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This Domain is For Sale,
Serious Inquiries please contact Marie Tabsch
In the last issue (May/June 2000), we discussed how pet ownership is good for you and can actually be beneficial to your health. To reward pets for providing this benefit, they deserve the best health care money can buy. However, with today's rising costs of health care for people, we are also seeing increases in the cost of providing medical care for the furrier members of our families. Compared to the cost of human medicine, veterinary care is still a bargain. Traditionally, pet owners have paid out of pocket just for veterinary care and services. However, in the last 15 years, veterinary care has experienced an unprecedented explosion of new diagnostic and treatment modalities. It is no longer unusual for pet owners to prolong the lives of their ailing animals by having them undergo everything from chemotherapy to kidney dialysis. Veterinarians are now capable of offering such advanced techniques as ultrasound, endoscopy, arthroscopic surgery, radiation and nuclear medicine, as well as telemedicine services. Your veterinary bill is a reflection of the costs of maintaining suitable facilities, equipment, and trained personnel to provide the level of care that is expected in animal medicine today. Can all people afford a pet? If some can't, who should subsidize them? The veterinarian? Sometimes large medical bills have brought tough choices to pet owners-choices like watching their pet suffer or authorizing euthanasia. Chances are that at some time in your pet's lifetime a serious illness or accident will strike.
In order to help pet owners be more prepared for these expenses, health insurance for pets is now widely available. There are a host of advantages to both owner and companion if they are insured. Pets can now be afforded many new and advanced procedures since expense will no longer be a deterrent. Insured pet owners can respond to a pet's symptoms earlier. Insured pet owners are more likely to accept a doctor's recommendations, thus allowing a more definitive, early diagnosis. Insured pet owners also more readily accept the diagnostics required. Armed with a more definitive diagnosis, made possible with financial assistance and greater utilization of diagnostics, precise care may be given. This results in a healthier pet in less time. How many times do pet owners use "suffering" as the rationalization for euthanasia of their pet when in fact it is finances? Having insurance available avoids these problems. Financial assistance is there if the pet owner had the foresight to purchase protection. Insured pet owners are prepared for their pet's medical expenses and use euthanasia for true suffering or terminal illnesses. I would encourage all present and future pet owners to investigate and purchase health insurance for their pets. There are several companies on the market today. Their rates can be quite reasonable, especially considering the peace of mind and potential benefit it could provide. Some have monthly payment plans and can automatically bill your bank account or credit card for added convenience. I've listed a few major companies, but there are others. You may wish to ask your veterinarian for a recommendation.
Premier Pet Insurance at 1-877-PPI-CARE -Michael Shaff, V.M.D. owns and practices at The Animal Clinic of Woodmont, which is located at 8295 N. Pine Island Rd. in Tamarac, Fla. A University of Pennsylvania graduate, he is also a member of the South Florida Academy of Veterinary Medicine. He can be reached at (954) 726-3647 or by e-mail at acwoodmont@aol.com. |
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