Pets: Top 10 Holiday-Related Medical Conditions

BREA, Calif., Nov. 15, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- From snacking on human treats to biting colorful light bulbs, as the winter holiday season draws closer, pet owners must keep an even more watchful eye on their furry, four-legged friends. In 2011, Veterinary Pet Insurance Co. (VPI), the nation's oldest and largest provider of pet health insurance, policyholders spent more than $22.8 million on medical conditions commonly associated with the holidays. The company recently sorted its database of more than 485,000 insured pets to determine the 10 most common holiday-related medical conditions last year. Below are the results:

Each of the conditions listed above makes for an unexpected and unwanted veterinary expense during the holidays for pet parents. The most expensive condition on the list, intestinal foreign body – surgical, cost an average of $2,328 per pet, while enteritis, the least expensive condition on the list, cost an average of $105 per pet. The most common condition on the list, gastritis, cost an average of $279 per pet.

In 2011, of the 267,915 claims processed during the holiday months (November through January), 24,262 were for conditions commonly associated with holiday festivities. Of those claims, 17,421 were associated with vomiting and diarrhea.

"Our data shows that most pet holiday accidents or injuries are related to pets eating people food or other holiday objects, such as tinsel, holiday houseplants, ornaments and ribbon," said Dr. McConnell, DVM, MBA, vice president and chief veterinary medical officer for VPI. "Whether it's holiday food or decorations, pets have a knack for ingesting foreign objects, and it's important for pet owners to keep unsafe items out of reach."

VPI received 1,020 methylaxanthine (chocolate toxicity) claims in 2011. Of the claims, 227 were submitted in December, a 310% increase over the average of 73.3 methylaxanthine claims submitted during all other months throughout the year. In addition to December, February (Valentine's Day), January (left over treats from the holidays) and April (Easter) were the months with the most chocolate toxicity claims. Chocolate toxicity claims had an average cost of $380 per pet.

Although death only occurs in approximately 1 in every 3,000 chocolate intoxication cases, the ingestion of chocolate could result in vomiting, diarrhea, urination, hyperactivity heart arrhythmias, tremors and seizures. Whether it's chocolate or other harmful objects, in order to ensure a safe holiday season, pet owners should safeguard their homes and protect their furry friends from potential holiday dangers.

About Veterinary Pet Insurance
With more than 485,000 pets insured nationwide, Veterinary Pet Insurance Co./DVM Insurance Agency (VPI) is a member of the Nationwide Insurance family of companies and is the oldest and largest pet health insurance company in the United States. Since 1982, VPI has helped provide pet owners with peace of mind and is committed to being the trusted choice of America's pet lovers.

VPI Pet Insurance plans cover dogs, cats, birds and exotic pets for multiple medical problems and conditions relating to accidents, illnesses and injuries. CareGuard^® coverage for routine care is available for an additional premium. Medical plans are available in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Additionally, nearly 3,000 companies nationwide offer VPI Pet Insurance as an employee benefit. Policies are offered and administered by Veterinary Pet Insurance Company in California and DVM Insurance Agency in all other states. Underwritten by Veterinary Pet Insurance Company (CA), Brea, CA, an A.M. Best A rated company (2012); National Casualty Company (all other states), Madison, WI, an A.M. Best A+ rated company (2012). 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 petinsurance.com.

SOURCE Veterinary Pet Insurance