10 Most Common Feline Health Insurance Claims Revealed
More than a million claims for the treatment of cats and dogs are received every year by Veterinary Pet Insurance Co. (VPI), and the company has revealed the 10 most common reasons for claims to be submitted for feline veterinary care in 2009. The data reveals that most claims are submitted to cover ongoing, or chronic, health concerns.
At the top of the list is lower urinary tract disease, which costs an average of $260 per office visit, and for which there were over 3,700 claims in 2009. The most expensive condition for cats was periodontitis (dental disease), which cost an average of $360 per visit. According to VPI, some of the top 10 conditions are associated with an animal’s natural ageing process, but many of the conditions can occur in any pet. The 10 most common conditions in cats are as follows:
- Lower urinary tract disease
- Gastritis/vomiting
- Chronic renal failure
- Hyperthyroidism
- Diabetes
- Enteritis (diarrhea)
- Skin allergy
- Periodontitis (dental disease)
- Ear infection
- Eye infection
"What we hear from many pet owners," said Dr. Carol McConnell, vice president and chief veterinary medical officer for VPI, "is that nothing happens to their pet because the pet is with them daily and receives the right food and plenty of exercise, etc. Those things certainly go a long way in making for a healthy, happy animal. Despite a pet owner’s best efforts, however, VPI’s data shows that pets are still at risk for ailments that may require repeated trips to a veterinarian’s office."
