Pet insurance may offer peace of mind that you are in a better position to afford care. We cannot recommend any specific policy as they are all different and suit each individual needs, and we are not financial advisors. Your vet may have some input as to which companies seem easier to deal with than others. 
In recent years there has been significant advances in veterinary treatment and advanced options available for diagnostics and treatment. Some of these options we can work through here, and some need specialist care in Sydney or Canberra. These can be costly compared to human health care, industry which is heavily subsidised by government programs including Medicare and the Pharmaceutical Benefits scheme. This is not the case in the veterinary industry- the government provides no such input.
It is best to insure an animal when they are young and healthy, as this often means they don’t have a pre-existing condition that cannot be claimed for during their policy. This makes pet insurance different to human insurance, where even pre-existing conditions tend to be waived over the long term if your level of cover is right. Insurance is generally more expensive as your pets get older.

• What type of insurance is available
o Accident and illness- In accident or suffers from a disease or illness
o Accident only- Limited/basic that covers a portion if our animal is injured such as HBC
o Comprehensive- Top tier – cover all of the above and also other circumstances such as ongoing care

What may not be covered
o PRE-EXISTING CONDITIONS
o Routine check ups 
o Dental (although some policies now include this- read the fine print)
o Vaccinations (although some policies now include this- read the fine print)
o Behaviour (although some policies now include this- read the fine print)
o Desexing (although some policies now include this- read the fine print)
o Parasite control
o Pregnancy and pregnancy related complications
o Grooming
o Generally does not cover for diseases that are preventable with vaccinations – important to keep up vaccinations

How to choose cover- we encourage you to read the fine print and understand what you are or are not signing up for.
o Maximum annual benefit – how much the insurer will pay out each year
o What’s incl excluded
o Annual benefits – are there extras and limits for conditions such as tick paralysis
o Excess - sum you need to pay on each claim
o Dental – common exclusion on policies
Some bigger veterinary centres in major centres can offer gap fee, but at our clinic we require full payment and then the client makes a claim through the insurer to recuperate some of the cost. This is an important factor to consider, and some people like to put the fee onto their credit card and hope that the pet insurance company can reimburse before the credit card is due. 

Every day we take an average of 700 calls, many of which involve booking appointments.
To ease telephone congestion, and prevent our clients being put on hold, we have created an online booking system!
With a simple click of a button you get the ease of booking, cancelling and rescheduling appointments.
You can find this feature on our website: https://orangevet.com.au/bookings/

The other bonus feature is that you can order food and medication using our online booking system too!
We just ask that you give us 12-24 hours to process these as we get many requests throughout the day

It’s natural to feel a little worried if you find an unusual lumps or bumps on your pet.

Our team are here to reassure you that with prompt treatment, there’s a good chance of a positive outcome for your pet. Here are two potential ways we could achieve a good result:

1. Not every lump is nasty
As well as malignant (cancerous) tumours, there are many other causes of lumps in pets that are less of a cause for concern. These include:

• Benign tumours – these are tumours that are unlikely to spread and cause harm in your pet’s body, including lipomas (“fatty lumps”), histiocytomas and benign sebaceous tumours (“old dog warts”)
• Skin tags – these are small skin growths that are thought to be associated with persistent irritation or pressure
• Cysts – these hollow swellings may contain fluid or thick, cheesy material
• Papillomas – these are wart-like lumps caused by dog papillomavirus

• Hives – these are allergic skin swellings that can occur after insect stings or contact with an irritating plant
• Abscesses – these are pockets of infection that often occur secondary to tooth root infections or a cat bite, or due to a penetrating foreign body such as a grass seed

Chronic kidney disease (or CKD) is particularly common in elderly cats, and involves a progressive deterioration in kidney function. Whilst early CKD rarely causes any obvious signs in affected cats, cats with more advanced disease can show symptoms of unwellness, including weight loss, reduced appetite, poor coat quality, and increased drinking and urination. CKD can also predispose them to secondary health problems, such as urinary tract infections or high blood pressure.

Whilst a diagnosis of CKD in your cat can certainly be worrying, rest assured that with early detection and management, affected cats can still have a good quality of life and may live with the disease for several years. Here’s how to proactively maximise your cat’s kidney health potential:

1. From eight years of age, book veterinary health checks for your cat every six-to-12 months

During these health checks, our vets can assess your cat’s overall body condition and musculature. Any weight loss should ideally be investigated with blood and urine tests to screen for early kidney deterioration.

2. If your cat is diagnosed with kidney disease, implementing these simple management strategies can help slow the deterioration of your pet’s kidneys and help them to feel well for longer:

• Perform a switch to a prescription kidney support diet with reduced levels of protein, salt and phosphorous, which can reduce the strain on your cat’s kidneys. For cats that do not yet have kidney disease, geriatric specific diets like Royal Canin Senior Consult can be very helpful
• Ensure your cat always stays well-hydrated by feeding them a portion of their diet as wet food and encouraging them to drink water – this may involve the use of particular bowls that your cat prefers, adding tuna juice to their water, or using special pet drinking fountains
• Have your pet‘s condition checked every six months, including urine testing (to screen for any secondary urinary tract infections) and measurement of their blood pressure

Mitral valve disease (MVD) is a degenerative heart condition most commonly seen in middle-aged to older small-breed dogs. It involves the progressive thickening and dysfunction of valves within the heart, eventually leading to heart disease symptoms in some dogs.

Whilst this sounds pretty scary, the good news is that our vets can offer lots in the way of screening, monitoring and support of pets affected by MVD to help extend their lifespan and maintain their quality of life.

1. Screening pets for MVD

Many cases of MVD in pets are first discovered during routine health checks by the detection of a heart murmur (an unusual heart sound). For this reason, we recommend health checks every six-to-12 months in all dogs eight years old and above, particularly for at-risk breeds such as Cavalier King Charles spaniels. Cavaliers are at such risk that some medications are recommended even before signs of heart disease are noted, though this can become costly over time.

2. Monitoring pets for heart disease

If a murmur suggestive of MVD has been detected, we will discuss various monitoring options based on that pet’s particular condition. These include:

• Monitoring the pet’s sleeping breathing rate – an increase above 30 breaths per minute when they’re deeply asleep (and not dreaming!) warrants a prompt veterinary recheck
• Chest x-rays to measure the size of the pet’s heart and look for any signs of fluid accumulation in or around their lungs
• Monitoring the pet for any symptoms of heart disease, such as becoming puffed with exercise. Download the Boehringer Heart2Heart app and share the results with your veterinarian
• Electrocardiography if your pet has an abnormal heart rhythm
• For some pets, heart ultrasound (echocardiography)

3. Treating pets for symptoms of heart disease

If pets with MVD proceed to a more advanced stage of heart disease, our vets will discuss medical options to reduce their symptoms and improve their quality of life.

Whilst we sadly can’t cure pets of heart disease, we can help protect your heart and theirs by maximising the quality and quantity of time you spend together.

Does your pet have a sensitive tummy?

Recurrent gastrointestinal upset can be a real bother for both pet and owner, with common symptoms in affected animals including runny, bloody or mucus-covered poos, increased toileting frequency, vomiting episodes, or a reduced appetite.

Whilst a diagnosis of gastrointestinal sensitivity in your pet can be a real bummer, the good news is that there’s plenty we can do to treat that tummy and keep them feeling happy and well in the long term! Depending on your pet’s individual needs, management of their sensitive gut may be achieved by:

1. Testing and treating for infectious causes

It is possible for pets to have long-term infections as the root cause of their gastrointestinal upset, such as chronic whipworm or giardia infection.

For this reason, it’s recommended to perform testing on a sample of your pet’s abnormal stools (known as faecal analysis). Bring a stool sample to your pet's appointment and it can fast track the process, looking for parasites and some infectious causes. In some cases, we may also advise sending the sample for further analysis at the lab, or a treatment trial of anti-parasitic medications.

2. A prescription diet

Depending on your pet’s particular problem, they may do best with:

• A consistent, blander diet, avoiding richer, fattier foods or treats
• A highly digestible prescription or home-cooked diet
• A hypoallergenic diet, using either a prescription hydrolysed diet or a novel protein formulation (to avoid certain food proteins that your pet has developed an allergy to)

3. Supportive supplements

For some pets, additional supplements such as psyllium husk or pet-specific probiotics can help to keep their internal bacterial balance in check.

Chat with our vets for recommendations on safe and effective dosing.

4. Medications

For particularly troublesome IBD (inflammatory bowel disease) tummies, our vets may need to prescribe short- or long-term antibiotic or steroid medications to help control ongoing inflammation or bacterial imbalances.

For minor complaints, Pro-Kolin paste is available from the reception team as a trial if you have to wait for an appointment to be avilable. Rest assured that our dedicated and knowledgeable vets will get to the bottom of your pet’s gastrointestinal sensitivity.

A day in the life of an elite Malilangwe Scout begins with a patrol of the 500 sq km animal sanctuary, and careful documentation of every sighting of the black and white rhinos under their guard. Each rhino has a unique identifying pattern notched into its ear.

“In an ideal world we wouldn’t [mark] these animals, but because of the challenges we have nowadays with poaching and with the reduction in habitat, the more that we know about these animals, the better we’re able to protect them,” said Sarah Clegg, senior ecologist at the park.

Beginning with a mere 28 black, and 28 white rhinoceros, now Malilangwe Trust, Zimbabwe, is home to hundreds of rhinos, protected by the Scouts and monitored by Ms Clegg. The conservation project was founded in 1998 to protect animals whose numbers were so decimated they were at risk of extinction, after years of targeting - in the 19th century by trophy hunters, and relatively recently by poachers. “The value of the horn is worth so much more than the value of the animal (living) with its horn on,” said Ms Clegg.

“A poacher is a dangerous human being because they kill rhinos every day. When they see a rhino, they see money, like 'hey, someone has dropped money on the ground’. Everyone needs to know these animals are not for being poisoned, to make money through them,” said scout leader Sgt Patrick Mongodo. “To be a scout, you are someone who is patriotic, someone who is taking care of the community. Someone who is proud of what he is doing.”

Decades of data collected by the scouts in thousands of logbooks has helped the ecological team to reintroduce black rhinos to the nearby Gonarezhou National Park. Once there, the scouts have been instrumental in teaching park rangers skills in tracking and defending the rhinos. “Relationships matter, you can’t just put any old couple together,” said Ms Clegg. “They won’t breed unless they’re happy. [We had to] consider the social stability of the animals [we moved], and those left behind too.”

Since relocation began, five baby rhinos have been born in the national park, the first in 30 years.

For more information about the conservation work of the Malilangwe Trust, you can view the Four Corners episode Return of the Rhino’s on the ABC iView website and app.

This email contains comments of a general nature only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional veterinary advice. It should not be relied on as the basis for whether you do or don't do anything. 

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