Summer Pet Safety Tips: Learn More About the Different Types of Pet Insurance

Summertime brings perfect weather, but also so many hazards for our little furry friends. Enjoying under the sun on a beautiful summer day sounds amazing, but the heat can be very dangerous and even deadly for our pets. Along with safety tips, comes a pet insurance plan. It protects against unexpected vet costs and keeps our minds at ease. Thankfully, there are plenty of precautions you might want to consider so you can keep your pet safe during summer.

Summer Pet Safety Tips: Learn More About the Different Types of Pet Insurance
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How does a pet insurance plan work?

Pet healthcare is no exception to the healthcare costs constantly rising. Even so, we consider our pets as family members, and we want the best for them. Pet insurance helps you cover veterinary treatments which can be very expensive depending on the situation and treatment itself.

There are different types of pet insurance including accident-only, accident-illness, and accident-illness plans with wellness coverage.

An accident-only policy plan usually offers the most basic coverage. For example, if a pet is accidentally injured or harmed in a fight with another animal or a car accident, this type of insurance will cover a portion of the treatment costs. This is best for pets who are vaccinated, neutered and spayed, and without any genetic predispositions, meaning that are mostly healthy. Even older pets that cannot be insured by an illness cover plan can benefit from this one.

An accident-illness policy plan will help cover a portion of the vet costs of accidents, as well as disease and illness. The exceptions are ticks and fleas, cancer, skin conditions, infectious diseases, and hereditary conditions. The difference with this policy is that it is suitable for pets who have genetic predispositions to certain illnesses, but you should get this insurance plan while your dog or cat are still young, meaning they haven’t developed any pre-existing conditions.

An accident-illness plan with wellness coverage is the most expensive type but provides the most comprehensive level of coverage. Bear in mind that this type is an add-on to other pet insurance plans. It helps with costs such as regular checkups, yearly vaccines, and preventative care. It doesn’t cover accidents or illness treatments.

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Summer safety tips

Along with ensuring a healthcare plan, we must consider the dangers of summer that may affect our little companions. There are plenty of things many pet owners already know, but there are also things they might have never thought of. Here’s a short list of things to consider in the summertime.

Trip to the vet. First things first, don’t forget to visit the vet for a spring checkup. Make sure to get your pet tested for heartworm, fleas, and ticks. Heartworm disease is very dangerous because it might cause heart failure if not treated on time. It is usually transmitted through insect bites or contact with another infected animal. Ticks and fleas are typical for the summer period, but make sure to use prevention monthly and check your pet regularly.

Walk schedule. Limit walks during the day, and have long walks during cooler mornings or evenings. Pay attention to the temperature of the asphalt, sidewalk, or sand. The heat might cause burns to your pet’s paw pads. Also, consider using pet-approved sunscreen on areas that are exposed. Dogs with minimal coats and bald patches need this the most.

Water. Always keep plenty of fresh and clean water, because pets can easily get dehydrated. Make sure they have a shady place to get away from the sun, and don’t over-exercise them. The best thing to do is keep them indoors to avoid unwanted situations. Never leave your pet near a pool! Not all dogs are good swimmers, so make sure they use flotation devices especially if they are in deeper water.

Know the signs. Make sure you know the signs of heatstroke which include heavy panting, a rapid heartbeat, vomiting, excessive thirst, restlessness, fever, lethargy, to name a few. If your pet shows any of the signs, immediately move them to a cool place and give them plenty of water to drink, and don’t hesitate to visit the vet. But, bear in mind to never place them in cold water, because this can cause shock.

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There are many things we need to pay attention to when deciding to adopt a pet. Whether it’s a dog or a cat, they have similar diseases and summer heat can affect them both. Acquiring pet insurance will make us more assured that we can give our furry friends the best medical care when they need it. Don’t forget the simple precautions to prevent overheating and other problems connected with summertime.