What is Pet Insurance?

The concept of pet insurance surfaced in the United States in 1982. Similar to some human health insurance plans, pet insurance typically requires full payment in advance for any services done, and then submission of invoices for reimbursement. Depending upon the type of plan, reimbursement might be partial or full.

Each insurance plan varies, but as a whole pet insurance often covers accidents and illnesses, and may even cover preventive or wellness care. If you are looking for a base plan, be sure to include accidents and illnesses, congenital and hereditary conditions, cancer, and chronic diseases.

Is It Right For Me?

You may be considering health insurance for your pet because they are ill, or you may just want to be prepared for the future since health care can be one of the most costly aspects of owning a four-legged friend. There’s no question pet health care costs can add up, especially if your pet has a chronic illness or requires surgery. With current medical and technological advances in pet health care, you will want to take advantage of the opportunity to diagnose and treat conditions early.

When your pet is young and healthy, pet health insurance may not be on your mind. But we recommend getting pet insurance early on in the life of your pet since pre-existing conditions are taken into consideration when applying. If you wait until your pet is aging or sick to consider insurance, you might have trouble finding a good plan that fits your needs. While there are a few insurance companies that will take senior pets or pets with chronic illnesses, the list is short.

Choosing A Plan

As with anything, it’s always a good idea to do your research on the various pet insurance plans out there. There are a variety of options and coverages available, and depending on the current health of your pet, or your particular concerns, you want to know what will be covered. We suggest you create a list of what’s most important to you regarding your pet’s health and work from there to find the right plan.

Once you’ve chosen a few of plans that match your most important concerns, it’s time to give the providers a call. Contacting a providing insurance company to get all the plan details, including the fine print, is a smart idea that will help narrow your options until you’ve discovered the plan that best suits your family and pet.

For a more comprehensive overview of the ins and outs of pet insurance, check out a valuable online resource called 365 Pet Insurance.  And if you’re looking for an experienced and compassionate animal clinic, we are confident you’ll be happy with our team at Anasazi Animal Clinic. We’re always willing to meet with potential new patients to answer questions and go over options for treatment and payment. Contact us today. We can’t wait to meet you, and to meet your furry friend!

Photo by Matthew Henry from Burst (5/7/2018)

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What You Can Expect After Your Pet is Vaccinated

Simply described, vaccinations for both humans and animals are an injection of a low dose of a particular virus (or viruses) for the purpose of inoculation. As a result, your pet may experience a range of common, non-life threatening side effects. The American Veterinary Medical Association  (AVMA) lists the following possible side effects after vaccination:

• Discomfort and local swelling at the vaccination site
• Mild fever
• Decreased appetite and activity
• Sneezing, mild coughing, “snotty nose” or other respiratory signs may occur 2-5 days after your pet receives an intranasal vaccine

As we’ve already mentioned, these side effects are common, but if they persist for more than a day or two, or if your pet is in a severe amount of discomfort, be sure to contact your local vet at Anasazi Animal Clinic.

Severe Allergic Reaction

There is a small chance your pet may have a severe reaction to being vaccinated. This reaction may occur within a few hours, or within a few days. Immediately take your pet to the vet if they show any of these signs:

• Persistent vomiting or diarrhea
• Itchy skin that may seem bumpy (“hives”)
• Swelling of the muzzle and around the face, neck, or eyes
• Severe coughing or difficulty breathing
• Collapse

In the unlikely event that your pet has an adverse reaction to their vaccinations, Anasazi Animal Clinic is here to offer our expert medical advice and care. Call us right away. And if you don’t already have a local vet you love, come in and see us! We’d be honored to care for your pets and give them the quality treatment and preventative care they deserve.

Photo by Matthew Henry from  Burst (4/21/2018)

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Benefits of an Online Pet Pharmacy

But after your four-legged friends see us, you may have questions about purchasing any necessary meds and carrying out any at-home care and treatments for them. We know you lead a busy life, so we want make it as convenient as possible to fill your pet’s prescriptions. That’s why we’ve set up an online pharmacy through our sister clinic, East Valley Animal Hospital.

Here are a few benefits of using an online pharmacy:

• It’s convenient: Our online pharmacy provides home delivery right to your doorstep, so your pet can get their meds and treatments as soon possible. It can avoid that extra trip to the vet, or to another pet pharmacy, in the middle of rush hour!
• It’s cost efficient: First, you can’t put a price tag on the time and energy you’ll save by ordering online at home. And, second, we offer FREE shipping on any order over $49! Finally, by going to our online pharmacy, you can take advantage of our many online sales.
• It’s stress-free: Instead of waiting around at the veterinary office or going through another pharmacy, you can order with one click. In addition, our site offers reminders, and an auto-ship option, so you don’t have to worry about missing a refill or an order for Fido or Fluffy.

At Anasazi Animal Clinic, we’ve made it our mission to offer the highest quality pet health care in our office and to make your at-home care as easy and successful as possible. Contact us today to learn more about our services, and check out our online pharmacy. We’re here to help make life easier for you and your beloved pet!

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What is Valley Fever?

Valley Fever is caused by a fungus found in soil primarily in the Southwestern United States and in Northwestern Mexico. When soil containing this fungus is disturbed by wind, digging, walking, or farming, fungal spores can easily become airborne and inhaled into the lungs where the disease begins to grow.

What Are the Symptoms of Valley Fever?

Look for these symptoms to help determine whether to schedule a check-up appointment for your dog at Anasazi Animal Clinic:

• A harsh cough
• Fever
• Weight loss
• Lack of appetite
• Low energy

These symptoms usually present themselves about three weeks after the fungal spores have become established in the lungs. The primary disease is limited to the lungs, but if Valley Fever spreads outside of the lungs, it can then progress into a disseminated version of the disease. Older and weaker dogs are more vulnerable to this exacerbation.

What is the Treatment for Valley Fever?

When caught in a timely manner, Valley Fever can be treated with an antifungal medication. Treatment may require some time, potentially as long as 6-12 months to entirely eradicate the disease. While this is a lengthy healing process, your dog will typically begin to feel better within one or two weeks. Valley Fever is not contagious, and therefore cannot be spread from a human to a dog, or from one dog to another dog.  

The peak season for Valley Fever in dogs is between June and July, and October to November. Anasazi Animal Clinic knows how dear your pet is to you. In the event that your dog becomes infected, we want you to know the symptoms of this disease in order to identify them and begin treatment as soon as possible. Early treatment is the best remedy to help your pup return to good health.

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Senior Pet Wellness Checkups

When your pet obtains senior-status varies from the type and breed of animal, but most dogs are considered geriatric when they are around seven or eight years old. At this stage, it is imperative to provide them with specific nutrition and lifestyles to keep them healthy as long as possible. It is recommended that for senior pets, a checkup every six months will be beneficial to prevent any devastating health issues. A typical senior wellness checkup includes a thorough physical examination that examines various aspects of your pet’s health, habits, and nutrition. Tests for blood count, blood pressure, urinalysis, and x-rays may also be included. A senior wellness screen can also be done that will help detect any early health changes.

Symptoms to Pay Attention To

As your pet ages, there may be some signs to pay attention to that would be important for your veterinarian to know. These signs are:

• Eyes: If you notice redness, cloudiness, or see your pet bumping into things regularly or stumbling often.
• Urination: An increase or strain in urination can be a sign of kidney disease or a urinary tract infection.
• Breath: If your pet has bad breath, this can be an indicator of other underlying health issues.
• Skin: If there are lumps, dryness of the skin, redness of the skin or excessive loss of hair, this can be a large concern for other health issues.

There can be many health issues that arise as a pet ages, just as in humans. The best procedure is to continually keep on top of checkups to prevent any devastating finds, and to treat something if found early enough. To learn more about how to care for your aging pet, contact Anasazi Animal Clinic today.

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Chocolate’s Toxic Properties

How can it be that chocolate is such a delight for us, but so dangerous for our pets? Not only can it cause illness for your pup, it can lead to death. It is that dangerous! Chocolate itself contains caffeine and a chemical called theobromine. These two chemicals separately are not good for dogs and other pets, but when put together, they are a very dangerous combination. Humans are able to digest and quickly process these two chemicals when eaten, but your pet’s system is unable to quickly process them. With the slow processing of their system, the chemicals become toxic in your pet’s body. The darker the chocolate, the higher the amount of toxins it contains and thus the more dangerous it is for animals.

Symptoms of Chocolate Poisoning

Humans have symptoms following eating chocolate and they usually include bouts of happiness. Animals, however, have very unpleasant symptoms such as:

• Cardiac Arrest
• Diarhea
• Increased Heart Rate
• Respiratory Failure
• Tremors
• Vomiting

While the amount of chocolate ingested affects the symptoms, it can take hours for the symptoms to show. By the time symptoms show, the ingredients could reach highly toxic levels in your dog’s body. It is imperative to get your pet to the clinic as soon as you realize they are being affected by these toxins.

Treatment

The sooner you realize that your pet has consumed chocolate, the more effective treatment can be. When you arrive at the clinic, vomiting will be induced right away to expel the chocolate from the body and prevent as much as we can from entering the animal’s system. Depending on circumstances of amount and time since ingestion, activated charcoal may be needed to soak up the toxins.

Providing knowledgeable emergency care to your pet after chocolate ingestion is very important. Anasazi Animal Clinic understands the frustrations and fears that occur when your beloved pet is unwell, but we are here to provide the best pet care possible. Contact us today for a specified emergency plan for your pet.

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Wellness Steps

When your pets are a part of your family, they give you the unconditional love and affection you desire. Pets are loyal friends and proper health care treatment is vital to ensure your friendship with your pet is as long lasting as possible. The basics of caring for your pet include food, water, shelter, safety, companionship, exercise, and veterinary care. Some essential aspects of care that should be provided for your beloved pet include:

1. Companionship: Pets are there for their owners. They are loyal and affectionate in return. Time with their owner is key to their emotional health.
2. Be Loyal and Patient: Just as with kids, pets need their owners to also be dedicated and committed to the companionship. Pets are not always well behaved as one would hope, so it is key to give them patience.
3. Identify Your Pet: It is imperative that you provide your pet with a collar that has ID tags on it if possible. The ID tags allow for your name, address, and phone number to be on there in case of the possibility that your pet gets lost.
4. Vaccinations: Following local laws when it comes to vaccinations for your pet is key to keeping them healthy and keeping you on the right side of the law!
5. Spay/Neuter: Spaying or neutering your animal actually provides them with longer, healthier lives and decreases negative behaviors in your pet. This routine surgery also helps to address the overpopulation of pets.
6. Regular Check Ups: Just as we as humans should be doing regular health check ups, our beloved pets also need regular check ups. It is the best preventative care to catch anything before it comes.
7. Diet: It is important to not only provide yourself with good healthy food, but also your pet. They need a nutrient rich diet, according to their breed, and plenty of water. This will limit the sicknesses and diseases that they could catch.
8. Training: Enrolling your pet in training classes, if applicable, will allow for behaviors to be controlled in a safe and humane way. It will ensure you and your pet can become closer companions.

There are several options to ensure your pet in on the right preventative health care plan. These steps will be a good start, but it is best to contact us about your specific breed and what is best for them.

Anasazi will help determine what the best health care for your pet is, contact us today!

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Entropion is a common eye problem in dogs and usually is clinically obvious, even in young puppies. However, there are several diagnostic procedures that are used by veterinarians to differentiate entropion from other eye or eyelid disorders, such as distichiasis (the presence of a double row of eyelashes, one or both of which are turned inward against the eyeball, causing friction, irritation and severe, chronic damage to the eye) and trichiasis (where normally placed lashes or facial hair are ingrown, irritating the cornea and conjunctiva).

By definition, entropion is a rolling inward of all or part of an eyelid edge. Diagnosis is not difficult and normally is based simply upon the dog’s breed, history and clinical presentation, without further testing. Of course, the veterinarian still will perform a thorough physical examination of the dog to be sure that the diagnosis of entropion is correct.

In order to distinguish entropion from other conditions, and to help determine the cause of the condition in non-predisposed breeds, the attending veterinarian will perform a complete ophthalmic examination. This involves a Schirmer tear test, application of fluorescein dye, assessment of intraocular pressures and a thorough examination of the physical structure of the eyelids, eyelashes, cornea and conjunctiva. The best way to distinguish entropion from blepharospasm, which is severe squinting and spasms of the muscles around the eye, is to apply anesthetic eye drops. The eyelids of dogs with blepharospasm caused by pain will return to normal, because the anesthetic drops will temporarily relieve eye pain. The eyelids of dogs with entropion will not be corrected by topical anesthetics.

These various eye examinations will be done while the dog is in a relaxed state. Excessive restraint or manipulation of the dog’s head can exaggerate the degree of entropion when it is present. Ophthalmic tests are not particularly invasive and do not require general anesthesia; application of topical anesthetic drops are usually all that is necessary to ensure the dog’s comfort. Depending upon the examination results, the veterinarian may recommend advanced testing and may refer the patient to a veterinary eye specialist.

Special Notes

Routine blood work (a complete blood count [CBC] and a serum chemistry panel), along with a urinalysis (UA), may be suggested as well, as part of a thorough work-up of the dog’s health. However, the results of these tests will not disclose the cause of entropion in any particular dog.

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