The world over it seems are animal lovers so sending a Pet Sympathy card to those who lose a loved animal is almost second nature.

Hallmark one of the leading Pet sympathy card publishers has been printing these cards since 1984. One of their releases states that “Almost six in 10 American households include a pet, compared to one in three that includes a child. No wonder that dogs and cats are more than mere companions – they’re part of the family”

They go on further to comment.. “According to research by the Animal Hospital Association, 79 percent of pet owners give holiday or birthday presents to their pets. More than half of dog owners (55 percent) view themselves as the parents of their pets, and some 62 percent sign cards and letters from themselves and the pet”. It’s little wonder then they rose to the challenge of creating a special category to enable friends and relatives to send their condolences on the loss of such a beloved ‘family member’. The Pet Sympathy Card category has reached new heights of interest.

There will be few of us who haven’t been touched at some point in our lives by the love of an animal. Many of us become accustomed to pets as children. In fact it may seem almost obligatory to have at least one pet as a youngster. The animal shops are full of an abundance of creatures hoping that a generous passer-by will give them a good home. However, being able to buy and then care for an animal don’t go hand-in-hand.

Being the owner of a pet is not easy. It may start out easy enough. We buy a few basic animal care products, create a safe sleeping and playing area and immerse ourselves in animal care books. The libraries and book shelves are full of ‘how to care for your pet’ books.

Over the years we may well give up holidays because we can’t leave our pet. Perhaps we have limited our time away – relying on neighbors or friends to come in and care for our beloved creature. We may make a song and dance of their birthday and have one or two animals from the same family living together as a family unit.

The wealth of animal shows on television confirms that yes, as a nation we are besotted, often caring more for them than our fellow human being.

So we know that caring for an animal takes time and commitment. We almost don’t begrudge the cost of vaccinations or pet care. And many of us don’t budget for it.

We buy, or acquire our pet and then we give it hours of our unstinting love and attention. We take care to feed it soundly, walk it as necessary. Or at the very least we inquire into how to exercise it and keep it in the peak of health.

In short, we give so much of ourselves to another that the end, when it comes is nearly always devastating.

Writing a sensitive Pet Sympathy Card to someone going through this loss can offer them some comfort and support.

It’s not just the cat and dog owners who would welcome such a card. Think of all the different species of animals out there from horses to hamsters and goldfish to guinea pigs. Some sites offer Bird Loss and Pet Rat Loss cards, and include Ferret and Rabbit Loss in their extensive ranges.

There will be a card perfect for you to send to any grieving pet owner. Look at the wide range of ‘blank’ animal cards that are available too. There are many options to choose from. There are sites that specialize in animal cards and some of the Sympathy Card sites have sections on animal loss.

You may want to give something more substantial than a card. This can help the owner to remember them in their homes, or help them to mark their final resting spot with a permanent memorial. Our first action though should be the careful selection and writing of a Pet Sympathy Card.

By: Geraldine Jozefiak

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As much as people do not like to think about their beloved pets falling ill or getting injured, it can still happen, and treatment can be expensive. In order to provide an alternative for pet owners who fear that they might not be able to afford unexpected veterinary bills, various companies have started offering pet health insurance which can be used much like standard medical insurance would be used to cover visits to the doctor or hospital for the pet owners themselves. Before running out and buying insurance for your pets, though, it is important that you understand how pet health insurance works, what the limitations on it are, and how much it is going to cost so that you don’t end up paying more than you have to for something that will not offer as much coverage as you would like.

How Pet Health Insurance Works

Much like the health insurance that you would purchase for yourself or your family, pet health insurance is designed to provide financial coverage that will cover veterinary care in case your pets become sick or injured. The coverage is also designed to help cover routine veterinary care such as checkups, rabies and other annual shots, and regular medication such as flea and tick medicines or any other specific medications required by pet illnesses. Some forms of pet health insurance work directly with veterinarians to cover the expenses with no up-front cost to you, while others may require that you pay for the care that your pet receives when it’s due and then file a claim so that you may be reimbursed for the amount that you have paid.

One thing to remember is that there are some things which are not covered by pet health insurance, including pre-existing conditions or certain types of pet care. Additionally, pets under a certain age may not be eligible depending upon the specific rules of the insurance provider.

Levels of Coverage

The level of coverage that you receive from a pet health insurance plan will depend upon the type of pet that you have and the number of pets that you are planning to insure under the same policy, as well as the company or organization that you purchase the policy from. There may also be different amounts of coverage available for different price ranges, though that may vary from one company or organization to another.

Many companies and organizations which offer pet health insurance feature separate plans for dogs, cats, and other types of pets which are based upon the specific health problems that different pets may be more prone to. If the company that you are considering buying pet health insurance from offers different levels of coverage beyond that, you will most likely have the option of covering only emergency care and special visits or of covering all veterinary expenses (including both emergency care and routine visits.) There may be additional options which allow for the cost of prescription medications for your pets, or those costs may be included in the standard packages. Make sure that you take the time to find out exactly what expenses are covered before deciding on a particular plan.

Acceptance of Pet Health Insurance

Pet health insurance is not nearly as widely accepted as medical insurance for yourself or family members, which is one of the reasons that it isn’t more widespread in its use. While there are certain brands of pet health insurance which can be processed directly from a veterinarian’s office without the need for you to fill out paperwork and send it off yourself, most types of pet health insurance require you to file a claim for reimbursement after the treatment has been given and you have already had to make an up-front payment. Keep in mind that it doesn’t matter where you get the treatment done in those cases, so there is at least an advantage to that type of insurance since you don’t have to worry about the vet’s office refusing to accept it.

Cost

The cost of pet health insurance will vary from one company to the next, and can also be affected by the area in which you live, as well as your pet’s medical history, you pet’s age, and whether or not you’ve had your pet microchipped. You will also need to remember that for most types of insurance you’ll be required to front the cost of the initial veterinarian’s bill out-of-pocket and then wait to be reimbursed by the insurance provider after the fact. Some insurance providers may use a deductable or have a maximum annual claim amount that you can submit per pet, so keep that in mind when figuring out the cost to see if pet health insurance is worth what you would have to pay.

By: Stephanie Larkin

About the Author:

Do you hear a click-click-clicking when your pet is trotting down the hallway toward you? If so, your little – or not so little – pet is in serious need of a nail trimming. Many pet owners don’t realize the importance of regular nail trimming to their pet’s health. If you’ve been shaking your head over the television ads for the latest pet-care craze, the Pedi Paws, you might be surprised to learn just how important it is to keep your dog, cat or other pet’s nails carefully trimmed.

Why your dog needs regular nail trims

That clicking you hear when your pup walks across the tile or wood floor could be doing far more damage than you think, and not only to your gorgeous floors. Neglecting your pet’s nails can have some unexpected serious consequences for your dog. The dog injuries that result from untrimmed nails range from torn nails to arthritis.

A dog’s nails curve as they grow out. If they’re not trimmed, they’ll eventually curl under the foot where they can dig into sensitive paw pads and cause pain. Dew claws are even more prone to this kind of curling and growing in. If you’ve ever had an ingrown toenail, you can imagine how painful that is for your poor pup.

Even worse, dogs actually walk on their toes. When their nails dig painfully into their paw pads, they tend to compensate for the difficulty walking by resting their weight further back on the paw. That awkward gait puts stress and strain on all the other muscles and joints. Just as wearing the wrong shoes can result in backaches and sore knees in humans, trying to walk with uncomfortably long nails can cause joint pain and discomfort for your dog. In the worst case scenario, it can contribute to the development of arthritis and other joint problems.

In addition, long nails are more likely to be torn or injured by impact or by catching in carpets, sweaters or upholstery. When that happens, the outer enamel of the nail can tear away and expose the inner tissue, called the quick. The quick is a fleshy bit of nerve and tissue that grows outward from the bone and is surrounded by the keratin that forms the claw and nail. The quick inside is easily injured, and when it’s deprived of its protective keratin, it’s prone to infection that can travel into the dog’s foot and blood. Regular trimming reduces the chance of injury and infection.

Your cat needs regular nail trimming, too

Like dogs, cats have claws that grow in a curve and can curl under their paw pads if they’re left untrimmed. Trimming a cat’s claws offers extra benefits, though. Cats are notorious for destroying furniture by using the upholstery as a scratching post. Scratching is an instinctive behavior, and while most people think the intent is to sharpen the claws, there’s another reason that cats scratch your furniture. They have scent pads in their feet, and scratching is a way to mark their territory.

Because the scratching is so destructive, many owners of indoor cats used to choose to de-claw their kittens. The practice has been falling out of favor in recent years, though, because it leaves the cat defenseless if it happens to get outside. It’s actually illegal in many European countries, and there is a push to make it illegal in the United States.

Trimming your kitten’s claws is one far easier solution to the scratching problem. When you keep your cat’s claws trimmed short, it actually reduces the urge for them to claw furniture. Removing the sharp point also allows the cat to “scratch” without destroying furniture and upholstery. In addition, keeping the claws trimmed reduces the chance that your cat will catch a claw in the screen or upholstery and injure itself trying to get away.

Rabbits, birds and small animals also need nail trimming

Few people think of birds and nail trimming in the same breath, but many birds can be handicapped if their nails are allowed to grow too long. Birds use their claws for perching. When the nails are allowed to grow long and gnarled, it interferes with their ability to perch safely. In addition, long nails can easily catch in carpeting and clothing, with the risk of injuring the nail or the toe when trying to pull away.

Rabbits, guinea pigs and other exotic small pets also need regular mail trimming to prevent injuries both to themselves and their owners.

No matter what kind of pets you own, you have two choices when it comes to trimming their nails. The first is to have it done professionally by your veterinarian or pet groomer. Depending on the part of the country in which you live, that will cost you $8 to $15 every few weeks. Your other choice is to trim your pet’s nails at home. There are a number of tools on the market that can help you trim your pet’s nails easily at home. The newest pet grooming tool on the market is the Pedi Paws pet nail trimmer, which makes trimming pets’ nails easy and painless for both pet and owner.Do you hear a click-click-clicking when your pet is trotting down the hallway toward you? If so, your little – or not so little – pet is in serious need of a nail trimming. Many pet owners don’t realize the importance of regular nail trimming to their pet’s health. If you’ve been shaking your head over the television ads for the latest pet-care craze, the Pedi Paws, you might be surprised to learn just how important it is to keep your dog, cat or other pet’s nails carefully trimmed.

Why your dog needs regular nail trims

That clicking you hear when your pup walks across the tile or wood floor could be doing far more damage than you think, and not only to your gorgeous floors. Neglecting your pet’s nails can have some unexpected serious consequences for your dog. The dog injuries that result from untrimmed nails range from torn nails to arthritis.

A dog’s nails curve as they grow out. If they’re not trimmed, they’ll eventually curl under the foot where they can dig into sensitive paw pads and cause pain. Dew claws are even more prone to this kind of curling and growing in. If you’ve ever had an ingrown toenail, you can imagine how painful that is for your poor pup.

Even worse, dogs actually walk on their toes. When their nails dig painfully into their paw pads, they tend to compensate for the difficulty walking by resting their weight further back on the paw. That awkward gait puts stress and strain on all the other muscles and joints. Just as wearing the wrong shoes can result in backaches and sore knees in humans, trying to walk with uncomfortably long nails can cause joint pain and discomfort for your dog. In the worst case scenario, it can contribute to the development of arthritis and other joint problems.

In addition, long nails are more likely to be torn or injured by impact or by catching in carpets, sweaters or upholstery. When that happens, the outer enamel of the nail can tear away and expose the inner tissue, called the quick. The quick is a fleshy bit of nerve and tissue that grows outward from the bone and is surrounded by the keratin that forms the claw and nail. The quick inside is easily injured, and when it’s deprived of its protective keratin, it’s prone to infection that can travel into the dog’s foot and blood. Regular trimming reduces the chance of injury and infection.

Your cat needs regular nail trimming, too

Like dogs, cats have claws that grow in a curve and can curl under their paw pads if they’re left untrimmed. Trimming a cat’s claws offers extra benefits, though. Cats are notorious for destroying furniture by using the upholstery as a scratching post. Scratching is an instinctive behavior, and while most people think the intent is to sharpen the claws, there’s another reason that cats scratch your furniture. They have scen
t pads in their feet, and scratching is a way to mark their territory.

Because the scratching is so destructive, many owners of indoor cats used to choose to de-claw their kittens. The practice has been falling out of favor in recent years, though, because it leaves the cat defenseless if it happens to get outside. It’s actually illegal in many European countries, and there is a push to make it illegal in the United States.

Trimming your kitten’s claws is one far easier solution to the scratching problem. When you keep your cat’s claws trimmed short, it actually reduces the urge for them to claw furniture. Removing the sharp point also allows the cat to “scratch” without destroying furniture and upholstery. In addition, keeping the claws trimmed reduces the chance that your cat will catch a claw in the screen or upholstery and injure itself trying to get away.

Rabbits, birds and small animals also need nail trimming

Few people think of birds and nail trimming in the same breath, but many birds can be handicapped if their nails are allowed to grow too long. Birds use their claws for perching. When the nails are allowed to grow long and gnarled, it interferes with their ability to perch safely. In addition, long nails can easily catch in carpeting and clothing, with the risk of injuring the nail or the toe when trying to pull away.

Rabbits, guinea pigs and other exotic small pets also need regular mail trimming to prevent injuries both to themselves and their owners.

No matter what kind of pets you own, you have two choices when it comes to trimming their nails. The first is to have it done professionally by your veterinarian or pet groomer. Depending on the part of the country in which you live, that will cost you $8 to $15 every few weeks. Your other choice is to trim your pet’s nails at home. There are a number of tools on the market that can help you trim your pet’s nails easily at home. The newest pet grooming tool on the market is the Pedi Paws pet nail trimmer, which makes trimming pets’ nails easy and painless for both pet and owner.

By: Shawn Thomas

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