According to Ellen Unsworth of Sacramento, Calif., her English cocker spaniel Tomis is a sweet and well-mannered dog, which is why his owners had little concern about hosting a small holiday gathering for a few two-legged friends. Though Tomis was relaxed and behaved around guests, the cunning canine was patiently awaiting the opportunity to indulge in a tasty, and in this case, a highly toxic snack. While pet poisoning is not a common occurrence, this particular incident had an extraordinary twist, earning Tomis the title of “Most Unusual Claim of the Month” by Veterinary Pet Insurance Co. (VPI).

“If we hadn’t caught Tomis with his front paws on the coffee table, we wouldn’t have known; he’s very cunning about stealing food. Our backs were turned for only a moment when he devoured a bowl of raisins and almonds we had set out on the table,” said Ellen. “We called our veterinary office, and they advised us to bring Tomis in immediately for potential raisin toxicity. What we didn’t know was that, in his haste to sneak as much food as possible, Tomis had coughed while swallowing one of the nuts, which caused it to become firmly lodged in the back of his sinuses.”

Tomis’ veterinarian induced vomiting and treated him over the next two days for food poisoning. While the cocker spaniel remained under medical care, his veterinarian and owners became alarmed by what Ellen described as a “horrible rattling noise” from deep inside his muzzle. His veterinarian preformed a CT scan and identified a large mass in the back of his nose. After an unsuccessful attempt to remove the mass with a rhinoscopy, it was decided it needed to be taken out surgically through Tomis’ soft palate. When the surgical team began to operate, they discovered the mass was actually a whole almond, wedged tightly in place. Fortunately, the surgeon was able to remove the nut and Tomis has since made a full recovery.

“Many pets are highly motivated by food and can be incredibly diligent about getting it,” said Carol McConnell, DVM, MBA, vice president and chief veterinary medical officer for VPI. “Because it’s impossible to watch them constantly, it’s all the more critical to know what foods are toxic or harmful to animals and to keep those items completely out of reach. Tomis’ incident is also a good reminder that even the most common occurrences can result in unexpected expenses for pet owners.”

Dr. McConnell recommends that pet owners contact their veterinarian or the Pet Poison Helpline immediately if a toxic ingestion occurs. Available 24-hours a day at (800) 213-6680, the Pet Poison Helpline is an animal poison control service that can assist pet owners with treating a potentially poisoned pet. For more information about pet poisoning prevention and first aid, visit www.petpoisonhelpline.com.

As for the Unsworths, the family is much more diligent about keeping snacks out of reach and is currently training Tomis not to touch food until he is released to eat it. “We realize that we can be vigilant about watching him 99 percent of the time, but it all comes down to that one moment when an incident like this can happen,” said Ellen. “Thank goodness we have pet insurance; we have been so happy with VPI.”

Introducing: Potsie, Marion and Pinky

Meet Pinky, Potsie and Marion; three terrier-mix siblings recently adopted by John and Cathy Kurczeski of Monroe Township, NJ. The sisters came from a liter of seven pups rescued by New York-based non-profit Tails of Love Animal Rescue. We caught up with Cathy to learn more about these soon-to-be celebs:

“On Oct. 15, 2011, we lost our dearest black Lab Oscar, who passed away from old age. We were absolutely heartbroken over our loss. We said we were not going to have anymore pets as the loss of our furry family members over the last few years had been devastating,” recalled Cathy.  “Over time, my husband reconsidered and his online research led him to Tails of Love.” 

When the couple finally met the little ones, Cathy had a hard time accepting the fact that she couldn’t adopt them all. “My husband wanted to stick with one, but of course I talked him into not splitting up the siblings. When we went to pick up our two puppies, Pinky and Potsie, I still couldn’t imagine not taking the last sister but my husband insisted that it would be too much for us,” said Cathy. “We were very fortunate that Tails of Love did not find the perfect home for Marion and eventually, we were able to adopt her too.”

According to Cathy, Pinky, Potsie and Marion have adapted very well to their new home. “It was meant to be for them to stay together,” said Cathy. “They are high-energy pups who love to run, cuddle and wrestle with each other and, of course, chew on anything they can get their teeth on.”

Through Tails of Love, Pinky, Potsie and Marion have been invited to participate in the upcoming Puppy Bowl. The pack’s pet parents could not be more proud of their bunch and are excited to share their story with the world this Super Bowl Sunday. “We are very excited for the TV debut of our three pups,” said Cathy. “We are so fortunate to have had the opportunity to adopt Pinky, Potsie and Marion and that they will be a part of our family for a long time!”

Practicing for the Puppy Bowl, perhaps?

Be sure to catch these members of the VPI family on Animal Planet this Sunday, Feb. 5 at 3 p.m. E/P.

All smiles here!

Did you know that dogs have 42 permanent teeth while cats only have 30? Regardless of the number of pearly whites your pets possess, keeping up with their oral hygiene is an important part of their overall health. In honor of Pet Dental Health Month, VPI is encouraging pet parents to brush up on their knowledge of dog and cat dental care.

Preventive tooth care is not only necessary for pets, it’s financially sound for pet owners. In 2011, the average claim amount for pet teeth cleaning was $164. In contrast, the average claim amount for treating tooth-related disease was $238. VPI recommends pet owners have their furry friends’ oral and dental health evaluated regularly by a veterinarian. Between regular check-ups, pet owners should look for the warning signs of gum disease such as bad breath, red and swollen gums, yellow-brown crusts of tartar along the gum lines, and bleeding or pain when the gums or mouth are touched.

Periodontal disease, a condition caused by residual food, bacteria and tartar that collect in the spaces between the gum and tooth (resulting in infection that spreads to the bone), accounted for the most dental claims received by VPI last year—nearly 20,000. Tooth infections, inclusive of cavities and abscesses, accounted for the second most common tooth-related claims, totaling nearly 4,800. Infections of the teeth are typically the result of untreated tooth decay, cracked teeth or severe periodontal disease.

So how do you prevent dental disease from threatening your pet? The American Veterinary Dental Society outlines these simple steps:

1. Take your pet to get a routine veterinary exam, including careful inspection of the teeth and gums, at least once a year.
2. Ask your veterinarian to suggest nutritional supplements and a teeth brushing schedule to start an at-home regimen.
3. Schedule dental cleanings and take your pet for regular checkups.

Caring for your companions’ dental health, while critical, can be costly for pet owners. Last year, VPI policyholders spent more than $8.5 million on pet dental conditions. Fortunately, dental coverage is available for Fluffy and Fido. VPI’s base medical plans reimburse for everything from tooth abscess to root canals and periodontal disease. VPI’s optional CareGuard Premire coverage is available for routine care, allowing pet owners to elect annual dental cleanings for their cats and dogs. Visit our website to get a free quote or to learn more about pet dental coverage.

According to Teresa Praus-Choe of Las Vegas, Nev., her pig Crispy Bacon is quite a ham. Though she and her husband Ian joke that Crispy is their little “rock star,” they never expected the potbellied pig to take that notion to the extreme. After overdosing on human medication while his owners were at work, Crispy has earned the title of “Most Unusual Claim of the Month” by Veterinary Pet Insurance Co. (VPI).

“We had done absolutely everything to piggy-proof our home, including adding child safety locks to cabinet doors. We always place medication up high and out of reach,” said Teresa. “One night when we came home from work, we saw medicine bottles everywhere and pills on the floor. Crispy had knocked over a table and ingested ibuprofen, acetaminophen, omeprazole and beta blockers.”

Not knowing how many pills the pig had swallowed, Teresa and Ian rushed him to the emergency animal hospital as soon as he began to vomit. The next few days were torturous for the pig’s parents as Crispy was treated for drug toxicity. Concerned for the health and functionality of his heart, kidney and liver, Crispy’s veterinarian administered fluids intravenously, performed a charcoal treatment, and completed blood work daily to monitor Crispy’s organ function. After three days of care, Crispy was healthy enough to return home and has since made a full recovery.

“Although the pet in this case may be a less-than-common companion, the incident itself actually occurs rather frequently,” said Carol McConnell, DVM, MBA, vice president and chief veterinary medical officer for VPI. “In 2011, VPI received more than 1,000 claims for drug overdose making it the most common type of toxicity claim among companion animals. As Crispy’s owners know all too well, accidental ingestion of human medications can be life-threatening for a pet, as well as mentally, emotionally and financially taxing for a pet’s parents.”

Dr. McConnell recommends taking proper steps to prevent poisonings and having the phone numbers of emergency veterinary hospitals handy, should such an incident occur. As for Diana and Ian, the couple reported that they now take extra care to ensure that hazardous items are not only placed up high and out of reach, but are carefully locked away.

“Being in the medical field, my husband and I both recognize the value of insurance,” said Diana. “We chose to get VPI Pet Insurance for Crispy because you just never know what’s going to happen. With VPI, we know that we’ll at least be able to recover a portion of his medical expenses.”

For more information about toxicity prevention, pet owners should visit VPI’s Pet HealthZone.

After sorting through our database of more than 485,000 insured pets, we’re ready to reveal the most popular pet names of 2011. Following are the top 10 most common names for dogs and cats, as well as birds and exotic pets:

The tendency toward selecting human names for pets appears to continue with almost every name on the top 10 dog names list doubling as a popular name for people. Of the nearly half a million pets insured by VPI, only 13 were named “Fido,” and just 17 came running to the name “Spot,” which indicates a decrease in the popularity of traditional dog names. Though dog owners are rapidly adopting this trend, feline pet parents seem slightly more traditional with the names “Tiger” and “Tigger” lingering on the top 10 cat names list.

Charlie remained in the top spot on the birds and exotic pets list, which consists of the most popular names for feathered friends, lizards, gerbils, rabbits and other companion animals. Several new names debuted on the top 10 birds and exotics list this year including: “Buddy,” “Angel,” “Daisy” and “Coco.” 

Mr. Meowgi made our Wacky Pet Names list

Although “Bella” and “Max” remain among the most popular names for pets, thousands of others are sporting monikers of a less conventional form, such as “Shooter Mclovin” and “Mr. Meowgi.” To see some of the more creative names selected for VPI’s Top 10 Most Unusual Pet Names of 2011, visit www.wackypetnames.com. 

Are the names of your furry family members on our top 10 list? Leave a comment below and let us know what pet names your companions don!