Today in the United States, we have insurance for just about everything that’s important to us: our homes, our cars, and our own personal health. But did you know that there is also insurance available for our pets? Pet insurance has been sold in the United States since 1982. The very first policy, from Veterinary Pet Insurance, was issued to the famous Lassie from TV. Today, pet insurance is a great way to ensure that our dogs, cats, and other animal friends are cared for in the event of an illness or accident.

Searching the best pet insurance reviews online will tell you all you need to know about the myriad policies available for your pets. The pet health insurance policies that allow for a pay out when a pet dies, or is lost or stolen, have some of the best pet insurance reviews, for instance. Other great policies with the best pet insurance reviews are ones that include care for a pet in the event of an owner’s death or hospitalization, coverage for emergency medical care for a pet, and help with expenses for your pet’s medication. Having pet insurance for a pet is the best way to ensure a long and happy life with our four-legged companions.

There are other things you can do for your pet as well in order to make sure that he or she is taken care of on a regular basis. Some of these things include veterinary care, but others are practices you can implement at home. Check out these great pet healthcare tips below:

1. Make sure your cat or dog eats properly. Investing in better quality food will lead to fewer health problems overall. This is especially important for cats, who can be more susceptible to urinary tract infections from inexpensive, low quality cat food.

2. Speaking of your cat’s or dog’s health when it comes to things like UTIs, did you know that animals that are allowed outside have more accidents? It’s true, especially in cats. Animals that go outside are also at risk for contracting more illnesses. They also take a larger toll on the environment than pets that are kept indoors.

3. Make sure your cat or dog has regular veterinary checkups. Not only will your pet have access to regular shots and other treatments, but a veterinarian can also use diagnostic tools such as MRIs in order to find problems that would otherwise go undetected and possible untreated in your cat or dog. Although some of this equipment is costly and will boost your payments at the vet, these procedures are potentially life-saving for your cat or dog.

4. Finally, always be sure to pay attention to your cat’s or dog’s behavior to check for health problems. If you notice excessive thirst, loss of appetite, increased accidents, vomiting, diarrhea, trouble breathing, injuries, or other warning signs in your pet’s health, take him or her to the vet immediately. Animals often do not show that they are sick or injured, so be on the lookout for behavioral changes such as increased sleeping time or avoidance of humans or other animals as well.

Our pets give us so much affection and joy on a daily basis, so it’s important that we return that affection by caring for our pets’ health. If you don’t have pet insurance already, find a policy online or through a local shelter that will help you and your pet live life to the fullest together!