Fittingly, because this month’s issue is devoted to chronic illness, and about 75 percent of the $2.2 trillion the United States spends on healthcare goes toward treating chronic conditions like diabetes, heart disease, and cancer.

issue reports that people with one chronic condition spent an average $655 out of pocket in 2005, while those with two chronic conditions spent $1,039, and those with three or more spent $1,865.

While it’s true that many people, especially elderly ones, have more than one chronic condition to contend with, lumping together costs faced by cancer patients with those who have much less expensive conditions like high blood pressure isn’t all that helpful.As it turns out, disease-specific details are awfully hard to come by.

Rand researchers examined private insurance claims for 55 health plans in 2004 and reported average annual out-of-pocket medical and drug costs for four chronic conditions.

Here’s what they found:But...

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Faced with an influx of dogs, Humane League of Lancaster County is reducing its canine adoption fees by 50 percent this month.Just this past month, we got 98 more dogs here at the shelter, Megan Gallagher Clark, the Humane League’s vice president of development and outreach, said.

So now we have about 345 dogs with some in foster care.The high volume of dogs is especially challenging because the Humane League is painting its kennels to maintain licensing requirements.Kerry Flanagan, the Humane League’s vice president of operations, said that while upgrading the kennels means less cages will be available for orphan dogs, the work is important.The Humane League has high standards of care for our dogs, and maintaining our kennels is a top priority, she said.The reduced adoption fees for dogs...

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11:18am UK, Monday January 05, 2009 Orla Chennaoui, Sky News reporter Vets’ bills for pet dogs can cost several hundred poundsAs owners count the cost of the day-to-day upkeep and see insurance premiums and vet’s bills rise, thousands of families are saying goodbye to their four-legged family members.

They have twice as many pets on their waiting list to be rehomed than this time last year.The dogs unfortunately are the first to suffer when financially people can’t afford to pay the bills, or feed themselves, said one rehoming centre manager.It’s very sad that a family member, like a dog is the first victim of the credit crunch, but this is clearly what we’re seeing, he explained.The average vets’ bill for a dog is thought to cost some several hundred pounds, while the cost of treating more serious conditions can run into the thousands.It is not...

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This may require temporary boarding or placement in another location such as a kennel or veterinary clinic.Treatment for infected people is typically nasal ointment and/or antimicrobials for oral administration.

published in October 2008 in cooperation with the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine.MRSA is a significant issue in veterinary medicine, even though it is primarily a human health problem.

The potential for zoonotic transmission places both people and animals at risk, said Dr.

MacAllister, director of continuing education and veterinary extension with the Oklahoma State University Center for Veterinary Health Sciences.

That is why veterinarians should take steps to help prevent transmission by adhering to established infection control practices and educating pet owners on the appropriate precautions to take at home.

However, it is neither needed nor recommended for most people, unless an individual is at a high risk for infection or is in contact...

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11:18am UK, Monday January 05, 2009 Orla Chennaoui, Sky News reporter Vets’ bills for pet dogs can cost several hundred poundsAs owners count the cost of the day-to-day upkeep and see insurance premiums and vet’s bills rise, thousands of families are saying goodbye to their four-legged family members.

They have twice as many pets on their waiting list to be rehomed than this time last year.The dogs unfortunately are the first to suffer when financially people can’t afford to pay the bills, or feed themselves, said one rehoming centre manager.It’s very sad that a family member, like a dog is the first victim of the credit crunch, but this is clearly what we’re seeing, he explained.The average vets’ bill for a dog is thought to cost some several hundred pounds, while the cost of treating more serious conditions can run into the thousands.It is not...

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