I went to a human doctor today (a doctor that treats people) because I have been sick for over a week with flulike symptoms. My excellent and thorough physician went through the options after the exam: viral infection, low-grade flu, complicated by an asthmatic-like condition.

We went over possible diagnostics and treatment options, just like I do with my clients, all day, every day.

My doctor offered chest rads to rule out low-grade pneumonia and asked if I wanted to do bloodwork. I asked her for her opinion. She seemed more concerned about making me go out of my way to have the X-ray taken. I, for the first time in a long time, was actually concerned about the money! I said, “Well, since I changed my insurance to a high deductible to save money, do I have to get the X-ray?”

“I don’t think you have pneumonia,” she said. “And I don’t want to waste your money. Why don’t we wait and see if the antibiotics help over the weekend. If you’re not better, we can always get the X-ray.” We had a plan.

The point of this story is that my doctor and I, based on mutual trust, discovered my probable diagnosis and, based on my symptoms, her diagnostic skills and money, came up with a plan. And this is exactly what you should feel comfortable doing with your veterinarian.

So the first piece of this client-veterinarian relationship is the matter of trust. Let’s hope you have some experience with your vet, but even if this is a first visit, you need to feel good about the exchange. If somehow you don’t hit it off with this doctor, you need to ask more questions before you decide on a treatment plan for your pet.

What if you’re not comfortable with the initial exam and diagnostic options? Figure out why. Maybe it’s just a matter of personality or communication. Maybe the vet is a shy person. Or maybe he’s too gregarious. Maybe she thought she explained herself adequately. Maybe he’s “just not like your old vet.” Maybe he’s too old, she’s too young, he wears the wrong shoes, she’s not wearing any shoes (kidding). Who knows? We’re all just people, and we need to communicate.

Sidebar: Many years ago, it was a first-time visit for a client I’ve now known for 15 years. She had just moved to the area. She was a nice enough person, and it was a fairly straightforward exam of her cat. I welcomed her to the practice, bladdah, bladdah, and, well, it was uncomfortable. She just stared at me a little too long. Kind of a benign smile with apprehension.

“Is something wrong?” I asked.

“No. It’s just that my last vet was so good looking. I used to just like watching him sit on the end of the exam table.”

Well, a sigh of relief for me! I was an okay-looking thirtysomething mom, and she wanted Brad Pitt on a table! Thank God it wasn’t my attire or my bedside manner or my teeth or my knowledge! It was simply my gender.

Picking Your Practice

Feel comfortable in the practice. Do you like going there? Do you love the easy access and somewhat sterile atmosphere in a shopping plaza, or do you prefer a more suburban practice? Do you want a high-tech-looking hospital that offers full boarding, grooming, etc., or a warm and fuzzy “All Creatures Great and Small” kind of place when you walk in the door?

How many vets are in the practice? Do you want a 10-doctor practice with Sunday hours but no guarantee you’ll have a primary vet, or a smaller practice where everybody knows your name (no humming the Cheers theme, anyone). Does a practice limited to cats have an appeal? (I considered this but would miss dogs too much.) Then again, having your heaviest pet of the day be under 20 pounds is a nice thought. Any of you with cats over 20 pounds, shame on you.

Your Expectations

Clients and veterinarians share two ever-present concerns: the welfare and hopeful healthy outcome of the pet, and the cost of this veterinary care. The rising cost of veterinary care in a struggling economy causes grief for both of us. This is the truth.

First, put yourself in the position of your veterinarian. Let’s say she’s an associate, meaning she is employed by a hospital and not a practice owner. Her only job is to do the best job possible for your pet. However, in order to do this, she has to tailor her plan to your economic concerns. Immediately, this complicates her job.

Now what about you? Of course you’re at the vet because something has you concerned about your pet, but for many of you, that ugly question is burning: What is this going to cost?
So, the next step is for you and your vet to come to a happily agreed upon plan.

This is just like when I was at my doctor’s and we made a plan, right? Wrong. There’s a significant difference. I could tell my doctor when my symptoms began, how they progressed, my exact history with respiratory illness, and how good or bad I felt. I can tell her I have a headache or not. Nausea or not. Mild aching, etc. Can your pet do that? Not really. So your vet’s job can be a lot more difficult than your own doctor’s in some situations. And, unfortunately, you may have a lot more decisions to make to get to the real answer. Let’s look at two very common scenarios.

Young Dog, a Little Sick

Mrs. Wanna-do-the-best brings in Kirby, a 2-year-old golden with bad ears. It’s his first ear infection. I do an ear swab to look at what type of infection it might be. I diagnose a very common yeast infection. Mrs. Wanna asks me what caused the yeast infection. Possible allergy, time of year, swimming, golden retrievers’ predilection for ear infections.

I go over all the options, and I’m getting the sense Mrs. W wants to do everything from A to Z on this first infection. Culture the ears. Maybe test for allergies. I believe this is over-treatment at this point. I show her basic ear care and send the dog home on an appropriate ear medication, carefully scheduling a recheck. If there is a recurrence, we will definitely take additional steps. In this case, I actually recommended to the client that she save her money and treat conservatively.

Old Cat, Probably Real Sick

Mr. Fallen-on-hard-times brings in his 16-year-old cat and hasn’t been to see me in about four years. Lately, Sunshine has not been feeling so sunny. Losing weight. Maybe licking some food, not much. Drinking water, though — lots of water. Her abdomen is hanging a little funny. Sunshine needs what we call a work-up. Ideally, we should run bloodwork and take X-rays. Maybe we’ll need an ultrasound. Maybe she’ll have to receive IV fluids. What are we going to do?

This is not an easy plan to decide upon with Mr. Fallen because of his severely limited funds. We decide to take things a step at a time, doing the most important tests first, based on my highest suspicions. That way, with any luck, we can get some answers and save money to treat Sunshine. This makes my job much harder, but at least we have a common understanding.

This case has a reasonable outcome so far. Based on the bloodwork alone, I treated her medically for liver disease, and she is responding. But we don’t have all the answers, and there will definitely be more costs. But this client would have been very upset if I had given him no options but the most thorough (and most expensive) one. He had all the information and could make an acceptable decision. If I had given him a price tag completely out of his reach, he might have done nothing, or, worse, he might have euthanized Sunshine.

So, No Regrets?

I think a professional and well-trained veterinarian should come up with the best diagnostic and treatment plan available. He or she should explain all the options to the client as completely as possible and make sure the client understands. Then that vet should respect the client’s decision, as long as it is ethical and compassionate.

The best clients listen, ask questions, maybe ask for more information, and make an informed decision, knowing that the plan is fluid and can always be altered along the way.

If you don’t feel comfortable with and have trust in your veterinary practice, there won’t be a good outcome. Frequently, a client will bring me a pet for a second opinion, and sometimes it’s just that. They want to make sure that another veterinarian agrees with the diagnosis and treatment. I think this is valid. I appreciate if any of my clients seek a second opinion, not to mention the many clients I send to orthopedic surgeons, ophthamologists, oncologists, etc. for consults.

But too many clients come to me with complaints about their previous experience, saying something negative such as, “They didn’t do anything over there.” Or, “They charged me three hundred dollars for nothing.” These clients have buyer’s regret and are angry. I think it’s usually a breakdown in communication. Obviously, something “was done over there” and three hundred dollars was not “for nothing.” But the client expected something more and either didn’t ask for an explanation or it was explained incompletely.

Usually, “didn’t do anything over there” translates as the pet didn’t get better on the first round of treatment. And “three hundred dollars for nothing” usually means the first set of diagnostics didn’t yield an answer. But if the vet and client have a relationship based on mutual trust, there should not be regret or anger at this point. Just a re-evaluation of the pet’s condition.

After careful consideration of your feelings, if you’re not happy at your current veterinary practice, try someplace else. It could be a personality thing, a medical philosophy thing, the list goes on. I left a dentist’s practice once simply because I didn’t think they cared about me as a patient! No warm and fuzzy dental floss samples, I guess. Seriously, I found a dentist’s office with a completely different personality and felt much more comfortable. This had nothing to do with the dentists, by the way. They were both highly competent.

Onward and upward for trust, compassion and understanding!

What's the veterinary job outlook? Not so good...

Recession? What recession? You wouldn’t know the United States is trudging its way through one if the only statistic you looked at was how much Americans spend on their pets. Five years ago, the number was around $41 billion. More recently, the American Pet Products Association (APPA) estimated that last year the figure increased to nearly $51 billion.

Pet care spending doesn’t just cover food, toys and treats; it includes veterinary care ranging from surgery and complex treatments to everyday pet meds like heartworm preventives and parasite repellents. But even as pet care spending continues to grow, the number of veterinary jobs has decreased, and has entered a period of stagnation. If you were thinking about becoming a veterinarian, you may want to come up with a new plan.

Where Are the Veterinary Jobs?

Part of the reason pet spending has increased and continues to do so is that pet ownership is also growing. According to the APPA, approximately 72.9 million households own at least one pet. And because people are taking better care of their pets than ever before — which includes taking them to the vet more often — the animals’ lifespans have also increased. With all this in mind, why is the veterinary profession suffering?

Veterinary schools are enrolling more students, and producing more graduates than ever, but those new vets are having a difficult time finding jobs. One effect the recession has had on veterinarians is that many of them have delayed retirement. For many people, retirement isn’t an option right now until the economy recovers a little more and their retirement fund portfolios recover. Normally, retiring vets would sell their practices to up-and-coming veterinarians. While the demand for practices is high, few are actually up for sale.

Flooding the Market

Rather than remain unemployed, some of those veterinary school graduates take the entrepreneurial route and open their own practices. This may sound good on the surface. They’re starting new businesses, creating jobs and providing services.

Unfortunately, while those things are true, the main effect this is having is to dilute the market, and increase competition to unsustainable levels. The more vets in one area, the more choices people have, and the fewer clients any one vet will have. Fewer clients means lower revenue, which in turn means some of those jobs that were initially created may have to be terminated because of an inability to pay wages. Ultimately, many of these new practices will fail.

Some veterinarians are lucky enough to find industry professions outside the practice. For example, large pet supply retailers employ veterinary advisers, as do companies that produce pet food and other products. A handful of veterinarians from Michigan State University have been tapped by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to help Iraq rebuild its livestock industry. But jobs like this are few and far between.

Time for a Backup Plan?

No one seems to have a solution yet. Veterinary medicine is a noble and rewarding profession, and most of those who enter it love animals and want to provide the best care possible for them. But in the current climate, anyone who was considering a career as a vet may want to have a backup plan, or find another venue through which they can express their love for animals.

* * *

This guest post was written by Jackie Roberts. Jackie is a writer for 1-800-PetMeds, and loves to help and support the pet community. You can find Pet Meds on Twitter or connect with Pet Meds on Facebook.

Technically, the recession in the United States started in late 2007 and ended in the summer of 2009. But with unemployment officially at 9.1 percent (the “real” rate is above 16 percent), the Dow losing nearly 900 points in the past three weeks, and more Americans living in poverty now than in the past 20 years, some economists say we are headed for “a double dip” — a second recession that could be worse than the first.

Let’s face it, though: No matter what we call it — hard times, recession, depression — we can all agree that right now the economy stinks.

The Dog’s Trust calculates that owning a dog can cost a person an astounding $22,000 over the lifetime of the dog, a whopping figure that includes everything from meals, visits to the veterinarian, grooming, pet insurance, toys and treats. This year, Americans are spending an estimated combined $51 billion on their pets — a record amount. With households tightening their belts during difficult economic times like we’ve experienced in the past few years, pet expenses really do add up.

Pet Care During a Recession

However, believe it or not, people are not too concerned about pet care during a recession. People who own pets seem to have a positive outlook:

• A 2009 study found that 78 percent of cat owners were continuing to provide normal expenses for their pets despite the Great Recession.
• A study released in September 2011 showed that dog owners felt the same way, with 68 percent of people saying the lagging economy has no effect on their pet care spending.

And get this: Pet ownership is at an all-time high, according to the American Pet Products Association (APPA). The number of people who own pets (72.9 million households) has inched up 2.1 percent in the past two years.

Recession-battered pet owners are making small purchases of pet products that provide as much happiness to them as to their pets, according to the APPA. “Their pets were a rock after a horrible day,” notes association president Bob Vetere. “And now, people are wanting to reward their pets.”

Sometimes it can seem as if your pet is the only one who truly understands you — and now their loyalty is being repaid. Or is it…?

Feeling the Pinch

Veterinarians: It’s important to note that some veterinarians are reporting a different story. A few veterinarians we contacted tell us that many pet owners are cutting back on things they consider to be “optional,” such as yearly vaccines and preventive medicine. These vets add that more owners opt for less-expensive treatments and refuse or put off diagnostic or nonessential services.

Pet Foods: While pet food sales continue to produce positive growth, the growth rate is definitely down.

Dog Grooming, Pet Sitting, Dog Boarding, Etc.: The businesses we contacted gave a mixed report on how the recession has affected their bottom lines, with most reporting minimal gains (and some saying business is way down).

So, how to explain the disconnect between what pet owners are saying (“We’re not tightening our belts too much”) and what pet businesses are reporting (“Yes, they are”)? It could be hopeful optimism on the part of pet owners.

Shelter Populations Growing

Meanwhile, animal shelters and rescue groups report an increase in their populations since 2008, as some people feel forced to give up their pets just to make ends meet. “Some people are embarrassed, and they do want to say, ‘My home is foreclosed on,’” says Lyndsey Bruno of the Humane Society of Southern Arizona. “It’s hard for people — it’s very emotional.”

To make matters worse, the increase in pet surrenders has been accompanied by a decrease in donations to the shelters.

One silver lining: Some (but certainly not all) animal shelters say the number of pet adoptions is actually increasing. “It seems people are having bigger hearts because of the economy,” says Brandi Bowers of the Berkeley County Humane Society in Martinsburg, West Virginia.

Leave No Pets Behind!

A website operated by the Humane Society urges down-and-out pet owners, even those facing foreclosure on their house, to hold on to their animals till the bitter end. The organization’s Stephanie Shain calls pets abandonment “not only irresponsible” but “illegal” as well. “Pet owners may feel financially unable to care for their pets,” she says, “but there are many alternatives to leaving pets behind.”

Plan ahead, as much as possible, for potential economic disasters. Search for pet-friendly apartments, for example.

Ways to Save Money on Pet Expenses

Other money-saving tips for pet care during a recession:

• Go comparison shopping for routine veterinary care and ask for only essential vet services.
• Look for inexpensive toys and treats.
• Realize that pet insurance may not be worth the expense.
• Save money on pet medications by shopping online — but only at trusted pharmacies that are accredited by the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy.

In this quick video, Jim Humphries, DVM, of Veterinary News Network, also provides money-saving tips:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6KczVpCLOc4

Additional Resources

• American Pet Products: Annual spending on pets, and other pet industry statistics
• My Pet Savings: Coupons, freebies, deals and more
• ASCPA: Saving money on vet care
• Bryan Jaffe: Pet industry market trends (2010)

Photo: TheGiantVermin/Flickr

When visiting their doctor, smart people make a list of things they want to discuss: moles, fungus, headaches and heart palpitations. If you’re lucky, you’ll have 10 minutes with the doctor, so you have to make those minutes count.

The same is true with your veterinarian, especially if you see him only once a year. Your pet can’t tell you if he’s feeling poorly, so it’s up to you to be proactive. The next time you take in your dog or cat for his annual check-up, take along this list of 10 questions to ask your veterinarian.

1. Is my pet at a healthy weight?

Pet obesity is just as much a problem as human obesity. The main culprits are poor diet, overfeeding and a bad defense against pet mind powers (“Look how sad I am. A taste of that bacon sure would make me feel better”), but lack of exercise brings up a close second. Dogs need about 30 minutes of exercise a day, and most don’t get nearly enough.

Ask your vet to tell you your pet’s ideal weight. If he’s underweight, ask how much food you should be giving him. If he’s overweight, talk to your vet about a diet and exercise program… and stick to it!

2. Does my pet need a dental cleaning?

After your dog or cat turns 3 or 4, it’s a good idea to have your vet monitor dental health. As pets age, they can develop the same types of dental disease as humans. Vets recommend brushing your pet’s teeth daily, but at the very least, they should be cleaned on a regular basis as soon as your pet begins to develop tartar or periodontal disease.

3. Does my pet need a blood test?

Every pet — especially seniors! — should have an annual blood test to screen for kidney and liver disease, as well as cancer, diabetes, thyroid problems and a host of other congenital illnesses that can be treated if caught early enough. Even if there’s nothing wrong with your pet, a blood test will provide a baseline against which your veterinarian can analyze your pet’s blood over time.

4. Could I be providing a more appropriate food?

Although the pet food industry has made excellent progress in developing healthy foods high in protein and low in fillers, too few people choose premium pet food. Talk to your vet about the food you’re currently providing and ask him for his recommendation for healthy, age-appropriate pet food.

5. My pet has been acting weird. Any idea why?

If you notice any behavioral changes, such as inappropriate elimination or aggression, tell your vet about it. Because pets don’t usually know how to speak human, they must often resort to bad behavior to let their owners know that something isn’t right inside.

6. What are these lumps and bumps?

As pets age, they naturally develop lumps, bumps and moles. Aging is the main reason for skin changes, but you should make sure that none of the lumps are cancerous. Point out any fatty lumps, hard bumps or strange moles and ask your vet for a biopsy if he’s concerned.

7. What are the latest recommendations for vaccinations?

Although vaccinations are undoubtedly essential for your pet’s health, especially for puppies or kittens, there’s a great deal of controversy around how often to vaccinate. Some experts believe that pets over a certain age don’t need vaccinations at all! Ask your veterinarian for his recommendations regarding rabies and other vaccinations.

8. Should my pet be taking supplements?

Although premium pet food contains all the nutrients pets need for optimum health and diet, many owners add supplements to their pet’s food, especially supplements for joint health. Your veterinarian will be able to tell you if your pet would benefit from other supplements, such as fish oil for a healthier coat.

9. Can you please give my pet a rectal exam?

No joke! Unless you ask for one, veterinarians don’t usually give your dog or cat a full rectal exam, which screens for prostate and rectal cancer. Both are treatable if caught early enough, so make sure a rectal is part of the annual check-up.

10. Can you please explain my bill to me?

Have you ever wondered why a 10-minute visit and routine procedures cost so much, but were afraid to ask? Speak up! Most veterinary bills contain line-item expenses, but the descriptions can still be a little obscure. Talk to the front-office staff about these charges, and ask as many questions as you’d like.

Photo: Nottingham Vet School/Flickr

Giving blood has always been a common way for people to help others in times of disaster. Did you know that your pet can help, too?

When your pet donates to a pet blood bank, he’ll help treat animals in desperate need of blood, like accident victims or pets with Parvo, who need transfusions to live.

“I encourage pet parents to consider enrolling their pets in blood donor programs,” says Dr. Christopher Byers, an emergency veterinarian in Omaha, Nebraska. “Sadly, just as in human transfusion medicine, veterinarians often are faced with blood product shortages, too.”

The Right Type

Cats can have only cat blood, and dogs can have only dog blood, but it must also be the right type of blood, just as it is with humans.

There are eight different canine blood types, so your pup’s blood will come in handy whatever its type. Cats have type A or B blood. Most are type A, so if your kitty is type B, your local pet blood bank will be very grateful for a donation.

“We’re constantly on the lookout for new donors,” says Marianne Schultz, who runs the St. Louis Animal Blood Bank in Kirkwood. “There is such a demand for blood.”

Determine if Your Pet Is a Good Donor

If you think your pet will attempt to maul the veterinary staff,  he is not a good candidate. The procedure will take about a half hour, during which time your pet will need to remain flat on a table. As you can imagine, few cats will stand for this sort of thing, and only very patient and obedient dogs.

If you think your pet might put up with this indignity, take him to the vet for a health checkup and a blood test to make sure he doesn’t have any blood-borne diseases. One of the benefits of donating is that you’ll be forced to do this annually, a great benefit for your pet’s overall health.

Although cats of any size can donate, veterinarians recommend that dogs are 50 pounds or larger.

What to Expect When Your Pet Donates Blood

When you take your pet in to donate blood, expect the procedure to take about a half hour. Dogs usually don’t struggle much, but your cat may need to be sedated.

After the vet tech places a needle into the draw site, usually a large vein in the neck, they will begin to take the blood. A typical donation is 15.3 ounces of plasma.

The procedure itself is safe and painless, and you don’t have to fast your pet before his donation. Depending on your pet’s size and general health, he can donate up to four times a year.

Finding a Pet Blood Bank

Ask your veterinarian or call your emergency vet to see if they accept blood donations. If not, they should be able to refer you to another vet who can help.

If you’re like me — or anyone else trying to stick to a budget — then you’re always looking for ways to spend less money. Here are a few ways to save big on your pet’s veterinary costs.

1. Prevention

Just as with humans, the best way to save big on vet bills is to avoid them. A healthy diet and regular exercise are the best preventives. Make sure your dog gets some form of exercise daily — walks, trips to the dog park, play dates with other dogs, playing games with you — and eats a premium diet. Your cat doesn’t need formal exercise, but playtime has great benefits.

Commercials for Pedigree and Purina products tell you their food is healthy, but if you check the labels, you’ll see that the food you buy in grocery stores is high in fat and fillers, no matter how “healthy” it claims to be. By heading for your local pet store or feed barn, you can buy a premium food for only a little more, one that is actually good for your pet.

When you find a premium food you like, try to buy it in bulk. For example, the Natural Balance Fish & Sweet Potato food I buy at the feed barn costs about $37 for a 15 pound bag, whereas the 28 pound bag costs only $47.

2. Annual Vet Visits

If you see your veterinarian annually, you’ll up your chances of finding a problem before it becomes a serious (and expensive) issue. For example, if you have your dog’s blood tested every year, you’ll become aware of conditions like diabetes and cancer when there still may be a chance to successfully treat them.

If you have more than one pet, try to take them in at the same time. It’s a bigger financial outlay all at once, but most veterinarians give a multiple-pet discount, so you’ll wind up paying less in the long run.

3. Home Remedies

For very basic health problems, like constipation, diarrhea, conjunctivitis and fleas, you can try home remedies for pets before you shell out funds for a vet visit your dog or cat may not need. Keep in mind, though, that if the “DIY” remedies don’t seem to be working, or if the condition worsens, you should take your pet to the veterinarian immediately.

4. Low-Cost Clinic for Basic Services

If you adopt your pet from a shelter, he will most likely already be spayed or neutered, vaccinated and microchipped, which will save you a bundle in vet fees. However, if your pet does need these services, you can take him to a low-cost clinic to for basic procedures, saving the big bucks for your pet’s annual visits at your regular veterinarian’s office.

Look around for vaccination clinics. Many pet supply stores offer them, as do feed barns. Our dog park even offers them on Sundays! Many animal shelters will also vaccinate or microchip for reduced rates.

5. Avoid the Emergency Vet

If you notice that something seems off about your pet, try to do something about it during regular business hours. Although emergency vet visits can be essential in many situations, they cost about 50 percent more than visits during business hours. When you’re deciding on a veterinarian, try to select one that is open late every day of the week.

6. Make Informed Decisions

If you’ve ever had to visit the vet for more than just a sniffle, you know how confusing it can be when your vet presents different options, especially since some of them can be very expensive. Since the vet is the expert, most people sign off on procedures they may not need, just because they aren’t very knowledgeable about pet health.

It’s possible that if you put off those pricey X-rays for one day, your dog’s constipation might clear up on its own. If you live in an area where heartworm is extremely rare, perhaps your pet doesn’t need the recommended test and preventive medication.

Read up on your dog’s breed and familiarize yourself with common health issues and remedies. If your veterinarian recommends something expensive, get a second opinion. Use common sense when you evaluate the estimate.

7. Save on Medication

If your pet is on a maintenance drug for a chronic condition, such as thyroid problems, arthritis or heart murmur, ask your vet if he can give you a prescription for a human equivalent. Although your health insurance won’t pay for it, you can purchase many commonly used drugs for $4 at Target or Costco.

Look online for flea control products, discount medications and vaccinations you can administer yourself. Ebay is a good source for flea and tick control, and sites like 1-800-PetMeds.com offer significant discounts on medication.

8. A Word on Pet Insurance

Although pet insurance is a safe way to ease your mind about unexpected vet costs, it’s even better if you create a savings account for your pet. With pet insurance, you’ll pay monthly premiums and may never need to make a claim. If you’re able to save $5,000 or so for emergencies, you’ll accrue interest and avoid paying monthly premiums. If you DO consider shopping around, we recommend getting a quote from a company called Embrace Pet Insurance, or another such reputable insurer.

Do you have any tips for saving on your pet’s healthcare costs? Tell me about them in the comments section below.

Photo: Joseph O’Connell/Flickr

Ever wondered the reasons why pets get surgery? Wonder no more! A pet insurance company recently dug through reams of its files to determine a “top 10″ list, if you will, of the most common surgeries for dogs and cats.

The top reasons why pets get surgeries? In the top 3 for both dogs and cats are: removal of benign skin masses, tooth extractions and removal of skin abscesses, inflammation or pressure ulcer.

How much do these pet surgeries cost? For removal of a skin mass, you’re looking at about $1,000. Veterinary Pet Insurance Company, which released the data, says that the “average claim routinely [costs] thousands of dollars.”

VPI insures about 485,000 pets nationwide, including not only dogs and cats but also birds and exotic pets. It is the largest provider of pet health insurance in the United States. And now, on to the lists…

List of Most Common Surgeries for Dogs

1. Benign skin mass
2. Skin abscess, inflammation or pressure ulcer
3. Tooth extraction
4. Torn ACL or cartilage
5. Malignant skin mas
6. Spleen cancer
7. Eyelid cancer
8. Bladder stones
9. Liver cancer
10. Auricular hematoma (fluid-filled ear)

List of Most Common Surgeries for Cats

1. Tooth extraction
2. Skin abscess, inflammation or pressure ulcer
3. Benign skin mass
4. Bladder stones
5. Cancer of the abdominal wall
6. Malignant skin mass
7. Multiple bite wounds
8. Liver cancer
9. Mouth cancer
10. Nasal cavity cancer

A thousand dollars and up, just to remove a skin mass? Maybe it’s time you looked into a good insurance policy for your pet. I can personally recommend a company called Embrace Pet Insurance. Of course, you should shop around for the best deal.

Should you use Meloxicam for cats? Is it safe?

Should you use Meloxicam for cats? Is it safe for your cat? Here’s what you need to know.

Meloxicam is a prescription NSAID, or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (brand name: Metacam).

The solution for injection has been approved for one-time use before a surgery such as orthopedic operations, ovariohysterectomies or castrations. However, another version of the drug, the oral suspension type, has not been approved for cats (only for dogs).

Reports on the oral suspension Metacam indicate that it causes adverse reactions in cats, including associations with acute renal failure and death.

So do not use oral suspension Metacam in your kitty. It is not safe for your cat. In addition, you should not use injectable Metacam beyond one use. Your veterinarian has probably already told you this.

Meloxicam is in the news recently because the maker of the drug, Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica, has agreed to place new feline safety warnings on its product labels and package inserts. If you have any questions, you can contact the company at 1 (866) 638-2226.

NSAIDs can alleviate pain and reduce fever, inflammation and swelling. However, many NSAIDS cannot be use in pets because of side effects such as: stomach ulceration in dogs or cats, platelet deactivation, possible kidney failure. Other brand names of Meloxicam include Mobic and Mobicox.

Source: American Veterinary Medical Association, Oct. 18, 2010.