VPI Pet Insurance counts the poisons that send dogs to the veterinary hospital

Brea, Calif.

-- VPI Pet Insurance has released numbers on the most common toxins behind its pet poisoning claims after trips to the veterinarian.

VPI reports its policyholders spent more than $6.6 million between 2005 and 2009 treating their pets for poisoning.

Accidental ingestion of pet or human medications drugs was the most common source of pet poisoning claims between 2005 and 2009, costing policyholders an average of $791 per claim and accounting for nearly 25 percent of the total poisoning claims.

The most expensive type of poisoning, heavy metal poisoning, cost an average of $952 per claim.

These are the number of claims by toxin for VPI Pet Insurance claims from 2005 to 2009.

Poison / No. of claims

Drug reactions/accidental ingestion of drugs: 5,131

Rodenticide: 4,028

Methylxanthine: 3,661

Plant poisoning: 2,808

Household chemicals: 1,669

Metaldehyde: 396

Insecticide/organophosphate: 323

Heavy metal toxicity: 288

Toad poisoning: 270

Antifreeze: 213

Walnuts: 100

Alcohol: 75

Strychnine: 28

For client handouts and more information about common household and environmental poisons, check the related links below.