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Pet Ownership Costs

Understanding the Lifetime Cost of Pet Ownership

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Whether you have a Fido the dog, a Fluffy the Cat, a Thumper the rabbit, or a Sprinter the pony (or any less usual pet including lizards, birds, fish, rodents, or llamas) the cost of their care, feeding, and vet bills over their lifetime can certainly add up.

The lifetime cost of owning a dog, for an easy example, will certainly depend on the type and breed of the dog, its size, and life expectancy, with larger dogs costing more and often living longer – however, the bulk of certain costs will occur in the first 12 months of life, when most shots and basic needs like neutering or spaying and microchipping are done and capital costs for carriers, beds, shelter, and other instant needs are accepted.

After that, it’s a known quantity for food, plus an unknown quantity for vet care. Food can range anywhere from $150-$1500 per year depending on the size of the dog; health care will vary wildly depending on the health of the animal, any accidents, and where in the country you live.

Other potential costs include pet sitting, pet walking, pet grooming, and other incidentals like toys, treats, outings, leashes and collars that have to be replaced, items for travel and car rides, and more.

Cats have slightly lower costs, but veterinary care is often higher – although cats may not get as many off the cuff injuries as dogs, they are susceptible to more kinds of illnesses and ailments as they get older which can rapidly rack up vet bills.

Exotic pets can cost a pretty penny at the vet as well. Unless you have a local vet who treats exotics, travel time will have to be factored in.

With the Pet Benefit from 2BenefitU, at least the veterinary portion of your lifetime pet responsibility budget can be cut down, as well as some of the ongoing costs for replaceable items that wear out, and services your vet may offer that aren’t directly health related- and you can even take advantage of the ID tag and pet finder system.

With this benefit, you can enjoy:

  • 25% off medical procedures at participating veterinarians
  • 10% to 35% off pet services and supplies
  • Free ID tag and 24-hour pet location service

Vet not in the network? You can nominate him or her and get the savings, and get them more business, too. Caring for a pet lasts their lifetime, so it only makes sense to get as much savings as you can.

Chiropractic Relief

Three Conditions You Didn’t Know a Chiropractor Could Help With

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Chiropractors don’t just treat tweaked backs, sore necks, and kinked spinal columns. There are many conditions that can be improved by chiropractic treatment, including:

Chronic Headaches

Headaches can ruin an afternoon, a whole day, or – in severe cases – a week or more. Chronic headaches can be tension or stress induced, or you may suffer from migraines that have a more neurological component and leave you disoriented and disabled. Not all headaches can be treated with chiropractic measures, but tension headaches and headaches that begin in the neck can often benefit from spinal manipulation that relieves stress, alleviates muscle tension and joint irritation, and eases or reduces headache pain. Many patients find that regular “adjustments” lead to a reduction in the number of headaches they have as well as a lessening of pain when they do have a headache.

Anxiety or Stress

There are three main kinds of stress triggers – body, mind, and environmental. Something as simple as noise, weather, time crunches and performance expectations can cause stress, as can physical illness, mental distress, or a variety of other causes. When you are stressed, the hypothalamus in your brain goes into overdrive. It stimulates the sympathetic nervous system, causing an increase in heart rate, blood volume and blood pressure, which can eventually lead to very real conditions such as high blood pressure, muscle tissue damage, diabetes, infertility, immune system compromise and more. A chiropractor isn’t a magician, but sometimes spinal manipulation can reduce nerve irritation and release muscle tension, relaxing the body and reducing the flight or fight response that pain sends to the brain.

Fibromyalgia

Fibromyalgia is diagnosed in patients who typically have a minimum of 11 out of 18 specific tender points on the body, plus symptoms such as long-term fatigue, mood disorders, and insomnia.  People with FM may also present with additional conditions such as IBS, TMJ, psychological conditions, and / or some autoimmune diseases. This widespread pain and sensitivity throughout the entire musculoskeletal systems is thought to affect about 2 percent of the United States population. In one study, 60 percent of the subjects treated by a chiropractor experienced a significant improvement: reduced pain, improved sleep and decreased fatigue, as pressure points can be relieved and nerve pain reduced with proper manipulation.

With 2BenefitU’s Chiropractic Benefit, you can get discounted care from a chiropractor and have these and other conditions treated in a way that may provide more or different relief than you can obtain through regular medical channels.*

* This information is not provided as medical advice and should not be taken as such. Please consult your doctor before obtaining treatment of any kind.