Sunday, November 30, 2008

Animal Health Insurance for your pet Ferret

Ferrets are long, silky, fun filled, and cuddly. They can provide endless hours of fun. They can also give you a migraine as you try to pay for the vet bills you didn't think about when you spontaneously purchased that impossibly cute ferret with the incredibly pointed face at the local pet store.

The average lifespan is 7-10 years old with each year equaling ten human years. The tempaeture of a healthy ferret is between 100 and 104 degrees, with most of them hovering at a comfortable 101.9 degrees. The heart rate of the average ferret is about 225 beats per minute but it can range from 180-250 beats per minute. Ferrets have an average respiration rate of 33-36 breaths per minute. It is important to get to know your pet’s personality, the better you know your ferrets personality the quicker you will be able to recognize any health issues your ferret might have.

The first thing you might learn about your pet ferret is that not only will it love to have your undivided attention it can also catch that twenty-four hour flue you had a few days ago. The ability to catch diseases from their human owners is one of those unique traits that separates ferrets from cats and dogs (cats and dogs can not catch the flu from humans). Hopefully now that you are armed with that knowledge you will be savvy enough to bring your pet ferret to the veterinarian (preferably one with knowledge and experience about ferrets) before it starts showing flu like symptoms. Ferrets are very sturdy animals when they are healthy but once they get sick they can go down hill fast. It is important your veterinarian sees your pet and prescribe a treatment as soon as possible.

Young ferrets are often fed hard food before they are really ready for it. The hard food can cause your new pet to develop a prolapsed rectum (the rectum is on the outside of the body instead of inside). Oddly enough this is not normally something your local veterinarian needs to see. Normally the rectum returns to its normal position after a few days. Smear a small amount of Preparation-H on the exposed rectum to help keep it moist and keep a close eye on it. Remember that pink is good. As long as the flesh of the prolapsed rectum is a nice healthy looking rosy pink it’s healthy. If the healthy pink color starts to fade take your pet ferret to the vet for a consultation.

Ferrets suffer from a variety of diseases and tumors such as insulinorma, tumors, heart disease, intestinal conditions, and complications involving the liver and intestines and spleen. Many pet ferrets are plagued with multiple issues at the same time. Most diseases commonly found in ferrets will need some type of veterinary care which will often include surgery.

If you are concerned about being flooded with an endless amount of expensive veterinarian bills that you don't know if you will be able to pay you may want to consider purchasing animal health insurance for your pet ferret.

Thursday, November 20, 2008

AKC Pet Health Insurance

You either love them or you hate them, the members, breeders, and owners who are affiliated with the American Kennel Club. Puppies who are registered with the American Kennel Club are the aristocracy of the dog world, granted entry into the finest clubs and most exclusive clubs. The breeds not recognized by the American Kennel Club or dogs that are of a mixed ancestry often feel like outsiders or commoners.

For all the hoopla surrounding the American Kennel Club only members actually seem to know what it really is.

The American Kennel Club is the largest registry of purebred dogs in the entire world. In 2006 there were over nine hundred thousand dogs registered with the American Kennel Club. In addition to registering dogs the American Kennel Club also host several large shows including the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show (it is actually older then the kennel club) and the AKC/Eukanuba National Championships.
The American Kennel Club has been registering puppies for over one hundred and twenty-two years. In 2006 the AKC signed a contract with the pet stores Petland but later rescinded the offer after a flurry of controversy.
In addition to hosting dog show and overseeing the registration of hundreds of thousands of dogs each year the American Kennel Club also takes an active interest in canine health research. Some dog owners are familiar with their current advertising campaign promoting their commitment to healthy dogs.

Because the American Kennel Club realizes that the high cost of veterinary care can be difficult for many dog owners to afford they now offer AKC pet health insurance.

The American Kennel Club Healthcare Plan is designed to help offset the high cost of Veterinary treatments, surgery, and prescriptions.

On the American Kennel Club website they have a list of claims that have recently been paid to dog owners who have purchased an AKC pet health care plan. These claims included a $2,600.00 doller claim for poison toadstools, for a recent case of bee stings they paid a claim of $2,200, and the owners of a dog that was bitten by a snake received a check for 1,262, $2,000 for an intestinal resection, and $2,800 paid out for a ruptured ligament. The biggest claim currently listed on the website is for a ruptured vertebral disc that would have cost the owners an additional $3,329 out of their pockets
The American Kennel Club estimates that the average daily cost of a healthcare plan for your dog is approximately sixty-eight cents a day (this is based on the Essential plan's annual price). You can pick from four different types of healthcare insurance plans, you have a variety of wellness options you can choose from that will help cover dental cleaning, shots, and checkup. Applying for the insurance is supposed to be easy and you can choose to pay monthly or yearly. You get to continue to use you very own veterinarian. The American Kennel Club also offers coverage for cats.
One of the really nice features about the AKC pet healthcare coverage is the sixty-day complimentary trail period.

Monday, November 17, 2008

Blue Cross Blue Shield Health Insurance

Health insurance companies are very competitive, all offering various insurance products to companies as well as private individuals. Purchasing health insurance can be very confusing, even if the choices are somewhat limited, like with plans offered to employees by their employers. Individual and family deductibles, co-pays, in network versus out of network providers, prescription benefits, covered and non covered charges, maximum out of pocket, and maximum lifetime benefits are all different depending on the type of policy, which can all be very confusing. Many health insurance companies like Blue Cross Blue Shield Health Insurance, have websites available to visitors, members, brokers, providers, and employers to answer any questions, get quotes, compare various policies, and apply online.

A number of sites feature policies from numerous health insurance providers, such as www.ehealthinsurance.com, www.medhealthinsurance.com, and www.usinsuranceonline.com, where those interested can get free quotes from Blue Cross Blue Shield Health Insurance and other top companies. To review policies easier, some health insurance sites feature side by side comparisons, free quotes, and online enrollment to save applicants time by providing them most everything they need to know about a specific policy. For information specific to Blue Cross Blue Shield Health Insurance, go to www.bcbs.com, the online resource for health insurance operated by independent agents in the United States. Other sites worth a mention are www.anthem.com, for Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield Health Insurance plans, and www.bluecross.quotefinancial.com, where visitors can connect directly with Blue Cross representatives across the country.

We all know how important it is to have health insurance coverage for ourselves and our families. It takes just one catastrophic health event to wipe out a family financially for many years. No one every plans on anything like this every happening, but it’s just a fact, accidents happen, they can’t be predicted or prevented in most cases. This is why it is so important to get the health insurance you need. Check out the products offered by Blue Cross Blue Shield Health Insurance, which offers a variety of plans for every budget. Whether it is a primary policy for yourself, or for your employees, you’re sure to find quality and professionalism throughout your search. Medicare supplemental policies are also available and all plans can be purchased directly from Blue Cross Blue Shield. Start your search now by visiting any of the above mentioned websites that can get you on track to living without worry, knowing that you and your family are protected.

Affordable Health Insurance

Affordable health insurance is a topic that politicians love to debate about. The slowness of the economy and rising prices surrounding the nation have not been too good for the health insurance industry. In fact, finding affordable health insurance can be not only a challenge to some people, but an absolute nightmare as well. If you’re lucky enough to work for a company that offers health insurance of some sort, you may not have to worry about finding anything else. However, if you work part-time or are in need of health insurance, you may find yourself up against that challenge.

Everyone has their own idea of what affordable health insurance is, but yet, everyone wants the best coverage. Depending on your age, your health and your habits – you may end up paying far more or far less than someone else that you know. A neighbor may have gotten insurance through a certain company for incredibly cheap. You head to the same agency assuming that you can get the same rates. They take into consideration the fact that you smoke and are a few years older and you suddenly get a quote that is twice what he’s paying. It doesn’t seem fair.

Your best way to find affordable health insurance is to shop around. You can’t expect to call the first place you find and get the very best deal. You should get at least three different quotes from different companies. Depending on what you’re focusing the most of receiving – a low deductible, low co-pay for doctor visits or prescription plans, you can find exactly what you’re seeking as long as you’re willing to be patient and perhaps a little bit flexible. You might find that you have found a great price for a package but your current doctor won’t accept your new insurance. You have to decide if you want to change your doctor or your package. Little decisions like that can have a major impact on the prices that you will pay.

You could scour the internet looking for sites that will allow you to compare varying companies or trying to sell you their packages, but it could end up being incredibly confusing. If you are able to find an insurance broker that is local for you, they might be your best solution. The broker can listen to what you want to find and search several different companies until they find affordable health insurance that will suit your needs. If you happen to find a site online that allows you to compare various companies as well, you will soon have several individuals calling you to get you to buy whatever package they’re selling. They might have something absolutely perfect for you or they may just end up harassing you for days until you finally speak to them. But, shopping around and getting the best quotes are in your best interest. Finding a local broker and putting them to work for you may also be a very wise decision in finding affordable health insurance.