Georgina Barry¹, Dan O'Neill¹, Kendy Teng², David Brodbelt¹

¹Royal Veterinary College, London, United Kingdom. ²National Chung Hsing University, Taichung, Taiwan

Objectives

To explore insurance claim data for common canine disorders to estimate financial burden of disease in top UK dog breeds.

Methods

Petplan supplied the number and mean paid-claim values for 35 common canine disorders of 21 popular breed types insured under Lifetime and Time-Limited policies from 2020-2025. Total claim values and counts were calculated per breed-disorder combination. Proportions of disorder-specific payments within total breed payments were assessed.

Results

Over the six-year period, Petplan paid £498,435,021 across 610,617 claims for 35 disorders in 21 breeds. Crossbreeds had the highest estimated financial burden, with 3.1 claims paid per insured dog that totalled approximately £2,438 over six years.

Over six years, corneal ulceration accounted for 26.6% (95% confidence interval [CI] 26.6-26.7%) of the total payments made in Pugs, 20.2% in French Bulldogs (95% CI 20.2-20.2%) and 20.1% in Shih Tzus (95% CI 20.1-20.1%). Patellar luxation was responsible for 22.1% (95% CI 22.1-22.1%) of the total paid in Chihuahuas and 15.0% (95% CI 15.0-15.0%) in Yorkshire Terriers. Heart murmur accounted for 22.6% of payments in Cavalier King Charles Spaniels (95% CI 22.5-22.6%). Atopic dermatitis accounted for 14.3% (95% CI 14.3-14.3%) and 9.8% (95% CI 9.7-9.8%) of payments in West Highland White Terriers and British Bulldogs, respectively.

Statement: Impact/ Clinical Significance

Breed-associated disorders, such as conformation-related or inherited, appeared to be drivers of veterinary costs in popular UK dog breeds. These findings highlight the need for breeding policies that prioritise canine welfare by reducing potentially preventable disorders that not only cause poor health but also impose significant and often unexpected financial strain on owners.