It’s important that we do control how much food our dogs eat. This means calculating how much to give him, and feeding him a measured amount several times a day. Ad lib feeding, where a bowl of kibble is left down all day for a dog to nibble on when he wants to, is not a good way to feed him. In most cases, he will eat too much, and become quite overweight.

Some people feel their dogs should eat like their ancestor the wolf, with a regular fast day when they don’t eat at all. This mimics the wolf lifestyle where if they didn’t manage to kill some prey, they just wouldn’t eat. This is also inappropriate, because our pet dogs aren’t wolves, and don’t live like they do.

Ideally, your dog should be fed twice daily. This helps to even out his energy intake over the course of the day, and to regulate his blood glucose. This is particularly significant in diabetic dogs, where feeding twice daily at specific times is an important part of controlling the disease. Many dogs do just fine on one meal a day. There are disadvantages to this. Firstly, it means that they often run out of muscle glycogen and have to rely on fat metabolism to keep up their activity levels. This is fine, but it’s a slower method of providing energy than using glucose and glycogen stored in the muscles. Secondly, a long period between meals may cause a condition known as bilious vomiting. This is characterized by vomiting bile with no obvious illness, and often responds well to feeding the dog two or three meals daily.

There are some circumstances in which more frequent feeding is necessary.

Young puppies should be fed three times daily until they are three or four months old, then they should be fed twice daily.

Toy breeds such as Yorkshire Terriers can suffer from low blood glucose when they are young because their liver metabolism is not yet mature. These tiny pups need food every 6 hours or so, to prevent their blood glucose dropping too low, which can lead to weakness and coma.

Feeding one meal daily is a risk factor for bloat. This potentially fatal condition occurs in deep chested dogs after a big meal or a big drink of water. Their stomach swells and may twist, and they need urgent veterinary care if they are going to survive. Deep chested breeds are most prone to bloat, and they should be fed three times daily.

Underweight dogs also benefit from three meals a day. This makes it easier to give them the nutrition they need to improve their body condition, without overfilling their stomach.

However you choose to feed your dog , it’s a good idea to give him his meals at the same time each day. Dogs enjoy the routine, and it also makes it easier to predict when he is likely to need to go to the toilet. This is particularly important if you are toilet training him.

Ultimately, your dog’s feeding schedule must fit in with your lifestyle. If your dog isn’t in one of the groups mentioned that need three or more meals a day, then you have some flexibility. People who work long hours may prefer to give their dog a big meal in the morning, so they are comfortable for the rest of the day. Ultimately, whether your dog is fed once or twice a day is less critical than feeding him a good quality food in the right amount.

Most commercial dog foods recommend how much to feed your dog on their packaging, taking into account his age and activity level, however these should only be used as a starting point. Most dogs don’t need as much food as they suggest, and if you blindly follow their guidelines, you may find your dog’s waistline expanding.

If you enjoy mathematics, you can calculate your dog’s daily energy needs and from that, figure out how much food he needs to meet them. This is a lot of work. It also isn’t very accurate, with an individual dog’s requirements varying by up to 50% of your calculated amount.

The best way of working out how much to feed your dog is to look at his body condition score (BCS).

The body condition score ranges from 1 to 9, and is used to indicate how close a dog is to the ideal body condition. It takes into account how easy it is to see or feel his ribs, and how much fat is covering his torso. It also considers whether or not he has an obvious tuck in the tummy when viewed from the side, or a waistline when looked at from above. This is an effective way of working out how much to feed a dog, whether he is fed commercial kibble or a home made diet.

Dogs with a BCS of 1-3 are too thin. Their bones can be easily seen and they have very little body fat. These dogs need more food than they are currently eating.

On the other hand, a score of 6-9 indicates that a dog is getting plenty of food, and really should be fed less. It’s not easy to feel their ribs, and they often have very obvious fat deposits over their back and the base of their tail. They have no waistline or abdominal tuck, and can be quite round.

The ideal body condition score is 4 or 5 out of 9. These dogs have a good covering over their bones, but it’s easy to feel their ribs. They have an obvious waistline and their abdomen is neatly tucked up. This is what you should aim for when feeding your dog.

Puppies should be fed the same way: start by offering them the recommended amount on the puppy food pack, then adjust that amount based on their body condition. Too much food and a rapid growth rate has been associated with the development of orthopedic conditions such as OCD and hip dysplasia.

When a dog is neutered, or a bitch is spayed, it affects their metabolism such that they don’t need as many calories. The amount that is put in their dinner bowl should firstly be reduced by one third, and then adjusted up or down depending on whether they lose or gain weight. Similarly, dogs need less calories after around 5 years of age, so their food should be reduced by a similar amount.

It’s not difficult to work out how much to feed your dog. He will tell you exactly how much he needs. Look at him, feel his body, and you’ll know if you’re putting the right amount of food in his bowl.

Dog foods should be nutritionally balanced. That means there is the right amount of energy and nutrients to meet his body’s needs. There is no one “best food”, because individual dogs do better on different foods. However, there are some things to look for when you’re choosing your canine best friend’s daily diet.

The first thing to do is to consider your dog’s age and breed. Young pups grow very quickly in their first year of life, so a growth diet is appropriate for them. They can be changed to an adult maintenance diet when they have finished growing. For most dogs, this is around 12 months of age, but giant breeds such as the Great Dane often continue to grow until they are 2 years old. Senior dog diets tend to be lower in salt, and also lower in calories, to meet the needs of that life stage.

The food you choose should have Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) claim that they are suitable for your dog’s age. These foods have undergone feeding trials, and have been shown to be nutritionally balanced so they will keep your dog in good health.

Ideally, the manufacturers of dog foods should have a veterinary nutritionist on staff. This allows the company to constantly improve their food formulations as new knowledge about dog nutrition comes to light.

One thing to keep in mind is that any food for your dog should fit in your family budget. There’s no point in feeding him a premium quality kibble if that makes it hard to afford the necessities for your family.

Home Cooked Goodness

Many people prefer to cook their dog’s dinner themselves. They prefer to know exactly what goes into his meals, and the quality of the ingredients.

This is fine, however it’s very important to make sure that his food is nutritionally balanced. This isn’t always easy, and excess nutrients can be as harmful as deficiencies. Calcium is a good example of this. Too little dietary calcium causes ricketts, a preventable bone disease. Too much calcium in growing pups may contribute to orthopedic problems such as osteochondrosis dissecans (OCD).

If you do want to make your dog’s meals, then have the recipe created or checked by a veterinary nutritionist. That way you know you aren’t doing him any harm.

Raw Diets

There is a group of dog owners who prefer to feed their dogs raw food, including meaty bones and vegetables. After all, this is what wolves would eat in the wild, and our dogs should eat like wolves. shouldn’t they?

The answer to that is no. Over the years, dogs have adapted to do well on commercial foods containing more carbohydrates than a raw diet. Most raw diets haven’t undergone any formal feeding trials; most of the feedback on them is anecdotal.

Raw diets can in fact be harmful. There is the risk of salmonella poisoning from raw food, which can also affect people. Some commercial raw food producers use high pressure pasteurization to kill bacteria, but not all have these safety procedures in place. The American Veterinary Dental Association now recommends that dogs not be fed raw bones, because of the risk of tooth fractures and intestinal obstructions.

Treats and Snacks

Most, if not all, dogs enjoy a treat every now and again. Rawhide is a popular choice because it keeps your dog occupied for longer. Vegetables and fruit are a great addition to any dog’s dinner bowl to add low calorie bulk to his meal. Watch how many treats you give him, because the calories can add up, and they can have a big impact on his waistline!

You may need to try a few diets before you find the right one. Ultimately, the best dog food for your dog is the one that:

• has been AAFCO tested in a feeding trial
• is tasty
• is affordable
• keeps him in good health and condition.

Rawhide is very useful as a durable chew treat for dogs. They have several benefits, but they also have risks.

A 2009 study suggested that daily feeding of a soft rawhide chew can reduce dental calculus, plaque and gingivitis in dogs. This has led to some pet product manufacturers developing a specific dental chew for dogs to help to keep their teeth clean. These products may include antibacterial ingredients to prevent the formation of plaque.

Rawhide is also good for dogs who love to chew. A regular rawhide can prevent canine tooth marks in your shoes and other items around your home. They can make life much easier particularly while your dog is teething. It also helps alleviate boredom related behavior because it will keep him occupied for quite some time.

What about the negatives? Rolled rawhide chews can fracture teeth, and they can also cause intestinal obstructions if big chunks are bitten off and swallowed.

They may also become contaminated with bacteria such as Salmonella if they are left moist for several days. Some dogs develop allergies to them, which can lead to upset tummies and itchy skin.

If your dog likes chewing rawhide and is otherwise in good health, there is no reason why he can’t continue to enjoy it. However, there are some things to keep in mind when you are giving him these treats.

• Choose a thin, pliable rawhide for your dog. These are less likely to break his teeth.
• Choose a rawhide that is a suitable size for your dog. Don’t give a Chihuahua sized piece of rawhide to a Labrador Retriever. This is asking for trouble as the rawhide could easily be swallowed whole, and get stuck somewhere in the gastrointestinal tract or upper airway.
• Many people give their dog some rawhide when they are going out, to give him something to do. This isn’t a good idea. Always supervise your dog while he is chewing a piece of rawhide. That way if he gets into trouble, you are right there to help him.
• Make sure your dog actually chews the rawhide. If he swallows it whole, it won’t do his teeth any good and it is more likely to cause an obstruction.
• Throw the rawhide chew in the trash when it is small enough to swallow whole. Also throw it out if it becomes soft and soggy, as this is when bacterial contamination is likely.
• If rawhide causes diarrhea or allergies in your dog, stop feeding them to him. You’ll need to find something else for him to gnaw on.
• If your dog seems to wolf his food down without chewing it, or if he is an over-enthusiastic chewer, watch him closely if you give him rawhide. He may inhale it, or swallow it in one piece, and that can be dangerous.
• Don’t forget that if your dog is on a diet, you must take into account the amount of calories in the rawhide when working out his daily food intake. This varies between brands, and depends on the fat content of the chew. There should be some indication of calorie content on the packaging.

If you follow these guidelines, there are more advantages to feeding your dog rawhide than disadvantages. This means that he can continue to enjoy his rawhide, while it cleans his teeth and freshens his breath. You can relax knowing that your shoes and other possessions won’t be chewed up by your dog. This is a very good outcome for both of you.

Are vegetarian diets good for dogs?

Dogs belong to the order Carnivora, so they are meat eaters. Their sharp teeth are designed to tear at meat, and they don’t have grinding molars to eat grains and vegetables. Their short gastrointestinal tract is also not very effective at digesting high fiber diets, which is a feature of vegetarian foods. Over the years, dogs have adapted to being fed a variety of foods, and can now be considered omnivores. While we may have ethical concerns about eating meat products ourselves, one can also argue that there are ethical concerns about feeding our dogs a diet that they wouldn’t eat in nature.

Dogs can indeed be vegetarians, but when you are choosing this type of food for your dog, there are some things to keep in mind.

Vegetarian foods are usually higher in fiber, which can affect the digestibility and availability of other nutrients. Specifically, it can result in lower than normal levels of the amino acid taurine. Taurine deficiency is associated with a heart condition called dilated cardiomyopathy, where the heart muscle becomes less able to contract effectively. The result is heart failure. Most veterinarians recommend supplementing any vegetarian diet with taurine to avoid this.

Plant proteins are also usually less digestible than animal proteins, so vegetarian foods may need a higher protein level to make sure the dogs are getting all the amino acids they need.

Vegetarian foods may also be deficient in some vitamins and minerals. Dogs need vitamin B12 in their diet, which they usually get from animal protein. Some plants contain chemicals called phytates, which can bind calcium and make it less available to dogs. Vegetarian diets often need supplementation with such nutrients to make them balanced.

In the past, many commercial vegetarian dog foods were not nutritionally adequate. Home made vegetarian dog diets were similarly unbalanced. Check that any vegetarian food you want to use has undergone Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) feeding trials. This organization has established standards for dog foods that ensure they are nutritionally adequate for dogs, and that they won’t do any harm. A feeding trial involves feeding at least 8 dogs a food for 26 weeks. During this time, there should be no sign of either an excess or deficiency of any nutrients. The dogs are fully examined before and after the feeding trial, and blood tests are performed to make sure they are well. While these feeding trials only last for 6 months, and approved foods may still not be ideal for long term feeding, they are the best indication we have that a food will keep our dogs healthy.

With any food, it’s important to keep an eye on your dog to make sure he is doing well on it. A food may be adequate on paper but may not agree with your dog, or it may not be good for long term feeding. Watch his body weight and condition, his coat and his bowel motions as these will give you the best indication that his food suits him.

There are no real advantages to feeding your dog a vegetarian diet, but there are risks. If you still want to follow this path, then choose a food from a reputable manufacturer, that has undergone AAFCO feeding trials.

Some dogs eat grass if they’re feeling a bit queasy, and that may be why they throw up after eating it. It’s not necessarily that the grass makes them vomit, but rather that they want to eat grass when they’re feeling nauseous. There are many reasons a dog might feel nausea: infection, food poisoning, food allergies, stomach ulcers, inflammatory bowel disease, or even a stomach tumor. Sometimes inflammation in the throat or esophagus causes irritation that makes the dogs feel the need to eat grass. The first step is a medical work-up by your veterinarian, which may include blood, urine, and fecal testing; x-rays; ultrasound; and endoscopy (looking at the esophagus and stomach with a fiber-optic scope).

Other dogs might eat grass because of boredom. You can try getting the dog involved in activities to stimulate his mind and burn calories, like agility or fly ball; taking him to a doggy play group; or using a food-dispensing toy (balls, cubes or puzzles which the dog has to manipulate to get treats).

Some dogs will become obsessed with eating grass. If the dog is eating so much grass that it’s interfering with other normal activities or he’s not eating his normal food, there may be a medical problem or a psychological issue like obsessive-compulsive disorder. If the grass-eating only happens periodically, it could even be a form of seizures.

In rare cases, a dog might eat so much grass that it clumps up in the stomach or intestines and causes a blockage that needs to be surgically removed. In these rare cases, the grass is obviously a danger to the dog, so access to grass needs to be prevented by only walking on pavement or by putting a muzzle on the dog when he goes onto the lawn.

For average grass-eating dogs, you can try increasing the vegetable fiber content in the dog’s meals by adding green beans or canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling). You can also try breaking up the diet into smaller, more frequent meals, or using a food-dispensing toy that will keep the dog occupied in foraging. Over-the-counter human medications meant for heartburn, like famotidine (Pepcid), ranitidine (Zantac), or omeprazole (Prilosec), are usually safe for dogs and can be helpful for nausea. Ask your veterinarian for a dose for your dog. A diet change to a hypoallergenic or hydrolyzed dog food may also help. Your veterinarian can recommend a prescription diet.

Most grass eating in dogs is perfectly normal, but if it’s excessive or associated with other symptoms, contact your veterinarian.

The toxic ingredient in chocolate is called theobromine. Dogs metabolize it differently than people do, and the effects are similar to caffeine in humans. Imagine if you drank ten cups of espresso at one sitting. The theobromine causes vomiting, a rapid heart rate, heart arrhythmias (abnormal heart beats), and increased blood pressure. In severe cases it can cause seizures, coma and even death.

The amount of theobromine varies depending on the type of chocolate. It is lowest in milk chocolate, moderate in semi-sweet or dark chocolate, and highest in baking chocolate. Whether chocolate will cause problems depends on the weight of the dog, the amount of chocolate eaten, and the type of chocolate. For example, a twenty-pound dog probably wouldn’t show any symptoms after eating over two ounces of milk chocolate. But with baker’s chocolate, the same dog could show mild symptoms (vomiting, diarrhea and hyperactivity) after eating a half-ounce and severe symptoms (heart arrhythmias, tremors and seizures) after eating little more than an ounce.

Dogs also will happily eat baked goods containing chocolate, like brownies, cakes and cookies. Your veterinarian can calculate how much chocolate your dog might have consumed. For example, if a Labrador retriever ate a whole pan of brownies which was made with one cup of cocoa (about four ounces) he could develop severe symptoms.

Even if the dog doesn’t eat enough chocolate to cause symptoms from the theobromine, there are other health concerns. The richness of the chocolate, cookies or candy could cause stomach upset with vomiting or diarrhea. If the dog eats candy with plastic or foil wrappers, the wrappers themselves could cause a blockage in the intestines. Another risk is pancreatitis, an inflammation of the pancreas (the organ which produces digestive enzymes for the intestines) that can be triggered by eating sugary or fatty foods. Pancreatitis can be very severe, causing vomiting, fever and pain, and can require extensive treatment.

If your dog eats baked goodies, be sure to contact your veterinarian with the ingredients. Besides chocolate there are a few other human foods that can be poisonous to dogs. Raisins can cause kidney failure, macadamia nuts can cause temporary paralysis, and xylitol (a sugar substitute) can cause liver failure and a dangerously low blood sugar.

Interestingly, another source of chocolate poisoning in dogs is eating cocoa bean mulch. This mulch for gardens is made from cocoa beans and still has a nice chocolaty smell that attracts dogs.

Chocolate products in increasing order of risk to dogs are:

• Milk chocolate
• Dark chocolate
• Chocolate drink mix (sweetened)
• Semi-sweet chocolate
• Cocoa bean mulch
• Baker’s (unsweetened) chocolate
• Cocoa powder (unsweetened for baking)

If you think your dog may have eaten chocolate, contact your veterinarian as soon as possible. Depending on the body weight and overall health of your dog, and the amount and type of chocolate eaten, your veterinarian may recommend bringing your dog to the clinic for treatment. Treatment might involve inducing vomiting to remove chocolate from the stomach, pumping the stomach, administering activated charcoal (an antidote given by mouth which inactivates toxins in the intestines), intravenous fluids, sedatives to stop seizures, and medications to slow the heart rate. Do not attempt to induce vomiting at home unless you have been instructed by your veterinarian.

Although chocolate can be poisonous, if your dog steals a single chocolate chip, don’t panic. He should be fine.

Why do dogs eat poop?

In some cases, coprophagy can indicate a health problem, but in other cases it’s purely recreational. It could indicate a problem with digestion such as exocrine pancreatic insufficiency (EPI), in which the pancreas isn’t making the normal digestive enzymes to break down the food. Dogs with EPI are literally starving because nutrients are passing through their intestines without being digested.

Other causes of coprophagy are improper house training (if a dog is punished for defecating in the house it might learn to eat the evidence); liver disease; intestinal problems like inflammatory bowel disease; or diet incompatibility (not digesting the protein fully).

What are the risks?

Besides being gross, there are a number of infections that can be transmitted by poop-eating, including Giardia, roundworms, Salmonella, E. coli, etc. Symptoms of these infections in dogs can vary from merely soft stools to vomiting, diarrhea and fever. A very serious—and potentially fatal—type of roundworm called Baylisascaris can be acquired by eating raccoon feces. Some of these infections are even contagious to people, especially small children who don’t usually practice very good hygiene.

What should I do?

If your dog eats poop, you should ask your veterinarian to perform a fecal analysis to make sure the dog doesn’t have parasites, and keep the dog on a regular parasite preventative medication. (Most heartworm medications also prevent common intestinal parasites.) If your veterinarian is concerned about an underlying medical condition such as EPI, he may also recommend blood and urine testing, ultrasound or endoscopy.

How can I stop my dog from eating poop?

There are various commercial products available to try to curb coprophagy. Some work well for certain dogs, while others are less effective. Your veterinarian or pet store may carry tablets or powder that is added to the dog’s food. These products have no taste when they are eaten with the food, but they make the poop taste bad. Other supplements that can be added to the food are MSG (monosodium glutamate), meat tenderizer, pineapple juice or fresh pineapple (bromelain and papain enzymes in the pineapple may break down proteins in the food), cooked carrots, or anise. If the dog eats the poop of multiple pets, you will need to feed the supplement to all the pets, not just the guilty party. If your dog eats the poop of other animals on walks, this technique won’t work.

Obviously, promptly picking up feces and preventing access to other animals’ poop is important. However, during the training period if you use a food additive, you’ll need to leave some poop in the yard. Some people also have luck sprinkling Tabasco sauce on the feces to “booby trap” them. It’s important to treat all the pets involved, and for a long enough period to break the habit.

Changing the dog’s diet may help. Switching to a dog food that has a different main protein source (e.g., venison, salmon or rabbit) could change the flavor of the poop, while switching to a diet with a lower fiber content could decrease the volume of feces. Alternatively, trying a hypoallergenic prescription diet (available through your veterinarian) might help if there is any sort of food allergy contributing to the problem. Supplementing the diet with probiotics (“good” intestinal bacteria) may also help; your veterinarian can recommend a specific probiotic product.

Another option is to train the dog to avoid poop. This will involve keeping a very close eye on the dog, and keeping him on-leash in the yard. If he starts to sniff or taste the poop, say “Leave it,” pull him away with the leash, and then distract him with a fun activity or yummy treat while someone else cleans up the poop. Muzzles, cone collars, or remote-control citronella or shock collars are a last resort. Also make sure the dog is getting plenty of mental and physical exercise through long walks, playing, doggy play group, and food dispensing toys.

For dogs who eat cat poop (“cat box crunchies”), the taste is apparently very attractive, so you may have only limited success in training a dog not to eat it. Prevention may be the only option: keep the litter box away from the dog with baby gates or an indoor “invisible fence.”

Poop eating is common in dogs, but usually treatable.

Besides indicating underlying medical conditions, pica itself is potentially dangerous. Eating rocks or large quantities of sand or dirt can cause a blockage in the stomach or intestines requiring surgical correction.

More commonly, dogs aren’t actually eating dirt but are playing with it, along with chewing on rocks, grass or sticks. Puppies very commonly chew on things they shouldn’t, so you might need to gently redirect the puppy to more appropriate toys, including food-dispensing toys and safe chew toys. Dogs might also eat dirt if there is something yummy mixed in, like grease from the barbecue, bone meal or fish-based fertilizers, or cat poop. Avoidance is the best treatment: make sure there are no tasty substances mixed with the dirt.

In cases of true pica, when the dog is consuming large quantities of dirt, you should contact your veterinarian. Disorders of the stomach or intestines that might cause pica include inflammatory bowel disease, stomach ulcers, food allergy, parasites, or tumors. To diagnose these issues, your vet may recommend blood, urine and fecal testing; ultrasound; x-rays; scoping the stomach; deworming; or a dietary trial with a hypoallergenic dog food.

Another cause of pica is anemia, a low red blood cell count. Anemia can be due to destruction of the red blood cells from toxins or infections; loss of red blood cells from bleeding (either internal or external hemorrhage); or decreased production of red blood cells by the bone marrow because of cancer. Blood testing will diagnose anemia and help to clarify the cause.

In rare cases, pica can be caused by a neurologic problem. If it only happens periodically, it could be a type of epileptic seizures. In an older dog, especially if there are other behavior changes, a sudden onset of pica can be caused by a brain tumor.

If diagnostic testing doesn’t reveal a medical cause for pica, make sure the dog is on a premium-quality dog food. You might also supplement with a doggy multi-vitamin. If the dog is obsessively eating dirt or rocks, a muzzle might be necessary when he goes outside.

True pica is rare, but can indicate a serious disorder that should be investigated by a veterinarian.

I’ve been around animals all my life, and know the emotional attachment that can lead to. But in the current economic climate many families believe they simply can’t afford the prospect of paying thousands of dollars in veterinary bills if their beloved pet falls ill. And that’s leading to millions of animals, often in poor health, being abandoned by their owners each year.

But there is a cheap and easy way to protect both your dog and your wallet. We all take out home or car insurance just in case things go wrong, but few of us will actually take out pet insurance, even though it’s proven you’re more likely to make an insurance claim involving your pet than either your car or house.

Depending on the age and breed of dog, you can get a basic annual pet insurance policy from as little as $14. Considering that this could end up covering medical bills costing more than $6,200, that’s a tiny price to pay for the piece of mind knowing that your dog is protected. And it won’t leave you seriously out of pocket either.

What to look for when buying pet insurance

Excess: Like any insurance policy, you’ll have to set a level of voluntary excess that you’re willing to pay if you do make a claim. For most dog insurance policies, this tends to be $60-70, although you can get a lower premium if you agree a higher excess. If you take this option, only choose an excess that you’d be comfortable paying though.

Vet’s fees: Vet treatments are the most important reason for taking out dog insurance and many policies will cover annual bills totaling more than $6,000. Unfortunately you won’t be covered for every possible treatment, so make sure you check out the exclusions before you sign up, which often include pre-existing conditions, castration fees and any annual vaccinations your dog may need.

Dental plan: Not all policies will include dental cover as standard and you might have to purchase it as an optional extra.

Lifetime cover: Many dogs will have developed a long-term condition such as diabetes and will need ongoing treatment. Some insurance policies will provide lifetime cover for treating such conditions, and even though the premiums will be considerably higher, it might end up saving you money in the long term than buying and renewing annual coverage. Many providers won’t even insure animals with a pre-existing condition.

Payment: Most companies will give you the option of paying in a number of set installments, either 12 ‘calendar’ payments made every month or 13 ‘lunar’ payments taken out every 28 days. However, sometimes you’ll be charged interest with these types of payment so it often works out cheaper to pay upfront in one lump sum.

Travel and vacations: If you are planning on taking your dog abroad on vacation, make sure that your policy will cover your pet in another country. In many cases you’ll have to buy additional protection.

Extra coverage: More and more companies are including special perks to try and tempt pet owners in, so shop around to see what extra benefits are available. Some policies cover providing a reward if your pet goes missing, while others include third party cover that will protect you from liability if your pet was to damage someone else’s property.

Cheap isn’t always best: Although price is important, it’s not the only thing you should bear in mind. As explained above, what is included in different policies can vary, and what seems the cheapest option might not be the case if you have to buy additional coverage. Always read the policy small print carefully so you know exactly what you are buying.

This post is from an IDCR guest author.