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Avoid Common Kitten Catastrophes And Puppy Pitfalls

Posted: 8/5/2010

Pets of all ages can suffer from costly medical injuries.

(NAPSI)-New puppies and kittens have endless amounts of energy and curiosity. With all that playing, running, jumping and sniffing around, these furry additions to the family may need some protection against serious accidents.

Robert Coe and his wife Sandra of Santee, Calif., know this all too well. The couple thought they had seen the last of the bees buzzing around their home after exterminators sprayed a hive in their yard. That is, until later that night, when Sandra noticed that the family's 1-year-old Labrador retriever wasn't acting like herself.

"My wife saw Ellie throw up several times," said Robert. "There were hundreds of dead bees in each pile."

Unbeknownst to the Coes, Ellie had discovered and eaten the beehive after the exterminators had left. Frightened by the volume of dead bees that Ellie was vomiting, Sandra decided the dog needed to go to the veterinary hospital.

The emergency veterinarian on duty examined Ellie and determined she had most likely only ingested dead bees and hadn't been stung. Additionally, Poison Control indicated the pesticide did not pose a significant risk of toxicity. After a dose of anti-nausea medication and a few hours of observation, Ellie was on her way back home.

While most young dogs probably won't get hold of an entire beehive, there's nothing unusual about puppies or kittens eating things they shouldn't or running into potentially harmful insects.

Veterinary Pet Insurance Co. (VPI), the nation's oldest and largest provider of pet health insurance, recently looked at its database of more than 480,000 insured pets to find the top 10 accidental injuries suffered by dogs and cats during the first two years of their lives.

"Pet owners falsely assume that they don't need pet insurance because their pet is young and healthy," said Dr. Carol McConnell, vice president and chief veterinary medical officer for VPI. "While younger pets are less susceptible to serious illnesses such as cancer, our data shows that pets of all ages can suffer costly accidental injuries. Pet insurance is designed to defray unexpected treatment costs--whenever they may occur. It's important for owners of puppies and kittens to keep in mind that just because their pets may be young, they're not indestructible."

In addition to the physical toll the above accidents can take on young dogs and cats, the financial costs can be draining. The top 10 puppy and kitten accidents cost VPI policyholders a combined $1.5 million and $91,371, respectively, in the past year.

There are several steps that owners can take to "babyproof" their homes. Examples include clearing obstacles inside and out that an uncoordinated younger pet might collide with during playtime, removing items that can be mistaken for food from the floor and countertops, and keeping all medications tightly sealed and securely stored in drawers or medicine cabinets.

Fortunately, the Coes' pet insurance policy for Ellie reimbursed $176 for their pup's $262 veterinary visit. For more information about pet insurance, visit www.petinsurance.com.

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