everything about dogs!!

Jon_C

I have cats but I'm sure some of the same points would apply to dogs.

I recommend that you take out M&S cover immediately. Word is that it will go up in price by about 25 per cent soon.

I get the impression that pet insurance usually pays for itself at some point. It certainly did for us - a policy costing under £70 annually per cat has already paid out almost 10 years' worth of premiums within the first year.

When my kitten got a urinary infection earlier this year he had to have anaesthesia, a catheter, tests including X-rays and a course of antibiotics and steroids. Because he had to be monitored to make sure he was well enough to go home, he had to stay at the vets' for three nights.

In total this cost just over £500. I paid up front and got back all but the £40 excess within three weeks.

Now both kittens must eat special food to prevent the condition recurring (it's really just for one of them but it's easier to feed them both the same thing rather than faff around with separate foods and feeding times/methods).

I can claim up to £200 a year towards this on the M&S policy with no further excesses to pay as this is treated as part of treatment for the initial illness. All I do is fill in a claim form when I need more food and pick the food up from the vet who gets the claim paid directly to him. The special food is only very slightly more expensive than the food the cats were originally on so I'm actually paying less now than I was before, because we're getting four or five months' worth for free.

Go for the microchipping as well - especially if there's the option to have the tiny thermometer embedded in the chip. This will save your pet a lot of discomfort should a vet ever need to take its temperature again (I'll spare you the details but I'm sure you can figure it out). One scan does the job from then on.

My vet is Tom Fitzsimons at Malone Veterinary Practice in south Belfast. They have a branch in Holywood and another in east Belfast (although I'm not sure whether this is actually one of those named above by other posters). I would heartily recommend Tom and his colleagues who have been brilliant from day one.

suki1964

rjh090384 wrote:

quick question about m and s insurance...does it cover the dog for a lifetime...i know someone who was caught out by tesco insurance when their dog developed a condition and now tescos wont renew their policy

M+S insure for lifetime as long as you keep paying the premiums

If you order online you can save even more money - usually at least 5% of the fist years cost - more if you have a M+S card.

I took the insurance out when I lived in London, no excess cover was £40 a month CHEAPER then Pet Plan - yet covers more. Both are underwritten by AXA so why M+S is so much cheaper I dont know. In the first year alone I had claimed back over £1k and they paid out directly to the vet which meant I never had to pay first and wait ages for my claim to go through.

M+S also cover dietry food which a lot of companies wont do and will even pay out for castration if its part of a reccomended treatment plan for behavioural problems.

Do go for the no excess as many trips to the vets are for small amounts which you wont be able to claim for if you have an excess but add up over the course of a year.

To the Op. Seeing as you have got your dog from the pound (:A ) I would advise getting a policy in place before you go near a vet. If your dog sees a vet and the vet finds the slightest thing wrong - it will then be a pre exisiting condition and wont be covered by any policy.

suki1964

SnowyOwl wrote:

Hi rjh090384



BTW good on you for taking a dog from the pound! Just another few days and s/he would have been put to sleep. You are an :A! Whoever had the dog before and allowed it to end up in the pound really needs a good kick up the ears (ears = anagram) - they don't deserve an animal ever. What scum.

Being an animal lover myself I know how strong feelings can run, but please dont be so judgmental. Even the most dedicated animal lovers circumstances can change so much that they have no choice other then to give the dog up - losing a house and having to rent, death or illness, emmigration - the list is endless. Sometimes giving a dog up is the kindest thing to do.

Not all dogs in pounds are pts. There are numerous rescues that take on dogs that have come to the end of their time in the pound. They kennel them or have them fostered till they can be rehomed - many(even from here) make their way to ManyTears http://manytears.co.uk/ in south wales where Sylvia has dedicated her life to saving as many dogs as she can. If you look on her site be prepared to have a tissue at hand. The stories there are heartbreaking, not so much the dogs that come from familiy homes but the ones from the puppy farmers :mad:

rjh090384

heya

the lady at the pound said that he was given up becuase the family were intimidated out of their home and couldnt take him with them but he is such a honey i dont know how anyone could leave him alone.

problem with insurance before the vet is that i dont know if his jags are up to date and insurers wont insure him without these. i am getting them down on thursday. should i fib and say he has them and take out insurance tongiht?

we ended up wtih rathgael vets in bangor as thats where my partners parentls take the family dog.

suki1964

Poor little thing But then if the family were forced into moving then they probably didnt have a choice about where they were going.

I would assume his jags are up to date if he was a family pet. The new thinking is they dont have to be boosted yearly - just every 3 years (5 years in some countries). so hes more then likely still covered by his first lot as a pup. So apply for the insurance and you wont be telling lies. I only get my lad done every 3 years and M+S are happy to accept this. Even kennells are waking up to the fact that yearly boosters are a waste of time and can in fact do more damage then good and are usually happy to take a dog whos on a three year schedule.

I hope the wee fella has found his forever home and that you have many happy years ahead of you

rjh090384

yeah he is so lovely. does anyone have any tips for toilet training? we dont have a back garden (just decking) and he seems very reluctant to pee on it. i took him for a relaly long walk this morning and he did wee bits of pee but when i came downstairs from my shower he had peed all over the kitchen bin. any advice for encouraging him to pee on the decking? (sure thats not somethign you hear often)!!!

suki1964

The peeing could be "marking" as everything is new and strange. You really need to clean the areas hes wtting really well else he will just go back and mark again. Washing powder usually does the trick.

With the toilet training its back to basics - as if he was a pup. Give him every oppertunity to go where you want him to go - take him out every hour or so -- and always after food , stay with him till he pees and then go OTT with the praise. Same when he goes outside on walks - priase like crazy. Then introduce a prompt word - I use wee wee - and use it whilst hes in mid flow. Pretty quickly he will learn that saying the prompt (wee wee or busy or whatever) means he has to go - really handy in the midst of winter Im afraid though that for now it does mean you are going to be spending a lot of time outside waiting for nature to take its course

Couple this with ignoring the indoor accidents. Dont scold or rub his nose in it - just clear up without a fuss. He will soon pick up that outside is good, inside is bad

rjh090384

i thought it was marking but it was really quite a large puddle which made me thing different. i will definately work on ur ideas.

thansk

SnowyOwl_2

suki1964 wrote:

Being an animal lover myself I know how strong feelings can run, but please dont be so judgmental. Even the most dedicated animal lovers circumstances can change so much that they have no choice other then to give the dog up - losing a house and having to rent, death or illness, emmigration - the list is endless. Sometimes giving a dog up is the kindest thing to do.

Not all dogs in pounds are pts. There are numerous rescues that take on dogs that have come to the end of their time in the pound. They kennel them or have them fostered till they can be rehomed - many(even from here) make their way to ManyTears http://manytears.co.uk/ in south wales where Sylvia has dedicated her life to saving as many dogs as she can. If you look on her site be prepared to have a tissue at hand. The stories there are heartbreaking, not so much the dogs that come from familiy homes but the ones from the puppy farmers :mad:

Suki - yes feelings do run high, but please before you judge me for having an opinion look at the facts as experienced by an animal charity here in N.Ireland. http://www.assisi.dnet.co.uk/ The rate at which animals are discarded in N.Ireland are an embarrassment to this country and I make no apology for saying so.

suki1964

SnowyOwl wrote:

Suki - yes feelings do run high, but please before you judge me for having an opinion look at the facts as experienced by an animal charity here in N.Ireland. http://www.assisi.dnet.co.uk/ The rate at which animals are discarded in N.Ireland are an embarrassment to this country and I make no apology for saying so.

Snowy, sorry that you feel I was judging you - totally unintentional - I apologise,

I felt I had to make that post as I have personally helped rehome two dogs who were neglected through family circumstances changing. In one case, although the dog wasnt being mis treated, the owner had to take on full time work after the death of her hubby ,the kids didnt help out in the home at all so it was never walked or played with and she herself was extremely depressed. Giving the dog up was the best thing for all concerned, she knew it but was so ashamed that she wasnt coping and feared that she would be judged and looked down upon Took about a year to get her in a place where she felt ok enough to do what was best for the dog..

I do agree with you about how disgracefull it is that some people think dogs are easily disposed off once they have out grown the cute puppy stage I also think that dogs should not be farmed, that family pets should be neutered to stop more unwanted pups coming ino the world, breeders should be licienced and inspected, shops shouldnt be allowed to sell animals etc etc ........

Thankyou for the link.I was donating to Many tears but have been looking for a local rescue to help. And once we are settled and my Alfie (a stroppy cocker with attitude) has learned a few forgotten manners, I myself will be looking a rescue to share our home