Pet Insurance is Moving in the Right Direction

We all know the stress and challenges of having a pet facing medical issues, whether it be an upcoming round of cancer treatments, surgery to repair an elbow or teeth cleaning. Pet insurance companies are stepping up to assist owners who face the daunting costs for medical treatment, including alternative treatments and the use of right:ratio for pets undergoing cancer treatments.
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Since late 2017, at least two major carriers that we know of have been reimbursing our customers for more than 75% of the cost of our unique customized right:ratio formulas. In these cases, the pets concerned have been through major western medical treatments for cancer and are under the care of one or more veterinary specialists.
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When submitting costs to either carrier, our clients have simply provided right:ratio receipts marked paid and have been reimbursed under policy terms.Feel free to email us for more information about carriers that have reimbursed clients for custom right:ratio.

Aging Pets Mental Health – Part I

As all pet owners know, when your cat or dog ages, often their mental health changes too. We have seen a variety of conditions that may fall under the category of senior pet mental health issues, from overall reduced functionality to changes in behavior. These are well known to veterinarians and well documented.
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We have been presented with several cases where there is no single issue but rather a collection that strongly resembles those symptoms manifested by the human population as it ages, commonly called “sundowners” by the MayoClinic and many other medical professionals.
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Most owners are aware that their pets will age naturally, and many begin to notice the first symptoms often before the pets themselves. In some pets this could be inability to settle at night, while in others it could be increasedanxiety and irritation, while in others it may be changes in eating habits.Our custom right:ratio has been used to assist senior dogs whose functionality may be in decline and whose behaviors include not only sundowners, but evidence of minor or major strokes, anxiety and seizures.

AB-2215’s Half Solution

CA Vets Can Discuss Medical Cannabis – But What Then?

Late last month, the California Senate passed AB-2215 by a vote of 37-1 and s on the Governor’s desk for signature. He has until September 30th to sign or veto the law.
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Unfortunately, as often happens in politics, at the eleventh hour the language of AB-2215 was dramatically chopped up and added to in what appears to be some late night dealings in Sacramento. The resulting law will be a far cry from what many proponents had worked very hard for and it has created a conundrum: veterinarians will be able to discuss medical cannabis but there is no clear path for licensing those who create medical cannabis products.
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The upshot is that your veterinarian may be able to discuss the issue, but then what? California passed on the opportunity to be a leader on this critical issue but other states may just take over, realizing that pets need access to medical cannabis too.
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New York May Lead the Way

We’re tracking New York State Assembly Bill 10104, introduced earlier this year and pending. Significantly, the summary demonstrates a compassionate approach, which California may want to consider:
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“Medical marihuana has helped countless people in the management and treatment of chronic and debilitating illnesses. Research suggests that animals can also benefit from cannabis use to similarly treat their ailments. This legislation would authorize licensed veterinarians in the state to certify their animal patients to use medical marihuana for any medical
condition that may benefit from such treatment. Animal owners and care-givers would therefore be given an alternative option to alleviate their pets’ pain. This could be helpful to many animals in need of relief, especially those that have chronic illnesses and for whom more traditional medical treatment has not proven to be effective.”
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Stay tuned as we monitor this and other legislative developments in California and nationwide.

Strut your Mutt in Los Angeles with Best Friends

Join us on October 20th at our booth in Exposition Park and say hello and support the 2018 Los Angeles Best Friends Strut your Mutt campaign. There are opportunities galore: to connect with fellow dog lovers via FB or donate to support Best Friends or check out day of details here.