Most Common Medical Conditions for Dogs and Cats

Pets require routine medical attention just like their human counterparts, and while common issues such as ear infections and skin allergies are rarely life-threatening, they can be unexpected and expensive. Nationwide, the nation’s first and largest provider of pet health insurance, recently sorted through its database of more than 600,000 insured pets to determine the top medical conditions that prompted veterinary visits for dogs and cats in 2016. Below are the results:

“We encourage pet owners to schedule regular medical checkups as recommended by their veterinarians to prevent many common, yet problematic medical conditions,” said Carol McConnell, DVM, MBA, vice president and chief veterinary medical officer for Nationwide. “It’s important for pet owners to be familiar with their pet’s daily habits to help identify oddities in their routine. Early detection can prevent many of these issues from becoming serious.”

Last year, Nationwide members spent more than $81 million to treat the 10 most common medical conditions affecting their pets. Skin allergies were the most common health issue among Nationwide insured canines with more than 102,000 individual claims at an average cost of $233 per dog. Dental diseases accounted for the most common medical condition among Nationwide insured felines with more than 5,200 claims received at an average cost of $376 per cat.

Non-cancerous skin masses accounted for the most costly canine medical condition on the list with an average cost of $364 per dog. The most expensive feline medical condition on the list was diabetes, which carries a significantly higher cost of $905 per cat.