Motivation for this post comes from two dissimilar, but coinciding television features.

The first, an infomercial, featured the well-known actor Wilford Brimley stressing the importance of checking one’s blood sugar level often to detect the presence of diabetes that may be defined as preventive insurance. Brimley, a diabetic himself, earnestly says, ”There’s no reason not to!”

The second program on pet health care, recommended the purchase of pet insurance as a safeguard against the high cost of medical care and treatment for animals. It suggested that pet owners ask their veterinarian for information on obtaining such insurance.

While both ideas have merit, in some respect they appeared to conflict with each other. However, a practicable resolution of the two suggestions seems possible.

Unfortunately, many people think of diabetes as something only “other people” have to contend with. Unless closely connected to a diabetic or suffering from this condition themselves, countless people are ignorant of the different types of diabetes, their causes or related dangers. Possibly even fewer are aware that diabetes can also affect their pet.

Dr. Michael S. Samuels writes in dog health care issues: “We all get older and hope that we have the good fortune of great health. When something seems amiss with our health we seek the advice of a health professional. Animals, conversely, often try to hide the fact that they feel poorly. They compensate for their illness and rarely complain. It is only through careful observation and regular health exams that we can ensure their health and, with some good fortune, helps them to live to be ancient companions.

Insurance, by definition, is a financial remuneration for loss that has already occurred … a car accident, a fire in the home, etc. A premium paid to an insurance company usually covers such loss. Pet insurance, as recommended above, also falls under this definition. For a premium, an insurance company pays a financial remuneration to the pet owner for veterinarian care and medical services provided. Pet insurance, however, will not prevent your pet becoming sick in the first place, nor prevent loss of sight from undiagnosed diabetes. It will not prevent self-recrimination for missing the warning signs.

Thiis is where the merits of preventive insurance and pet insurance may be compared

Preventive insurance on the other hand, covers scheduled and planned, preventive testing for a wide range of potential problems, including blood-sugar level checks, in order to maintain the pet’s long-term, happy, healthy condition. The premium for preventive insurance is simply the cost of these tests and services provided and scheduled by, and paid to, your second-best friend … your pet’s veterinarian.

Preventive insurance CAN reveal potential conditions before they become problems and allow for the necessary treatment to be administered. A case in point … if a pet’s diabetes is inherited, no insurance can prevent it. In most cases, however, the owner is totally unaware his pet has been afflicted until the realization dawns … that it is beginning to lose its sight. Preventive insurance could ensure testing and early detection of diabetes, prevent blindness, prohibitive cost of surgery and lifelong medication.

Preventive insurance for periodic testing of your pet is infinitely cheaper than the recommended pet insurance, and imagine the good feeling derived from knowing that you are giving the best possible attention to your pet, friend, and loyal companion. Many veterinary offices provide informative handouts to aid recognizing the signs of ill health or distress in your pet, however, reading this article on the web site of a stricken pet, whose owner didn’t recognize those vital signs, may have a greater impact on the reader.