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The British Small Animal Veterinary Association recommends the principal
of pet health insurance to its members and their clients. |
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Keep your pet safe over the festive season
(13/12/2001)
Christmas festivities can be fun for everyone, but for pets the
decorations and presents can have hidden dangers.
Every year thousands of pets become emergency cases at their local
vet through swallowing Christmas decorations, wrapping paper or
large turkey bones. During the celebrations, it is vital to keep
pets from eating the many foreign objects that are suddenly of so
much interest to other family members.
Eating tinsel or chewing the wire of the fairy lights is a favourite
with cats and kittens. Dogs and puppies, caught up in the excitement
of unwrapping gifts, are prone to swallowing wrapping paper, bows,
and especially small balls and toys.
Last year’s most common accidents were: swallowing decorations and
baubles, swallowing bones, getting bones stuck in the throat, eating
wrapping paper and becoming sick through eating chocolates and rich
food.
Wally – a 10 month old puppy from Nottingham - bit off more than he
could chew when he swallowed a five inch turkey bone that caused
chronic sickness. X-rays revealed that the bone had ruptured his
bowel causing peritonitis. Wally was rushed in for emergency surgery
which necessitated the removal of a section of damaged intestine.
The procedure cost around £800.
Sam – an 18 month old puppy from London – swallowed a three inch
cocktail stick that got stuck in his oesophagus, then moved into the
chest cavity and then continued into his ribs where it lodged under
his front leg. X-rays showed the offending object, but by then an
infection had taken hold and Sam’s condition was critical. An
operation was necessary in Sam’s case too.
The last thing the family pet or any members of the family want is
their holiday spoiled by expensive emergency visits to the vet, so
Pinnacle Pet Healthcare is warning pet owners to keep a careful eye
on their pet and keep potentially dangerous decorations and other
items out of the pet’s reach.
Tips to keep pet’s safe, include hanging the decorations up high and
well out of the pet’s reach, cover the wire of any lights to avoid
any chewing by the cat, pick-up wrapping paper and rubbish,
especially bones and cocktail sticks and keep a diligent eye on your
pet throughout the festive season.
However, no matter what precautions the pet owner takes, injuries
can still occur and at such a time of financial commitment it is
reassuring to have a safety net, such as pet insurance.
The benefits of having cover for pets goes way beyond the festive
season as it is also the only way of ensuring that your pet receives
the best care and attention while you are away from home with no
compromise.
Pet insurance
providers, Pinnacle Pet Healthcare plc, has a
comprehensive range of insurance policy options for dogs and cats,
all of which will provide peace of mind to owners concerned about
their pet’s welfare.
The policies have no restrictions on claims for chronic or on-going
conditions to 12 months from the onset of the problem and, unlike
many other policies, the cover extends for the lifetime of the pet.
Even complementary treatments are covered along with hospitalisation
and referral.
Simon Wheeler of Pinnacle Pet
Healthcare said: “Like children, pets are into everything over
Christmas and no matter what precautions owners take accidents can
still happen. At a time when the household budget may be stretched,
it is better to be prepared with a reliable pet insurance policy
than sorry at such a family orientated time of year”. |
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