From Cat and Dog Coasters to Personalized Tee Shirts Your Ultimate Gift Guide for Pets and Pet Lovers

Bandanas dog

There are around 73 million homes or 64% of all households in the United States with pets, so there’s a good chance that you know someone who owns a dog, cat, or other animal whether you do or not. Americans love to spend money on their pets, too, especially around the holidays. The Christmas season brings $5 billion annually to the pet industry as people buy gifts for their cats and dogs or buy gifts for the pets of their friends and family. And people love showing off their pets, too, so personalized photo gifts, such as cat and dog coasters, tee shirts, and other keepsakes are popular for pet lovers.

No matter which season or occasion it is, there are plenty of unique gifts for pets and pet lovers alike. If you’re thinking of getting something for a pet owner, here are some items they may like:

Pet clothing
Pet clothes have become a huge trend in recent years, especially for dogs, and it varies from the practical to the ridiculous. However, things such as small or large dog hoodies and dog tee shirts can help your pet stay warm on those winter walks. Even harnesses that help keep dogs warm on walks are a great gift, especially for small dog owners. For pet owners who would like something more subtle, a personalized dog bandana is another way to give your pet a fun look.

Pet photo albums
Showing off pictures of a pet is a great source of pride and joy for many pet owners. One way to help is to get a pet owner in your life a photo album made especially for cats or dogs. A photo album is also an excellent gift for new pet owners, so they can track their puppy or kitten’s growth throughout the years.

Personalized photo gifts
From personalized cat and dog coasters with your pets face on them to a tee shirt with your pet’s image, there are plenty of personalized photo gifts that are great for any pet owner. Cat or dog coaster sets and cat and dog coffee mugs make a wonderful gift for any pet owning household. Personalized tee shirts are a fun way for pet owners to accessorize.

Have more suggestions for great pet gifts? Leave us a comment.

Deciding on Pet Insurance

Animal doctor

There are roughly 1.6 dogs per household in the United States, while there are about 2.1 cats per household — when added up, that ends up being quite a lot of pets!

We want our furry friends to be as healthy as possible, and most of us would go through great lengths to make sure they remain healthy. To help your pet live longer, it would be wise to purchase pet insurance.

Why Pet Insurance? Veterinary services are on the rise, as seen by the $50 billion spend on pets in 2011, and as a result more Americans need insurance to cover rising costs for procedures such as veterinary surgery. If the average cat-owning household spends an average of $191 on basic animal clinic appointments every year, imagine the cost for more expensive medical procedures.

Reasons to Purchase Pet Insurance: Although pet insurance isn’t for everyone, a veterinary office may recommend buying an insurance package due to the rising costs of healthcare for animals. Here are five reasons to purchase insurance.

  1. If you can’t cover expenses. The main reason people choose health insurance for their pets is because they simply can’t cover the cost of keeping them healthy. It’s another monthly bill that eventually adds up. Lets say you have an older dog and they are diagnosed with cancer; would you rather pay the $3,000 for treatment, or $30-$50 a month?
  2. High Risk, High Worry: Most small animals will spend the majority of their lives indoors and away from diseases and potential injury threats. However, outdoor cats and dogs that are active outside are putting themselves (and your wallet) at risk. If you constantly worry that something will happen to your cat or dog, your veterinarian may recommend purchasing pet insurance — just to be prepared for the worst.
  3. Huge Investment: After purchasing a pet, you understand that you have made a huge time, emotional, and financial investment for the next decade or more. If you’ve spent a pretty penny on the cost of a dog or are planning on breeding dogs, there is a lot at stake in terms of financial security, so it would be best to have insurance to cover medications for those expensive pets that can add up.
  4. Financial Stability: Many pet owners just see insurance as just another annoying bill to pay at the end of the month, but in reality if you have a stable income and a pet that may need a lot of medical attention down the road, insurance is a great option. Just make sure you are able to make the monthly payment, which should give you peace of mind knowing that your pet will be covered for most medical expenses.
  5. When You’ll Do Anything: For those that will do just about anything for their pet, health insurance is an obvious choice. Pet owners have increasingly thought of their pets as a part of the family, and therefore believe they are entitled to their own insurance.

If you are thinking about insurance, do your online research and compare rates. Consulting your veterinarian can also be very helpful.
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Three Important Reasons to Get Your Pets Spayed and Neutered

Why you should spay and neuter your pets

Did you know that Americans own roughly 83.3 million dogs and 95.6 million cats? In addition, approximately 83% of dogs and 91% of cats are fixed. But why spay and neuter your pets? There are several reasons why you should spay and neuter your pets, as this is beneficial to both you and your animals.

1. Longer life. One of the main reasons to spay or neuter your pets is that it helps them live longer, healthier lives. In fact, fixing your animal helps prevent both breast cancer and uterine infections, and it increases a dog’s lifespan by 1-3 years and a cat’s lifespan by 3-5 years. As a result, when you visit an animal spay and neuter clinic, you will be able to enjoy your pets’ company for a longer amount of time.

2. Better behavior. Believe it or not, fixing your pets makes them better behaved. In fact, animals that are fixed are less likely to make inappropriate gesticulations towards humans, objects, and other animals, and they are also less likely to run away. As a result, controlling your pets is much easier when you get them fixed.

3. Cost-effective. It is an economical decision to visit an affordable spay and neuter clinic. This is not only because it costs less to fix an animal than to care for an entire litter, but also because many communities offer lower licensing fees to individuals who have pets that are fixed. As a result, taking your cats and dogs to an animal spay and neuter clinic will not break the bank.

There are several important reasons to get your pets fixed. Not only will this surgery help them live longer, well-behaved lives, but it will also save you money in the long run. As a result, getting your cats and dogs fixed is one of the best decisions you can make for them. More like this article.