Pet insurance company reports most common veterinary visits

wip-studio / stock.adobe.com

Nationwide has analyzed its database of more than 1.2 million insured pets to determine the top conditions affecting canines and felines in 2023. The insurance company also provided the average costs associated with treatment for these common conditions. By the end of the year, members filed more than 1.5 million individual claims, leading to Nationwide discovering the top 10 medical conditions affecting both dogs and cats. According to a news release,¹ the most common reason dogs visited the veterinary clinic was for dermatitis, while the top reason for cats was gastroenteritis.

The list is as follows:¹

Dogs

1. Dermatitis. Cost of treatment: $240

2. Gastroenteritis (Diarrhea/intestinal upset). Cost of treatment: $614

3. Otitis externa. Cost of treatment: $280

4. Degenerative arthritis. Cost of treatment: $ 446

5. Trauma. Cost of treatment: $629

6. Dental disease. Cost of treatment: $1072

7. Urinary tract infection. Cost of treatment: $499

8. Valvular heart disease. Cost of treatment: $565

9. Respiratory infection. Cost of treatment: $548

10. Liver disease. Cost of treatment: $500

Cats

1. Gastroenteritis (Diarrhea/intestinal upset). Cost of treatment: $747

2. Urinary tract disease. Cost of treatment: $904

3. Kidney failure. Cost of treatment: $ 694

4. Dental disease. Cost of treatment: $1300

5. Degenerative arthritis. Cost of treatment: $447

6. Hyperthyroidism. Cost of treatment: $547

7. Respiratory infection. Cost of treatment: $1575

8. Diabetes mellitus. Cost of treatment: $967

9. Inflammatory bowel disease. Cost of treatment: $967

10. Atopic or allergic dermatitis. Cost of treatment: $289

Dental disease showed to be an expensive treatment cost for pet owners, with the most expensive for dogs and the second most costly for cats.

According to Nationwide, this is the 12th year atopic or allergic dermatitis is the most common health issue for dogs. The company had 410,500 individual claims received in 2023, which was up from 373,000 the year before in 2022. This means that skin allergies represented 20% of total claims for dogs.¹ Likewise for cats, Nationwide received more than 25,000 individual claims for gastroenteritis.

“We know that veterinary healthcare teams are well aware of how common many of these conditions are and how costly it can be to manage them,” said Jules Benson, BVSc MRCVS, AVP, chief veterinary officer at Nationwide, in the release.¹ “Every year, Nationwide’s top claims report brings that awareness to pet families – this year, it is boosted in 2024 by the addition of our Pet HealthZone. This digital resource brings together individual pet risk data, costs, breed info, and fun facts, helping educate pet families on the common (and uncommon!) conditions that their pets might be prone to.”

Reference

Dermatitis, gastroenteritis among most common conditions that prompt veterinary visits. News release. Nationwide. April 18, 2024. Accessed April 19, 2024. https://news.nationwide.com/041824-dermatitis-gastroenteritis-most-common-conditions-prompt-vet-visits/#:~:text=In%202023%2C%20top%2010%20conditions,million%20Nationwide%C2%AE%20pet%20claims&text=Columbus%2C%20OH%20%E2%80%93%20Treating%20conditions%20like,be%20unsettling%20for%20pet%20families.