This article is from the K9 Magazine archives, subscribe to our newsletter & get our best dog news, tips and articles ---->Anyone who’s ever brought home a new puppy knows the seemingly endless amounts of energy and curiosity that come with these furry additions to the family. Unfortunately, all of that playing, running, jumping, and sniffing around can sometimes lead to serious accidents.
Veterinary Pet Insurance Co., the nation’s oldest and largest provider of pet health insurance, recently looked at its database of more than 480,000 insured pets to find the top ten accidental injuries suffered by dogs during the first two years of their lives:
Top 10 Puppy Accident Claims
1. Soft Tissue Trauma
2. Laceration or Bite Wound
3. Cruciate Ligament Injury
4. Sprain
5. Insect Bites and Stings
6. Abrasion
7. Torn Nail
8. Eye Trauma
9. Drug Toxicity
10. Oral Cavity Trauma
“Pet owners falsely assume that they don’t need pet insurance because their pet is young and healthy,” said Dr. Carol McConnell, vice president and chief veterinary medical officer for VPI. “While younger pets are less susceptible to serious illnesses such as cancer, our data shows that pets of all ages can suffer costly accidental injuries. Pet insurance is designed to defray unexpected treatment costs – whenever they may occur. It’s important for owners of puppies and kittens to keep in mind that just because their pets may be young, they’re not indestructible.”
In addition to the physical toll the above accidents can take on young dogs, the financial costs can be draining. The top 10 puppy and kitten accidents cost VPI policyholders a combined $1.5 million and $91,371, respectively, in the past year. Although it can be difficult anticipating where and when a vigorous puppy might get into trouble, there are several steps owners can take to “baby-proof” their homes. Examples include clearing obstacles inside and out that an uncoordinated younger pet might collide with during playtime, removing items that can be mistaken for food from the floor and countertops, and keeping all medications tightly sealed and securely stored in drawers or medicine cabinets.
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August 26, 2010 at 11:00 pm
pet insurance is paramount to me .i bought my puppy off a so called accredited breeder recommended by the kennel club he had a heart defect that cost over £ 4000.00 he would have had to be put to sleep otherwise he now has behaviour problems which my insurance helps pay
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