PERPETUAL CARE

By Virginia Kilmer, CEO/Founder, Perpetual Care What is it? Dogs do it, cats do it, even horses do it…well sort of; it’s the Sploot! It is so cute when they do it, we all love to take photos and videos of them when caught in the act of a sploot! So, what is it, why do they do it and are they okay to when they do it? A "sploot" is a popular term for when a pet lies flat on its stomach with its front paws outstretched and its hind legs stretched straight backward (like a fr

The legal terms of estate planning can be very confusing and you may find that the legal terminology changes by state, so although we hope the following information is helpful, we always recommend that you have an attorney in your state review your legal documents. Our goal is to help you to know what documents you need and why as well as what can happen if you do not have those documents in your estate plan. Advance Directives is an umbrella term for any legal document that

By Virginia Kilmer It’s never easy to decide when it is time to let your pet go and you worry that it’s too soon or you hope that they will pass peacefully on their own so you put off making the decision. I have had to make that decision for my own pets and over the past 24 years of operating Perpetual Care, I have had to make the decision many times for our resident pets, and it is always difficult to decide when it is time. Here are some guidelines that may help you when

What did you call me? WHAT’S IN A PET’S NAME? By Virginia Kilmer, Perpetual Care Pets (dogs, cats and horses, etc.) learn their names as signals for attention, often associating the sound with positive reinforcement (food) or specific commands and treats. Associative Learning: Pets associate their names with rewards and positive attention. If a name is consistently paired with positive reinforcement, they will learn their name quicker and respond faster. Tone and Emotion:

By Virginia Kilmer Perpetual Care Is your pet losing hair on their back, face, leg or ears? Wherever they are losing their hair, it can be a tricky investigation to find the source of the issue. A pet may lose hair due to allergies, parasites like fleas or mites, skin infections, or hormonal imbalances. Other causes can include stress, poor nutrition, genetics, or friction from things like collars, harnesses and horse tack. The first step when investigating an issue wi

HOW TO CHOOSE A TRUSTEE FOR YOUR ESTATE PLAN Choosing a Trustee to name in the Living Trust document of your estate plan is important to give you the comfort of knowing that your wishes will be carried out, especially since your Trustee may need to step forward while you are still alive. It is more and more common for people to go into assisted living or other nursing care prior to passing away, so a trust is the best way to protect your pets in those situations. Trustee

By Catherine Hodder, Esq. A personal representative, also known as an executor, is responsible for managing and distributing a...

Okay, you’ve decided it’s time to set up your estate plan for your pets. You don’t want to put it off any longer, but you don’t know who...

If you love your pets and have them for many years, you will probably experience and perhaps have already experienced grief from the loss...

What are the standard basic roles in a Will or Trust? First let’s clarify the two basic roles in a Will or Trust, which are 1. YOU...

WOULD PET INSURANCE HAVE HELPED BELLA? BELLA’S STORY Little Bella (above) is only 5 years old but she developed a life-threatening...

When people adopt a new pet, they often don't really think about the commitment they are making to care for that pet for the rest of...

· Do you really need flea and tick medicine for your pets? Using flea and tick medicine for dogs and cats is highly recommended to...

Whether you have a will or a living trust, you can designate who will inherit your assets (remember by law, your assets include your...

Stress or anxiety is actually fairly common in dogs, but pet owners often miss the cues that tell us our pet is stressed and we may not...

Think you might have a stressed cat? Is cat stress even a thing? Sadly, the answer to the latter is yes: Cats can feel real and chronic...

As they relate to your Pets WILLS A WILL-is a legal document that states how to distribute your assets (property) upon your death....

(Dogs, Cats, Horses) Dogs Dogs are omnivores, meaning they can get their nutritional needs from both meat and plant-based foods. Dogs can...

Remember the basic documents you need in your estate plan: 1. A Will 2. Advance Directive (Also called a Living Will) 3. ...

Several years ago, I spoke with a pet owner who wanted Perpetual Care to take her dog. She said she was going to put her 14-year-old...