risk of endotoxins).
In March of 2018 we learned some good (great) news too. Dr. Karen Becker and Rodney Habib published the ground-breaking documentary The Dog Cancer Series. Here is a clip from the film:
Recalls in March 2018
Blue Ridge Beef raw pet food – Salmonella and Listeria monocytogenes.
The FDA has informed J.M. Smucker that the firm’s previous action to withdraw products from the marketplace is now reclassified as a recall. Pentobarbital.
Blue Ridge Beef raw pet food – Salmonella and Listeria monocytogenes.
April 2018A
In April of 2018 we learned just how deadly grains in pet food could be. A survey of mycotoxin risks of grain ingredients in North America found 80% of grain samples tested contained two dangerous mycotoxins.
FDA issued a Warning Letter to Darwin’s Pet Food that proved the agency enforces with a double standard – raw pet food is held to food law, all other styles of pet food are held to inferior ‘feed’ laws.
OC Raw Dog, LLC treat – fish have exceeded the FDA compliance guideline for fish larger than 5 inches.
May 2018
May of 2018 Amazon introduced their own pet food line. But – Amazon could not provide answers to basic questions of their new products. Also in May, we learned that industry events are talking about us…
That’s a picture of TruthaboutPetFood.com from a presentation at Pet Food Forum.
May 2018 introduced us to Maria – a pet owner in Australia that stands on street corners day after day trying to educate fellow pet owners to the conditions of pet food.
We also learned that Wilbur-Ellis – a pet feed ingredient supplier pleaded guilty to “substituting lower-cost ingredients for premium, more expensive chicken and turkey meal”.
Recalls in May 2018
Merrick Pet Care treat – elevated levels of a naturally-occurring beef thyroid hormone.
13 billion pounds cattle material, an equal 13 billion pounds of illegal poultry material and another 13 billion pounds of illegal pig material is also allowed to be processed into pet feed/animal feed for a grand illegal total of 40 billion pounds a year.
Radagast Pet Food raw pet food – Listeria monocytogenes and E. coli O121.
September 2018
September was full of bad news for pet owners. We learned that a licensed “dead animal hauler“ (that picks up euthanized animals) is also a pet food manufacturer.
We learned that FDA told an industry audience pentobarbital in pet food is more of a problem than they realized; “new evidence suggests that the problem may be more pervasive than originally thought.” In a later update to pet owners about the risk of pentobarbital in pet food, FDA said they just don’t have the money to enforce law; “Due to competing priorities and resource limitations, government agencies cannot act against every violation of the law.”
In September of 2018 we learned that FDA is ONLY working with Big Pet Feed to aid in the investigation of Grain-Free pet food link to canine heart disease. This website sent multiple requests to FDA on how pet owners can help – all were ignored. Scientists aiding in the investigation continue to provide misleading information to pet owners claiming “Grains have not been linked to any health problems except in the very rare situation when a pet has an allergy to a specific grain.” They ignored the certain risk of mycotoxins.
October 2018 brought devastating news to pet owners. The pet food safety laws that were written to prevent another deadly recall like the one in 2007 were simply erased from record by Congress. In November – listed below – we learned the name of the one Senator that destroyed pet food safety.
We learned that a raw pet food manufacturer was forced to close its doors due to multiple recalls. Those recalls were obtained by Ohio and Colorado Department of Agricultureignoring their own regulations on testing and obtaining pet food samples.
Colorado Department of Agriculture took samples from a pet store of frozen pet food (in July) and did not place those frozen samples in a cooler. Instead, the agency placed frozen pet food on the car seat – unprotected from the July heat.
We learned that an ingredient supplier (Wilbur-Ellis – mentioned in May above) was fined more than $7 Million for knowingly selling adulterated pet food ingredients.
In October of 2018, we asked FDA for a public meeting with pet owners. FDA didn’t respond until December stating “Over the past few months, we have received several similar requests for meetings. We are currently considering how best to accommodate all the requests we have received. ” FDA promised to provide us information on our meeting “early in the New Year“.
And in October of 2018 we learned worldwide pet food sales have dropped $2.7 billion dollars in the last two years.
And in November of 2018 we learned that it was Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky that intentionally introduced an addendum to a bill that destroyed pet food safety.
In December we received a Freedom of Information Act request that appeared to show Champion Pet Food purchased their fat ingredient from the same supplier as Gravy Train Pet Food.
What a year it has been. Here’s hoping 2019 will bring improved (and consistent) enforcement of law in pet food. Here’s hoping for more good news in 2019 than bad.
My thanks to all that support TruthaboutPetFood.com each year – year after year. Happy New Year to all.
Pets, like their human caretakers, are susceptible to becoming ill from asbestos exposure. Dogs, cats, and other animals can develop mesothelioma and other asbestos-related illnesses, with devastating consequences. As with humans, mesothelioma in pets is an aggressive and deadly type of cancer. The treatment options are even more limited and the hope of survival minimal.
Pets may become exposed to asbestos in many of the same ways people are. Older homes with worn and exposed asbestos insulation, for instance, can send fibers into the air that humans and animals alike may inhale. If the owner works around asbestos and brings fibers home on clothing, this too can lead to exposure in pets. Mesothelioma in pets is rare, but it is possible. It is important to minimize exposure risks for people and animals in the household.
Asbestos Exposure Causes Mesothelioma in Pets
Evidence that points to asbestos as a cause of mesothelioma in humans is already overwhelming. Research into pets with mesothelioma is much more limited, but it does exist. One study, for instance, examined the tissues of dogs that died from mesothelioma. Researchers saw pleural, peritoneal, and pericardial mesothelioma in the population of dogs studied and even some that had cancerous tissues in more than one part of the mesothelium. Most of the dogs in the study were found to have asbestos in the affected tissues, providing a link between the cancer and exposure to asbestos. Dogs in a control group had far fewer fibers.
Stories of animals suffering and dying from mesothelioma are rare, but heartbreaking. In the United Kingdom there was a case reported of a dog that died from mesothelioma. The devastated owners reported that their dog had sniffed asbestos-containing materials that had been dumped at old building sites in the woods where they regularly walked. After thousands of dollars in vet bills the dog could not be saved.
How Pets May Be Exposed to Asbestos
Although mesothelioma is rare, it is strongly linked to exposure to asbestos so pet owners need to be aware of the asbestos risks and should take steps to minimize any possibility of exposure. One of the most likely ways in which an animal may be exposed is through secondhand contact. If you come home from work with fibers of asbestos on your clothes, your pet is likely to inhale those fibers or even ingest them.
Pets may also be exposed to asbestos that is in the home. Homes built before the 1980s most likely contain asbestos in insulation, HVAC systems, flooring, siding, ceiling materials, and other areas of the house. If that asbestos is disturbed, worn down, or damaged, the fibers can become airborne where they can be inhaled by anyone in the house, including pets.
This risk is especially high during renovation or remodeling projects. This kind of work can disturb previously encapsulated asbestos. The best way to protect animals during home projects is to keep them temporarily out of the home, at someone else’s house or at a kennel or boarding facility. While humans can wear protective gear, animals cannot. Also, dogs may lick things on which asbestos dust has settled.
Like the dog in the United Kingdom that died after being exposed to asbestos on walks, exposure outside of the home is a rare but possible risk for pets, especially dogs. Dogs that go outdoors for walks or spend a lot of time out in the yard may be at risk for exposure from any nearby demolition, construction, or mining.
Symptoms of Mesothelioma in Pets
If your pet has been exposed to asbestos, you may see signs of illness. If you catch these early and have your dog or cat diagnosed and treated, you may be able to extend the life of your beloved pet. There is no way to cure mesothelioma in cats or dogs, but early detection can give you more treatment options and a better chance of giving him or her a better quality of life for as long as is left. Dogs are more likely to develop mesothelioma than cats.
With pleural mesothelioma, a pet may exhibit signs such as labored breathing, rapid breathing, or shortness of breath, and a cough. With peritoneal mesothelioma, an animal may display abdominal discomfort, abdominal swelling, or vomiting. Other symptoms of any type of mesothelioma may include fatigue and lethargy, an enlarged scrotum, and unusual sounds in the abdomen or chest.
Diagnosing and Treating Mesothelioma
If you see any unusual symptoms in your dog or cat, you should take your pet to the vet immediately. If you have any reason to believe your pet may have been exposed to asbestos, inform your veterinarian so that your animal will get a complete diagnosis. As with humans, diagnosing mesothelioma can be tricky. Your vet will begin with a physical exam and likely a blood and urine analysis. From there your vet will probably want to do imaging tests, like an X-ray, to look for tissue abnormalities. The next step would be a biopsy to remove fluid or tissue for examination.
Much of the treatment given to an animal for mesothelioma will be palliative, to keep the pet comfortable. However, there are some cancer treatments that may slow the progression of the disease and give you more time with your pet. In one small study, a specific combination of chemotherapy drugs allowed a dog to go into remission, although other animals in the study did not. Palliative treatments for an animal with mesothelioma include medications for pain and procedures to drain fluid from the abdomen or chest cavity.
Help Your Pet Live with Mesothelioma
A diagnosis of cancer in a pet is devastating news, especially when the prognosis is not favorable. There are things you can do to make sure your pet lives the rest of his or her days in the most comfort possible. Limiting activity is important, especially for a pet with pleural mesothelioma. Taking slower and shorter walks can give your dog a chance for exercise and fresh air without overexertion, for instance.
Your pet should also be given a quiet and comfortable place in the home to rest. Make this area easy to access, but out of the way of noise or disruption so that he or she can rest as needed. Regular visits to the vet are also important so you can be sure that you are doing the best for your animal and providing all the care that is necessary for maximum comfort. When the time is right you may need to make the difficult decision about letting your pet go, but your vet can help you make that choice. The loss of a pet to a disease like mesothelioma is terrible and the only way to prevent it is to keep your pet safe from asbestos.
Baby Kitty – a beautiful Siamese cat – had “a few issues with eating and tummy problems” in 2016, owner Cherry Simkins recalled in an interview. “I didn’t worry about it that much.”
But the two-year-old feline’s condition worsened. And one day, Cherry could not find him, despite a long search of all his favorite haunts in the yard of her Torrance home. By this time Baby Kitty had stopped eating entirely, she said, and she was worried. Her veterinarian, Dr. Alice Villalobos of Pawspice and Animal Oncology in Hermosa Beach, suggested that she search places “where you know he couldn’t be – every crack and crevice.” And she found him in a stack of wood that he had crawled inside.
“He realized that he couldn’t eat and he had crawled in there and decided that he would die there,” she said. “He was turning into a skeleton and his food was not being processed by his body.”
She took Baby Kitty to Dr. Edward M. Leeds at Surgical Group for Animals in Torrance, referred by Dr. Villalobos, who had diagnosed the cat with a diaphragmatic hernia. Cherry thinks that the condition may have been the consequence of a fall. Many of his abdominal organs had crowded into his chest cavity, impinging on his lungs and heart and threatening his life.
The Surgical Group performed corrective surgery and guided Cherry to Angel Fund, which provided a grant of $500. The hospital contributed $1,938. “It wasn’t something I could take care of,“ Cherry said. “I had had some really hard times financially.”
She was told that the likelihood was that her cat would not survive. But she said, “everyone was pulling for Baby Kitty. There was no doubt in my mind that he would pull through.” He did. And now, she said, “he is a much sweeter cat. He’s the most loving cat. It really shows how thankful he was that he was saved. He’s really touched a lot of hearts and that makes him all the more special.”
Baby Kitty’s recovery was not without its problems. He and his brother Poofa are outdoor cats and they want to keep it that way, Cherry said. He hated being in a cage where he needed to be confined for a month, she said. “He just went crazy. It meant I couldn’t work like a needed to. He needed a lot of love and care. I had to hold him and calm him and keep him settled because he wanted out. Even wearing a cone, he figured out how to get out of that cage. He was able to lift the edge of it and slide out – and it was a heavy cage. He flattened his body like a rat. He didn’t want to be in there.”
Today, life is back to normal for Cherry and her two cats. “They’re pretty spoiled,” she said. “They have lots of places to go, here and at the neighbors, I’m sure. They share a big lot with possums, raccoons, rats and the occasional coyote.
She doesn’t see coyotes as a problem for Baby Kitty and Poofa, who previously lost a leg to surgery. “I have amazing crows here who love the cats. After the surgery, a coyote came to eat cats on my property. Believe it or not, the crows went insane.
“All of them descended on this area and I came out [wondering] what is all this ruckus? And they were telling me that the coyote was there, glaring at Baby Kitty and Baby Kitty was glaring back. I shooed the coyote off. It happened one other time. And I came out and sure enough there was a coyote here again. So the crows take care of the kitties and the kitties catch rats for them.”
She said that her cats are the welcoming committee for her clients who visit the office she built outside her house. And, she said, “Babby Kitty loves to make me laugh. He’s a funny creature and he has personality. He loves to play tag. He wants you to pet him and if you try to step away, he’ll reach around – without claws – and whack you, like you’ve got to pet him some more. It’s a game.”
Her experience with Angel Fund, Cherry said, “has helped me to share with all my clients the benefits that are out there – the people, the loving way that they went about it, their generosity.”
Listen as the AHF Board of Trustees President, Dr. Mark Malo (owner of Garden Grove Dog and Cat Hospital).
It speaks about the fnancial grants we are providing to help the pets of the homeless in Orange County with mobile clinics once a month. These clinics provide vaccines, flea and tick treatments, ear infection treatments, and other minor treatments.
Listen and learn a bit more about what your donations support!
13 billion pounds cattle material, an equal 13 billion pounds of illegal poultry material and another 13 billion pounds of illegal pig material is also allowed to be processed into pet feed/animal feed for a grand illegal total of 40 billion pounds a year.
Recalls in June 2018
