In response to the rise in popularity of puppies over the last few months, pet insurance specialist Animal Friends has released data from 260,000 claims made last year to help potential dog owners make an informed decision on the breed they choose.
Puppy purchases have risen dramatically during and post-lockdown, and if these decisions have been made quickly, new owners may not understand the breed they have chosen in detail, or have contemplated the support the dog may need in the future.
With certain health problems more commonly associated with some breeds than others, the firm has shared its findings to help owners learn more about the care involved in the top 20 most popular dog breeds. The data comes from all Animal Friends Insurance claims made last year by dog owners, created into a series of online guides to share that information with the public.
The Breed Health Guide on the website features breed-specific guides showing the conditions each breed is more likely to make a claim for and exact details of those conditions. The guides also delve into the average costs per condition, enabling owners and would-be-owners to compare the potential vet care costs between the most popular breeds.
As well as being able to discover the top 20 breeds which make the most claims and which conditions are claimed for the most, dog owners can access professional veterinary advice from Animal Friends Insurance partner Joii Pet Care, with the vets sharing guides on how to prevent and treat conditions affecting the breeds highlighted.
Wes Pearson, managing director for Animal Friends Insurance, comments:
“We’re on a mission to help potential dog owners make an informed decision when it comes to choosing a breed of dog, whether you take home a new puppy or rescue a dog from a shelter. As an organisation which has donated over £4 million to animal charities, we wanted to do our part to help anyone considering a dog to access thorough research on a breed at the click of a button.
“There is so much information online and it can be difficult to know who to trust, but we hope by releasing our data it’s now easier than ever to see at a glance, the types of health conditions dog breeds can be affected by and the potential costs involved. We’ve also gone one step further, using our partnership with the vets at Joii Pet Care to share ways in which these conditions can be managed and prevented, to help keep dogs and their owners living happy and fulfilled lives together.”
Did you know…? Most claims made for Labradors relate to skeletal or joint issues. Over-exercising dogs like these when they are young can cause problems like this in later years. But if you own a loveable Labrador, you may not be surprised to hear the vet bills for them swallowing things they shouldn’t are higher, compared to other breeds. So, a sturdy kitchen bin lid is advised!
Visit the dog breed health guide on the website.
