Nationwide Pet Insurance has conducted an analysis of its extensive database, encompassing over 1.2 million insured pets, to ascertain the prevalent health issues affecting both canines and felines in 2023. This comprehensive study also provides insights into the average costs associated with treating these common conditions. Over the course of the year, policyholders submitted more than 1.5 million individual claims, enabling Nationwide to identify the top 10 medical conditions impacting dogs and cats alike. As detailed in a recent news release, the leading cause prompting visits to veterinary clinics for dogs was dermatitis, whereas cats most commonly sought treatment for gastroenteritis.
The compiled list of top conditions and their respective treatment costs is as follows:
For Dogs:
- Dermatitis – Treatment Cost: $240
- Gastroenteritis (Diarrhea/intestinal upset) – Treatment Cost: $614
- Otitis externa – Treatment Cost: $280
- Degenerative arthritis – Treatment Cost: $446
- Trauma – Treatment Cost: $629
- Dental disease – Treatment Cost: $1072
- Urinary tract infection – Treatment Cost: $499
- Valvular heart disease – Treatment Cost: $565
- Respiratory infection – Treatment Cost: $548
- Liver disease – Treatment Cost: $500
For Cats:
- Gastroenteritis (Diarrhea/intestinal upset) – Treatment Cost: $747
- Urinary tract disease – Treatment Cost: $904
- Kidney failure – Treatment Cost: $694
- Dental disease – Treatment Cost: $1300
- Degenerative arthritis – Treatment Cost: $447
- Hyperthyroidism – Treatment Cost: $547
- Respiratory infection – Treatment Cost: $1575
- Diabetes mellitus – Treatment Cost: $967
- Inflammatory bowel disease – Treatment Cost: $967
- Atopic or allergic dermatitis – Treatment Cost: $289
Notably, dental disease emerged as a significant expense for pet owners, ranking as the costliest treatment for dogs and the second most expensive for cats.
According to Nationwide, atopic or allergic dermatitis has consistently topped the list of common health issues for dogs for the 12th consecutive year. The company received 410,500 individual claims in 2023, marking an increase from 373,000 claims in the previous year, 2022. This signifies that skin allergies accounted for 20% of total claims for dogs. Similarly, Nationwide processed over 25,000 individual claims for gastroenteritis in cats.
Jules Benson, BVSc MRCVS, AVP, chief veterinary officer at Nationwide, emphasized the significance of these findings, stating, “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. 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.”
