At Petplan Pet Insurance we have always been a pet friendly office and encourage team members to bring their pets in regularly. Every day there are at least half a dozen dogs playing fetch in the corridors, snoozing on one of the many Crypton beds, or devouring healthy low cal treats from one of the treat jars that can be found at pretty much every desk.

However there are considerations with having a pet friendly policy. First of all office environments are not usually laid out with pets in mind (unless you are Petplan of course. In our case the offices were laid out around the pets)!

With “Take your dog to work day" upon us again here are a few hazards that you will want be mindful of to ensure that work is a fun and safe place for your pet:

Human food (including the ubiquitous candy that seems to mushroom in just about every office environment I have ever worked in). Dogs that are regulars to the office are often spoiled and people can’t help but share their lunches with the best four legged beggars. However in addition to piling on the pounds this practice can also be dangerous. Though dogs are omnivores certain foods can be poisonous to them such as grapes, onions and chocolate. For a full list of dangerous foods visit  the ASPCA Poison Control website.

 Foreign Objects  Tacks, pins, paperclips, erasers, ink; a veritable feast for dogs with peculiar tastes. If you have a dog that will not refrain from eating everything within reach make sure to puppy proof your office before you bring them in.

Straying  Office environments can be conducive to straying. With people coming and going the danger of your pet straying is very real. If your pet has a tendency to stray make sure that they are contained to an area where they cannot escape unnoticed. If you are going to bring them into the office make sure that they are tagged and micro chipped.

Other Dogs Believe it or not one of the greatest hazards to your pet are other dogs in the office especially ones that are nervous with being in a foreign environment. Make sure to introduce each new dog to the office carefully. Allow the dogs space to interact and if hackles are raised don’t force the issue. Keep the dogs separate for a few hours and try again later when the excitement of being in a new environment has worn off.

To ensure your pet’s comfort throughout the day don’t forget to bring their favorite toy, food and water and a bed. With a little forward planning you can ensure that your pet enjoys their day at work. Who knows they may enjoy it so much that they want to come in every day!

Pets have no concept of money; they do however know when you’re stressed out (they’re quite intuitive). So keep them happy and find some relief for yourself with these cost cutting tips:

Our 5 cost-saving tips for pet health care are:
1. When planning your family vacation this year, why pay for kennels or a house sitter? If you have pets that are tolerant of car or even air travel, plan a vacation that includes pet-friendly hotels: many major hotel chains and lots of independent hotels feature pet friendly accommodations (http://www.petswelcome.com/milkbone/framelist.html)

2. It may seem counter-intuitive to spend money to save it but DON’T skip your annual vet visits or preventive care. Routine treatments such as dental cleaning and heartworm prevention are incredibly important and can help you avoid a huge bill (not to mention suffering for your pet). In addition, your annual visit is the best chance for your vet to catch disease early and hopefully avoid expensive “critical” situations. For the unexpected veterinary expenses, pet insurance is a great idea www.gopetplan.com

3. Get smart with their food. Feeding according to the back of the packet is usually giving far too much. Talk to your vet about appropriate food intake (especially if Fido is a little overweight!) then measure food carefully; you’ll be surprised how much further a bag of food goes. If you have friends with similar type pets, why not buy pet food in bulk and split the cost?

4. Increasing the number of activities you and your family do with your pet is not only free but is also good for everyone’s health. In fact, if you can incorporate your dog into your workout (especially jogging) maybe you can cancel that gym membership?

5. Try and cut those extra expenses like grooming and bathing your pet by learning how to do it at home. Take notice of the type of “cut” your pet gets and buy a decent set of clippers (something not to skimp on; poor quality clippers are frustrating to use and often a waste of money) to do it at home. The same applies to routine things like trimming nails and cleaning ears. In fact, keeping on top of these things and making them a “rewarding” activity for your pet will help keep them happy and healthy too!

Just like people, pets can suffer from allergies. Check out below to see what kinds of allergies are most common, what symptoms to look for and what you can do about them.

Types of Allergies

There are several different ways your pet can be allergic; the most common types are caused by food, parasite, contact and inhalant allergens. The last type, which is the most common cause of “seasonal” allergies, usually affects pets most during certain seasons (usually spring and fall), but, in severe cases, can cause problems all year round. The most common inhaled allergens are from trees, grasses, weed pollens, molds and even dust! (You know, all the stuff they like to roll around in!)

Symptoms

The most common symptoms of allergies in our pets are usually related to skin; chewing at their paws, rubbing their face/ears and scratching their bodies. Excessive chewing, scratching and rubbing can often lead to secondary skin, ear and eye infections. In severe cases respiratory problems, vomiting, diarrhea, bumps and scabs on the neck, lip ulcers and even enlargement of lymph nodes can be seen! (Not fun stuff!)

Treatments

Holistic Supplements: Essential fatty acids (e.g. fish oils which contain Omega-3 compounds), vitamins A& E, and zinc in conjunction with natural anti-inflammatory such as bioflavinoids can sometimes help alleviate symptoms by increasing overall skin health.

Topical medications: Some veterinary recommended sprays and ointments can offer relief in mild cases.

Antihistamines: Some lucky allergic pets can control their symptoms with antihsitamines. Unfortunately, these don’t tend to be as effective as they are in people.

Shampoo: Using medicated shampoos that add protective layers or even anti-inflammatory compounds to the skin can really help to reduce some pets’ discomfort.

Desensitization injections: Much like human dermatologists, veterinary skin specialists can determine what the triggers are for your pet’s allergies and formulate desensitization injections for specific irritants. Repeated injections are  given to help reprogram the body’s immune system. While this can be costly, it can be a great way to give them relief without resorting to long term medication.

Medications: Your veterinarian may prescribe anti-inflammatories and antibiotics during severe outbreaks but these are not medications that should be used long-term. For very badly affected pets there some long-term immunosuppressant medications that can be used; your veterinarian will be able to tell you if these are appropriate for your pet.

*As always, consult your veterinarian before giving your pet any medication.

TIPS TO HELP DECREASE YOUR PETS EXPOSURE TO ALLERGINS:

•Bathe your pet once or twice a week with a veterinary recommended medicated shampoo
•Restrict pets to uncarpeted rooms
•Vacuum with a vacuum cleaner that has a HEPA filter
•Use an air purifier with a HEPA filter
•Wash bedding often
•Replace air conditioner/heater vent filters

Announcing the winners of the May Healthy Paws newsletter. Hoping that they will inspire you to find new ways of keeping your pets healthy!

Winning entry #1 - A play date a day

Ensure you’re welcome before you go:

Call the friend you plan on visiting or the hotel that you plan on staying in to make sure that your furry friend is welcome. If you’re not planning any trips, check out this site to see where you’ll be greeted with a pat on the head and a fresh water bowl:

http://www.tripswithpets.com/

Call your vet before you go:

Make sure that your pet is up-to-date on all of their shots. And while you’re on the phone with them you might want to ask if they think a sedative would be a good idea.

Do a trial run before you go:

With cats it’s particularly important to test their ability to travel. So try putting them in their carrier for increasingly longer periods of time to see how they hold up.

Give it a jingle before you go:

Make sure that your cat and dog are outfitted with identification tags, just in case they decide that it’s time to go home before you do. Making sure that your pet is safe is a priority for us here at Petplan, which is why we give a discount for all microchipped pets. (Learn more about microchipping here.)

Pack it up before you go:

-dishes for food and water

-(for cat) litter and litter pan

- (for dog) waste disposal bags

-toys

-bedding (if necessary)

-food

-bottle of water for the car

-leash

And as we all know, even the most well planned trips run into snags, and making sure that your pet is protected from any accidents and illnesses with Petplan pet insurance will give you even more peace of mind. So go ahead, let him put his head out the window (kidding, it’s bad for his eyes).

Today there are more and more travel sites that focus on pet-friendly travel options. And there are more and more hotels and resorts that are going out of their way to make your four-legged friend’s stay comfortable. Some more extravagant examples are; The Beverly Hills Hotel, where dogs get their own pink bungalows, pink tennis balls and personalized cookies. The Omni in San Diego, has in-room doggy movies (for when you’re off seeing the sites). And the St. Regis Monarch Beach provides personalized food and water bowls, an issue of Hollywood Dog and toys from Bark Jacobs and Jimmie Chew. (Really, we’re not making this up.)

So, as you book your trip for this coming summer, consider taking your pet along. You’ll feel better not putting them in a kennel and they’ll feel better, well, just because they’re with you. And, with Petplan Pet Insurance no matter where you go, you’re covered.

Here are a few sites to help you find the perfect place that’s also pet friendly:

For hotels and homes for rent by city (U.S., Canada and Mexico):

http://www.petfriendlytravel.com/

Choose from Bed and Breakfasts, Beach rentals, International Listings and more:

http://www.petswelcome.com/

Not just where to stay but what you can do while you’re there (with your dog, of course):

http://www.dogfriendly.com/

More like a typical travel site with destination guides and travel packages (and it says “doginmysuitcase” it’s for both dogs and cats):

http://www.doginmysuitcase.com/

Search by room availability in a specific city:

http://www.officialpethotels.com/

For the international jet set:

http://www.pettravel.com/

Suitcase musts, to help ensure your pet’s vacation is a happy and healthy one:

A Pet First Aid Kit.

This will help you both in the event of an emergency.

DogGone Songs CD.

If your dog isn’t a fan of road trips, this will help calm him.

A Life Vest.

For any boating or water activities, this is a necessity.

Disposable Litter Box.

Cats like the familiar, so even on vacation, keep your cat happy by keeping his litter in one place.

Pet Sunscreen.

Yes, animals can get too much sun too.

It’s Spring, which means it’s time to get out the spade, the shovel and the gardening gloves. A quick trip to the store for bulbs, seeds, and mulch and you’re on your way.

Just one thing though…when you buy mulch, read the ingredients. If it has Theobromine in it, put it down and back away slowly. Yes, it’s true, mulch with Theobromine, like “Cocoa Mulch”, is good for many reasons - it’s light weight, easy to spread, deters slugs and snails, looks nice and smells like chocolate.  But it’s bad for one – it can harm your pet. If eaten by a cat or dog it can lead to illness  and in extreme cases, death.

Keep your pets safe with alternatives to Cocoa Mulch like cedar chips and straw. They’re less toxic and they don’t smell quite as delicious. But, because not all accidents can be avoided (if they could, they wouldn’t be called accidents) there’s Petplan pet insurance.

"Pet owners should avoid (the) use of cocoa bean mulch in landscaping around dogs with indiscriminate eating habits," (Labrador retreiver anyone?) said the ASPCA in it’s “Cocoa Mulch Report.”

Cocoa Mulch Poisoning Facts from the ASPCA:

•50% of cases report vomiting.

•33% of cases report tremors. This was cause when the amount ingested was “large or significant”.

•17% of cases reported a rapid heart rate, hyperactivity, or diarrhea.

•Muscle tremors, seizures, and death can be caused when large amounts are consumed.

For more information on Theobromine poisoning call the ASPCA's Animal Poison Control Center at 888-426-4435.

First thing’s First:

Show your new pet where his food and water bowl is. If it’s a pooch, show him where he’ll need to go “out” and if it’s a cat show him is litter box. (White House lawn anyone?)

Food:

Odds are your new pet has already been eating a certain kind of food, so to make his transition easier - continue with it. If you’d like to change it, make the change gradual as to not cause any stomach upset. (And perhaps let the White House chef know that scraps aren’t in order just yet.)

Sleep:

Often puppies feel safer in smaller spaces, so a crate with a blanket over it can be the most comforting. Adding a blanket or towel that has some of his mothers scent makes him feel even more at home. If you’re bringing home an older dog or a cat, then a nice new bed is in order. (Right in the middle of the Obama daughter’s room please. Thank you.)

Play:

Make sure that there are plenty of things to chew on and scratch on before bringing your furry friend home, so they’re content and, well, so are you. Also, exercising them regularly whether it be chasing a ball or going to the park, you’ll bond and they’ll have less energy to get their paws into trouble. (Yes, nobody wants chew marks in the Oval Office.)

Safety:

A fenced in yard to ensure he doesn’t wander off is always a good thing. But should your dog roam or your cat decide to check out the neighborhood, make sure that they can be identified with a microchip. (Because odds are that the Secret Service isn’t going to have an eye on Bo at all times.)

Health:

Start off on the right foot with a visit to a veterinarian. And to ensure good health and happiness for a lifetime, there’s Petplan pet insurance. The only pet insurance that covers all accidents and illnesses, even hereditary ones. (Of which, Portuguese Water Dog’s are no exception. Unfortunately.)

Welcome to your new home Bo. We here at Petplan hope that the transition is as easy as rollin’ around in the sun.

Until the next time,

Woof! (wag) Meow!

In an office where pet photos cover the walls it’s easy to see how important every tail and whisker is to Petplan. Our customers are our friends and our family, even if we’ve never met (though there is nothing we enjoy more than a visit from our policyholders, four legged and otherwise) them. And, luckily, our policy holders feel the same way about us, as you can see on Pet Insurance Review (a third party pet insurance review website). So when someone loses a pet, due to illness or accident, Petplan feels it. Like in June 2008 when a Philadelphia row home caught fire taking with it the home next door and the dog that lived in that home. The firemen couldn’t get to Perky* in time and he died of smoke inhalation. Fortunately, his brother Petey*, with minor burns, survived. His treatment for minor burns and smoke inhalation at the University of Pennsylvania Veterinary Teaching Hospital was over $1,800 and Petplan pet insurance picked up the whole bill.