Excerpts from What Dogs Hear: Understanding Canine Hearing and Behavior from Puppy to Senior by Janet Marlow, Sound Behaviorist

Thunderstorms and Fireworks

The intensity of sounds from thunderstorms is one of the most common causes of canine acute stress behaviors. Crashes of thunder and lightning strikes that we can hear, has an agitating effect on us as well. The shift in barometric pressure is an initial indicator that a storm is approaching, and it is felt by humans as well as animals. When a storm is occurring in your area, it is heartbreaking to see your wonderful dog panting, pacing and drooling in a highly anxious state. You’d like to hold your dog and help her break out of this behavior, but more often than not your loving efforts are to no avail. Dogs and cats can also suffer static shocks in the buildup to a thunderstorm. If you become nervous or anxious yourself, your dog may mirror your behavior. “There’s something about their makeup that makes their thresholds for developing this, or their ability to recover, lower than that of other animals,” says Lore Haug, DVM, a veterinary behaviorist at Texas Veterinary Behavior Services.

The decibel range of a thunderstorm is between 100 dB to 115 dB, way beyond the safety range for canine ears. Thunder also occurs in the infrasonic range (below 20 Hz), which is inaudible to humans. During a storm, pressure will occur in a dog’s ear, which is experienced as a pulsating sensation. Both ultrasonic and infrasonic sounds can be observed in the same thunderstorm. A clap of thunder can reach 120 dB. So, you can understand why a thunderstorm is an intense experience for their ears and ours.

 A dog will want to escape to safety, and the shift to flight-or-fight behavior can happen quickly. Pet parents have shared with me stories of their dog jumping into a bathtub, shaking under a bed, and running right through electric fences. If a dog lives in an area that has rolling thunderstorms due to afternoon heat, the dog will develop storm phobia, which will need a behaviorist and calming tools to overcome. There are also hereditary predispositions to fear or anxiety reactive to thunderstorms, especially common in some hunting and herding breeds which includes the German Shepherd, Australian Shepherd, Labrador Retriever, Border Collie, Havanese, Shorthaired Pointer, Vizsla, and Bichon Frise.

 Young dogs and senior dogs display fear of thunderstorm sounds for different reasons than adult dogs. To a young dog, storms are a new experience to learn and can be terrifying as awareness grows. Senior and geriatric dogs, whose hearing has greatly diminished, will still experience the pressure of sound by absorbing vibrations in their bodies and through their paws, which can be disorienting.

 “That fear response becomes classically conditioned,” says veterinary behaviorist Lisa Radosta, who practices at Florida Veterinary Behavior Service in West Palm Beach. “Maybe the first storm isn’t traumatic, but over time the fear response becomes triggered by elements of the storm.”

 To assist a young pup in desensitizing to loud noises like thunderstorms or fireworks, you can pop bubble wrap in a room where they are. First, use your Decibel App to test the loudness of the pop yourself. Have your dog smell the sheet of bubble wrap to know where the sound is coming from. Then, keeping a distance from your dog in the room, pop one bubble and stop, then say “It’s okay.” During another session, pop two bubbles and repeat saying “It’s okay.” Evaluate your pup’s response to see if it lessens reactive behavior as you increase the experience. Make sure to keep the bubble wrap away from your dog’s head and ears.  Your reassurance by saying “It’s okay” will be good practice for when you and your dog are on the street and there's a loud pop sound that may startle your dog. Desensitizing your dog to street sounds, trucks and car horns is a good practice when they are young to minimize noise phobias later on.

 For adult dogs, playing calming canine music will mask the thunderstorm sounds. For senior and geriatric dogs, it’s best to confine their movement to one area or room to prevent injury during agitated roaming.

 Fireworks

In years past, people would gather at a large park or river shore area to enjoy a celebration with fireworks. The event would generally be coordinated by a city, town or organization and there would be a safe distance between the fireworks and the crowd of people. Now, with the availability of fireworks sold in stores for the consumer, fireworks can be heard at any time of year and as close as your neighbor’s backyard. That is fun and convenient but really bad news for dogs and cats!

 Every July 4th, there are inevitably reports of dogs missing from their homes due to firework events. It is difficult to stop the flight response when there are intense sound waves close by.  Due to this, dogs have run through screen doors, destroyed furniture, and fled the home for days until found.

 If you are watching fireworks that are about a kilometer (1000 meters) away, the light takes only three millionths of a second to reach you. The sound takes about three seconds. Sound waves are much slower because they require a medium (mass of molecules) to travel. Fireworks produce a sound output that is in the 150 dB to 175 dB range.  Fireworks generate a higher noise level than firecrackers or gunshots.                                                             

  “There are three types of noises from every firework: a screeching, a whistle and a bang. Fireworks are filled with lead oxide, which turns into lead atoms as the firework explodes and heats up. Half of the narrow tube remains empty and once the firework is lit up, the empty part of the tube will vibrate and make the whistling sound.”

“In addition, firecrackers are poisonous and their explosion releases harmful particles such as fine dust (PM10) that is toxic to inhale. Therefore, fireworks represent a danger both to animals and humans who live in areas where they explode, or in relatively distant locations when the wind transports the particles. There is also a risk of ingestion of the residue of fireworks and firecrackers. The proximity animals to the areas where the firecrackers are made, often causes burns and damage to the eyes.”

 As I am writing this book with a chapter about fireworks, I paid close attention this year to the local July 4th event near my home. I was shocked to discover how much my entire home vibrated from each firework explosion. I placed my hand on the walls and windows in the room where Rigby was and felt every intense vibration. Rigby was tense but he was also wearing an Ultra Calmer collar which I designed for him to ease his and other dogs for sound stress. I’d like to share how I came to invent this product device.

My passion for innovating effective tools for pet parents to resolve thunderstorm and firework stress culminated in 2016. I have talked about my beloved dog Rigby, who was my inspiration to create a solution. When Rigby was a year and half, he showed his first signs of stress due to an intense thunderstorm. It was hard to observe him pacing and being highly agitated. No amount of soft talk or touch could break his state of acute stress. That moment inspired me to invent the Ultra Calmer collar device. I spent many months thinking what would be the best device for a dog to overcome sound stress during storms and fireworks. I definitely wanted it to be easily snapped on by a caregiver, and for the dog to be able to pace or hide while wearing it. I created frequency-based music of which the Hz levels were modified for canine ears, already clinically proven to calm dogs. I developed a patent for the Ultra Calmer music device which came in three different collar sizes for small, medium and large dogs. Then, I developed a SafeVolume® Mode so that the volume level was comfortable to maintain a consistent hearing response. The product made its debut in 2016 and has helped many dogs, including my precious Rigby, ride out a thunderstorm or endure local fireworks with behavioral calm and minimal stress.

Here are two pet parent’s comments.  “I bought the Ultra Calmer last fall for my golden mix, who is afraid of thunder. Yesterday, as the storms rolled through, I put it on him. There was no heavy panting, no nervous following me around. He laid down and appeared to be fine. I didn't have to give him any tranquilizers. Thank you!!!” 

“Lex is terrified of fireworks. At the first boom I placed the collar with preloaded music on him and he fell asleep on the couch. Normally he's hiding in the bathroom.”

www.petacoustics.com

The horse is one of nature’s musicians. We see equines move to music during dressage routines, and as dance partners in inter-species choreography. As riders, we partner with them in tempos of two and three beats while a walk, canter and gallop.

Sound sensitivity

Horses and humans share the most closely related hearing ranges of any other mammals on the planet. The human frequency hearing range is 20Hz to 20,000Hz -- the frequency hearing range of a horse is 55Hz to 33,500Hz. A whisper in his ear, or a personalized whistle from the barn to come in from the field, represent a significant aspect of how we connect to and bond with our horses through sound.

Sounds trigger both positive and negative behaviors in horses. An inability to flee the paddock during a loud thunderstorm can cause high agitation. A sudden jarring noise or shrill frequency can tense muscles, causing stress. Providing the best sonic environment for your horse can be as important as giving him the best veterinary care and diet. One tool you can use to balance his environment is music.

Do horses like listening to music?

Music is a language that involves pitch, tone, frequency and volume. These elements of sound are what horses and other animals use to communicate with; they also help animals assess their environments for survival purposes. In my clinical research, I’ve observed that horses prefer being in a barn with music as opposed to being there with no music. Playing music helps balance equine behavior because it helps mask outside sounds and vibrations, such as tractor engines, high-pitched tools, thunder, and other non-nature sounds.

I’ve discovered that horses respond best to music with short melodies and strong rhythmic patterns. If you're looking for a style of music that fits this criteria, classical or country music played at a low volume will have a positive effect and help calm horses while they’re resting, eating and being groomed in the barn. It’s not so much the style of music, but its frequency and volume that are most important. However, as a leader in the field of equine music for behavioral balance we want you to consider Pet Acoustics. A two year study of the music with 40 horses has been published in the Journal of Equine Veterinary Science is available with a request to hello@petacoustics.com

Over the past 25 years, starting with dogs and cats, and then horses, I developed a sonic design called species-specific music that provides repeatable and measurable results of calm and balance behavior in animals. For three years, I researched Animal Behavior Studies at Universities around the world collecting data on the frequency hearing ranges of dogs, cats and horses. As a recording artist and having an understanding of how to modify music in my recording studio, over time developed species -specific music. This means composing music and modifying the decibel and frequency levels of each note according to the comfort hearing range of a specific animal. Using this process and then testing the music through clinical studies at veterinarian hospitals, barns, shelters and pet homes, the music elicited a release of physical tensions and stress behaviors.

Species-specific “equine music”, which contains rhythms and melodies composed specifically for their listening comfort, helps them relax in their stalls, stay calm during farrier sessions, and recuperate faster from surgeries. Music is a profound environment for sensitive equine ears!

Behavioral scientists have correlated stress to illness in animals, as well as in people. And music is as soothing to animals as it is for humans. Paying attention to what your horse’s ears are saying and how to appease noise-anxiety should be a part of his care.

Psychoacoustics – the study of sound perception

Psychoacoustics describes psychological and physiological responses to sound. Horses can associate the trigger of comforting music. Talk radio is not as effective because human speech requires analytical interpretation and has little vibrancy to create relaxation in animals. As long as the music is pleasing and calming to your horse, you can play it for ten years and he will not get bored. Humans need variety because we evaluate music through subjective thinking, whereas the equine response to music is an immediate physical evaluation. If the horse feels safe and connected, he will release high alert instincts and feel calmed.

Observing your horse’s ears in response to sound is one of the most insightful key that trigger equine behaviors. Today, caregiving to our animals is evolving to better health and understanding. We are learning more and more how to balance their needs for well-being and sound as a trigger for behavior is an important tool and understanding for their best life!

Purposeful scenarios using Pet Acoustics equine music

While riding – Playing music while you’re on the trail adds an entertaining dimension to riding for you and your horse. However, for safety’ make sure the volume level doesn’t overwhelm your ability to hear what’s going on around you.

In the barn -- Play the music at a moderate level on your sound system. Horses don’t need loud music to experience the sound waves. Position the sound source at approximately ear level or slightly above your horse’s head so he can both feel and hear the music.

During farrier, dental and veterinary visits – These are often not a horse’s favorite experiences, so play music to distract him and diminish anxiety. Music also helps mask sounds from any medical equipment being used.

For massage and grooming -- Horses love to be massaged. Use music to bring your horse into a deeper state of relaxation.

During post-surgery recuperation -- Music is especially beneficial for horses on stall rest while recovering from surgery. It will allow for deeper muscle relaxation during difficult stages of healing.

For trailer transport -- Engine frequencies and vibrations are very potent to equine ears. Music can help him feel a little less anxious, especially when he’s being backed into the trailer.

Masking thunderstorms -- Thunder can reach volumes up to 115 decibels. The horse and human hearing comfort range is 60 to 80 decibels. If thunder is disturbing to you, you’ll understand why it can trigger behaviors of anxiety and flight in your horse.

For therapeutic riding -- Blood pressure studies that compared the cortisol levels of riding horses, racehorses and therapy horses revealed that the latter have the highest levels, which means they have the highest levels of stress. The ability of therapy horses to restrain their behaviors during student/instructor/horse sessions is a remarkable empathic trait, but also physically distressing. Playing calming music during student/horse sessions can make the experience more entertaining while helping the horse feel calmer.

Janet Marlow, a composer, researcher, author, and founder and the global company Pet Acoustics Inc., Marlow is internationally known for her breakthrough contribution to the understanding of animal hearing and how sound and music affect their behavior. Pet Acoustics Inc. award-winning products have been clinically proven and endorsed by veterinarians helping thousands of pets and pet owners worldwide. Entrepreneur Magazine named Pet Acoustics one of the “top 100 companies for brilliant ideas”. To learn more please visit www.petacoustics.com

JANET MARLOW March 31, 2021

Hearing Health from Puppy to Senior

Adopting a puppy into your home is an undeniable joy. Seeing a puppy’s playfulness and energy is endearing and entertaining. The first two years of a puppy’s life are full of new experiences about their world, and hearing is essential for their learning and training. When a senior dog enters the last few stages of her life,  the deep love and bond that has been shared throughout her life in partnership with you is heartwarming. From puppy to senior, it’s important to know about each stage of canine hearing health.

Newborn puppies are deaf until about three weeks of age. Until then, a puppy uses her sense of smell to navigate to Mom, siblings and her surroundings. Eyes begin to open in the second week of life, between ten to fourteen days. Puppies’ ears begin to open generally around fourteen to eighteen days old and continue to develop until eight weeks old. Once they have their full hearing ability, they hear twice the frequency levels of  humans and sounds four times farther away.  When you first bring home a puppy, at this early age, the distinctive sound of your voice becomes imprinted as their new family. 

Senior to geriatric dogs, who fall in the age range of seven to fourteen years or older, experience hearing loss as they age. The physical cause is due to degenerative changes in the nerves inside the ear. Loss of hearing is very gradual, so as a pet parent you may not notice the change right away. The common form of deafness in dogs is age-related hearing loss, referred to as ARHL. Most dogs experience some degree of ARHL, beginning in the third trimester of life. ARHL begins by affecting the middle to high frequency range of sounds but eventually encompasses the entire range of frequency hearing ability by the geriatric stage.

For seniors, acknowledging their hearing loss is an important step to helping them navigate a new life stage. When dogs have pain or have an illness, dogs often become stoic, not showing feelings of pain. Fortunately, when they’re in our care, we can be on the lookout for signs of hearing loss. Perhaps your dog no longer comes when you whistle, shows changes in daily behaviors, has an increased startle reflex specifically to touch, creates a louder than usual bark to get your attention, increases sleep time or has general apathy. When you have suspicions that there is something wrong with your dog’s hearing, take her to the veterinarian for evaluation and possible treatment.

Whether your senior dog can no longer hear, or your dog is deaf from birth, you can observe her sense of smell and sight in greater use. They are still their wonderful doggy beings, they’ll just require extra attention from their caregiver for safety in their daily life.

Since you won’t be using your voice to access her attention, you have to learn other ways of communicating with your senior.  A dog will use his eyes to observe activity more closely and watch people’s physical movement for cues as to what is happening. For example, your dog will feel the new air flow created by the opening and closing of a door. Your senior will feel the vibrations on the floor from footsteps and will see lights turn on and off. Sight, motion, smell and changes in energy are senior dogs’ new methods of navigating. A smile from your face and reassuring touches will give your dog confidence that everything is okay in this phase of life.

One technique that I have recommended to pet parents with a puppy, or a senior dog is to create a scent trail game by dabbing a small amount of lavender essential oil around the house. I recommend lavender because this scent is known to be calming for dogs. Breathing the lavender helps to reduce their anxiety and stress. Make a scent trail for your dog to follow as their nose- work in your home. This also works well with high value treats like cheese or bits of meat. The more smell, the better! This creates a fun activity and will give your dog confidence.

Hearing and Sleep

Canine ears, like human ears, never close! When we sleep, our ears are still hearing, though our brains go in and out of responding to sound according to the different stages of sleep. There are two basic types of sleep: REM-sleep and non-REM sleep, (rapid eye movement) which has three different stages.

 Stage One occurs right after you fall asleep and is very short.

  Stage Two is a light sleep. Heart rate slows and body temperature drops.

  Stage Three is the deep sleep stage.

Each of these stages is linked to specific brain waves and neuronal activity. It is a fascinating  subject to look into, as we do it every day of our lives.

Research has identified that the brain waves of dogs during sleep are comparable to those of humans. Have you seen your dog twitch when she is sleeping? This is when your dog has entered REM sleep or rapid eye movement. Compared to humans who have 25% of REM deep sleep, dogs only need 10% of REM for health. Getting quality sleep every day is a key component of your dog’s health at any age.

If your dog experiences agitating noises while home alone, your dog may not be getting sufficient rest. This is important because during sleep, dogs, just like humans experience allostatic regulation, which is the balancing of cell function. How much sleep a dog needs depends on the breed of dog, the size of the dog, their diet, daily walks, and amount of play exercise.

Canine rest periods weave in and out of daily life. As sleep or rest is a major part of their day for health and rebalance, the acoustics and sounds in their environment is a key factor. If their environment is noisy, like the reverberating cement walls of animal shelters, dogs hardly get a chance to rest deeply. In a veterinary kennel, the same acoustic issues can apply which can exacerbate the emotional stress of separation anxiety. Have you seen your dog go into a deep rest right after a veterinary checkup? Just being home helps your dog succumb to the quiet and safety to release muscle tension due to stress. There’s no place like home!

Excerpt from What Dogs Hear: Understanding Canine Hearing and Behavior by Janet Marlow, Sound Behaviorist

The amazing feline ear

Animals hear sounds differently than we do. Have you ever wondered why your cat magically slips away before there’s a knock on your door, or gets agitated before there’s any sign of a thunderstorm? Sound and noise travel through the air at high and low frequencies and volumes that humans can’t hear, but cats can. Their astounding ability to detect the highest frequencies and faintest sounds is a built-in evolutionary survival tactic. A cat’s upright ears give her acute hearing and help her capture frequencies we can’t detect. Additional muscles allow her to rotate her ears for surround sound-like hearing. In fact, observing your cat’s ears is the best way to know what she is hearing and feeling. Her response to sounds and noise is an important way for her to communicate her feelings about the world.

Cats like to sit in the “sweet spot”; this is where music, as it’s reflected from the walls, comes to a central point from the sound source.

Cats also do not have the same audio/spatial localization ability as humans have. While they’ll come running to the kitchen when they learn what sound the door to the food cupboard makes, they are not able to identify the location of jarring sounds. They feel such sounds intensely in their bodies. Humans, meanwhile, use analytical thinking to determine if a sound is harmful or not, and where it’s coming from.

Sound and behavior

It’s important to be aware of your cat’s acute auditory senses. Responses to low frequencies such as loud drums from a sound system can easily generate stress because to the cat it may mean “get ready to flee”. For cats, very low or very high frequency information and resonant vibrations are indistinguishable from a loud vehicle or crack of thunder. They only know they have to react and get away! This uncertainty, combined with the fact that they cannot locate the source of these vibrations, causes them to react with defense instincts.

Because of the sensitivity of feline hearing, your cat may react to agitating sounds you may not even be aware of. Negative behaviors such as furniture scratching, wetting outside the litter box, aggression and excitability while home alone can signal a reaction to unpleasant sounds. These can include rumblings from the furnace, trucks passing on the road, high frequencies emitted from computers and electronic appliances, and other sounds that are part of domestic living.

Music to her ears

Music is a language that animals relate to. In my research, I have tested different types of music and found that felines prefer long sustained tones and harmonies at a moderate to low volume to maintain a state of relaxation. Releasing themselves into calming music gives their alert instincts a chance to rest. Gentle classical or relaxation music are good choices; avoid loud music with a lot of fast rhythms and percussion, especially bass drums.

Amazingly, cats not only understand the soothing qualities of music for enhancing their meditative resting state, but they also like to sit in the “sweet spot” of the room. This is where music, as it’s reflected from the walls, comes to a central point from the sound source. Cats are discerning, of course. They will move away from music they don’t find pleasing, and gravitate to music they do.

When to play it

Calming music in the feline environment offers several advantages:

• it elicits relaxation by limiting frequency
  content in the air.

• it lowers stress levels during thunderstorms
  and while home alone.

• it masks jarring sounds and noises that trigger
  agitated behaviors.

Use music when introducing one cat to another. Music permeates the air with sound waves and distracts the intense smelling session between the two felines.

Music is a comfort to adopted cats while they adjust to their new home and nesting spots. Put on Pet Tunes to attract your cat to a place or room where you want her to be or stay. Use the music for soothing her if she seems stressed or restless. “We had three little foster kittens at an adoption event who were very upset at having to be there,” says Dr. L. Carey of the Litchfield Veterinary Hospital in Connecticut. “There were a lot of new noises and people. We set up the Pet Tunes and within five minutes all three kittens were asleep, completely relaxed.” Dr. Carey adds that music also has a significant calming effect on his hospitalized patients. “We have found it has helped to reduce their anxiety while away from their families.”

If your cat doesn’t go out for a nocturnal prowl, relaxation music is a very useful tool to play at low volume near your cat’s favorite spot. It masks the night sounds from outside that she would instinctively respond to. Whether you live in an urban apartment or a suburban or country home, outside animal noises often elicit excitable instinctive behavior in cats.

Some cats have motion sickness while traveling in the car. Music can help keep both you and your cat calm. “My tabby cat, Oliver, just hated the movement of the car and I could hear from the back seat a sound that was just like the word ‘horror’!” says one cat person I know. “Once the music started, he became calmer and settled down.”

As the expression goes, we can’t herd cats, but we can modify their behavior and help keep them relaxed and happy, with music.

Melissa Neumann www.catmumma.com “I have a strong belief in the importance of science to prove theories and jumped at the chance to be involved in an experiment to prove that a product called Pet Tunes created by Janet Marlow of Pet Acoustics actually works. Ron Pia is the Australian representative for Pet Tunes and contacted me to see if I would be interested in taking part and of course I immediately said yes! Judith Jordan, a huge fan of the product introduced Pet Tunes to the South Australian cat world and was also involved in the study. The fact that we could clearly see data that supports our thoughts that this product works was remarkable and confirmed our beliefs. Janet has been investigating how different animals hear and developing music for them for many years. It was a great privilege to work with her in this experiment. It was amazing that she could monitor our cats from the other side of the world in real time during a pandemic.”

Full Interview on Youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y69KkglwL7I or click on image.

The interview with Janet Marlow, Sound Behaviorist and Founder of Pet Acoustics spotlights the results of a recent clinical study with nine cats, proving the benefits of feline-specific music through biometric data using the Petpace Smart collar. The data showed, while listening to Pet Tunes Feline music that the pulse and activity levels were lower. We were also able to determine the HRV data which was higher with the cats experiencing the music. All the findings support the hypothesis of a calming effect from Pet Tunes Feline.

https://thepetcalmer.com/​ to purchase in Australia and New Zealand

Image by Adrian Khoo from Pixabay

While overweight pets and pet obesity have been on the rise for years, the COVID-19 pandemic has intensified the issue, according to a new study by Hill’s Pet Nutrition, which is based in Topeka, Kan. The study, conducted in partnership with Kelton Global, revealed that more than 71 percent of pet professionals say the pandemic has impacted the way pets eat.

Thirty-three percent of pet owners with an overweight pet say their pet became overweight during the pandemic, according to the study. While a majority of pet owners (73 percent) say they would feel confident in knowing their pet is overweight without professional guidance, veterinarians state that only 12 percent of pet owners proactively flag concerns with their pet’s weight. Moreover, nearly two in three veterinarians say pet owners act surprised (64 percent) or defensive (64 percent) upon learning about their pet’s weight issues.

“Ironically, too much ‘treat love’ during these difficult times is the main culprit,” officials said in a statement.

As a result, six in 10 veterinarians say they anticipate the dogs and cats they see in January are more likely to be overweight or obese, according to the study.

Ultimately, veterinarians overwhelmingly recommend giving fewer treats (92 percent), more exercise (91 percent) and fewer table scraps (91 percent).” Article by Pet Product News

Pet Acoustics is working on a veterinarian approved exercise program for your dog in 2021. Yes, it’s true! Now your dog needs to create diet resolutions for the New Year for those extra pounds. Our product, Fit Tunes Canine is an energy stimulation for your dog.

Fit Tunes Dogs ($49.99)Upbeat rhythms and melodies energize you and your dog with music based on the study of the tempos in canine movement. Each lively track is ornamented with squeaky toys, whistles, human praises and nature sounds. Observe increased focus for less pulling, lunging, aggression and weight loss as used in the Pet Acoustics veterinarian approved program.

During a snowy day this season, I got out my knitting needles to start a winter project. Knitting is relaxing and it’s a great way to gift someone with a cozy warm scarf or sweater made from the heart. The No. 8 needles I used for this particular stitch to start the project were plastic as opposed to my usual metal ones. A few hours later, I left the project on my couch attached to a big ball of yarn. At the moment, we don’t have any cats which would have automatically perked up my warning instincts to not leave the ball of yarn alone. However, I do share my home with my beloved family member Rigby, a six year old English Springer Spaniel, well-behaved with a great life. I came back into the living room where I saw the yarn unraveled and sprawled all over the floor. “Uh oh Rigby, what happened?” I said half smiling. But then I saw that the tip of the knitting needle had been chewed and assumed to have been swallowed. The first thought I had was is Rigby okay? and the second thought was, “I have pet Insurance!” After I looked everywhere on the floor and the couch for the missing needle tip, my head raced to thoughts of X-rays , medications, and possible surgery! Fortunately, I have pet insurance which would have taken care of most of these costs. I did call my veterinarian who said to observe Rigby for a day to make sure his intestines are moving it through and not blocking his appetite as a sign of something wrong. Rigby was and is fine! Whew! I love my dog with all my heart and felt relieved then and there that I could take good care of him no matter what the cost as a result of the eaten-knitting-needle-bit.

I share this story with you because I believe in pet insurance. It is costly I know but at various points in a pet’s lifespan greater care will be needed, guaranteed. Things happen, accidents happen and then you’re there with big bills.

Here are 8 tips to evaluate a pet insurance company provided by Nationwide Pet Insurance, if you are inspired to look further into signing on to one.

1. Compare Pet Insurance Providers

Before you decide to enroll your pet in a pet insurance policy, compare pet insurance providers. A side-by-side comparison will show the difference in plans, premiums, deductibles, co-pays, sample reimbursements and plan details, including exclusions and additional features.

Use this tool to compare pet insurance providers.

2. Check Out the Insurer’s Track Record

Look at the pet insurance provider’s track record for dependability. The key to choosing a pet health insurance provider you can count on is to go with the company that has proven stability, experience and recommendations.

How long has the provider been in business? Are they a trusted financial service? How many in-force policies do they have? Do they have veterinarians on staff who know pets’ needs and help develop policies?

3. Research What’s Covered — and What Might Affect Coverage

Some pet health insurance plans may have exclusions for conditions that are pre-existing, hereditary, congenital, or related to breeding, and may apply restrictions on your coverage when you file a claim.

Before you enroll, make sure you know and understand what factors may affect coverage, such as your pet's breed and any pre-existing conditions. Find out how often, and why, your premium will increase. Ask if the amount of claims you submit will affect your premium. If you are unsure about the policy language, call the pet insurance provider and ask Customer Care to explain in a way that is easily understood by you. 

4. Choose Coverage that Works for You

Do you want coverage for known routine wellness (vaccinations, flea and heartworm prevention, wellness exams and tests), unknown medical care (chronic conditions, surgeries and hospitalization, prescriptions, exams, lab tests, illnesses, injuries) or complete care with coverage that includes hereditary conditions and wellness?

Discuss your pet’s health with your veterinarian, get an idea what common health conditions your pet could face that may be breed related, or if there’s a history of health issues in your pet’s family tree. You can also learn more about the Top 10 Reasons Pets Visit Vets.

Do you want to be prepared in case of an emergency or unexpected illness? Now’s the time to decide so you don’t find yourself unable to receive coverage due to a pre-existing condition once your pet begins to age.

5. Pick the Type of Insurance Reimbursement That Works for You

There are two ways pet insurance providers calculate reimbursement: they use either a percentage of invoice or an annual benefit schedule of allowances.

An invoice is the itemized bill your veterinarian hands you after treating your pet. If you choose to enroll your pet in a percentage of invoice plan, you’ll be reimbursed a percentage of what you paid your vet. For example, Nationwide pet insurance’s Whole Pet with Wellness plan reimburses 90% of your invoice, less your annual deductible.

A benefit schedule of allowances lists everything that is covered under your plan with a set amount for reimbursement. The reimbursement amounts renew annually.

There are a couple of other factors that can affect your reimbursement amount: whether you've chosen a per-incident deductible or an annual deductible. 

6. Review Cost and Value

There’s no point in buying a pet insurance policy just because it’s cheap if it doesn’t cover what your pet needs. Are you interested in wellness, medical or complete care? Your monthly premium and reimbursement amount will vary based on the type of coverage and deductible you choose.

Deductibles are worth taking into consideration: A per-incident deductible is applied to every incident and can reduce your monthly premium. A low annual deductible will result in a higher premium while a higher deductible will result in a lower premium. However, don't base your purchase on cost alone. While a lower premium may sound great, you don't want to limit the amount of benefits you'll receive when you really need them.

7. Enroll Young and Healthy Pets

It’s important to enroll pets when they’re young and healthy to avoid limited coverage due to pre-existing conditions and to reduce the cost of your policy. Just as with human health insurance, pet health insurance premiums can increase as the policyholder ages.

8. Ask About Discounts

Did you know you might be able to score a discount on your premium? Nationwide pet insurance offers a 5% discount to families with 2-3 pets and 10% to those with 4 or more pets. 

Those already enrolled in another Nationwide policy (such as home, auto) are also eligible for an additional 5% discount on select Nationwide pet insurance policies that can be combined with one of the multiple pet discounts.

Does your employer offer pet insurance benefits? Thousands of companies nationwide offer Nationwide at a discount. Check here to see if a policy discount is available in your company benefits package. Certain Nationwide pet insurance plans are eligible for a group discount.

Source: https://www.petinsurance.com/healthzone/ownership-adoption/pet-ownership/pet-owner-topics/8-tips-for-choosing-pet-health-insurance/

Pet Tunes Holiday is a Bluetooth speaker pre-loaded with 14 tracks of holiday music designed for dog and cat hearing to calm them during a high energy time of year. Each Pet Tunes Holiday gift pack comes with a Santa squeaky toy for dogs and a feathered holiday mouse for cat play. A special gift for pets, veterinarians and groomers.

Pet Tunes Holiday Gift Pack Retails for $74.99 on PetAcoustics.com and Amazon.com

• Contains 14 tunes with clinically music proven to calm dogs and cats

• Santa squeaky toy

• Feathered holiday mouse 

• Bluetooth Compatible for Devices

• USB Charging Cord and lanyard

“Miracle music. My dog was panting and anxious once our large family arrived and our cat was nowhere to be found. Once Pet Tunes Holiday was turned on our dog curled up resting in his bed in the living room where we all were and my cat came out to play with the feathered mouse it came with. Thanks Pet Acoustics!” Arlene W.

Animals can change a life. This happened to me when I observed my dogs and cats close to my side when I played music. After two decades of research and clinical studies, I learned why. As a pet parent myself, I wanted to share this important information by writing this book. In What Dogs Hear you will learn about your dog’s amazing hearing abilities and how sound affects their behavior. Each chapter unfolds the scientific reasons why your dog responds to their sonic environment throughout each stage of your dog’s life. You’ll deepen your relationship with your dog by understanding their hearing world to resolve stress issues using technology and techniques to calm and balance behaviors. Janet Marlow’s research, insights and stories are an enjoyable reading experience that will enhance your relationship for you and your dog from puppyhood to senior. 

 “My Friend, Janet Marlow, knows more about the hearing and hearts of dogs than anyone I know. I pay close attention to whatever Janet says and now, with her wonderfully informative book, you can, too.”  - Mary Pope Osborne, author of The Magic Tree House Series

“What dogs Hear is excellent!! I have read it and I learned so much. Every dog owner should own this book, or gift it to others who are getting puppies/dogs.” - C. Martinelli

"This is a must-read for anyone who loves animals -- especially if you live with one. I know without a shadow of a doubt that our fellow creatures are feeling, thinking, conscious beings. I know that through my own experience and through the new scientific research I've learned of. But Janet Marlow offers a rare depth of understanding about how non-human animals perceive and respond to the world. If you want to get a glimpse of that world, read this book!" - Elena Mannes

Digital Downloads (9.99) and Paperback (19.99) available on these sites:

READ NOW ON: Amazon Kindle Apple Books Nook Rakuten Kobo

Excerpt from What Dogs Hear

“Throughout the human-canine relationship, sound as a stimulus and as a communication tool is often overlooked as a cause-and-effect of different canine behaviors. Canine acute hearing is often attributed to behaviors such as stress, anxiety, aggression, and fear. As their caregivers, we also need to know our own hearing abilities in order to recognize their needs and sound communication. Do you hear the highest frequencies and whines uttered by your dog? Have you noticed your dog’s hearing diminishing in response to you, now that he is a senior? Do you know how to mitigate your home environment to minimize stress reactivity during thunderstorm and firework events? As a researcher on canine hearing and as an inventor of solutions for canine stress triggered by sound, I am writing this book as my agreement with you to help you know your dog through their amazing hearing ability and what this means for their well-being. Each chapter is sequenced to unfold these important aspects that can be used as tools and techniques to enhance the quality of your dog’s life and bring your relationship to a deeper level of communication with continued love and bonding.” Janet Marlow 

Janet Marlow is internationally known as a composer, researcher, and author and for her contributions to the understanding of animal hearing and behavior. Her research on behalf of animals has been featured on Animal Planet, CNN, Entrepreneur Magazine, and the Wall Street Journal. In 2009, she founded Pet Acoustics Inc. with award-winning products that have helped thousands of pets, pet parents and veterinarians worldwide.