One of our clients has asked about purchasing pet insurance for their Australian Labradoodle puppy. Here is some information we have found regarding just that! Check back at a later time as this is at least a two-part issue with more information to come! Here are some links to learn more about various Pet Insurance programs.

http://www.petcareinsurance.com/

http://www.petinsurance.com/

http://www.aspcapetinsurance.com/?utm_id=2000

http://www.petsbest.com/GettingStarted/LearnMore.aspx

We also found a great article from PetsBest.com with some good things to know before purchansing insurance. Check out their website for more information.

Ten Things You Should Know Before Buying Pet Insurance

To be competitive and give you more choices, each pet insurance company offers slightly different plans. And that’s the single biggest reason that you need to carefully compare the options to make an educated decision.

To help in your comparison, we’ve prepared an easy-to-understand description of the most important things you’ll need to consider.

1. Which Deductible Should You Choose?
Choosing a higher deductible will lower your monthly premium, but means your out-of-pocket will be higher each time your pet requires medical treatment. Choosing a lower deductible will increase your monthly premium, but means your out-of-pocket costs will be lower.

Also, is there a penalty for changing plans and deductibles? You should be able to make those changes to maintain your pet’s coverage in times of financial hardship.

2. What are the Policy Limits?
Modern veterinary medicine can be sophisticated and extensive, which can make low per-incident limits

(or low lifetime limits) unrealistic. Choose a plan that covers the true costs of unexpected illness and accidents.

3. What does the policy cover? What are the available options?
Look for plans that cover illnesses, accidents, and optional routine care.

Illnesses – Any illness and accident plan should automatically cover common ailments, but what about chronic diseases like cancer or diabetes? Are they covered, as well? For how much?
Accidents – cuts and broken legs are common and should be covered. In an accident only plan, look for surgical coverages that include removal of swallowed objects and treatment of hernias.
Routine Care – these optional coverages may include such preventive measures as annual exams, vaccinations, teeth cleaning, and diagnostics such as blood panels and urine testing.
4. How is Your Reimbursement Calculated when You File a Claim?
This may be the most misunderstood and most important part of your pet insurance coverage.

Reimbursement is calculated in one of two basic ways:

a) either as a fair and straightforward percentage of your veterinarian’s bill (which is the method Pets Best chooses), or
b) as a percentage of a benefit schedule which limits the amount the insurance company is willing to pay (as some of our competitors choose).
The actual reimbursement as a percentage of a benefit schedule can be as little as 30% of your vet bill. Avoid surprises by knowing what you’re buying.

5. Can You Choose Any Vet or Are You Restricted to a Network?
Look for plans that allow you to visit:

The Veterinarian You Choose – Don’t buy a policy that requires you to select a doctor you don’t know from a list. Be sure you’re allowed to visit any licensed Veterinarian.
After-Hours Emergency Care – Illnesses and accidents sometimes happen after normal business hours. Does your policy cover emergency care at
2 a.m.? You’ll also want to be sure your use of an emergency clinic doesn’t reduce the amount of coverage allowed for follow-up care.
Specialists – When your pet needs treatment by a veterinary ophthalmologist (eye care) or veterinary oncologists (cancer), you’ll want to be sure your policy covers specialist care.
6. Who Determines Your Pet’s Treatment?
Pets Best believes you and your veterinarian will determine the best course of treatment for your pet. Choose a plan that doesn’t limit your choices with a complicated fee schedule, or benefit schedule.

7. What is Excluded?
Amazingly, there are pet insurance companies who will not list treatments and conditions that are not covered by their policies. Be sure you ask for specifics about what is and is not covered by your policy so that you know which treatments are available for your pet.

8. Does Your Veterinarian Recommend the Pet Insurance Company?
Your vet’s staff members have heard all the news, good and bad, from other policy holders. Ask which one they recommend.

9. Is the Pet Insurance Company Licensed in Your State?
You’ll have the coverage you need when you choose a pet insurance company that’s regulated by your state government. Choose a company that’s licensed in your state.

10. What Experience Can I Expect?
When you have a problem, or you need help with a claim, a pet insurance company who employs pet lovers who care, and who understand pets, can make all the difference.

We hope that these ten suggestions leave you better prepared to make an educated choice in your pet insurance company, and policy. If you have questions that aren’t covered in this list, please e-mail or phone us at 1-888-899-0402.

I thought this was really interesting – please feed your Australian Labradoodle dog or puppy a high quality food.

How to grade your dog’s food:
Start with a grade of 100:
1) For every listing of “by-product”, subtract 10 points
2) For every non-specific animal source (“meat” or “poultry”, meat, meal or fat) reference, subtract 10 points
3) If the food contains BHA, BHT, or ethoxyquin, subtract 10 points
4) For every grain “mill run” or non-specific grain source, subtract 5 points
5) If the same grain ingredient is used 2 or more times in the first five ingredients (i.e. “ground brown rice”, “brewerâs rice”, “rice flour” are all the same grain), subtract 5 points
6) If the protein sources are not meat meal and there are less than 2 meats in the top 3 ingredients, subtract 3 points
7) If it contains any artificial colorants, subtract 3 points
8 ) If it contains ground corn or whole grain corn, subtract 3 points
9) If corn is listed in the top 5 ingredients, subtract 2 more points
10) If the food contains any animal fat other than fish oil, subtract 2 points
11) If lamb is the only animal protein source (unless your dog is allergic to other protein sources), subtract 2 points
12) If it contains soy or soybeans, subtract 2 points
13) If it contains wheat (unless you know that your dog isnât allergic to wheat), subtract 2 points
14) If it contains beef (unless you know that your dog isnât allergic to beef), subtract 1 point
15) If it contains salt, subtract 1 point
Extra Credit:
1) If any of the meat sources are organic, add 5 points
2) If the food is endorsed by any major breed group or nutritionist, add 5 points
3) If the food is baked not extruded, add 5 points
4) If the food contains probiotics, add 3 points
5) If the food contains fruit, add 3 points
6) If the food contains vegetables (NOT corn or other grains), add 3 points
7) If the animal sources are hormone-free and antibiotic-free, add 2 points
8 ) If the food contains barley, add 2 points
9) If the food contains flax seed oil (not just the seeds), add 2 points
10) If the food contains oats or oatmeal, add 1 point
11) If the food contains sunflower oil, add 1 point
12) For every different specific animal protein source (other than the first one; count “chicken” and “chicken meal” as only one protein source, but “chicken” and “” as 2 different sources), add 1 point
13) If it contains glucosamine and chondroitin, add 1 point
14) If the vegetables have been tested for pesticides and are pesticide-free, add 1 point
94-100+ = A 86-93 = B 78-85 = C 70-77 = D <70 = F

Dog Food scores:
Alpo Prime Cuts / Score 81 C
Artemis Large/Medium Breed Puppy / Score 114 A+
Authority Harvest Baked / Score 116 A+
Authority Harvest Baked Less Active / Score 93 B
Beowulf Back to Basics / Score 101 A+
Bil-Jac Select / Score 68 F
Blackwood 3000 Lamb and Rice / Score 83 C
Blue Buffalo Chicken and Rice / Score 106 A+
Burns Chicken and Brown Rice / Score 107 A+
Canidae / Score 112 A+
Chicken Soup Senior / Score 115 A+
Diamond Maintenance / Score 64 F
Diamond Lamb Meal & Rice / Score 92 B
Diamond Large Breed 60+ Formula / Score 99 A
Diamond Performance / Score 85 C
Dick Van Patten’s Natural Balance Ultra Premium / Score 122 A+
Dick Van Patten?s Natural Balance Venison and Brown Rice / Score 106 A+
Dick Van Patten’s Duck and Potato / Score 106 A+
EaglePack Holistic / Score 102 A+
Eukanuba Adult / Score 81 C
Eukanuba Puppy / Score 79 C
Flint River Senior / Score 101 A+
Foundations / Score 106 A+
Hund-n-Flocken Adult Dog (lamb) by Solid Gold / Score 93 B
Iams Lamb Meal & Rice Formula Premium / Score 73 D
Innova Dog / Score 114 A+
Innova Evo / Score 114 A+
Innova Large Breed Puppy / Score 122 A+
Kirkland Signature Chicken, Rice, and Vegetables / Score 110 A+
Member?s Mark Chicken and Rice / Score 84 C
Merrick Wilderness Blend / Score 127 A+
Merrick HomeStyle Blends / Average Score 125 A+
Merrick Beef N More / Score 125 A+
Nature?s Recipe / Score 100 A
Nature?s Recipe Healthy Skin Venison and Rice / Score 116 A+
Nature?s Variety Raw Instinct / Score 122 A+
Nutra Nuggets Super Premium Lamb Meal and Rice / Score 81 C
Nutrience Junior Medium Breed Puppy / Score 101 A+
Nutrisource Lamb and Rice / Score 87 B
Nutro Max Adult / Score 93 B
Nutro Natural Choice Lamb and Rice / Score 98 A
Nutro Natural Choice Large Breed Puppy / Score 87 B
Nutro Natural Choice Puppy Wheat Free / Score 86 B
Nutro Natural Choice Senior / Score 95 A
Nutro Ultra Adult / Score 104 A+
Pet Gold Adult with Lamb & Rice / Score 23 F
Premium Edge Chicken, Rice and Vegetables Adult Dry / Score 109 A+
Pro Nature Puppy / Score 80 C
Pro Plan Sensitive Stomach / Score 94 A
Purina Benful / Score 17 F
Purina Dog / Score 62 F
Purina Come-n-Get It / Score 16 F
Purina One Large Breed Puppy / Score 62 F
Royal Canin Boxer / Score 103 A+
Royal Canin Bulldog / Score 100 A+
Royal Canin Natural Blend Adult / Score 106 A+
Science Diet Advanced Protein Senior 7+ / Score 63 F
Science Diet for Large Breed Puppies / Score 69 F
Sensible Choice Chicken and Rice / Score 97 A
Solid Gold / Score 99 A
Summit / Score 99 A
Timberwolf Organics Wild & Natural Dry / Score 120 A+
Wellness Super5 Mix Chicken / Score 110 A+
Wolfking Adult Dog (bison) by Solid Gold / Score 97 A