Why Pet Insurance Matters:

Pets are susceptible to various health concerns, and the costs associated with veterinary care can add up quickly. Pet insurance acts as a safety net, covering a wide range of medical expenses, including accidents, illnesses, surgeries, and even routine vaccinations. By investing in pet insurance, you can ensure that your furry friend receives the necessary medical attention without having to compromise due to financial constraints.

Affordable Pet Insurance Plans:

At Pet-Insure, we understand the importance of affordable and comprehensive pet insurance. That’s why we have vetted the top providers ensuring that pet owners can access the coverage their pets need without breaking the bank.

Keeping Your Pet Warm This Winter:

As the winter days are now here, it’s important to ensure that our furry friends stay warm and cozy. Here are 5 tips to help you keep your dog/s comfortable during the colder season:

1. Provide Adequate Shelter: Ensure that your dog has access to a warm and dry shelter. It could be a well-insulated doghouse or a cozy corner indoors with comfortable bedding.
2. Layer Up: Dogs with short coats or those who are more susceptible to the cold may benefit from wearing doggy sweaters or jackets. These will help keep them warm during walks and outdoor activities.
3. Indoor Comfort: Make sure your home is adequately heated. Provide your dog with a warm and comfortable space indoors, away from drafts. You can also use heated pet pads or blankets to provide extra warmth.
4. Protect Their Paws: Cold temperatures can be harsh on your dog’s paws. Consider using pet-safe paw balms or booties to protect their paws from frostbite and ice melt chemicals.
5. Stay Active: Regular exercise is important for your dog’s physical and mental well-being. Engage in indoor activities or take shorter, brisk walks during the colder days to ensure they get the exercise they need.

Pet insurance is a vital tool for responsible pet owners, ensuring that your furry friend receives the necessary medical care when they need it most. With affordable options starting from just R89 per month, you can provide your pet with comprehensive coverage without straining your budget. To get a free no obligation call back today, you can submit your details here and a consultant will be in touch: https://www.pet-insure.co.za/

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1. Christmas present bones

You may be aware of a Facebook post that recently did the rounds of a vet explaining how she had to saw off a marrow bone that got stuck around the dog’s lower jaw. While dogs love to chomp on a bone, especially those juicy ones with the marrow still inside, bones are actually quite unsafe for dogs and completely unnecessary. They can be sharp and brittle, causing damage to the mouth and teeth, and if fragments are ingested, these can perforate the walls of the stomach and intestines.

Sometimes the bone fragments are too large to pass through the gut at all, requiring invasive and expensive surgery for removal. Similarly, if they get stuck on the lower jaw or teeth, it can be a traumatising experience for your dog, and most dogs need to be sedated or anesthetised in order to cut the bone off. That cute ribbon-wrapped bone gift for your best bud just isn’t worth the potential risk, rather give it a skip.

2. Decorations and festive plants within chomping range

Dogs are naturally curious and/or naughty, and that piece of harmless, hanging tinsel glittering in the light can easily become a choking hazard. The same goes for glass or aluminium Christmas tree ornaments and decorations that can shatter into sharp pieces. Unless you know for certain that your pupper won’t touch it, start the tree decorations higher up where they’re out of the reach of curious lips and paws, or place the whole tree somewhere where it can be admired from a distance.

Also look out for houseplants that are commonly gifted around this time but can be toxic to dogs. These include the bright-red poinsettia, mistletoe, and holly, as well as other plants that could be given as gifts like lillies (especially Calla lillies) and delicious monster plants.

3. Smuggling leftovers and titbits

We all know the big, manipulative I’m-so-hungry-feed-me eyes that peer out from under the table, but don’t fall for it! Apart from being unhealthy – like continual fatty pieces or bones – there are many foods that we enjoy that are not ok for dogs to consume. These include onions, anything with xylitol, grapes and raisins, milk and ice creams (we see you bowl licker!), macadamia nuts, chocolate and a lot of salty foods like popcorn, chips or pretzels (too much salty foods could cause sodium ion poisoning). Of course there are also the obvious hard no’s like anything containing alcohol, marijuana or caffeine

4. Leaving your dog alone on New Years

If those fireworks sound loud to you, they are a raging bomb on your dog’s far more sensitive ears. Dogs can hear sounds four times farther away than we can, and can hear frequencies that the human ear cannot. So it’s understandable that they may be panicking, especially if they are left to deal with it alone. Some dogs injure themselves trying to jump over fences or walls in an attempt to get away from the noise, injuring their throats and bodies on the spikes. If you’re going to be out, leave your dog with a trusted friend/family member or hire someone to stay with them.

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When should I be concerned about my cat’s diarrhoea?

A once-off soft or runny stool is usually not cause for concern – cats, like any other pet, will occasionally have an upset stomach. However, recurring diarrhoea is never a good sign and anything that lasts longer than 2 days means you should take your cat to the vet. If you see any of the following symptoms along with the diarrhoea, you should go to the vet immediately:

• Vomiting
• Blood in the stool (or the stool is very dark)
• Out of the ordinary weakness or lethargy
• Loss of appetite

The vet may ask you some questions to help in diagnosing your cat, so it’s a good idea to watch your cat carefully and jot down details like when you first noticed the diarrhoea, how frequent it is, what it looks like, and any changes you may have made to your cat’s diet or environment.

Can I give my cat human medication?

No. This is never a good idea unless a vet has specifically told you what and how much of a specific medicine you can give your cat. You may mean well, but sometimes even a tiny dose of human medication can be toxic or even fatal to a cat.

For example, paracetamol is a common and mild painkiller that most people can use without a problem, but it is highly dangerous to cats and even one pill can be enough to kill them.

How is cat diarrhoea treated?

This very much depends on the cause of the diarrhoea, which will need to be determined by a vet.

Diarrhoea could be caused by something relatively mild like a food allergy or hairball, or it could be something more serious like a parasitic worm, urinary tract infection or liver disease. Your vet may start treatment with cat-specific anti-diarrhoea medication to address the immediate problem, as well as de-wormers, probiotics or a special food you need to give your cat. If your cat refuses to eat for more than 48 hours, this is also a sign that you need to go to the vet.

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1. Delicious monster / Monstera deliciosa

The leaves, stems and fruit of the Delicious Monster, as well as those of the similar-looking Philodendron plant, contain calcium oxylate crystals, which embed themselves in the mucous membranes of your dog’s mouth and tongue.

Clinical symptoms: Irritation in the mouth and throat as a result of the pain caused by the crystals. This can show up as excessive drooling, difficulty swallowing, vomiting, diarrhoea and nausea.

2. Cycad / Sago palm

Common in South African gardens, cycads are extremely toxic, with ingestion often resulting in severe damage or death. The seeds contain the most toxins – just two or three can be fatal if consumed.

Clinical symptoms: Initial symptoms may show up as nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea, with seizures, paralysis, convulsions and other serious symptoms following. The toxins cause gastrointestinal problems, central nervous system damage, liver failure and death.

3. Tulips / Tulipa

These bright bulbs contain glycosides and a chemical called Tuliposide that causes irritation and burning of the skin. In fact, even just the water in a vase that held tulips will contain the toxins, because they leach out of the plant. All parts of the flower are toxic, but especially the bulb – little as a teaspoon can cause severe side effects in your dog.

Clinical symptoms: Excessive drooling, vomiting, diarrhoea and irritation in the mouth and throat that can show up as pawing of the mouth and redness. More serious symptoms include abdominal pain to difficulty breathing and seizures. Dogs can also get dermatitis if they brush up against them often.

4. Lilies / Lilium

Lilies are actually far more dangerous for cats than dogs, although both should stay away from them. In cats, exposure even to just the pollen from some lilies can cause severe kidney damage.

Clinical symptoms: Depends on the type of lily and how much was eaten. General symptoms include vomiting, diarrhoea and decreased appetite. Calla and peace lilies (which contain calcium oxylates like the Delicious Monster) may cause excessive drooling, redness and irritation in the mouth and throat.

5. Firestick succulent / Pencil cactus

This succulent is as dangerous as it sounds, and is found commonly throughout South Africa. The pencil-like ‘branches’ contain a dangerous milky white sap that can cause serious chemical burns.

Clinical symptoms: Contact with the skin causes burning, blisters, rash and pain. Contact with the eyes can cause pain, swelling, redness and temporary or permanent blindness. If eaten, vomiting, diarrhoea, pain and possible death if not treated, although cases of the plant being ingested are rare due to the taste and the pain the sap causes. Get to a vet immediately in all of these instances.

6. Jade plant / Money tree

Native to SA, this succulent with its thick, egg-shaped leaves contains an unknown toxin that can have mild to serious side effects if eaten by dogs.

Clinical symptoms: Vomiting, abdominal pain and lethargy are common, with the possibility of convulsions and other serious health effects being rare.

7. Cannabis / Weed

Cannabis, whether your dog has eaten the actual plant or sniffed out a remainder of a stub, is toxic. The effects of being ‘high’ are disorienting and scary for a dog, and blockage of the airways by vomit can happen.

Clinical symptoms: Unstable or unsteady movements, anxiety, vomiting, low temperature.

8. String of pearls / Senecio rowleyanus

This unique succulent has little hanging ‘beads’ that could be enticing to curious nibblers. Its toxin, pyrrolizidine alkaloid, causes painful and uncomfortable side effects in dogs that can occasionally be life-threatening.

Clinical symptoms: Diarrhoea, drooling, abdominal pain, involuntary muscle contractions and vomiting. In severe cases where large amounts have been ingested, liver failure can happen.

9. Snake plant / Mother-in-law’s tongue

This popular house plant is mildly toxic to dogs and cats. The entire plant (including flowers) contains a chemical called saponin, which acts as a natural insecticide and fungicide for the plant as well as making the plant extremely bitter.

Clinical symptoms: Severity depends on the amount ingested, but symptoms are largely related to stomach upset, including vomiting, diarrhoea, nausea, lethargy, drooling, and swelling of the tongue, mouth, lips and throat.

10. Rooigras & Assegaaigras (Spear grass)

These wild, barbed grasses can be found throughout South Africa. The seeds are sharp, and can get stuck in your dog’s nose, ears, gums, soft palate, eyes, eyelids, and between the toes, causing discomfort, pain and, if left, serious infection. If you’ve walked anywhere where wild grass could grow, even across small patches of open veld, do a body check on your dog.

Clinical symptoms: Depending on where the seed gets stuck, it will cause irritation, swelling and inflammation. Your dog will react by constantly rubbing or shaking its head (ears), licking and biting the area (toes, skin), could be sneezing and have nasal discharge (mouth, nose, throat) – all of which can push the seed deeper into the skin.

Having Pet Insurance can help with the costs of vet bills, if you would like a free no obligation quote, you can complete your details here: https://pet-insure.co.za

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Why Is Pet Dental Care So Important?

While a lot of folks are quick to dismiss dog breath, it can often be a symptom of some serious gum disease. This is why regular dental care should be part of your preventative efforts to preserve your animal’s health. By the time you pick up on the nasty breath and rotting teeth, chances are you may not have the time to scrape the funds together for the veterinary care needed.

Not all pet medical aids covers dental insurance, but the premiums of the ones that do are well worth it. Something as simple as a basic brush scale and polish can cost anywhere between R1,000 and R1,500 or more.

Meanwhile, the price tag on a rotten tooth stands at roughly R2,500, since it includes the anaesthetic costs as well as scaling and polishing. This price is subject to change based on the size and age of your pet. For example, older dogs would need special care, while larger dogs naturally need more anaesthetic.

Image: Adobe Stock / moodboard

Ask Us About Pet Medical Aid That Covers Dental

While comprehensive dental care will mean more regular visits to the vet, a pet insurance policy that covers dental procedures and routine oral healthcare will guarantee good health both your pet and your finances. While dog breath becomes a thing of the past, you can also breathe easier, knowing that your budget won’t be upended by expensive vet bills due to dental procedures. Apply for pet insurance quotes in minutes and ask about which insurers offer dental healthcare as part of their policy benefits.

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Cat Claw Care Essentials

Make sure your cat’s paws are clean

Although cats have the reputation of being the more low-maintenance of most pets, this doesn’t mean they don’t need a little help from time to time. However, this can also be a pet health danger for your cat. Apart from being a pain in the paw, unhealthy substances that stick to kitty’s paw may end up on the tongue during grooming.

One of the easiest ways to potentially prevent a health issue that may require a dip into your pet insurance policy is to gently wipe those fluffy paws with a damp cloth, checking between her toes, and around the paw pads. Keeping the floors of your house free of debris and household chemicals.

Check your cat’s paws for cuts, sores, splinters, or swellings

As the saying goes, curiosity killed the cat. Cats are naturally curious and adventurous pets, and sometimes that results in them bringing home some prickly keepsakes. Make a regular habit to remove splinters or debris gently with tweezers. Also be sure to clean any small cuts. If you notice any blood, pus or an unusual odour, please get your cat to the vet to check for infection.

Long-hair cats may have tufts of fur sprouting between their toes

Long-haired cat breeds are especially prone to the above toe-bean troubles. They are more likely to pick up thorns and splinters on a day out in the garden. However, these breeds have the added irritation of tufts of purr poking through their toes. This is why part of caring for your long-haired kitty should include trimming her paws with a small pair of rounded scissors.

Understand that kitty’s paw pads are actually very sensitive

More than dogs, a cat’s paw pads can be incredibly sensitive to hot and cold surfaces. You can ask your vet about what moisturising product you can apply to that sensitive exposed skin. Otherwise, try to prevent your cat from hot driveways or other uncomfortable surfaces.

Image: Adobe Stock / Yimmyfoto

When Would Cat Claws And Paws Need Vet Attention?

If you see your cat doing any of the following, you should book a visit with your veterinarian sooner rather than later:

• Your cat is obsessively cleaning their paws
• Your cat is limping or favouring one leg

When you are trying to save on pet care and all those trips to the vet that can often feel like they come out of nowhere, pet insurance can take the pressure off. Apply for a selection of quotes in minutes!

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High-Rise Syndrome

If curiosity killed the cat, it’s only because there was an open window nearby. Many pet owners, particularly those living in flats on upper floors, tend to leave their cats unattended around open windows. These unscreened windows pose a real danger to many cats, since they are prone to falling out of them. This occurrence is so common, in fact, that the veterinarian profession had to give it a name: High-Rise Syndrome. Apart from losing one of their nine lives, without pet insurance, you could lose a lot of money to your vet as a result of one of these fateful falls. Despite a cat’s reputation for landing on their feet, these falls often result in shattered jaws, punctured lungs, broken limbs and pelvises, and death.

Diabetes

It’s not just humans that suffer from an insulin malfunction – many cats, dogs and other pets are vulnerable to this disease. Although everyone loves a fat cat, diabetes is linked with obesity in animals too, so keep an eye on your cat’s weight. A cat with diabetes would have a ravenous appetite since their bodies cannot use the fuel from their diet. The danger lies in complications that arise as a result of hyperglycaemia. The first step in treating this cat health issue is to change their diet as well as starting insulin treatment. There may also be some further oral medications, but those tend to have more side-effects and are a last-resort if regular insulin treatment doesn’t do the trick.

Eye Problems

Cats are prone to a number of eye problems like conjunctivitis, corneal ulcer, cataracts, glaucoma, trauma, viruses, inflammation, and retinal disease. If you see any of the following symptoms, call your pet insurance and your vet:
• Watery eyes
• Tear-stained fur
• Cloudiness
• Red or white eyelid linings
• Gunk in the corners of the eye
• Squinting
• Pawing at the eye
• A visible third eyelid

Unless you know what else could be causing these symptoms, there isn’t much else you can do but take your cat in to the vet. Eye problems are considered an emergency to best to make that appointment as soon as you can.

Tapeworms

This parasite is a common pest for most of our four-legged friends. However, it’s unfortunately one of those that can spread to the rest of the family, so it’s one of those things you’ll want to nip in the bud. Tapeworms make themselves at home in your kitten’s small intestine and cause vomiting and weight loss. Speak to your vet about how to treat this cat health issue, and while you’re at it, ask about how to deworm your family.

Cancer

Sad as it is, your fur baby is as much at risk of developing cancer as any human. As your cat grows older, they can fall victim to all types of cancer including lymphoma, melanoma, breast cancer, and prostate cancer. You could seek treatment for your cat, but this is an expensive endeavour that many South Africans cannot afford. That’s where par insurance comes in handy – by paying an affordable monthly premium each month, you can be prepared for any vet visits and health issues your dear kitten may experience.

Image: Adobe Stock / peachloveu

Whether your kitty is still young or simply young at heart, you can afford to keep them happy and healthy with a comprehensive pet insurance policy. You can get pet insurance for your cat from as young as 2 weeks to as old as 8 years. With Pet Insure you can find pet insurance prices that you can afford. Apply for a quote today and give your cat a long life you can both enjoy.

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Preparing Your Home For Your New Kitten

The Basics. Before you bring your new kitten home, there are a few basics to stock up on: litter box, cat carrier, cat bed, age-appropriate cat food, and food and water bowls. Wherever possible, hide away any cleaning products, electrical and any small objects your cat might swallow.

Feeding. Do you really need kitten food? Indeed, you do. Kittens under the age of one year need up to three times the calories that adult cats do. Speak to your vet about using dry or wet food, or a mixture of both. Remember to stick to the recommended portion sizes indicated on the label. Having plenty of clean water available for your new pet is also vitally important. If you notice your kitten isn’t drinking much, try offering her a flatter dish.

Toileting. The litter box will likely be your kitten’s first port of call when they settle into their new home. Make sure she has a quiet spot to do her business and show her where it is. Some cat boxes are too high for a kitten to climb into. So you may want to start out a low-sided box until she’s big enough to manage a regular box.

Sleeping Arrangements. Cats can sleep as much as 16 hours a day, and your kitten will likely sleep even more than that. Although you might be happy to share your bed with your cat, she’ll probably appreciate having one all to herself. If you don’t want to splurge on a bed, invest in a fuzzy pillow that can be placed on a chair or a window ledge.

Consult Your Vet About Kitten’s Care

Your kitten’s first vet visit is a terrific opportunity to discuss the recommended feeding regimen for your young pet, while she gets her first series of vaccinations. And as handy as Google can be, your vet is the best person to consult about kitten-safe options for controlling parasites as well as any advice on how to train your kitten at home.

However, you never know what a visit to the vet will reveal about your young cat’s health. And while some people make a plan for paying to have their pet “fixed”, very few budget for cat diabetes (which is more common than you might think). Pet insurance can fill the gaps in your bank account so you can give your kitten the care it needs in the long run.

Training: Rewarding Good Behaviour And Socialising Your Kitten

Despite cats’ reputation for being low maintenance, there are a chaotic, but important, few weeks in which a kitten learns how to interact with humans, other animals, and its new home. This is the time to teach your young pet some house rules. To stop or prevent certain behaviours, be quick to introduce alternative outlets. Not the curtains! Here – have a scratching post. Introduce your kitten to a scratching post, pretend to sharpen your claws on them or sprinkle a little catnip on it. Make sure to secure the posts well, so your cat feels safe to use them.

Play with your kitten daily. Apart from helping her learn how to interact with humans, this fun, little practice also keeps her fit, develops her coordination, and offers an outlet for otherwise troublesome behaviours like chasing and pouncing. If your kitten is quick to use her tooth and claws during play, give her something to bite or cling to. Never use your hand as a toy – you don’t want her to accidentally hurt someone thinking hands are toys.

Cats make excellent indoor pets, which is perfect for anyone enjoying the perks of flat living. In fact, many vets recommend keeping cats indoors, since indoor cats tend to live longer lives. That said, try to give your kitten plenty of opportunities to go outside (on a lead or in a carrier), but only once your vet has administered the necessary vaccines and your pet has had enough time to build up an immunity. Take your kitten on car rides, giving her treats along the way, to get her used to her carrier.

When training and socialising your kitten, try to make each learning experience is a positive one where possible. Rather than punish bad behaviour, simply ignore her when she displays inappropriate behaviour.

These handy first steps on how to care for a kitten should give your first kitten a great introduction into your home and your family. The only further advice we can offer is to take plenty of photos – they grow up before you know it.

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