Pet health insurance respiratory claims remain flat

Seattle-based pet health insurer Trupanion continues to monitor insurance claims for cats and dogs related to respiratory illness. In March, we reported that the company had noted “no unusual increases or changes in the frequency of illnesses in its pet health database over the past 45 days.” As of late April, the company reports that activity in this area remains relatively flat—even in hotspots like New York.

During a recent webinar from the COVID Council—a group of animal health advocacy groups that have joined forces to keep veterinarians informed about the global impact of the virus on the veterinary industry—Trupanion Chief Veterinary Officer Steve Weinrauch, BVMS, MRCVS, noted that “SARS-CoV-2 infections have been reported in very few animals worldwide, mostly in those that had known close contact with a person with COVID-19 and the current evidence is overwhelming that COVID-19 is primarily a people problem.”

The reports of positive cats in New York fit with what was discussed in this webinar. “There is no evidence that this is a serious illness in pets, there is no evidence that pets can give this to people and the best advice is still to socially distance with your pet.”

The informative pet owner–focused webinar can be viewed on Trupanion’s Facebook page.