Pet Health: Medical expenses and longevity

According to OECD (Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development) 2006 Health Data, how long we live is not related to how much is spent for our medical care. For example, the U.S. spends more per capita than any other nation on medical care, but our life expectancy is below that of most other industrialized countries. The U.S. spends over $6,000 per person on medical care and the life expectancy is 76.8 years. Canada spends about half that and Canadians live 3 years longer than Americans. Obviously, we Americans fund many expensive treatments that do not improve longevity.

While expensive products and medications don’t promote longevity, not providing any health care or medication is not the answer. Longevity and quality of life are greatest when we take the middle ground.

The same occurs with pet health—failing to provide medical care is not good and overly expensive medical care is not good. The biggest return for your investment in your pet’s health is money spent on the basics:

good nutrition
good supplements
basic medications
training, and
housing.

1. For good nutrition, use as much real food as you can. That is, if you can look at it and tell what it is, it is healthier for your pet than if you must read the label to know what you are feeding. Real food is always better for your pet’s health than kibble. Unfortunately, many are too busy to always prepare “real” food for their pets, and we feed at least some prepared pet foods. Choose one of the foods that is genuinely healthy, not one that is merely advertised as healthy. Azmira foods are truly healthy. Azmira foods contain meat raised without hormones or antibiotics, only whole grains, and no chemical preservatives, dyes, colors, or sugar.

2. For a good supplement, feed Omega 3 fatty acids from fish or flax.

3. Basic pet medications include heartworm medications, and flea medications, and antibiotics. Get them from a source you can trust.

4. Provide basic training to keep your pet safe. Training allows you to call your pet away from fights, stop it from running in the street, and prevent it from eating garbage.

5. Housing is a significant factor in longevity. A clean, quiet place to sleep, and a supportive bed,

Provide for these five simple areas of pet health and you do not need to spend a fortune to have a pet that enjoys a long, happy life.