Nyota
recently visited the vet for her annual check-up. (Sorry, I’m late to blog about it…life got in
the way.) The animal hospital that I
take her to tries to keep pets seeing the same doctor throughout their lifetimes.
Nyota was
placed on the baby scale and I learned she now weighs 13.9 pounds. I suspect she will hover at this weight for
many years to come. The doctor did the usual things, and Nyota wasn’t very
cooperative. She kept scrambling for me to hold her, but in any unfamiliar
situation, that’s what she does.
The doctor
said she’s in great health and was patient with my insanely obsessive pet
questions:
What’s this
bump on her head?
Her skull.
She doesn’t
have a brain tumor?
No.
Is this
tooth decay?
No, it’s a
stain.
Why does she
shake her ears? Could she have ear mites?
No, she
doesn’t have ear mites. She has floppy ears; she’s bound to shake them.
She
scratches, but I can’t find any fleas (and she regularly receives flea
treatment).
Why?
She might be
allergic to flea spit. If it becomes excessive, bring her back.
Is it safe
for her to get all of her shots at once?
Yes.
Are you
sure?
Yes. We can give them at two different times if
you’d like.
No, I
believe you.
Nyota
received her shots and was adored by the crowd in the waiting room when we were leaving. The
secretary at the desk said that she owned a Cocker Spaniel and most bite, so
she was afraid to pet Nyota, but Nyota didn’t bite her (thankfully). I’m beginning to think that everyone has their
own version of what breeds ‘normally’ do.
Since Nyota
was fully up-to-date with her vet care and healthy, I applied for doggy health insurance
for her. I had been comparing policies and benefits with different companies
for a few weeks. I decided to go with Healthy Paws Pet Insurance. (You can follow that link.) I answered a
few basic questions and entered my info/ credit card payment and it was that
easy!
I chose the highest level of insurance that I could because I’m a worrier
when it comes to Nyota. I never want to sacrifice her health care if I’m in a
financial bind. She’s already had one surgery in her life to correct a cherry
eye (common with Cocker Spaniels), I had to call doggy poison control ($60 for
a 1 minute phone call), and take her to be seen for her bug bite. So, for 90%
coverage of all costs and only a $100 deductible, my payment is $34.56 per
month. Please note—I could have gone with a lesser level of coverage and have a
smaller payment a month. Really, it’s a very good idea to get your dog health
insurance. When I watched the documentary, Madonna of the Mills, I learned some
people had paid over ten thousand dollars to correct their dog’s health
problems. You never know what will
happen!
