Thank you to the folks of Trupanion Pet Insurance for reminding me that today is Mutt Day and as The Fur Mom to three mutts (actually four, we’ll always have room for Riley’s memory), then today is a party! Check out the Pet Holiday’s page for more great days to celebrate and read on about Mutt Day!
Rodrigo, Blue and Sydney – Our Herding Pack
Mutt Day – What Will You Do for Your Mutt?
July 31st is Mutt Day and it was designed to celebrate mixed breed dogs. Due to the overwhelming desire of designer dogs and purebred puppies, mixed breeds are the biggest percentage of dogs euthanized in shelters. National Mutt Day is intended to bring awareness to these issues and educate people about the myths surrounding mixed breed dogs.
A common misconception about Mutts
It’s a common misconception that mixed breed dogs don’t get sick – or at least don’t develop the extreme health conditions of their purebred playmates. But the truth is that any dog regardless of breed can require some heath support during their lives. Whether it’s a dilemma with a plastic bag or the accidental ingestion of a squeaky toy that leads to emergency surgery, the curiosity and playfulness of any dog can sometimes lead them to trouble.
Steve swallowed a plastic bag – Yikes!
For example, Steve, the 3-year-old mixed breed dog, got into some serious trouble with a plastic bag. Thinking it was all fun and games the poor pup ended up swallowing the entire plastic bag and it got caught up in his intestines. This caused internal damage and Steve needed immediate surgery and two nights at the clinic for recovery.
Watson swallowed his squeaky toy!
Or there is Watson, a mixed breed dog that had a little too much fun with his squeaky toy when he ended up swallowing it. His owners took him to the emergency room and sure enough the X-rays showed the toy in his belly. Watson received surgery to remove the squeak toy along with medication to make sure he had a safe recovery.
Sampson was diagnosed with cancer.
Not only are mixed breeds just as likely to get into trouble as any other dog but they are just as likely to develop health conditions. Sampson the 6-year-old mixed-breed dog was recently diagnosed with a mast cell tumor. His owners took him in when they noticed a mass on his paw and were told that mass cell tumors are cancerous and can be mild or seriously aggressive. The chemicals released from these tumors can eventually cause internal bleeding and gastric ulcers so the veterinarian informed them that Sampson would need radiation therapy along with other diagnostics tests.
Be prepared for the unexpected
No matter if you own a mutt or a purebred, you are bound to run into some issues. And as much love as these mutts give us daily, it’s important to be there for them in their time of need. Pet insurance helped the owners of Steve, Watson, and Sampson move forward with the best possible treatment available to get their companions back to their mischievous selves as quickly as possible. It may be a good decision for you and your pet, too.
Our personal story
As you know, we adopted a puppy in may, Riley, who passed away from Canine Parvovirus. It was devastating and expensive. I’ve always heard that mutts are healthier, but I think when someone shares this, we should ask them to explain. As the representative of Trupanion shared above, being a mutt doesn’t protect our dogs from accidents or just plain bad luck. Rodrigo has swallowed not one but 5 squeakers (he pulls them out of the toy and down they go). Sydney had a day when she was throwing up blood (turns out she was eating too fast). And Blue had to have his dewclaws removed and now has a rash on his tummy (vet appointment later today).
I don’t want to be a downer on this great day, but I do want to encourage dog owners to consider pet insurance. There are many options out there, we chose Trupanion Pet Insurance, because we believe they’re the best. You can read why we chose Trupanion Pet Insurance HERE.
Whichever insurance you choose, take comfort in a little piece of mind and enjoy your mutts today. Even the ones who purr.
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September 4, 2012 at 5:24 am
I told my son that it was National Mutt Day – he said Maggy wasn’t a mutt. I explained to him that she was, and he seemed a little offended. Never one to turn down a party – especially for his dog, he waited a while then asked me what we would do to celebrate.
I did have the idea that mutts don’t get as sick as other dogs, and are therefore less expensive. That was until I had one! We have a pet care plan, but didn’t consider insurance. I’ll check that out…
(dofollow)
Eva recently published..Carnival Face Paint Tutorial: Beyond the Butterfly
Twitter: socamomdc
September 4, 2012 at 7:59 am
That story is adorable. The decision to invest in pet insurance was a tough one, because as I was doing research I wasn’t really happy with what I was finding/learning. I almost changed my mind, but then I thought of all the active things we like to do with our dogs and you can’t plan for an accident.
Thanks for stopping by, Eva!
Kimberly
Twitter: thefurmom