Pets play a huge role in our families and here at Purely Pets, we understand what they mean to you and the importance of keeping them happy and healthy.
As an award winning pet insurance specialist, you can trust us to find the right cover for you and your pets. We have a range of Lifetime policies on offer and benefits can include cover for dentistry, third party liability and an online management portal which gives owners greater flexibility in managing their pet claims, policy and time.
Pets can be mischievous and cheeky at times and get into some pretty interesting situations. Sometimes however things can happen and you don’t know what to do for the best. That’s why a key benefit to all our policies is a free 24 hour vet helpline which provides advice and support for our customers when their pet is injured or unwell.
We’ve teamed up with The Vet Connection who are able to help with any minor or major concerns. All communications are handled by Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons registered nurses who have a minimum of three years practical experience so you are in safe hands. A call to the team can give peace of mind that you are doing the right thing for your pet and accessing veterinary treatment when required.
In 2019 gastric upset, lameness, and lumps and tumours were the top pet claims we received. We spoke to The Vet Connection team to get their advice on all three and signs of what to look out for. Here is what they said:
Gastric upset
| Causes of symptoms include | |
| A sudden change in diet | Accidentally eating something toxic/poisonous |
| Ingestion of a foreign body that could be causing a blockage | Eating mouldy food or something that doesn’t agree with them |
| A virus | A bacterial infection |
| Internal parasites | Trauma to the abdomen |
| Pancreatitis | Reaction to medication |
The clinical signs of a gastric upset are vomiting, diarrhoea, constipation, abdominal pain, lack of appetite and lethargy.
If your pet is very young or very old or has any of the discussed symptoms along with a swollen abdomen or seems very lethargic then we would always recommend contacting a vet straight away.
The general advice for adult cats and dogs with diarrhoea is to feed small amounts of bland food such as boiled chicken breast or white fish with rice or pasta more often than you normally would. Little and often keeps the intestines moving and should help the faeces firm up more quickly. For vomiting pets, try withholding food for 24 hours from their last meal, then reintroduce food as you would for diarrhoea; bland food, little and often. If your pet seems to be improving, then slowly wean them back onto their own food after 2 – 3 days before considering claims. In all cases ensure your pet has access to fresh water.
Lameness
Lameness can be caused by an injury to the paw, leg, shoulder, pelvis or a damaged claw. There could also be arthritis or infection in a joint and some animals have a congenital or hereditary condition that causes lameness. A cut to the pad of the foot or a cyst could also cause your pet to walk with a limp. Other factors include old age, as joints can become sore and stiff, and obesity.
If your pet is in severe pain or struggling to move about on their own, then veterinary advice should be sought straight away. On noticing a limp your pet should be completely rested for at least 48 hours, that means no walks, no jumping up or down and help your pet if they need to use stairs. Keep cats indoors and when dogs are toileting keep them on a lead and stay with them. If you know what area is sore (and if your pet will let you!) you could try using a cold compress on that area a few times within the first 24 hours. After that a warm compress may help alleviate stiffness and do not reintroduce exercise until your pet has fully recovered or you could delay healing.
Lumps and tumours
| The most common lumps in pets |
| Benign and malignant growths |
| Cyst |
| Abscess |
| Sting |
| Bite |
| Hernia |
| Foreign body |
| Trauma |
Lumps can appear on your pet’s body for many different reasons and not all of these would need to be checked by a vet. Lumps and bumps can become visible and disappear within 24 hours.
You should check your pet for lumps as part of their routine grooming or during petting. Get to know what is normal for your pet by feeling all over their skin at least once a month. When you find something abnormal on your pet don’t panic, take note of the size, shape and how it feels, even take a photo and monitor over the course of a few days before considering making any claims. If you pet becomes unwell or if the swelling changes dramatically in that time, then get in contact with your vet.
Advice supplied by The Vet Connection.
To find out more about what Purely Pets can offer you, visit our website and social media links:
Website: www.purelypetsinsurance.co.uk
Facebook: www.facebook.com/PurelyPetsIns
Twitter: www.twitter.com/_purelypets
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*Defaqto 5 Star rating applies to our Lifetime Gold products which are our £11,000-£15,000 products. Defaqto’s Star Ratings provide an independent assessment of the quality of financial products.
