Nationwide shares its top medical conditions of 2022

Nationwide announced that out of the 1.43 million individual claims for treatment, it compiled a list of the top 10 medical conditions that affect dogs and cats. Along with the claims, Nationwide also used its database of over 1.2 million pets to help determine what prompts pet parents to bring their dog or cat to their veterinarian.

“When we talk about protecting pets from the unexpected, many families might envision things like traumatic injuries, poisoning, or foreign body ingestion,” said Jules Benson, BVSc, MRCVS, Nationwide’s vice president, pet health and chief veterinary officer, in an organizational release.¹ “While these are definitely situations where it’s beneficial to have pet health insurance, our data actually shows that the majority of claims come from extremely common conditions.”

The top 10 diseases for dogs and cats are:¹

Dogs:

1. Atopic or allergic dermatitis

1. Otitis externa
2. Enteropathy
3. Gastropathy
4. Pyoderma
5. Anal glad sacculitis
6. Arthritis
7. Benign skin neoplasia
8. Cystitis
9. Dental disease (tooth infection, cavity, abscess)

Cats:

1. Chronic kidney disease
2. Cystitis
3. Gastropathy
4. Enteropathy
5. Hyperthyroid disease
6. Dental disease (tooth infection, cavity, abscess)
7. Diabetes mellitus
8. Atopic or allergic dermatitis
9. Upper respiratory infection
10. Otitis externa

According to the release, skin allergies were the most common canine health issue, with over 373,000 individual claims received. As for cats, Nationwide received over 18,400 individual claims for chronic kidney disease, giving it the top spot for 2022.¹

“Year over year, we see that ear infections, urinary and gastrointestinal disease, and skin allergies account for huge portions of the claims Nationwide receives for cats and dogs,” explained Benson. “And as clinicians know, all are conditions that can start out small but become serious, even chronic, if left untreated. Having a pet protection solution in place can make a big difference in whether pet parents seek veterinary care early, and then in what diagnostics and treatments are viable for them.”¹

Reference

Dermatitis, otitis externa continue to top common conditions that prompt veterinary visits. News release. Nationwide. April 12, 2023. Accessed April 14, 2023.