Cat Diabetes Is The 6th Most Common Cat Ailment of 2011

Cat diabetes is the 6th most common cat ailment of 2011 says the oldest and largest pet insurer in the United States. A database of more than 485,000 insured was used to compile these figures.

As previously mentioned by me on numerous occasions, cat diabetes is on the increase and if your cat is leading a ‘western lifestyle’, i.e one that involves a manufactured unnatural diet and couched potato existence then chances of being afflicted with cat diabetes is greatly increased.

We have a number of posts by cat owners who are struggling to pay the vet costs of looking after a diabetic cat. I think everyone should consider a good insurance policy to protect against chronic illnesses as well as accidents.

Cat diabetes is the 6th most common cat  ailment of 2011.

“– An ear infection, stomach ache or cough can prompt a visit to your doctor and the same holds true for our pets. While the majority of these conditions are curable, they can become chronic and expensive to treat.

Veterinary Pet Insurance Co. (VPI) policyholders spent more than $46 million in 2011 treating the 10 most common medical conditions afflicting their pets. VPI, the nation’s oldest and largest provider of pet health insurance, recently sorted its database of more than 485,000 insured pets to determine the top 10 dog and cat medical conditions in 2011. Below are the results:

Dogs                           Cats
1.Ear Infection                1. Bladder Infection
2.Skin Allergies               2. Chronic Renal

3.Skin Infection               3. Overactive Thyroid
4.Non-cancerous Skin Growth    4. Upset Stomach
5.Upset Stomach                5. Periodontitis

6.Intestinal Upset             6. Diabetes
7.Arthritis                    7. Intestinal Upset

8.Bladder Infection            8. Ear Infection
9.Bruise or Contusion          9. Skin Allergies
10.Underactive Thyroid        10.Lymphosarcoma

The large number of claims received for these medical

conditions attests to their common, often repetitive,

and sometimes chronic nature," said Dr. Carol

McConnell,DVM, MBA,vice president and chief

veterinary medical officer for VPI."While many pet

owners fear major accidents and illnesses, which can

cost thousands of dollars to treat for a single

incident, repetitive and chronic conditions can be

just as detrimental to a pet's quality of life and

financially burdensome to the pet owner."

 

In 2011, VPI received more than 62,000 canine claims for ear infections, the most common cause for taking a dog to see a veterinarian. The average claim fee was $98 per office visit.

For cats, a bladder infection was the most common reason to take your kitty to the veterinarian. VPI received more than 3,800 medical claims for this ailment – with an average claim amount of $233 per office visit.

The most expensive canine condition on the list (non-cancerous skin growth) cost an average of $220 per visit, while, for cats, the most expensive condition (lymphosarcoma) cost an average of $426 per visit

Pet owners should familiarize themselves with their pets’ daily routine in order to identify abnormal behaviors that might indicate an injury or illness. In addition, regular semiannual physical examinations by a veterinarian can help prevent and identify certain conditions before they become serious or costly.”

There was recently a scandal in the United Kingdom where an insurance company decided to close down its pets  insurance division.  No big deal about that really, except that this company used to offer policies that had no time limit on how long a claim could be ongoing. So if your cat was diagnosed with a chronic illness then costs of treatment could be recovered indefinitely.

The problem was that this insurance company was not offering any compensation to owners who were receiving ongoing treatments and it was impossible for these owners to take insurance policies with alternative companies that would cover pre-existing conditions. This caused such a stink on the consumer forums that the Government has had to step in and force the insurance company to offer compensation.

Cat diabetes is a condition that will require ongoing treatment if conventional thinking is followed. Cat diabetes is the 6th most common cat ailment of 2011 and I believe that in the coming years it will climb higher in the rankings. It is always advisable to have some form of insurance not only to protect against accidents but also against chronic conditions such as cat diabetes.