In the past, pets didn’t have many options if they developed cancer, and unfortunately the only option was to put them down. Today, things have changed drastically and fortunately, pets have virtually the same options as humans do, including radiation treatment and chemotherapy.

Here are some examples:

• Chemotherapy – the most commonly recommended treatment options for pets with lymphosarcoma (one of the most common forms of cancer). 
• Radiation therapy – is used if the cancer is causing a specific location of the pet’s body to be in discomfort. It can also be used as an addition to chemotherapy. Full radiation takes about 3-4 weeks (3-5 treatments a week) 
• Surgery – commonly used to diagnose the cancer but depending on the type of cancer may be rarely used to treat the cancer. 
• Prescription medication – depending on the treatment the medication may be given orally or injected under the skin. Many times a combination of both will be administered. 

Did you know…?
That 50% of cancer is curable? That’s why it’s important to get your furry loved one pet health insurance so they can have access to the best veterinary treatment and care that they deserve.

What’s best for my pet?
If your pet develops cancer, it’s important to speak with your veterinarian on what treatment option is best for you and your pet.

With Petsecure, treatment for cancer is covered under the illness category on all
levels of coverage. For more pet cancer articles, videos, stats and true tails, check out our Pet Cancer Awareness page.

What can you do?
Help Petsecure make a difference by becoming a fan of Petsecure pet health insurance on Facebook at www.facebook.com/petsecure. For every new fan we get in November, we will donate $1.00 to the OVC Pet Trust Fund. We still have one more day of this great initiative so become a fan today and help us FURther the Fight against this deadly disease!

Pet Cancer Awareness Month
If you’ve been following our blogs recently, you’ll know that Petsecure is promoting November as Pet Cancer Awareness Month. For every new Facebook fan we get in November we will donate $1.00 to the OVC Pet Trust Fund.

What is this fund?
The Ontario Veterinary College (OVC) Pet Trust Fund is dedicated to providing comprehensive cancer research and development for the companion pets in our lives, while improving the quality of care for sick animals.

The OVC Pet Trust Fund has pledged to raise $10 million to establish Canada’s first comprehensive animal cancer care centre at the Ontario Veterinary College. This ground breaking initiative is dedicated to providing comprehensive cancer care from companion animals and unlocking the secrets of a disease that affects 1 in 3 household pets.

What can you do?
Visit www.facebook.com/petsecure today to help FURther the fight against this
deadly disease!

Dogs make perfect pets, companions and best friends. But not all dogs are your typical family pet. Some dogs star in movies; others fight crime, or even help out during rescue missions. But one particular pup that recently caught our eye is the Director of Pet Relations at the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise hotel – Sonny.

Introducing…Sonny Louise
Sonny is a 4-year old yellow Labrador retriever who started out training to become a Canadian guide dog. His career path quickly changed as poor Sonny discovered he was scared of loud noises and fast moving vehicles and unfortunately could not go on with his training.

For Sonny, this unfortunate event turned out to be a blessing in disguise, and an amazing opportunity presented itself. Sonny became the Director of Pet Relations for the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise hotel.

Sonny is most often seen greeting the guests from the front foyer, going for walks with visitors along the Lakeshore Promenade trial and attending monthly meetings as a group member of Chateau’s Green Team. More recently, Sonny has also started volunteering his time as a Therapy Dog at the Banff Mineral Springs Hospital.

As busy as Sonny gets, he still has time to
e-mail his friends and fans, have a little fun and pose for photo-ops here and there. We think Sonny is one top dog and just couldn’t help talking about him on our blog!

For more information on Sonny and the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise, visit www.fairmont.ca/lakelouise.

On November 18, 2009, it was reported that there has been a cat death in Oregon from the H1N1 virus. This is the first feline fatality and third case of a cat with the virus. The first two cats were from Iowa and Utah and both have fully recovered.

It’s believed that all three of the cats developed the virus from being around their ill owners. The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) is tracking all instances of H1N1 in animals on their website.

Pets that become infected with H1N1 show signs of respiratory illness. These signs can include lethargy, loss of appetite, fever, runny nose, sneezing and coughing. So far, there have been no reports of dogs being infected with the virus.

If you are having flu-like symptoms, it’s best to limit your contact with your pets until you are feeling better. If your pet shows signs of an illness, contact your veterinarian for more information.

To read the full story on the Oregon cat click here.

Give the gift of security this holiday season…
                                                With a Petsecure gift card! Giving a Petsecure gift card to a pet parent you know sends an important message – that you really understand the important human-animal bond they have with their pet.

Petsecure gift cards for Petsecure Members
Petsecure members are able to redeem their gift cards on their next premium – a little extra this time of year can help make their season brighter!

Petsecure gift cards for pet parents who don't have pet health insurance
If you know a busy, yet responsible pet parent, they may not have got around to enrolling with Petsecure yet. Giving them a gift card can make an excellent incentive to take the next step to ensuring that if something happens to their furry loved one they’re
…All taken care of.

To order your gift cards in any denomination and in time for the holiday season, call us at 1-800-268-1169. For more information click here.