Most coverage can be made available for individuals or groups. A Government health insurance plan is designed for people who meet certain requirements. Normal health plans can be classified as either managed care or plans that are fee-for-service. The managed care program normally will limit the patient to professionals that are listed by the insurance company who handles it.

A group policy is usually offered to employees or other groups, sometimes it will be paid for by the employer entirely or partially. Individual plans, as the name suggests is sold directly to an individual who will pay the full amount of the premium and is bought from health insurance companies.

There are also supplemental coverage plans which will cover certain expenses that normal individual health insurance does not cover, for example something such as having cancer treatments. Just as in any other industry that is competitive, insurance rates and prices can vary quite widely from different companies. Therefore it is important to compare rates and different types of policies that are offered.

Also you want to compare the different networks, which basically means that each carrier contracts out many different hospitals or doctors and some are much larger than others, and will offer you many more choices along with perhaps better rates. Also it should be mentioned that it is very easy to get a quote with an online medical insurance site. Most will have a form to submit whereas you would enter some personal information and get a quote back in a matter of a few seconds.

You may also want to look into getting a good dental plan. It basically works the same way as any other type of medical coverage, for example you would pay a regular monthly premium to get coverage and this will cover most procedures that are general dentistry needs. However, dental coverage will not include anything that might be considered as a cosmetic procedure, which might include getting porcelain veneers or dental implants, as these are considered elective procedures.

There are also dental plans that are not considered as insurance. These are simply programs that allow for discounts by participating dentists for normal types of procedures such as a tooth extraction. There are monthly fees involved which are very reasonable to retain membership in one of these programs. Depending on the plan and the dentist involved, you can get discounts on examinations, cleanings, fillings, root canals and dentures. The consumer can save as much as 60% but again it depends on which type of plan you are enrolling in.

With all the different options available these days, if you do not have insurance from an employer or other means, then it will certainly pay to do research and compare all the different choices that are available. Whether it is health insurance, or a dental plan there are plans and programs that will fit your budget and lifestyle.

Medical insurance plans

1. Distribution Center Manager of marijuana for medical purposes «Sunset Junction» Tim Blakely demonstrates sprouts marijuana May 11 in Los Angeles. Pharmacy was one of 25 plaintiffs in the case against the city of Los Angeles, which has struggled to avoid being shut down, after city officials announced the 439 pharmacies, where marijuana is sold, they must be shut down. (Kevork Djansezian / Getty Images)

2. Gardener Eli Rodriguez of the union «Teamsters» cuts dead marijuana seeds in the garden «Marjyn Investments» in Oakland, Calif., Sept. 20. The organization «Teamsters» added almost 40 new members, when she organized the first group of United gardeners engaged in cultivation of marijuana. (AP Photo / Eric Risberg)

3. Smoker jamb twists on “hippie hill in Golden Gate Park in San Francisco on April 20. April 20 has become the unofficial day of marijuana, and in many parts of the U.S. fans have begun to gather in groups. (Justin Sullivan / Getty Images)

4. A man smokes at a demonstration for the legalization of marijuana in Mexico City on September 5. (AP Photo / Marco Ugarte)

5. From 12 to 15 thousand people at the same time releasing the smoke at 16:20 at a rally at the University of Colorado at Boulder on April 20. (REUTERS / Mark Leffingwell)

6. A man holding a home-grown “bump” in Portland, Maine, Oct. 22. July 9, 2010 pharmacies that sell marijuana for medical purposes, was given the green light. (AP Photo / Robert F. Bukaty)

7. Saleswoman marijuana Marissa Dodd (left) packs the goods at the pharmacy, “The doctor Reefer” April 20 in Boulder, Colorado. Colorado – one of 14 states which are considering the legalization of marijuana, and here there was a real boom to create a pharmacy, where it is sold. (Chris Hondros / Getty Images)

8. The client enters the pharmacy «Sunset Junction» May 11 in Los Angeles. (Kevork Djansezian / Getty Images)

9. Police officers and firefighters inspected the explosion incendiary bombs in the pharmacy «Montana Therapeutics», where marijuana is sold, on May 10 in Billings, Montana. The fire quickly extinguished, and police began an investigation. September 28, 2010 City Council extended its moratorium on opening new stores, which sell marijuana. The city ordered more than 80 licenses for existing outlets. (AP Photo / Billings Gazette, Billings Gazette)

10. Aspen police arrested a man in the lobby, where an exhibition of marijuana, on April 18 in Aspen, Colorado. Man arrested guards hotel, seeing as he carried a large jar of marijuana from an exhibition in the basement. Police then discovered that the man had no license for the use of marijuana, and that he was also with a brass knuckles, the wear of which in Colorado is considered illegal. Marijuana was confiscated and destroyed. (Chris Hondros / Getty Images)

11. The soldier pulls on illegal marijuana plantation in the Sierra de Juarez in Tecate, northern Mexico, on Sept. 21. Authorities discovered three illegal plantations of marijuana on Sept. 20 during a patrol from the air. (AP Photo / Guillermo Arias)

12. A soldier stands over the altar in the camp during the operation to destroy the marijuana in the Sierra de Juarez in Ensenada, Mexico, Sept. 30. According to Gen. Alfonso Duarte Mujica soldiers destroyed 72 hectares of marijuana in Baja California in 2010. (AP Photo / Guillermo Arias)

13. A policeman with two of the 14 wild bears, which were guarded by illegal plantations of marijuana after a raid on July 30 on private property near Lake Christina in British Columbia. Bears give dog food that they deterred the thieves. However, the feeding of wild animals is illegal in Canada, and after the raid, authorities said that the bears may be killed, because they can be dangerous when the food is over. This prompted thousands to sign petitions and join the group on Facebook, to save the bears. August 31 the British Columbia government “pardoned” two dozen bears. (AFP / Getty Images)

14. Mexican soldiers arranges blocks of marijuana weighing a total of 46 tons before it burnt on a military base in the border city of Tijuana on May 11. (REUTERS / Jorge Duenes)

15. A soldier walks through a cloud of smoke from the burning marijuana on illegal plantations in the Sierra de Juarez in Mexico on September 21. (AP Photo / Guillermo Arias)

16. Throop drug dealer among the branches after the operation of Mexican soldiers at the ranch near the town of Sabinas Hidalgo, about 100 km from Monterrey, Mexico, April 27. Soldiers freed 16 people, including a woman with her son, during an operation at a ranch occupied by mercenaries. Soldiers also seized guns, ammunition, four trucks, and about 2 tons of marijuana. During the shooting deaths of two mercenary. (REUTERS / Tomas Bravo)

17. The boy with no name brand from domestic violence, rests in a cradle in the center branch of the family in Ciudad Juárez on 16 August. Neither the Mexican government, nor the various independent groups who study organized crime, I can not track the number of children, called “narco-orphans” who have lost one or more parents to the drug war. Social workers are concerned about the tens of thousands of children who grow up with permanent emotional trauma. The inscription on the cradle: Boy without a name by the name Solis. ” (REUTERS / Claudia Daut)

18. Mexican soldiers stand in ranks during the combustion of 46 tons of marijuana at a military base in Tijuana on May 11. (REUTERS / Jorge Duenes)

19. During the patrol area near the base Zeerbryugge Oct. 10 near Kayaks, Afghanistan, Corporal Jake Hoag questioned by a farmer who makes his living by growing marijuana. (Scott Olson / Getty Images)

20. Len Goodman poses among the marijuana plants near Santa Fe, New Mexico, July 15. This is one of the 11 gardeners who are New Mexico are authorized by the marijuana to all 2000 registered patients who need medical marijuana. (AP Photo / Susan Montoya Bryan)

21. Vice-president of store «Abundant Healing» Drew Brown (left) hands a check to one of their suppliers of marijuana on April 19 in Fort Collins, Colorado. «Abundant Healing» – one of many legitimate pharmacies in Colorado, where they sell marijuana to patients who have a special permit physician. (Chris Hondros / Getty Images)

22. Douglas Hiatt emotionally tells the story of the campaign for legalization of marijuana on July 1 in Seattle, Washington. Hiatt is one of the leaders of this campaign. He said that the campaign failed, as a petition signed by 40-50 thousand people instead of 241 thousand, which were needed. Document 1068 would eliminate all penalties for possession, cultivation and sale of marijuana. (AP Photo / Elaine Thompson)

23. A police officer guards the place of destruction of marijuana in Panama City on October 8. Approximately 4.7 tons of cocaine, marijuana and heroin seized by police during various operations in the last month, were burned. (AP Photo / Arnulfo Franco)

24. A man smokes marijuana in the tube during the International Day for the legalization of marijuana in Medellin, Colombia, May 8. (RAUL ARBOLEDA / AFP / Getty Images)

25. Medical marijuana is dried in Los Angeles on 1 June. About 440 pharmacies that sell medical marijuana, received a resolution to close June 7, 2010, almost five months after the government voted to close them. (REUTERS / Mario Anzuoni)

26. Danny Green keeps bags, which is packaged in 1 gram of medical marijuana. The picture was taken at the health center in Oakland, Calif., Aug. 3, where, until recently, operated a program under which nearly 600 unemployed patients were given here such bags. (AP Photo / Ben Margot)

27. Collection of marijuana in Davenport, Calif., Oct. 12. (AP Photo / Marcio Jose Sanchez)

28. Nicholas instructive smokes marijuana with a glass tube on May 21 in his shop in Matlock, Washington. Instructive allowed to use marijuana, but it became a problem during the determination of a guardian over his two sons, for whom he fights with his ex-wife. (AP Photo / Ted S. Warren)

29. Tim Blakely shows marijuana through a magnifying glass that reflects light over your head, in a pharmacy in Los Angeles on May 11. (Kevork Djansezian / Getty Images)

30. Crystal Hess speaks at a press conference about the launch of a new movement for women marijuana in Denver, Colorado on May 6. Many mothers ignore the ban on alcohol, and now the activists for the legalization of marijuana are trying to help mothers, arguing that medical marijuana is far safer than alcohol. (AP Photo / David Zalubowski)

31. Lindsay Bradshaw, who has no spleen, kidney and part of the stomach, intestines and pancreas, is trying to escape from the pain in several ways. He eats through a tube, fitted to his bag (left) and working full time at home, where he has easy access to painkillers. Picture taken July 21. (AP Photo / The Oregonian, Jamie Francis)

32. Marijuana plants collected in a heap before they burn soldiers in Sierra de Juarez, Ensenada, Mexico, Sept. 30. (AP Photo / Guillermo Arias)

Curing leg cramps by going to sleep with soap is one such remedy. It is said that the cramps are cured when you sleep with a bar of soap under the covers at the foot of the bed. It is supposed to being you relief from night cramps and it also makes you smell fresh in the morning. It sounds far-fetched, but various families in North America swear by it.

In Chinese lore, you can get gum out of your hair by rubbing it with a chocolate bar. Other cultures say to use peanut butter to get the gum out. Supposedly the gum will easily slide off your hair when you wash it after rubbing the chocolate bar (or peanut butter) on it.

Some people believe that you can cure malaria by eating compressed spider webs. There was some belief that there were medicinal ingredients within them that had some value, but the specifics have been lost to history. Some of the more robust folk tales even include eating live spiders.

If you have paint or smoke fumes in your home, one weird natural remedy proposed that you should set a bowl of vinegar somewhere in the room. It was believed that this would absorb tobacco and paint smells.

You can get rid of toenail fungus by soaking your foot in Listerine mouthwash. This is based medically on the fact that the antiseptic in Listerine is strong enough to cure the fungus, leaving your feet healthy and looking fresh.

One well-known home remedy proposes that dabbing ear wax on cold sores will keep them from progressing. Some people use this remedy even today.

In Europe, in medieval times, if you wanted an aphrodisiac, you could collect black ants and dry them, then mix them in white wine. The people believed that if you drank that, you would become very sexually motivated.

Many people swear success by rubbing their armpits with a half of a potato, to eliminate excess sweating. There isn’t really a logical explanation why this works, but some people believe it does.

To achieve rounder and fuller lips, you can plump them with the nozzle of a vacuum cleaner. Turn the vacuum on and press the nozzle onto your lips for several seconds. Take caution though, because although some women say this works, you may bruise or scar your lips, or break blood vessels. In addition, unless your vacuum is brand new, you could get a bacterial infection from this method.

It’s unlikely Angelina used one though…

Gwen has written for a number of healthy recipes websites, she is also a promoter of meal replacement shakes for those suffering from weight problems as part of an active lifestyle.

Meatloaf wrapped in bacon could almost cause your arteries to harden just by looking at it. In the southern United States, this is a favorite. People go into stores or restaurants and buy this time and time again. The dish is made from ground beef meatloaf with seasonings wrapped with bacon. One three-ounce serving of this dish has about 14g of fat, and every slice of bacon gives you 3g more.

One burger is actually proudly named the Quadruple Bypass Burger. The estimates for calories in this bad boy are about 8000. It’s really bad for you, but it’s very honest about doing it. It’s made from four all-beef patties, tomatoes, eight cheese slices, sauce and onions, all in a bun. Just the four patties add up to about 60g, which almost tops the upper limit you should eat in a day (65g).

Catfish doesn’t sound fattening, and fish is supposed to be healthy – but Arkansas fried catfish is also served with hush puppies, and all the breading doesn’t help your health. The ingredients include cornmeal, eggs and flour, and the dish has 25g of fat in each serving.

Hot dogs don’t seem big enough to cause too much trouble, do they? But picture a two foot long hot dog that is smothered in toppings. The beef and pork dog comes on three rolls, and the toppings include bacon, cheese sauce, chili, peppers and onions. Just one foot long has about 24g of fat, so double that to estimate the grams of fat in this doggie, and add all the extras to figure out the total.

Empanadas are popular in many countries now. They are folded meat pies that are especially popular in the southern United States. The dough itself is made from lard, so you can guess how fatty this food is. The fillings usually include meats, cheese or veggies. You can also roll in caramel and apples and lots of sugar to make an empanada for dessert. Depending on the recipe, the fat grams range from 10 to 22.

Livermush is an acquired taste. And if you want to stay healthy, you’re better off not acquiring it. It is made from 30% or more of pigs’ liver, and the rest of the mixture is cornmeal and parts of pig heads. Many people – OK, most people – will never be tempted by this dish, but in North Carolina, it’s a crowd-pleaser. They even have an Expo for Livermush every year. The fat count in the average portion of livermush is roughly 30g of fat.

Clarabo is a foodie and writes for a lot of unusual and red meat related blogs, she also works in the subject of healthy living and green lifestyles.

Everyone knows that soda is packed with sugar. Most people add at least some ice to their fountain drinks. We figured in enough ice to account for 15% of the cup’s volume. Restaurants probably put in a lot more.

 Coca Cola 
 12 oz (355 ml) Can
 Sugars, total:		39g
 Calories, total:		140
 Calories from sugar:	140*

 20 oz (590 ml) Bottle
 Sugars, total:		65g
 Calories, total:		240
 Calories from sugar:	240

 1 Liter (34 oz) Bottle
 Sugars, total:		108g
 Calories, total:		400
 Calories from sugar:	400

Red Bull Energy Drink 
 8.3 oz (250 ml) Can
 Sugars, total:		27g
 Calories, total:		108
 Calories from sugar:	108

 Nesquik Chocolate Milk 
 8 oz (240 ml) Serving
 Sugars, total:		29g
 Calories, total:		200
 Calories from sugar:	116

 16 oz Bottle
 Sugars, total:		58g
 Calories, total:		400
 Calories from sugar:	232

Häagen-Dazs Frozen Yogurt, Vanilla
 1 serving (1/2 cup/106g)
 Sugars, total:		22g
 Calories, total:		200
 Calories from sugar:	88

 1 pint (424g)
 Sugars, total:		88g
 Calories, total:		800
 Calories from sugar:	352

Donettes, Powdered Sugar 
 6 Donuts (85g)
 Sugars, total:		23g
 Calories, total:		340
 Calories from sugar:	92

Red Seedless Grapes 
 1 serving (126g - 4% waste)
 Sugars, total:		20g
 Calories, total:		88
 Calories from sugar:	80

 Apple
 1 large apple (3.25"/223g - 10% waste)
 Sugars, total:		23g
 Calories, total:		116
 Calories from sugar:	92

1 cup slices (109g)
 Sugars, total:		11g
 Calories, total:		57
 Calories from sugar:	44

Fresh Corn on the Cob
 1 large ear (yields 143g kernels)
 Sugars, total:		5g
 Calories, total:		123
 Calories from sugar:	20

Snackwell Creme Sandwiches
 2 cookies (25g)
 Sugars, total:		9g
 Calories, total:		110
 Calories from sugar:	36

Mashed Potatoes
 (Homemade, prepared with milk
 and butter)
 167g serving
 Sugars, total:		3g
 Calories, total:		155
 Calories from sugar:	12

 Snickers 
 1 serving (1/3 King Size bar/35g)
 Sugars, total:		18g
 Calories, total:		170
 Calories from sugar:	72

 1 King Size bar (105g) 
 Sugars, total:		54g
 Calories, total:		510
 Calories from sugar:	216

 1 Regular Size bar (59g) 
 Sugars, total:		30g
 Calories, total:		280
 Calories from sugar:	120

Catsup 
 1 serving (1 Tbs/17g)
 Sugars, total:		4g
 Calories, total:		20
 Calories from sugar:	16

 Frosted Flakes Gold Cereal
 1 Serving (3/4 cup/31g)
 Sugars, total:		10g
 Calories, total:	    110
 Calories from sugar:	40

 1 Bowl (75g)
 Sugars, total:		25g
 Calories, total:		275
 Calories from sugar:	100

McDonald's Chocolate Shake
 21 oz (medium) shake
 Sugars, total:		111g
 Calories, total:		770
 Calories from sugar:	444

These pictures the artist apparently wanted to show that women’s breasts – very important as an aesthetic and practical sides of the female body. Therefore, we must at least once a year to be screened at mammologist. Then there will be more likely to preserve it, in the case of breast cancer.

American Alligator

Most of us are barely willing to put in four minutes of foreplay. Meanwhile, the American alligator has to crank-start his mate for closer to four days before sealing the deal. But, hey, when you get laid once a year, what’s 96 hours of rubbing, splashing, and snout-punching?
Giraffes

It’s not always easy to gauge a woman’s interest in sex, and the enterprising giraffe knows this better than anyone. Rather than customarily pestering his partner for pity sex, the male giraffe tastes her urine to see if she’s in heat. Then he pesters her for a pity hoof job.

Carpenter Ants

Just once a lifetime, these clogged-up cooties fly high in the air to mate with their queen, subsequently lose their wings, then plummet to their immediate deaths. It’s more commitment than having to make up an excuse for bolting after sex, but you can’t argue with the results.

Banana Slug

These slovenly slugs take the phrase “doing the nasty” orally. After eating the slime off their partner’s bodies, they entangle themselves for hours during mating. Once done, the penis often has to be broken off in order to withdraw. Eh, as skanky as female banana slugs are, that’s bound to happen one way or another.

Hippopotamus

In order to attract other hippos, these giant slobs defecate and urinate at the same time, then whip it around with their tails like it’s flavored massage oil. Wading through this German-porn mixtape is all part of the chub chaser’s repertoire in Africa, and in Kansas.

Praying Mantis

The good news for the male praying mantis is that sex is no strings attached. The bad news is that, once she gets off, it’s also no heads attached. During postcoital cuddling, the male is often eaten alive by his mate if he can’t escape. Can’t get any worse? Check out this next one…

Sea Horse

More desperate for tail than a college freshman, the male sea horse not only has sex with just one partner his whole life, but he carries the baby as well. Chances are he washes the dishes, loads the laundry, and does all the plankton shopping, too. Ever seen a female sea horse? Not worth it.

source:  maxim.com

Stud earrings: you are confident and self-reliant. You probably prefer elegant over fashionable and take pride in your good taste. Manners are important to you, and you get satisfaction from being in control of your feelings and the situation in general.

Charms: you are outgoing, friendly, and quickly connect to people. You are very communicative, happy to talk about your interests and preferences, and when needed, speak your mind without hesitation.

Hoops: romantic and vivacious, you love life and usually optimistic. You are drawn to people and ideas who are different, challenging, and original, but at the end of the day you love coming back to your own home and family, to whom you are devoted.

Chandelier: you’re fun loving and always ready to go out and spend time with your friends. You may seem careless and neglectful of consequences, but in reality you know exactly what you want, and all the ways to get there.

Dangle and threads: you are at peace with your life and with your friends to whom you are very loyal. Positive thinking and finding the good in any situation helps you face life’s challenges, and you would sooner give people the benefit of the doubt than judge them harshly.

Piercing and huggies: you’re adventurous and don’t shy away from risks. At least a little non-conformist, you don’t accept opinions just because they are widely accepted, but rather like to think things out for yourself.

What precautions can you take to reduce the chance of contracting these serious diseases when you travel?

Drink only bottled water when you are on holidays. Check to make sure that the seal of the cap has not been broken. If it shows any sign of being tampering with, do not drink the water. In many third world countries, it is not uncommon for some street vendors, children, or restaurants to fill water bottles with tap water and offer them to tourists as authentic bottled water.

Ice cubes can be another major source of contaminated water. Unlike bottled water, there is no way that you can determine if the ice cubes in your drink were made from a non-contaminated source of water. Unless you know for sure the restaurant, or drinking establishment you are at has an impeccable reputation, you should not use ice cubes in your drinks.

When you are on a tropical vacation it is advisable to avoid eating any uncooked foods such as salads as they are another major source of these diseases.

How do people usually contract traveler’s diarrhea?

Traveler’s diarrhea is usually caused by contaminated food or water, but it can also be caused by stress or a change of location when traveling. Some symptoms are gas, nausea, upset stomach, cramps and a liquid stool.

What should you do if you get traveler’s diarrhea?

You should drink a lot of purified water and soda or pop to prevent dehydration. These symptoms usually subside within two or three days, if these symptoms persist or get more severe, you should get medical help immediately as you may have one of two more serious conditions, bacteria, or amoeba dysentery.

What are some of the symptoms of dysentery?

Severe headaches, a high fever, stomach cramps, vomiting, blood and/or mucous in the stool are the usual symptoms of both bacteria and amoeba caused dysentery. Both types of dysentery can be very serious medical conditions if left untreated. You must seek medical help as soon as possible.

What is the difference between hepatitis A and B?

Hepatitis A is a highly infectious disease that is spread through contaminated food and water (including ice cubes). Hepatitis B is spread in the same way that the HIV virus is spread, by infected blood or body fluids through sexual contact, a transfusion, or a cut or break in the skin. Both diseases have similar symptoms which may include a fever, chills, headaches, feeling fatigued, aches and pains, nausea and vomiting, stomach cramps, lack of appetite, dark colored urine and light colored feces. Jaundiced skin and yellow whites of the eyes are also common symptoms. If you get some, or all of these symptoms you must seek medical help as soon as possible. However, as a precaution, it would make sense to see your local health authority before you travel on vacation and get vaccinated against both of these diseases. Remember that your first line of defense is to get vaccinations to protect yourself against hepatitis A and B before traveling.

It is advisable to check with your local health authority to find out if you need to be vaccinated prior to leaving on your trip. Some countries you plan to visit may require an up to date vaccination certificate. Even if they don’t, it still makes good sense to be vaccinated as hepatitis A is a highly infectious disease. Hepatitis B can lead to AIDS. Both diseases attack the liver. There is a vaccination called Twinrix which protects you from both hepatitis A and B. You can find out more about this vaccination at Twinrix.com.

What should you do if you get cholera?

Cholera causes diarrhea, which can lead to very severe dehydration and possibly death. This disease is transmitted through contaminated food and water. As immunization is not considered effective, you have to practice good hygiene.

How can you protect yourself against getting typhoid?

Typhoid is a disease that is also contracted through contaminated food and water. You should be immunized for typhoid if you are traveling to countries where the sanitation is poor.

When booking a flight, it is a good idea to make reservations for yourself and your pet as early as possible. You must let the airline know that you want to bring your pet with you. It is very important to tell them, as they will only allow a limited number of pets on each flight. Some airlines do not allow pets at all, especially on international flights. Always confirm your flight the day before you leave on your trip. If you are traveling internationally you need to confirm your reservation seventy-two hours before you go.

Before you fly into the wide blue yonder with your furry travel companion, you need to take him or her to the veterinarian for a checkup, to make sure he or she is healthy enough to travel. You will also need to take its health certificate with you, showing that your pet is up-to-date on all its vaccinations, including rabies. Your pet must wear its current vaccination tag when traveling. As well, your pet must meet the health regulations of every country that you will be traveling to. Bring along a copy of your pet’s medical records listing its allergies, chronic medical conditions, and medications.

If you haven’t done this already, you should get your pet micro-chipped. That way, if your pet gets lost and is taken to an animal shelter or vet, where its chip can be scanned, you both can be reunited. Keep in mind that your pet’s identification tag will have your home address and phone number on it. That won’t be of much help if your pet is lost while you are on vacation. It may be a good idea to get another tag made up with your destination address and phone number on it. What happens if you pet isn’t found until after you have returned from your vacation? It makes sense that you should leave both your home I.D. tag on your pet as well as attaching the new tag. That way you have all bases covered and stand a better chance of being reunited with your pet.

You should carry a photo of you pet with you when you’re traveling. It will help you prove that you are the rightful owner if any problems of ownership occur. Also, the photo can be used to make up flyers to post in the area where your pet was lost.

Flying with pets that are too large to fit into a FAA approved pet carrier is not advisable as they will have to be stowed in the cargo hold. Putting your pet in the cargo hold can be traumatic and dangerous to your pet’s health. It would make far more sense to leave your pet with friends, or a pet sitting service for the duration of your vacation.

The American Veterinary Medical Association advises against sedating or tranquilizing your pet when flying, especially dogs. Dogs regulate their body temperature by panting, so if they are tranquilized, they may not be able to pant. If this happens, it can leave them defenseless against the fluctuation of temperature and air pressure that occurs in the cargo hold of every flight. Also, keep in mind that pets don’t enjoy flying, or being stuffed into a cramped kennel and left alone in a dark and desolate cargo hold. It must be terrifying for them.

There are a number of websites that give additional valuable information regarding traveling with your pet. Two outstanding sites are the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) at aspca.org, and the Federal Government’s Department of Agriculture at aphis.usda.gov, which has an excellent article entitled, Traveling With Your Pet.

If you want a great travel carrier for your small pet, you may want to consider the popular, FAA approved pet carrier, Sherpa On Wheels. This Cadillac of pet carriers can be a luxurious and comfortable home for your pet while flying. It has the convenience of a front and top entry, mesh ventilation panels, recessed wheels, as well as a detachable pull handle and a shoulder strap. It is available on line at SherpaPet.

By :  Dorothy Yamich