Pedigree dog and cat owners urged to insure against hereditary conditions
14 November 2005
Sainsbury’s Bank pet insurance is urging pedigree dog and cat owners to ensure they have adequate pet insurance as their animals may be more susceptible to certain illnesses than cross breeds.
Indeed, the bank estimates that over a year, around 37% of pedigree dog owners with pet insurance will claim on their policies compared to around 22% of owners with cross breeds who have cover. The corresponding figures for cats are around 24% and 16%. The bank which offers some of the most extensive cover available, believes that many policies have not evolved to ensure that their cover reflects the increasing cost of veterinary treatment, which could leave pet owners exposed to bills that are not covered by their insurance.
David Pickett, pet insurance manager, Sainsbury’s Bank said: "While it is imperative all cats and dogs are adequately insured, our experience is that pedigree owners are more likely to call on their pet insurance for illness and disease than owners of crossbreeds because their animals are more likely to suffer certain hereditary illnesses.
"One of the biggest costs of owning an animal can be vet fees, so good quality pet insurance can help ensure that should your dog or cat become ill and need treatment, you can afford to pay for it. However, not all pet insurance is the same and many pet owners are putting the welfare of their pets as well as their finances at risk by not ensuring they have adequate cover. Indeed pet owners can sometimes find themselves with claims being turned down or not met in full by their pet insurance provider because of limitations in cover. That is why we have recently developed a Pet Insurance Charter, outlining the minimum level of cover we believe a policy should provide for cats and dogs."
According to the Animal Health Trust, more than 350 inherited diseases have been identified in pedigree dogs. In many cases, the high frequency of disease within a breed reflects the small number of dogs used for breeding and the subsequent inbreeding that may result.
Neal King, veterinary surgeon with long experience in practice and as an adviser to pet insurance providers said: "Certain breeds, after generations of selective breeding, are prone to various hereditary conditions, particularly as a result of their extremes of shape and size. Conditions of the joints, ears, eyes and skin can emerge as the puppy grows up and require the sophisticated and inevitably expensive surgical treatment which Vets can now provide to correct them. In addition some diseases such as epilepsy and allergy are in part hereditary and can need life long medication. It is therefore wise to insure a pedigree puppy as soon as you take it in to your care and select a policy which provides adequate levels of long term cover. Once any of these conditions become apparent it will be too late to get cover"
