Helpful websites for pet owners | Pet Peeves
One year is coming to a close, and a new year will soon be here. Today’s column is a time to pause and look at websites that benefit the pet owner. Look this over, and if there are websites you think you might use, save this column for future reference.
We can begin with pet insurance. Finding the right company is worrisome for pet owners who want health insurance. Two suggested websites to look at for choosing a policy are pawlicyadvisor.com and petinsurancereview.com. Both sites give you exposure to a lot of good companies. You can get basic information on the main page, but to get detailed quotes and comparisons, you do have to give them your email address.
Have you ever traveled with your pet and needed to find a hotel? Well, if you like to plan ahead, there is a website for that, too. Go to petswelcome.com and you can find hotels that are pet-friendly. I found it helpful that they do display the date that the information on the hotel was last confirmed. If it has been a while since that hotel has updated their information, you can just give them a call and see what their policy is now.
How to know that an online pharmacy is safe? Be sure it is accredited by the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy. The NABP is an impartial professional organization that supports the state boards of pharmacy in protecting public health. Look for the Safe Pharmacy logo on the webpage of the pharmacy. It is usually at the bottom of the page. Examples are 1-800 Pet Meds and Chewy.com. A website to see a list of pharmacies that are compliant is safe.pharmacy/buy-safely.
One of the more immediate concerns for dog owners is the recent study showing a link between certain dog foods and cardiomyopathy. Cardiomyopathy is a disease that results in congestive heart failure. The reason for the increase in heart disease has not yet been discovered, but the FDA has a link to the study results and which diets have been implicated in the problem. One thing to note is that the report states that “More than 90 percent of products were ‘grain-free,’ and 93 percent of reported products had peas and/or lentils.” You can go to the FDA website at tinyurl.com/fdafood23 to read the direct report and data.
Last but not least is a website that gives a list of veterinary approved dental products for dogs and cats. The Veterinary Oral Health Council (VOHC) was launched in 1997. They oversee an independent review system that analyzes a product for plaque control and/or tartar control. If the product is successful in its claims, it will receive the VOHC seal of approval. Because it is a voluntary program, if a product does not have the seal it does not mean it is not effective; but it is best to look for the VOHC seal on the product to be sure you are using a dental treat that really works. You can go to vohc.org for a full list of approved products.
This article originally appeared on The Gainesville Sun: Helpful websites for pet owners | Pet Peeves
