Source: Dre Annie Ross du Journal de Montréal
Friday, November 18, 2011

The insurance company Petsecure (www.petsecure.com) has published, notably, a list of interesting facts pet owners should know about dog and cat diseases.

Three times more serious illnesses than accidents

According to Petsecure, pets are three times more likely to contract a serious disease than have an accident. Here are a few other statistics on health problems in pets:

• 80% of dogs and 70% of cats have dental problems starting at age 3.
• Hip dysplasia is the most common hereditary orthopaedic disease in large and giant dog breeds.
• Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in dogs.
• Dogs are 34 times more likely to develop skin cancer than humans.
Cancer is the cause of at least half of all deaths in pets over 10 years of age. - From 25 to 40% of dogs suffer from obesity.
• The most common disorders affecting dogs are ear infections, allergies, skin infections, cancer and urinary infections.
• The most common disorders affecting cats are idiopathic cystitis, urinary infections, urinary blockages, respiratory viruses and hairballs.

What do our pets suffer from?

Below is a list of the ten most frequently diagnosed conditions in dogs and cats based on the statistics of the VPI pet insurance company (www.petinsurance.com). These conditions are the chief reasons for consulting a veterinarian.

Cats: top 10 claims

2. Gastritis/vomiting

3. Pyoderma/hot spots

4. Diarrhoea and enteritis

5. Skin allergies

6. Diabetes mellitus

7. Colitis and constipation

8. Ear infections

9. Feline upper respiratory viruses

10. Hyperthyroidism