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Reasons to Breed Dogs
10. Thought
the
house
was too
orderly.
9. Never did like
getting a full night's sleep.
8. Wanted my veterinarian to
get a new BMW.
7. Thought the furniture
needed more use.
6. Love the sounds of puppies
in the morning, noon,
afternoon, evening,
midnight, pre-dawn, etc.
5. Garden and backyard overly
manicured and fussy looking.
4. Neighbors didn't complain
enough.
3. Kids weren't enough of a
challenge.
2. If you can train and show
one dog, why not 10?
1. Wanted to see if spouse
really meant those vows.
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If illness or accident strikes your animal companions, you'll want them to receive the best of care — and that can hit your pocketbook hard. Advances in veterinary science (everything from sophisticated medications and complex high-tech diagnostics to organ transplants) mean that restoring your pet to health can easily cost you thousands of dollars.
Pet Insurance can rescue you from choosing between your pocketbook and your pet. As with Health coverage, you can choose from a variety of plans, premiums, and deductibles to find the product best suited to your needs.
Here's an overview: |
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- Age: Most Pet insurance companies will offer coverage for pets as young age six to eight weeks. It's wise to have your pet insured as early as possible. Like babies and toddlers, young pets are uncoordinated, don't know which situations can hurt them, and can easily get in the way. As a rule of thumb, the older your pet, the greater their risk of illness — and the higher their premium. If your pet is older than eight, you might not be able to buy coverage.
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- Pre-existing conditions: Some companies will provide coverage if your pet's condition is stable or controlled (usually after a six-month waiting period). In these cases, the company will probably require a vet to verify the condition and provide a prognosis. Other insurers will not cover pets with current conditions or a terminal disease.
- Breed: Health problems common in certain breeds of pet (such as hip dysplasia for German shepherds) will not be covered.
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- Type of pet: Although most policies are written on dogs and cats, caregivers can also buy specialized “exotic pet” coverage for everything from chinchillas and cockatoos to parrots and pot-bellied pigs.
- Coverages: Some packages are comprehensive, including annual checkups and vaccinations, routine care, lab fees, treatment, prescriptions, x-ray, surgery, preventive medications (such as heartworm and flea medicine) and spaying/neutering. Other plans cover only accident and illness. Still others cover everything from homeopathic care to cancer treatment — and even Mortality insurance. Most plans offer immediate coverage for accident claims, with a 30-day waiting period for illness claims on new policies. Additional pets are usually covered at a reduced rate after the first policy-holding pet.
- Deductibles: usually range from$40 to $100 per ailment.
- Premiums: From $100 to $1,000+ per year, depending on the extent of coverage, type of pet, age, and area of the country.
Dollars and Sense
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Bear in mind that all pets are vulnerable to disease and accidents. For example, there's no such thing as a “pet-proofed” home; potential hazards loom even in the best-protected homes, and thousands of pets have been injured when they've accidentally gotten out of the house.
What's more, it's a sure bet that the technology of veterinary medicine will keep growing — and so will the cost of these new tests and treatments! |
Like the more than one million Americans who have Pet insurance, you'll be glad you did.
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