Most pet owners like to spoil their animals a little, whether by giving them tasty treats to eat in addition to the food they need to keep them in good health, or by providing them with expensive toys to keep boredom at bay. The amount of money spent on our pets collectively is incredible, even when you exclude essential costs such as veterinary fees and the like.

However much we might pamper our pets, most of us won't go so far as many animal lovers in Japan, where aging pets can have personal fitness trainers, sessions at a spa, massage, aromatherapy and acupuncture, providing a regimen for healthy life that not many of us humans even benefit from!

Although pampering your pet is normally harmless, there are a couple of problems to look out for. The first is that recent studies show that the more pampered a pet is, the less intelligent it's likely to be. Doted-on pets tend to lose their natural problem solving abilities and can't cope with difficulties - in short, they become a bit spoilt. This is rarely a real problem except in the most advanced cases, where a pet can all but take over it's owner's life!

A much more serious concern is that pampered pets will tend to be overweight, which can risk serious or even life-threatening illnesses and conditions. Help is at hand here too for the elite of pampered pets - there are an increasing number of specialist animal slimming clinics where pet owners can get both dietary advice and exercise plans tailored to their own animal to keep them in top condition.

Whether or not weight is an issue, veterinary fees can mount up for even the most pampered pet, especially in later life. As our pets are better and better cared for, their life expectancy levels are increasing. Unfortunately, this can also expose them to a greater risk of conditions and illnesses that only tend to appear in later years.

Many pet lovers choose to guard against this by taking out a pet insurance policy early on in their pet's life. While this may seem like an unneccessary expense while your pet is young, healthy, and full of vigor, you might find it a small price to pay as your beloved pet gets a little more elderly.

The reason you should consider taking out a policy while your pet is still young is that almost all policies will exclude pre-existing conditions from claims. By taking out a policy on a healthy pet you're ensuring that you'll be able to make a claim for any illness that might develop in the future.

Many people don't give any thought to insuring their pet, but with veterinary fees rising rapidly, it can now cost thousands of dollars to treat a moderate or serious condition. If you're pampering your pet in all other areas of it's life, it makes sense to think about how you'll be able to afford the best treatment possible when your faithful companion really needs it!