Pet Insurance 101

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Grape and Raisin Toxicity, A Guest Blog By Heather Reynolds Of Trupanion Pet Insurance

Heather Reynolds is a pet lover and internet journalist at Trupanion, North America’s fastest growing pet insurance company. Trupanion offers 90% coverage of veterinary bills with no payout limits. Enrolled pets receive lifetime coverage for diagnostic tests, surgeries, and medications if they become sick or injured.

Did you know that cats should never eat grapes or raisins? Grape and raisin toxicity is a serious health condition and can occur in cats after they ingest just one grape or raisin. While it is not clearly known what makes this fruit toxic, the outcome is severe.

Because grapes and raisins are so commonly found in households, it’s important to be aware of the symptoms in case your curious little friend finds one. If the fruit is ingested, a cat will normally start showing symptoms within 48 hours, so it’s important to see a veterinarian right away. 

Symptoms include:

·        Vomiting

·        Diarrhea

·        Weakness

·        Refusal to eat

·        Increased thirst

·        Abdominal pain

Eventually, the cat will be unable to urinate and will develop acute renal failure (where the kidneys suddenly fail to do their job). It’s a very quick and sad progression.

But this condition is curable! If grape or raisin ingestion is suspected, the main goal is to prevent the toxins from being absorbed by the body. So, a veterinarian will most likely induce vomiting with the use of hydrogen peroxide or apomorphine and then use charcoal pills to prevent any remaining toxins from being absorbed. Often, intravenous fluid therapy is also needed.

The cost of treatment can range from $100 to over $1,700, depending on the severity of the condition.

Obviously, prevention is key for this condition. Make sure to keep all grapes and raisins fully out of reach of cats (remembering that cats have incredibly climbing skills and some ‘hiding spots’ like the top of the refrigerator may not be effective). Also, make sure all family members and visitors know the danger of this fruit, as well as other common foods that are toxic to cats like chocolate, onions and garlic, because if your family is anything like mine, ‘people food’ sometimes finds its way to pets from well-meaning friends who just can’t stand those sweet begging eyes.

How do you keep toxic items like this out of reach of your feline friends?

Top Pet Poisons and How to Avoid Them -A Guest Blog by Heather Reynolds, Trupanion Pet Insurance

 Heather Reynolds is a pet lover and internet journalist at Trupanion, North America’s fastest growing pet insurance company. Trupanion offers a simple, customizable pet insurance policy with no payout limits and 90% coverage of veterinary bills. Enrolled pets receive lifetime coverage for diagnostic tests, surgeries, and medications if they get sick or are injured, with no incident, annual or lifetime limit.

The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals releases a list every year of the top pet toxins. For the fourth time in a row, human medications topped the list. Almost 25 percent of the calls received to the poison control center were in response to pets accidentally ingesting these drugs.

The most common offenders were ibuprofen, antidepressants and ADHD medications. Here is a little more about each of these toxins:

·         Ibuprofen is a common over-the-counter drug used to reduce fever and relieve pain from headaches, muscle aches, backaches, and the common cold. Symptoms of poisoning include vomiting, loss of appetite, abdominal pain, lethargy, and dehydration. If not treated, kidney failure may result.

·         Antidepressants include a wide variety of medications such as imipramine, desimipramine, and trimipramine. Even in humans these medications cause side effects like diarrhea, dizziness, nausea, and weight gain. In pets, symptoms of poisoning include vomiting, disorientation, anxiety, aggression, seizures, change in body temperature, weakness, tremors, and rash. If not treated, the pet could die.

·         Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is the most commonly diagnosed childhood behavioral disorder. Medications for this condition include Concerta, Adderall, and Ritalin. In only takes a small dose of these medications to cause life-threatening health problems in pets, including tremors, seizures, elevated body temperatures, and heart problems.

Pet insurance can help with the cost associated with treatment for these poisonings, but the main goal would be to avoid it in the first place. If you have medications in your home, even over-the-counter drugs, it’s important to keep them locked up or otherwise out of reach of pets at all times.

If you think your pet may have ingested human medication, call your veterinarian immediately. You can also call the ASPCA’s Animal Poison Control Center’s 24-hour hotline at 888-426-4435.

Can I Get Cat Insurance for my Adopted Cat? Guest Blog By Trupanion Pet Insurance

Cat Chat is pleased to present a guest blog by Stacy Kowalchuk from Trupanion Pet Insurance! Enjoy!

We (and pet insurance  companies in
general) often receive questions around insurance and adopted cats. Those who
have a basic understanding of cat insurance are aware that it doesn't cover the
costs of pre-existing conditions which often leads them to the question: how does cat insurance work if I adopted my cat?

The answer is actually quite simple. It works just the same way it would if you
were to have had your cat since kittenhood. When you file your first claim, we
request all available veterinary records, even if it's just an examination from
when you first adopted your new pet, and work from there.

You may be able to determine whether your cat has any pre-existing conditions
before filing any claims. Some cats that were relinquished by a previous owner
may come complete with their prior health records so you can easily see their
medical history. Or, if you notice that your cat had any health problems or
symptoms when you brought him home, then those conditions would be considered
pre-existing.

It's a good idea to get cat insurance as soon as possible, before any new
conditions occur. Cat insurance  is definitely helpful
for covering the costs of any unexpected conditions that may arise in the
future.



Stacy Kowalchuk is a rescue dog owner who works for Trupanion, an international
pet insurance  company based out of Seattle. Please feel free to contact her with any questions about pet insurance at stacy@trupanion.com.