Top 10 Reasons Why Pets Are Taken to Vet

Veterinary insurance company reveals the 10 most commonly claimed medical conditions for dogs and cats.

Posted: June 18, 2008, 5 a.m. EDT

Ear infections were the top reason why dogs were taken to the veterinarian in 2007, according to Veterinary Pet Insurance of Brea, Calif., which recently analyzed its medical claims received last year to determine the top 10 most commonly claimed conditions for dogs and cats. The top reason why cats were taken to the veterinarian was because of urinary tract infections.

For dogs and cats, the top 10 conditions accounted for about 25 percent of all medical claims received in 2007.

Top Reasons for Dogs	Top Reasons for Cats
Ear Infections Skin Allergies Pyoderma/Hot Spots Gastritis/Vomiting Enteritis/Diarrhea Urinary Tract Infections Benign Skin Tumors Eye Inflammation Osteoarthritis Hypothyroidism	Urinary Tract Infections Gastritis/Vomiting Chronic Renal Failure Enteritis/Diarrhea Diabetes Mellitus Skin Allergies Colitis/Constipation Ear Infections Respiratory Infections Hyperthyroidism

The biggest change on either list was feline enteritis, which jumped from No. 16 in 2006 to No. 4 in 2007. Also, almost a third of all the common conditions could be related to or exacerbated by diet, diet changes, or dietary indiscretions.

“Gastrointestinal claims are common each year we publish our top 10 list, but our 2007 numbers indicate that pet owners took their pets’ gastrointestinal and dietary difficulties more seriously this past year, perhaps due to the pet food recall,” said Carol McConnell, vice president and chief veterinary medical officer for VPI.

The most expensive of the common canine conditions in 2007 was benign skin tumors, with an average submitted claim fee of $327. For cats, it was renal failure at $279.