Trupanion has amazed us again!  Since our last discussion, the pet insurance company has now extended its “Free 30 Day Trial” to dogs and cats from 8 weeks to 14 years old.  Previously, the certificate was only valid for dogs and cats from 8 weeks to 12 months old, which may have been discouraging for pet owners whose interest was sparked by such an offer but their pet’s age exceeded the limits in order to take advantage of this deal.  This news is incredible given the misconception  that the older pets get, the less they will benefit from veterinary pet insurance or, that they aren’t eligible to participate in pet insurance programs at all. Trupanion is now aiming to prove otherwise! This trial offers coverage effective immediately once enrolled. No payment information is required, and once the 30 days end the coverage is automatically cancelled, unless the coverage is voluntarily continued by the pet owner.

There is one difference to be mindful of when taking advantage of the 30 day trial for a pet over 1 year old.  The deductible is $0 for pets under 12 months, but it is $250 for pets 1 year to 14 years old.  This is a very generous offer for pet owners should their pet have a major medical expense during that time.  Keep in mind this deductible is per condition over the lifetime of the policy not per visit, so pet owners should not be weary if their pet does not have a medical incident that is over $250, especially if coverage is continued beyond the free trial.

It is feasible that even if there is not a medical expense totaling more than $250 but one which is less during the 30 day trial and coverage is continued, Trupanion will cover 90% of the claim costs related to a condition over the lifetime of the policy once the $250 deductible is met. It is important to note that after the 30 day trial period expires pet owners can always adjust their deductible to fit their financial needs with only that specific condition remaining at the $250 deductible.

Naturally, the next important thing to think about when considering enrolling a pet that is over a year old is pre-existing conditions.  Trupanion’s policy on pre-existing conditions is certainly not any different for a pet that is 8 weeks old  than it is for a pet that is 14 years old, but, unfortunately, pre-existing conditions are much more likely to be present in an older pet than in a puppy or kitten. Trupanion defines a pre-existing condition as an illness that is present at or during the 18 months prior to the enrollment date or an abnormality that is detected or present at or during the 18 months prior to the enrollment date.

So, what does that mean for pet owners? Hopefully that a previously diagnosed or detected condition has not recurred/flared-up within 18 months of enrollment, but if it has pet owners should not overlook the fact that there can always be the unexpected medical expense.   Additionally, medical concerns can arise due to normal aging, so it is very likely that a pet will benefit from pet insurance regardless of age or previous medical history.  Quite simply, even a pet with a “pre-existing” condition still has a need for pet insurance.

Lastly, one additional topic to discuss when addressing Trupanion as a preferred pet insurance provider, even beyond the Free 30 Day Trial Certificate, is “Claims Express.”  “Claims Express” is a service that Trupanion offers to selected veterinary clinics to help pet owners with the unexpected major medical expense by working directly with the veterinarian to give preauthorization for a procedure and by paying the clinic directly.  What does that mean?  That means the pet owner would only be responsible for the cost of the exam fee, 10% of the claim, and his or her deductible (if there even is one) in order for the pet to get the medical treatment needed.  Moreover, that means that the claim is prioritized with Trupanion and treatment can begin immediately following preauthorization, which gives the pet owner piece of mind while also lightening his or her financial burden.  And yes, this offer is available to those pets covered under the 30 day trial period.

If you are interested in enrolling your pet, please contact the main clinic at 317-257-5334 or the Wellness Center at 317-726-2711.  The certificate must be activated within 24 hours of an examination, and with your consent, we will activate the certificate before you leave our office.  That’s one less thing for you to worry about!

Christmas trees set the tone for a festive holiday decor, but can pose a danger to curious cats and dogs.  Here’s what to watch for so you can protect your pets:

The Tree:

• Pine needles smell wonderful to us humans but, for some reason, are tasty to some cats and dogs.  Pine needles are not in themselves toxic to pets, but can be very irritating to the pet’s stomach, causing vomiting and a poor appetite.  Keep sweeping up those pine needles as they dry up and drop onto the floor over the next several weeks!

• Anchor your tree securely so that climbing cats and tail-wagging dogs will not knock it over.

What’s On The Tree:

• Pretty tinsel, ribbons and garlands make pretty decorations for our trees, but make convenient, yet possibly dangerous, toys for our pets – cats especially love to eat string-like objects, which unfortunately can get struck in one part of the intestinal tract, and cause an obstruction which could require surgery.

• Breakable glass ornaments should be hung well out of reach – cats find them fun to bat off the tree, and dogs love to eat them!  Be careful to pick up any pieces of broken glass if an ornament does break, but also be aware of the hangers and small metal fastenings that may become separated from the ornament itself – these can be swallowed or stepped on by your pet.

• Signs of ingestion of a foreign object can vary – they depend on the type of foreign object ingested and whether or not it gets stuck or can pass through the intestinal tract. The symptoms can range from lethargy, lack of appetite, vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal pain.

• Holiday lights are another dangerous temptation – pets may chew on them, causing injury from electrical shock.  Inspect your light for defects, such as loose or frayed wires, as well as signs of previous illicit indulgences by your pet, such as bite marks.  Be careful also about the wires’ proximity to the tree’s water supply.

• Electrical shock can cause burns, difficulty breathing, abnormal heart rhythm, loss of consciousness, and even death.

What’s Under The Tree:

• Any new source of water can be tempting, so your cat or dog may suddenly prefer to drink the water under your Christmas tree – this is not a problem unless you add chemicals to the water to keep your tree fresh.  Read the additive’s label to see if it is safe for pets.

• Pretty gifts are lovely under the tree, but make sure they are not decorated with the kinds of ribbons, decorative twine, bells or toys that might lure your pet to play, unravel or eat them. Be careful what’s inside the boxes, too – any type of food item can be detected by the sensitive nose of your pet – most things are OK for your pet to eat, but any type of food that is out of the ordinary for your pet can cause stomach upset and diarrhea.  One type of popular holiday gift is definitely NOT OK for your pet to eat is chocolate.

So, have a happy holiday season from everyone at the Broad Ripple Animal Clinic and Wellness Center, and we hope this helps your pet have a safe, and therefore, happy, holiday season as well!

What does this mean? Many veterinarians treat both dogs and cats, and by demonstrating advanced expertise through a rigorous credentialing and examination process, approximately 400 have become Canine and Feline Practice Specialists. Dr. Neumann made the choice a few years ago to begin studying again and sat for his examination in November 2011. His motivation was quite simply…..excellence. The BRAC philosophy has always been about doing our very best to fix and care for cats and dogs, and Dr. Neumann wanted to excel at the job he was doing as a veterinarian, and as the Medical Director of our two locations.

Please join us in congratulating and recognizing Dr. Neumann for his achievement! You can reach Dr. Neumann directly at w.neumann.dvm@bracpet.com

Feline acne usually presents as crusty, scabby sores with or without accompanying whiteheads or blackheads on your cat’s muzzle and chin.  Often the chin and muzzle can be swollen and quite painful to the touch.  While it is usually not contagious, more than one cat can be affected in the household.  The signs of feline acne can wax and wane, depending on the underlying cause.  Most of the time there is a bacterial infection but this is usually secondary.

Causes of this condition are many; fungal infections, parasitic infections like demodex mites, sensitivities to medications or supplements that you are currently giving, allergies, outward signs of an internal metabolic disease, a primary bacterial infection, or rarely, a form of skin cancer.  Your veterinarian will recommend a series of tests to try and determine the reason behind the flare-up.  Some of these tests can be done in the office, like a skin scraping, and other tests will be sent out, like blood work or a fungal culture.  Still other diagnostics may require sedation or anesthesia, like a tissue biopsy.

Once your veterinarian diagnoses the cause of the acne, treatment will be recommended.  Some therapies are non-invasive and are aimed at controlling the environment for allergens.  These include diet trials and transitioning to stainless steel or ceramic dishes.  Other disease specific therapy can include antibiotics, anti-inflammatories, anti-fungals, and localized creams and washes for the area affected.   If the problem is determined to be allergic in nature, then allergy testing and treatment with spot-ons, vaccines, or medications directed at controlling the overly strong response will be started.

Some easy at-home therapies that can help many cats with feline acne are switching to dishes that do not contain plastic and cleaning the chin 2-3 times weekly with an astringent.  Choosing one that doesn’t have alcohol will make the procedure more enjoyable for your cat.

Most cases of feline acne can be resolved with strict management of the offending condition or allergen.  For further information or any questions, please contact the Broad Ripple Animal Clinic and Wellness Center at 317-257-5334 or Dr. Birchfield can be reached directly at t.birchfield.dvm@bracpet.com.

What could more comforting and satisfying than home made bread or yeast rolls for your holiday dinner? Not many things – except maybe a healthy dog!

Many people don’t know that rising bread dough is a dangerous temptation for dogs. Most forms of bread dough contain yeast – a single-celled fungus that in warm environments causes sugars to turn into carbon dioxide (which causes the dough to rise) and alcohol (which gives flavor to the dough).  This chemical process is great when it happens in a warm kitchen within a pan, but not so great when it happens in a dog’s warm stomach. When the dough ”rises” in there and expands in size, it stretches out the stomach, which may be painful, and it releases carbon dioxide gas, which further distends the stomach.  The dough itself is difficult for the dog to digest, and can cause an obstruction in the gastrointestinal tract. As the gas builds up, the stomach may become so stretched out that the blood supply to the stomach is impaired, and the stomach could even flip over.  In addition, the fermenting dough releases alcohol, and this causes many physiological disturbances in the dog’s body, including decreased blood pressure, irregular heart rhythms and difficulty breathing, as well as neurologic disturbances such as clumsiness, lethargy, seizures and even coma.

If your dog eats dough, call your veterinarian or a veterinary emergency hospital immediately. Offer cold water or ice chips if your dog can drink. When your dog arrives at the hospital, the veterinarian may induce vomiting if your dog is stable, but if not, will perform X-rays to see how much gas is present and then remove it with a tube. The fermentation process of the dough may be slowed by flushing the stomach with cold water. Blood tests will be done to determine what types of biochemical disturbances are present, and the treatment from that point depends on those results. If treated promptly, the prognosis for bread dough toxicosis is generally good, but recovery can take 12-24 hours or more.

So, as you knead the dough for your family’s Thanksgiving dinner rolls, remember that your dog definitely doesn’t “need” it at all – and put it well out of reach! Everyone at the Broad Ripple Animal Clinic and Wellness Center is wishing you and your family a safe and happy holiday season.

We insure our home, our vehicles, and our belongings, but, more importantly, we insure our families and ourselves.  Insurance enables us to take action and make choices without worrying about the cost associated with when something goes wrong,  needs to be fixed, or when we need medical treatment.  The same should be true for our pets, and, thankfully, pet insurance offers that protection to our furry family members since it functions as health insurance for them.  It helps us manage the cost of veterinary care from minor illness, to chronic conditions, to major disease or injury, to the unexpected veterinary expense.

Monthly pet insurance premiums cost only a small fraction of the cost of human insurance premiums.  Depending on which pet insurance company you choose (believe it or not…there are actually 12 companies!) and how much you would like to pay for the monthly premium, you can determine your deductible, which in some cases can even be $0. You can also determine your co-pay, which can be 0%, 10%, or 20%.  Some have per incident payout limits, while others have no lifetime payout limits. But again, this is determined by the policy structure of the pet insurance company that you choose.  Now, with so many companies to choose from, how do you know which one is right for your pet’s needs and for your budget?

One company stands out for its simplicity and its affordability with respect to their claim payout: Trupanion.  Trupanion offers one simple plan for all pets, reimbursing from the actual veterinary bill rather than a benefit schedule and covering surgeries, hospitalization, diagnostic tests, medications, supplements, therapeutic diets, and orthotic devices.  Additionally, they also offer several policy enhancements for an added premium, which includes hip dysplasia, acupuncture, and behavior modification/training just to name a few. They offer 90% coverage of veterinary costs per claim, following payment of the exam fee and an optional deductible by the client, and they have no payout limits, per incident, per year, or per lifetime.  Additionally, they cover hereditary and congenital conditions, and their premiums and coverage don’t change on the pet’s birthday or after filing claims.  Trupanion also offers a 30 day money back guarantee, but, probably most notably, they offer a free 30 day trial for puppies and kittens ages 8 weeks to 12 months.  If this interests you, please stop by either the main clinic or the Wellness Center location and we’ll be happy to get you enrolled! This trial offers coverage effective immediately, no payment information is required, and there is no obligation to continue.  Thus, it is an opt-in offer rather than an opt-out offer, so there is no money to lose.  Finally, Trupanion has a local representative that regularly follow-ups with policy holders when needed as well as follows up with their veterinarian.

You might feel that Trupanion isn’t the right insurance company for your pet or your needs, so please visit www.petinsurancequotes.com to find the right company for your family.  It doesn’t matter how old your pet is and, regardless of the exclusion of pre-existing conditions by pet insurance companies, it is very likely that your pet will gain from the benefits of pet insurance at some point.  Just ask Noel; even her dad insures her, and he is a veterinarian!  It really helped when she needed a procedure that her dad didn’t perform, and she needed to see a specialist.

Pairing pet insurance with one our BRAChealth Plans assures that your pet is covered—whether it’s preventative care or a major illness or injury. By putting pet insurance and our health plans into place now, you’ll save yourself peace of mind in the future! For more information about the BRAChealth Plans or pet insurance, please feel free to call the Broad Ripple Animal Clinic and Wellness Center at 317-257-5334.

In contrast to most of my veterinary colleagues, I do not remember exactly when I knew that I WANTED to be a veterinarian. For some veterinarians, the moment they know is as acutely remembered in all details as some of the big events in our society – like 9/11 or when Kennedy got shot, just more positive!  For me, it was a long slow dawning of realization over many years.  

I loved everything to do with animals as a child, but it never occurred to me, until I was 16 years old, that I could or should make a career out of my interest in animals. I then volunteered with our family veterinarian during my summer vacation, but, unfortunately, fainted when I first watched surgery, and was so embarrassed that I never returned!  The thoughts of that particular career went on hold for a few years after that. When I got to college, I started aiming for a career in science, but focused at that time on human medicine, and later went to grad school to become a physician assistant.  During all those years, despite the interest in human medicine, I still spent most of my time outside of school and work involved with animals.

After about 10 years of being a physician assistant, I realized that I wanted to go further in medicine and started toying with the idea of going to medical school. At about that time, I visited close friends in Ithaca, New York and they had just had their cat treated at the Cornell College of Veterinary Medicine, and raved about the hospital and the veterinary college there. They were absolutely positive that being a veterinarian was the right thing for me and insisted that I take a tour and speak to the admissions director just to see if I had some of the background needed. It made sense to me to combine what I enjoyed doing in work with what I enjoyed doing outside of work, so I went along with it.  I thought this career would be out of reach for me, but, surprisingly, it wasn’t, so I applied.  I DO remember with that crystal-clear detail the moment that I got the news of my admission to the Cornell College of Veterinary Medicine and learned that I actually COULD be a veterinarian.

However, the moment I remember best was when I knew that my decision to become a veterinarian was absolutely the RIGHT one – it was when, in 1997, I walked into the Broad Ripple Animal Clinic for the first time.  That was the moment I will never forget, because I relive it every day that I come to work.

Meet Princess!

by Noel Brunner (as told to Jenni)

Hello, friends! Noel Brunner, here.

I’d have to say fall is my favorite season, and I’m so excited we’re getting a preview of what’s to come this season here in Broad Ripple. I just love the cooler temperatures, Colts football, rolling around in piles of leaves (not mention all the good sticks to chew on), and trick-or-TREATing! Yep, fall is my favorite.

Also starting this fall are Caturdays at the Wellness Center. Every first and third Saturday of the month, the Wellness Center will become a “no dog zone,” as Dr. Birchfield will only be seeing appointments with cats on those days.

Now, don’t get me wrong—I love the Wellness Center (I go there frequently for laser therapy treatments). But no dogs allowed?! That’s just unfair. Everyone knows dogs are soooo much better than cats. Have you ever seen a cat sit on command? Or catch a Frisbee in its mouth? No, I didn’t think so. I don’t mind the cats that come to BRAC, but some of them can be scared of me and my other doggy friends. So, while I wish I were invited to Caturdays, maybe my feline friends will be happier without me there.

Did you know there is a cat who lives at the main clinic? Her name is Princess. She mainly hangs out with the doctors in the treatment area. I guess she doesn’t like all the attention up front, which is great because that means more attention for me! And more attention means more treats!

As humans we expect a lot from our dogs. We expect them to guard us against a burglar but not the mailman. We expect them to realize it is ok to jump up on Saturday afternoon when we are in garden clothes, but not ok Monday morning when we are in a suit. Many parents expect the dog to tolerate being jumped on, hit and/or poked with a toy without ever lifting a lip or growling to say leave me alone. While many dogs may be tolerant this kind of behavior from children, most will not and should not be expected to do so.

Lifting of the lip and growling are all early warning signs your dog is uncomfortable. These warnings may also be indications of impending aggression. If you see either of these behaviors, do not punish your dog. Take note of the situation and remove your dog to his room, crate or bed. Once everyone has relaxed, take the opportunity to teach the kids healthy ways to interact with the dog. Parents who encourage polite petting, fun games such as fetch, and training new skills like shake or roll over will begin to see less inappropriate behavior directed towards the dog and a better relationship formed.

Punishing the early warning signs will only teach your dog that A.) you will not advocate for him, and B.) he should not give advance warning. If he doesn’t warn you, he will simply respond with a snap and/or bite.

At some point in their lives, many people want to be a veterinarian “when they grow up”. Most people who successfully achieve their dream of becoming a veterinarian, made this decision at a young age. I was no different. Since elementary school, I have always enjoyed science. I just didn’t know what type of science I wanted to study, or what I wanted to do with science as a career. At first, I thought I would follow in my brother’s footsteps and be an engineer, but that all changed in middle school.

I took my first biology class in the 7th grade and fell in love with life sciences. At about the same time, my family and I moved from the suburbs in northwest Indiana to a 12-acre farm. We were typical “city folk” thrown into a farmer’s world. We didn’t have a crop farm, but cultivated an animal hobby farm. We had free range chickens, ducks, and geese. We also had a horse barn where we rented out space to a local horse trainer, and we also had the occasional steer. I loved everything about the animals I cared for on the farm. I hatched ducks in incubators, sold fresh free range chicken eggs at a roadside stand, and learned so much about nature and life in general, living on the family farm.

When I turned 14, I became active in 4-H and began to put together my love of animals and my love for biology. This is when I had my “ah-ha” moment and decided I wanted to become a veterinarian. My sister-in-law told me how competitive veterinary school was, and that getting accepted was extremely difficult. She suggested I try to get some work experience in a veterinary clinic to help with the veterinary school admissions process. At age 15, I applied to work at the veterinary clinic down the road from our farm. With a lot of persistence on my part, a special “under 16″ work permit, and a moped, I got my first job cleaning kennels for that clinic a few months later. I’ve worked in the veterinary field ever since, and truly love what I do each and every day.