Most Common Medical Conditions for Dogs and Cats

BREA, Calif., March 7, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- 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:

Dogs	Cats
1.   Skin Allergies	1.    Periodontitis/Dental Disease
2.   Ear Infection	2.    Bladder or Urinary Tract Disease
3.   Non-cancerous Skin Mass	3.    Chronic Kidney Disease
4.   Skin Infection	4.    Vomiting/Upset Stomach
5.   Arthritis	5.    Excessive Thyroid Hormone
6.   Periodontitis/Dental Disease	6.    Diarrhea/Intestinal Upset
7.   Vomiting/Upset Stomach	7.    Diabetes
8.   Diarrhea/ Intestinal Upset	8.    Inflammatory Bowel Disease
9.   Bladder or Urinary Tract Infection	9.    Skin Allergies
10. Anal Gland Inflammation/Infection	10.  Valvular Heart Disease or Murmur

 "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. 

About Nationwide pet insurance
With more than 600,000 insured pets, pet insurance from Nationwide, formerly known as Veterinary Pet Insurance (VPI), is the first and largest pet health insurance provider in the United States. Since 1982, Nationwide has helped provide pet owners with peace of mind and is committed to being the trusted choice of America's pet lovers.

Nationwide plans cover dogs, cats, birds and exotic pets for multiple medical problems and conditions relating to accidents, illnesses and injuries. Medical plans are available in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Additionally, nearly half of all Fortune 500 companies offer Nationwide pet insurance as an employee benefit.

Insurance plans are offered and administered by Veterinary Pet Insurance Company in California and DVM Insurance Agency in all other states. Underwritten by Veterinary Pet Insurance Company (CA), Brea, CA, an A.M. Best A+ rated company (2016); National Casualty Company (all other states), Columbus, OH, an A.M. Best A+ rated company (2016). Pet owners can find Nationwide pet insurance on Facebook or follow on Twitter. For more information about Nationwide pet insurance, call 800-USA-PETS (800-872-7387) or visit petinsurance.com.

About Nationwide
Nationwide, a Fortune 100 company based in Columbus, Ohio, is one of the largest and strongest diversified insurance and financial services organizations in the U.S. and is rated A+ by both A.M. Best and Standard & Poor's. The company provides a full range of insurance and financial services, including auto, commercial, homeowners, farm and life insurance; public and private sector retirement plans, annuities and mutual funds; banking and mortgages; excess & surplus, specialty and surety; pet, motorcycle and boat insurance. For more information, visit www.nationwide.com.

Nationwide and the Nationwide N and Eagle are service marks of Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company. ©2017 Nationwide.

CONTACT:
Nationwide pet insurance
Media Relations
(714)706-5652
mediainfo@petinsurance.com

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SOURCE Nationwide