THE MOST EXPENSIVE KINDS OF PETS

Here is a list of the top ten breeds of dogs and cats that cost their owners the most in vet bills, according to PetInsuranceComparison.  The information they used to make the list came from the AKC, the Cat Fanciers' Association, ConsumerReports, and the ASPCA.  I don't know if this means it is a good list or not because I don't know how much data there was.  And also, some people don't even have insurance for their pets.  Plus I don't know if mixes of these breeds were counted or just purebreds.

So anyway, those are my disclaimers, and now that I have made them,  I can go ahead and tell you about this list because I think it is interesting.

1.  ROTTWEILER

Rotties suffer the most from allergies, gastric torsion, hypothyroidism, and elbow dysplasia.  Gastric torsion is often called "bloat," and it's when a dog's tummy gets all full of gas.  Sometimes the stomach twists, but not always.  Either way, it can hurt a lot, and it can even kill a dog if the dog does not get to the vet right away.

The average insurance claim for rottweilers was $568.

2.  BERNESE MOUNTAIN DOG

These dogs can also get bloat, plus sometimes they get cataracts, mast cell tumors, and elbow dysplasia.  Average claim:  $413

3.  SIAMESE CAT

The biggest problems with these cats are gingivitis, upper respiratory infections, and liver disease.  Average claim:  $396

4.  GREAT DANE

This breed suffers from gastric torsion, hip dysplasia, elbow dysplasia, and cardiomyopathy.  Another term for cardiomyopathy is "heart failure."  It's when the heart muscle gets weak and doesn't work very well anymore.

The average claim for a Great Dane was $385.

5.  ENGLISH BULLDOG

These dogs are brachycephalic, which means they have a very short face, and that makes them have several respiratory problems.  One of these is called stenotic nares, which is a fancy way of saying "pinched nostrils."  The nostrils can be opened up by surgery, and then the dog can breathe better.

English bulldogs may also have an elongated soft palate, hip dysplasia, and patellar luxation (which is when your knee joints keep slipping out of place).

Average claim for an English Bulldog:  $371

6.  BENGAL CAT

Bengals can have sensitive stomachs and inflammatory bowels.  Also they are more likely to get feline leukemia than some other breeds.  Average claim:  $365

7.  FRENCH BULLDOG

Frenchies suffer from allergies, brachycephalic syndrome, stenotic nares, and hip dysplasia.  Average claim:  $356

8.  MAINE COON CAT

These cats can get polycystic kidney disease, hip dysplasia, and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.  Hypertrophic means "thickened," and it's when the heart walls get thick for no obvious reason, and then you can suddenly die from having your heart quit.

Average claim:  $314

9.  RAGDOLL CAT

Ragdolls are generally pretty healthy, but they can have a bad reaction to live vaccines.  Also, older cats  can get worms and diabetes.  Average claim:  $278

10.  HIMALAYAN CAT

Because they have shorter faces, Himalayans can have breathing problems.  Also they sometimes suffer from kidney disease or inflammatory bowels.  Average claim:  $216








So those are the top ten most expensive purebred pets that you can have, at least according to this pet insurance website.  Mom thinks greyhounds should be on the list because it seems like they always have some kind of intestinal thing wrong with them, and it's never easy or cheap to fix it.  Also their teeth are usually bad.  But Mom didn't have any say in making the list.

I'm just glad that basenjis aren't on the list, because I don't want Mom to get the idea that I'm too expensive to keep around!