Pet insurance plans range from small $12 to $60 per month premiums can add up to $1500 to $6000 or more over a pet’s lifetime.

Depending on the age or breed, pet insurance for a cat typically costs around $15/month. For a dog typically costs around $25/month. In addition to the monthly premium, most pet insurance companies have deductibles of $50 or more and require co-pays of 10 to 50 percent.

Most companies offer basic and premium coverage. Plans usually offer coverage for illnesses and injuries and this usually up to a predetermined per year. The pet owner pays the vet at the time of service, then they files a claim and is reimbursed by the insurance company within 30 days.

Some pet insurance companies offer about $200 worth of coverage for routine care. Such as annual exams, dental care, flea, heartworm medication, etc. for about $10 extra per month.

Pet insurance could be expensive if you want to have everything covered. Once you found the best pet insurance you can relax because your pet is now covered. Remember always study and compare pet insurance plans and policy before you buy it.

Having a dog is a big responsibility. Some even compare taking care of a dog to that of a baby. The only advantage having dogs compared to having babies is that they won’t grow older and turn into stressful teenagers. Because dogs are like babies they sometimes also end up in harmful situations. They would sometimes get themselves trapped in a tight place or get hit by something that will injure one of their limbs. When that happens, we should learn how to bandage our dogs to prevent further damage. Here are some basic ways of how to bandage your injured dog.

1. When your pet has a bandage, it should always be clean and dry. So it’s pretty important to make sure your pet stays inside most of the time when it has a bandage. To prevent the bandage from getting wet when the pet goes to pee or poop, a trash bag or plastic covering should cover the bandaged leg. You may use empty bread bags. When your pet has wet or dirtied up the bandage, it would require changing. Make sure to check the bandage twice a day to see if it is clean and dry. Check also for foul odors or discharge and if there is any, call your veterinarian immediately.

2. After bringing home your pet from the veterinarian make sure that the bandage is still in place. Your pet might have been irritated by it and has chewed or tried to scratch it off. Look closely at the position and the location of the bandage when you do check. Look at the toes of the pet, the bandage might have slipped up making the toes stick out. Also look at the size, if the bandage has become loose. This should be taken into account when a dog has been bandaged in the abdomen or leg area. This is because one end will be bigger than the other and eventually become narrower. When the bandage telescopes down the limb of the dog it may bunch up and abrade the limb. When that happens, the bandage should be changed as well.

3. If the dog is bandaged up in the leg make sure it isn’t too tight. Observe how the toes will appear at the bottom of the bandage at least twice a day. This is done to check for sweating, swelling, or pain. Check for skin chaffing, redness, discharge or swelling before and after the bandage has been applied.

4. To prevent the pet from chewing the bandage because of the bothersome experience it gives, put an Elizabethan collar. If you have observed that the pet is chewing or scratching it excessively, ask the vet if there might be problems.

These are the times that you should already be taking the pet back to the veterinarian:

• Swelling above or below the bandage
• Chewing the bandage
• Bandage becomes wet
• Bleeding or discharge above, below or through
• Scheduled bandage changes