Showing 5 posts from September 2008
I'm so thrilled at the great response to my Those vet bills... post. I oversimplified some very complicated stuff an awful lot to try and get my point across without being too too wordy. But several people commented that they learned something and I'm very glad to hear it :) Being able to afford vet care is really something you need to think about while everything is okay. Don't wait for a pet emergency that costs a thousand or more before you think of how you'll be dealing with the cost - chances are you'll be so shocked you'll barely know your name and that is no time to think about fiscal responsibility ;)
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Ahem. Anyway. I promised I'd quit stalling and get to work and i did just that. I bring to you two black and tan beauties. Except one is liver and tan :P
Here's a Rottweiler with a gigentic smile. They're really such goofy dogs, aren't they?
And a liver and tan Doberman Pinscher. Wonderfully sensitive and very intuitive dogs.
Both shells are available in my shop, you can click right on them in the "Shameless Self-Promotion" box on the right to see them :)
Since I was so wordy with the vet bills post I think I'll make up for it by shutting up now :P
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Ahem. Anyway. I promised I'd quit stalling and get to work and i did just that. I bring to you two black and tan beauties. Except one is liver and tan :P
Here's a Rottweiler with a gigentic smile. They're really such goofy dogs, aren't they?
And a liver and tan Doberman Pinscher. Wonderfully sensitive and very intuitive dogs.
Both shells are available in my shop, you can click right on them in the "Shameless Self-Promotion" box on the right to see them :)
Since I was so wordy with the vet bills post I think I'll make up for it by shutting up now :P
Lets talk about something serious for a bit. Vet bills are insanely expensive. Because there is no insurance*(there is but it's different - more on this later) for your animals like people have, there is nothing keeping the veterinary prices in check. Effectively vets have a monopoly and can charge $40 for a nail trim and if you don't have any other options, you're stuck paying it. Nail trims are easy, what about more extensive procedures like vaccinations, sutures, dentals, bloodwork, surgery, emergency care, hospitalization, etc etc etc? The prices get pretty damn awful.
Now I'm not blaming veterinarians here, running a clinic is not cheap. The economy is not having an easy time obviously, prices are rising and vet clinics have to keep up just like any other business.
It cannot be stressed enough how important it is to have a plan in mind in case your pet should need unexpected care. Same goes even for routine maintenance - if your pet is healthy enough to only need a visit once a year you might forget how expensive the bill is until you see it in your hands again.
I can give an example from my own experience. One fine morning in February Perry came down with Hemorrhagic gastro-enteritis ("HGE" - blood in the intestines). We rushed him to Animal Medical Center in Manhattan and he wound up staying in the ICU for 24 hours recieving fluids and medication. We have no idea what caused it and it went away as quickly as it came. By the next day when he was home, you'd have never known that the little dog was so sick earlier.
I was hit with a bill for two thousand dollars. I never expected it. What helped me get through was Care Credit. I was approved on the spot and was able to pay the bill with it. The way it works is basically like a credit card. You charge your entire bill to your CareCredit account. And then CareCredit gives you three to six months to pay them off the full price. It is interest free as long as you pay the monthly bills on time. And believe me, it is easier to put two thousand dollars aside over the span of six months than coming up with the money up front. In fact I highly recommend this option.
Last night we took Perry to AMC again (in fact this is my inspiration to write about this topic). He didn't eat all day and in the evening he was hunched over in pain and started to scream. He did it several times within about twenty minutes, so we grabbed him and drove to the hospital. The doctor did not find a thing wrong with him. He was perfectly relaxed and showed no signs of pain. I asked to do an x-ray. The x-ray showed nothing out of the ordinary, no signs of anything. I had the vet go over him once again. Nothing. He was wagging his tail and happy to head out of the hospital. Made a total liar out of me. When we got home, he ran over and ate his brother's dinner and was happy like nothing happened. Apparently he just needed to go for a stroll. I'm glad that it was nothing (he was screaming like his insides were about to implode or something, I swear). But I'm now $300 poorer. With Care Credit, I will be able to make six payments of $50 rather than giving the hospital $300 out of pocket. Still stings but its easier.
Now lets talk insurance. I mentioned before that animals don't get insurance - that's not true. In fact pet health insurance is quite popular in Europe and getting more widespread in the United States. However the way is works is very different from "people insurance". In very basic terms, with health insurance for people you pay a certain amount when you go to a clinic - lets say $25 - and the insurance company covers the rest of the bill. I'm idealizing a bit, but that's the basics. With pet health insurance, you go to the clinic and have your procedures done. You pay the whole bill. Then you send a copy of the bill to the insurance company and they'll decide whether they give you money back or not. Sometimes they cover nearly the whole bill. Sometimes they only give a small fraction and it feels more like a discount than any real help. The coverage you get depends on your package, whether your pet has pre-existing conditions, etc etc.
Sometimes pet health insurance is worth it. Sometimes its not. I've thought about it a lot and personally chose not to go with it for my animals. For the amount of money I'd be spending per month (we have four pets), there is no guarantee how much of the bill they would actually cover, especially in emergency situations. I personally feel that its more efficient to take that amount of money every month and put it away in a seperate bank account where i can reach it whenever necessary.
However, i do urge you to reseach pet insurance to see if perhaps it will fit your situation. The Pet Insurance Review website has everything you want to know about pet health insurance, including people's personal insurance stories. There is a full list of US and Canadian pet insurance companies, as well as the right questions to ask and where to get insurance quotes. The site is not affiliated with any company so they should not have any bias. Read on!
In case you didn'catch them, here are the websites i mentioned, again:
-Care Credit
-The Pet Insurance Review
Now I'm not blaming veterinarians here, running a clinic is not cheap. The economy is not having an easy time obviously, prices are rising and vet clinics have to keep up just like any other business.
It cannot be stressed enough how important it is to have a plan in mind in case your pet should need unexpected care. Same goes even for routine maintenance - if your pet is healthy enough to only need a visit once a year you might forget how expensive the bill is until you see it in your hands again.
I can give an example from my own experience. One fine morning in February Perry came down with Hemorrhagic gastro-enteritis ("HGE" - blood in the intestines). We rushed him to Animal Medical Center in Manhattan and he wound up staying in the ICU for 24 hours recieving fluids and medication. We have no idea what caused it and it went away as quickly as it came. By the next day when he was home, you'd have never known that the little dog was so sick earlier.
I was hit with a bill for two thousand dollars. I never expected it. What helped me get through was Care Credit. I was approved on the spot and was able to pay the bill with it. The way it works is basically like a credit card. You charge your entire bill to your CareCredit account. And then CareCredit gives you three to six months to pay them off the full price. It is interest free as long as you pay the monthly bills on time. And believe me, it is easier to put two thousand dollars aside over the span of six months than coming up with the money up front. In fact I highly recommend this option.
Last night we took Perry to AMC again (in fact this is my inspiration to write about this topic). He didn't eat all day and in the evening he was hunched over in pain and started to scream. He did it several times within about twenty minutes, so we grabbed him and drove to the hospital. The doctor did not find a thing wrong with him. He was perfectly relaxed and showed no signs of pain. I asked to do an x-ray. The x-ray showed nothing out of the ordinary, no signs of anything. I had the vet go over him once again. Nothing. He was wagging his tail and happy to head out of the hospital. Made a total liar out of me. When we got home, he ran over and ate his brother's dinner and was happy like nothing happened. Apparently he just needed to go for a stroll. I'm glad that it was nothing (he was screaming like his insides were about to implode or something, I swear). But I'm now $300 poorer. With Care Credit, I will be able to make six payments of $50 rather than giving the hospital $300 out of pocket. Still stings but its easier.
Now lets talk insurance. I mentioned before that animals don't get insurance - that's not true. In fact pet health insurance is quite popular in Europe and getting more widespread in the United States. However the way is works is very different from "people insurance". In very basic terms, with health insurance for people you pay a certain amount when you go to a clinic - lets say $25 - and the insurance company covers the rest of the bill. I'm idealizing a bit, but that's the basics. With pet health insurance, you go to the clinic and have your procedures done. You pay the whole bill. Then you send a copy of the bill to the insurance company and they'll decide whether they give you money back or not. Sometimes they cover nearly the whole bill. Sometimes they only give a small fraction and it feels more like a discount than any real help. The coverage you get depends on your package, whether your pet has pre-existing conditions, etc etc.
Sometimes pet health insurance is worth it. Sometimes its not. I've thought about it a lot and personally chose not to go with it for my animals. For the amount of money I'd be spending per month (we have four pets), there is no guarantee how much of the bill they would actually cover, especially in emergency situations. I personally feel that its more efficient to take that amount of money every month and put it away in a seperate bank account where i can reach it whenever necessary.
However, i do urge you to reseach pet insurance to see if perhaps it will fit your situation. The Pet Insurance Review website has everything you want to know about pet health insurance, including people's personal insurance stories. There is a full list of US and Canadian pet insurance companies, as well as the right questions to ask and where to get insurance quotes. The site is not affiliated with any company so they should not have any bias. Read on!
In case you didn'catch them, here are the websites i mentioned, again:
-Care Credit
-The Pet Insurance Review
Dogs, Art and a cup of tea has been invited to join the DogTime Blog Network. I'm flattered and excited at the same time. i now have a DogTime badge to display!
In other news, I still haven't gotten around to any painting yet. Man, shame on me. But I'm gonna try tonight. I've got a few really spiff shells penciled out and i can't wait to bring them to life.
It also seems like I'll be reformatting my computer very soon because it is just not working properly anymore. I'm trying to find a way to back up 7 gigs of pictures and stuff. I'm thinking I better back it all up fast before there's that final crash where everything dies. Always have a backup plan folks! I've got a year and a half of pictures of my dogs and several years of my cats and fish... and a few other "memory worthy" occasions. I'd be crushed if they were to disappear. So lets make sure it doesn't happen!
and lastly, September 15th was Marco's gotcha day! Everyone congratulate him, the crazy boy has been with me for a year! He is incredibly different from his shy, gentle littermate Perry. Marc wiggles his whole body when he's happy, jumps in your lap whether you want it or not, thinks its funny to piss off the cats, and makes sure to lick every piece of kibble in his bowl before actually eating any. I've never met another dog with so much personality. Happy (belated) gotcha day, skinny boy!
In other news, I still haven't gotten around to any painting yet. Man, shame on me. But I'm gonna try tonight. I've got a few really spiff shells penciled out and i can't wait to bring them to life.
It also seems like I'll be reformatting my computer very soon because it is just not working properly anymore. I'm trying to find a way to back up 7 gigs of pictures and stuff. I'm thinking I better back it all up fast before there's that final crash where everything dies. Always have a backup plan folks! I've got a year and a half of pictures of my dogs and several years of my cats and fish... and a few other "memory worthy" occasions. I'd be crushed if they were to disappear. So lets make sure it doesn't happen!
and lastly, September 15th was Marco's gotcha day! Everyone congratulate him, the crazy boy has been with me for a year! He is incredibly different from his shy, gentle littermate Perry. Marc wiggles his whole body when he's happy, jumps in your lap whether you want it or not, thinks its funny to piss off the cats, and makes sure to lick every piece of kibble in his bowl before actually eating any. I've never met another dog with so much personality. Happy (belated) gotcha day, skinny boy!
I've been a little slow on shell-painting, i admit. College has started and there's barely enough time for anything. As usual.
But i did get one custom portrait in. Meet Louis...
Louis is a beautiful happy lab mix. I hear that he always wears a smile on his face.
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Hey have you ever seen something in a shop and thought to yourself "it would be totally perfect if only it had..." Lets say we're talking about the shells in my
shop. And you see this shell... and you think to yourself 'that looks totally like my dog, if only his body was all white, or his face didn't have a blaze or whatever else...'
If it was a minor request like a bit of a color change, i would be willing to change the shell and edit it. Now I can't do large alterations like change position, or open a closed mouth, since there is no way i can erase paint off a shell surface.
But don't be afraid to ask. I will also gladly write your dog's name on the shell. Well not that gladly - my handwriting isn't as neat as i'd like it to be. But I try my best to get it to look neat. Because lets face it, its one thing to have a portrait that looks like your dog but its totally another to officially dedicate it to them.
Perhaps this isn't for every sort of art, and some artists might not be willing to change a piece by request. But I don't mind at all and will work with you as long as the request is do-able.
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On a last note... it may only be September, but the holiday season will be here sooner than you imagine.
The reason I'm bringing it up is that if you have been thinking of giving someone a custom shell portrait as a gift but have been putting it off for later - get it done now. I'm a college student in my senior year of pre-med and I'll have some serious finals in December. So there will absolutely be no last minute portraits. In fact my last final will be on December 22nd, so you can see I'll really be pressed for time.
As much as I hate to say it, the deadline for custom portraits will be no later than November. As long as you want the portrait to come in time for Christmas or whatever holidays. When I'm in school it can take me two to three weeks to complete a commissioned work due to assignments and tests. And I'll really have to pause any artwork when my finals are coming up. Its unfortunate, I'm not happy about it, but its important that i set this deadline.
So to reiterate - if you would like a custom portrait done in time for the holiday season, the deadline to set up the project and send me photos is by November 1st. After that I may squeeze in projects if i have time, but there is no guarantee that i will have a chance to.
Of course shells that are already in my shop will be available for purchase right up to the last moment.
But i did get one custom portrait in. Meet Louis...
Louis is a beautiful happy lab mix. I hear that he always wears a smile on his face.
----------
Hey have you ever seen something in a shop and thought to yourself "it would be totally perfect if only it had..." Lets say we're talking about the shells in my
shop. And you see this shell... and you think to yourself 'that looks totally like my dog, if only his body was all white, or his face didn't have a blaze or whatever else...' If it was a minor request like a bit of a color change, i would be willing to change the shell and edit it. Now I can't do large alterations like change position, or open a closed mouth, since there is no way i can erase paint off a shell surface.
But don't be afraid to ask. I will also gladly write your dog's name on the shell. Well not that gladly - my handwriting isn't as neat as i'd like it to be. But I try my best to get it to look neat. Because lets face it, its one thing to have a portrait that looks like your dog but its totally another to officially dedicate it to them. Perhaps this isn't for every sort of art, and some artists might not be willing to change a piece by request. But I don't mind at all and will work with you as long as the request is do-able.
------------------
On a last note... it may only be September, but the holiday season will be here sooner than you imagine.
The reason I'm bringing it up is that if you have been thinking of giving someone a custom shell portrait as a gift but have been putting it off for later - get it done now. I'm a college student in my senior year of pre-med and I'll have some serious finals in December. So there will absolutely be no last minute portraits. In fact my last final will be on December 22nd, so you can see I'll really be pressed for time.
As much as I hate to say it, the deadline for custom portraits will be no later than November. As long as you want the portrait to come in time for Christmas or whatever holidays. When I'm in school it can take me two to three weeks to complete a commissioned work due to assignments and tests. And I'll really have to pause any artwork when my finals are coming up. Its unfortunate, I'm not happy about it, but its important that i set this deadline.
So to reiterate - if you would like a custom portrait done in time for the holiday season, the deadline to set up the project and send me photos is by November 1st. After that I may squeeze in projects if i have time, but there is no guarantee that i will have a chance to.
Of course shells that are already in my shop will be available for purchase right up to the last moment.
I'm quite sad to see summer leaving in such a hurry. August didn't even end before the weather started getting cooler around here. While its been a change from searing hot to comfortable, and i am actually able to take the dogs for a nice long walk without worrying that they'll burn their feet on the incredibly hot sidewalk, its still disappointing to see summer go. I don't know, for as long as i can remember summer has been my favorite season and has never lasted long enough. 
Part of it is because i really hate cold weather. I have an incredibly low tolerance for being cold - something my dogs and i agree on. And before I know it, it will be rainy and damp. And maybe even sleet and snow following. Some people are excited by snow but I'll take 90 degree heat instead anyday. Half the time i even forget to turn on the a/c...
And for those of us who have dogs that are not blessed with thick insulating fur, its a good time to start thinking about how you will keep your dogs warm this fall season.
So lets see what interesting dog apparel i can find on Etsy.
Acme Couture features doggie coats that are very stylish. They are also practical - some are made just for the spring or fall and others are for colder days. Coats are custom made to fit your dog's measurements, so the fit is just right.
This fleece design is more familiar to IG/whippet people. It hugs the curves of the sighthound and is incredibly soft and warm. This particular design is brought to you by Warm Whippets, and as the cold weather is rolling in there will be new selection available. This shop particularly caters to Whippets and Italian Greyhounds because unfortunately they have such deep chests and dimensions very different from your typical dogs - and must have clothes custom made in order to fit properly.
warmwags has a slogan that goes "from mini to mighty... keeping dogs warm!" This particular coat is made custom for any large dog. They are fleece on the outside and fully lined with sherpa on the inside so they'll keep the large but shorthaired dog toasty. Warmwags also has a selection of very warm coats for the teeniest toys.
Furkid Fever features a full selection of clothes so that dogs can match, or even outdo their humans. When I say full selection, I mean everything from pajamas to shirts, skirts and full fancy dresses. These clothes are more for fashion and cuteness than for warmth, and they are absolutely adorable. Especially if your toy pup doesn't realize that they're not human. Most clothes are custom made.
D-Lishus--dog dudz features a selection of hand crocheted sweaters for your pup. They can be custom made to your dog's size and have fun yarn accents. Heh even whole sweaters made of fun yarn so that perhaps your dog can feel like they have a mane.
And of course don't forget that Halloween is coming up. SewSweetFinery features some adorable hat/masks so your dog can join in the party fun.
Part of it is because i really hate cold weather. I have an incredibly low tolerance for being cold - something my dogs and i agree on. And before I know it, it will be rainy and damp. And maybe even sleet and snow following. Some people are excited by snow but I'll take 90 degree heat instead anyday. Half the time i even forget to turn on the a/c...
And for those of us who have dogs that are not blessed with thick insulating fur, its a good time to start thinking about how you will keep your dogs warm this fall season. So lets see what interesting dog apparel i can find on Etsy.
Acme Couture features doggie coats that are very stylish. They are also practical - some are made just for the spring or fall and others are for colder days. Coats are custom made to fit your dog's measurements, so the fit is just right. This fleece design is more familiar to IG/whippet people. It hugs the curves of the sighthound and is incredibly soft and warm. This particular design is brought to you by Warm Whippets, and as the cold weather is rolling in there will be new selection available. This shop particularly caters to Whippets and Italian Greyhounds because unfortunately they have such deep chests and dimensions very different from your typical dogs - and must have clothes custom made in order to fit properly. warmwags has a slogan that goes "from mini to mighty... keeping dogs warm!" This particular coat is made custom for any large dog. They are fleece on the outside and fully lined with sherpa on the inside so they'll keep the large but shorthaired dog toasty. Warmwags also has a selection of very warm coats for the teeniest toys. Furkid Fever features a full selection of clothes so that dogs can match, or even outdo their humans. When I say full selection, I mean everything from pajamas to shirts, skirts and full fancy dresses. These clothes are more for fashion and cuteness than for warmth, and they are absolutely adorable. Especially if your toy pup doesn't realize that they're not human. Most clothes are custom made. D-Lishus--dog dudz features a selection of hand crocheted sweaters for your pup. They can be custom made to your dog's size and have fun yarn accents. Heh even whole sweaters made of fun yarn so that perhaps your dog can feel like they have a mane. And of course don't forget that Halloween is coming up. SewSweetFinery features some adorable hat/masks so your dog can join in the party fun.
