Pets Eat the Strangest Things: 2010's 60 Most Unusual Ingested Objects

BREA, Calif., Dec. 14, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- With nearly 2,000 foreign body ingestion claims received over the past year, Veterinary Pet Insurance Co. (VPI) – the nation's oldest and largest provider of pet health insurance – saw plenty of pets make meals of inedible objects. Many of the usual ingestions showed up again and again; socks, hand towels, sticks, and rocks were especially popular pet "snack" choices. Other ingested items were not quite as common. Following is a list of just some of the more noteworthy items that were removed from the stomachs of VPI-insured dogs and cats in 2010. All pets made full recoveries and received insurance reimbursements for eligible expenses.

• jellyfish
• glue
• estrogen patch/make-up brush
• tube of denture adhesive
• dead poisoned vole
• bikini
• ink pen
• plastic nose from teddy bear
• magnetic purse clasps
• baseball
• glass Christmas ornament
• hearing aid
• bed sheet
• box of pencils
• popsicle stick
• avocado pit
• dental floss
• coffee filter/coffee grounds
• fishhook
• pain relief tablet/B.B. pellet/highlighter
• tent door
• toy squeaker
• watch
• 16 steel wool pads
• pseudoephedrine/sponge/snail poison/tampon
• 20 cherry pits
• light bulb
• barbecue brush
• Frisbee
• jumper cables
• razor blades
• uncooked rice (1 pound)
• wallpaper paste
• squirrel
• balloon ribbons
• bird (whole)
• butter/sand
• deer antler (partial)
• extension cord
• leash/3 sticks of butter
• pin cushion
• portion of wool rug
• tobacco
• TV remote control
• 10 quarters/one penny/one Canadian coin/three arcade tokens
• foot-long submarine sandwich
• fire log
• wooden toy train
• pine cone
• round chew bone (whole)
• caulk
• eye glasses
• money (paper)
• oil-soaked dirt
• sand
• rosary crucifix
• 25 to 30 soiled diapers
• bath bubble mix
• bathtub cleaner/outdoor plants
• duck bone

VPI policyholders spent almost $3 million treating pets that ingested foreign objects in 2010. To avoid costly ingestion incidents, VPI recommends that all pet owners keep a close eye on their pets and place any item they suspect a pet may want to chew or eat safely out of their pets' reach. As the list of 2010's unusual ingestion claims indicates, pet owners should never underestimate their pets' ability or desire to eat anything they can find.

About Veterinary Pet Insurance

With more than 485,000 pets insured nationwide, Veterinary Pet Insurance Co./DVM Insurance Agency is the No. 1 veterinarian-recommended pet health insurance company and is a member of the Nationwide Insurance family of companies. Providing pet owners with peace of mind since 1982, the company is committed to being the trusted choice of America's pet lovers and an advocate of pet health education. VPI Pet Insurance plans cover dogs, cats, birds and exotic pets for multiple medical problems and conditions relating to accidents, illnesses and injuries. Optional Pet CareGuard® for routine care is also available.

Medical plans are available in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. More than 2,000 companies nationwide offer VPI Pet Insurance as an employee benefit. Policies are underwritten by Veterinary Pet Insurance Company in California and in all other states by National Casualty Company, an A+15 rated company in Madison, Wisconsin. Pet owners can find VPI Pet Insurance on Facebook or follow @VPI on Twitter. For more information about VPI Pet Insurance, call 800-USA-PETS (800-872-7387) or visit www.petinsurance.com.

SOURCE Veterinary Pet Insurance