Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (PRWEB) July 23, 2012

Olympic athletes, like Ryan Lochte, Jonathan Horton and Abby Wambach keep their bodies healthy and fit so that when faced with grueling competition, they can emerge victorious. But what about their pets? While Fluffy and Fido may not be Olympic athletes (Furr-lympics, anyone?), No. 1-rated Petplan pet insurance reminds pet parents that they can also sustain Olympic-sized injuries.

In fact, the most common injuries in athletes very closely resemble some of the most common injuries in our four-legged friends. Orthopedic injuries, including cruciate ligament tears (similar to an ACL tear in people) and fractured bones, appear in Petplan’s top 20 most claimed-for conditions.

According to 2011 Petplan claims data, veterinary bills for treatment of cruciate injuries averaged $2,000 per incident, with some claims topping $6,000. Fractures averaged around $730, with costs for some broken bones jumping as high as $6,800.

“Most pet parents don’t realize that dogs and cats can suffer some of the same serious injuries as human athletes,” said Dr. Jules Benson, Vice President of Veterinary Services for Petplan. “Although medium and large breed dogs are more prone to cruciate problems in particular, pet parents of every breed should monitor their pets closely and keep them physically fit in an effort to avoid this – and other – health problems.”

To help pets avoid these painful – and pricey – conditions, Petplan offers the following tips to keep your pet in gold medal condition:

   •  Fit n’ Trim: The extra pounds pot-bellied pooches and chunky kitties carry around make them more prone to orthopedic injury. Keeping pets at a healthy weight can help relieve undue pressure on their joints and hind legs.

   •  Look Out for Limping: Catching an injury immediately after it occurs can be crucial to your pet’s recovery, so if you spot any lameness or notice your pet not wanting to play as usual, call your vet for a check-up.

   •  Warm Up Wisely: Pets can’t exactly stretch their muscles, so a pre-workout warm-up is essential, especially if your Furr-lympian-in-training is a recent member of the Couch Potato Club. Start slow, taking short and easy walks before you accelerate your pet’s training regimen.

For more tips on keeping your champion pet in winning form, visit http://www.GoPetplan.com.

ABOUT PETPLAN
Top-rated pet insurance provider, Petplan, is the only pet insurance company to have been included on Inc. Magazine’s list of 500 fastest-growing, privately held companies in America. Petplan’s fully customizable dog insurance and cat insurance policies provide coverage for all hereditary and congenital conditions for the life of the pet as standard, and meet the coverage requirements and budget for pets of all/any age. Petplan policies are underwritten by AGCS Marine Insurance Company, a member of the Allianz Group, rated A+ by A.M. Best (2010). For information, about Petplan pet insurance, visit http://www.GoPetplan.com, read the Petplan Pet Insurance Blog, or call 1-866-467-3875.

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