Veterinary Pet Insurance Kicks Off Fourth Annual Pet Cancer Aware...( November Marks Month to Educate Pe...),Health

November Marks Month to Educate Pet Owners and Contribute to Research

BREA, Calif., Oct. 30 /PRNewswire/ -- Once a guaranteed death sentence for pets, cancer is claiming fewer four-legged victims these days thanks to sophisticated treatments and the willingness of pet owners to pursue those treatments. Veterinary Pet Insurance (VPI), the nation's oldest and largest pet health insurer, will seek to raise national awareness about the disease this November with its fourth annual National Pet Cancer Awareness Month. VPI launched Pet Cancer Awareness Month in November 2005 to educate pet owners on the prevalence and management of cancer in pets and raise funds for research through the sale of Pet Cancer Awareness dog collars.

"Cancer is the leading cause of disease-related death in pets," said Dr. Carol McConnell, vice president and chief veterinary medical officer for VPI. "Even though nearly one in four pets will be diagnosed with cancer, few pet owners know how commonly it occurs and what treatment options exist. It only adds to the shock of the diagnosis when pet owners are unprepared for the costs. Our goal for Pet Cancer Awareness Month is to educate and empower pet owners so they can make optimal health care decisions for their pets."

Now through the end of November, visitors to petinsurance.com will have the opportunity to purchase exclusive Pet Cancer Awareness dog collars, with all profits going directly toward advancing the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of cancers in pets and people. Designed specifically for Pet Cancer Awareness Month, VPI's Pet Cancer Awareness dog collars are available in sizes small to extra large and range in price from $23 to $33. All profits made from the collars will be donated to the Animal Cancer Foundation, a non-profit organization which develops and supports cancer research for pets and people.

VPI claims data from 2007 reveals that the most common cancers in dogs were lymphosarcoma (a cance
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