Choosing a Veterinarian
How important is it to find the right veterinarian for your cat? Just ask anyone who has had a bad pet-medical-related experience. Searching online for your nearest local clinic or thumbing through the yellow pages can be a recipe for disaster. Cat owners often don't even interview veterinarians before making that first office visit, says Roberta Lillich, DVM, spokeswoman for the American Association of Feline Practitioners.

How Minor Cat Health Issues Become Major
It might sound like a page out of a spy novel, but your cat is a master of disguise. Unfortunately, this skill isn't always in your cat's best interest. That's because felines are adept at hiding health issues until illnesses can escalate into serious problems.

How to Save on Veterinarian Bills
When dog owner Melody Peterson's bull terrier, Shasta, ate Peterson's carpet, the veterinary bill set the Bend, Ore., resident back $1,800. That's the good news. The bad news is that subsequent veterinary visits due to complications cost her an additional $2,500. A year later, Shasta ate a mini blind cord and the price tag for emergency surgery cost Peterson another $1,800. All told, Peterson has shelled out more than $6,000 on veterinary bills because of her dog's propensity to eat anything and everything in sight, be it plastic water bottles, rocks, carpets, cell phones, or mini blind cords.

Is Your Dog's Health Care Better Than Yours?
New York City-based writer Sharon Glassman was unhappy with her own health care experiences for some time when her three and a half-year-old Bichon Fris, bb, began having urinary problems. "When I have a health issue, it's only made worse by the hurdles I have to jump to see a doctor," Glassman says. "With bb, we just called the vet and went in and her insurance didn't question the veterinarian's opinion that she needed an ultra-sound."