Veterinary Pet Insurance, the largest provider of pet health insurance in the US, has made a list of the most common pet wounds, (not illnesses) based on claims filed in 2007. Here’s VPI’s top 10.
1) Lacerations/bite wounds: By far the most common wounds—about three times the incidence of any other injury - come mostly from cats and dogs mixing it up with other cats and dogs or wild animals. Lacerations also occur when pets are involved in car crashes. So drive carefully.
2) Torn nail: It’s all about romping and stomping and fun until little Spanky snags a nail. Then the howling and bleeding begin.
3) Insect bites/stings: The bites can be virtually harmless - you don’t even know your pet is bitten - or they can be extremely serious because of an animal’s hypersensitivity. “Most of the time dogs are nosing around someplace, they’ll get bit and they’ll look like a Shar-pei,” said veterinarian Tony Kremer, from Hinsdale Animal Hospital.
4) Abrasions: The dog version of a skinned knee, said Kathleen Heneghan, past president of the Chicago Veterinary Medical Association and a veterinarian practicing in River Grove.
5) Eye trauma: This is always an emergency, Kremer says. When an animal gets poked or scratched in the eye or has an eye infection, it likely will get worse without treatment. Attention, dog owners: don’t let your animal hang his head out the car window. It makes him vulnerable to getting debris or bugs in his eyes. If your pup insist on having the breeze in his face, train him to wear a pair of specially designed pet goggles.
6) Punctures: An animal may step on a nail, rush against a tree or get caught while climbing under a fence and could get a splinter or tear his or her skin.
7) Foreign objects in skin: It’s not the most common foreign object, but Whittle said, “If you want something really cool there are fly larvae and sometimes the fly will lay eggs and the larvae will develop. You watch the entire veterinary staff get excited when they see something like that. You see that, you don’t want to mess with that at home.”
8) Foreign objects in ear: Henneghan says MDs see this injury far more often than vets do. “I would say the only cases I’ve seen have been either plant products or energetic digging in the bushes or Q-tips from overeager pet owners trying to clean their pet’s ears.”
9) Foreign object in foot: “It happens a lot because dogs aren’t wearing shoes, and they’ll step on a piece of glass or sharp object,” Kremer said.
10) Snake bite: This isn’t a huge issue around Chicago, but if you travel with your pet it’s something to think about. When camping, check with park rangers to see if rattlesnakes (or other biting snakes) are in the area. If not, consider using the American Animal Hospital Association’s Web site (healthy pet.com) to find an accredited animal hospital.
via Chicago Tribune
Coming soon, Part Two: Tips on How to Treat the Top Ten Pet Injuries
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