An ear infection, stomach ache or cough can prompt a visit to your doctor and the same holds true for our pets. While the majority of these conditions are curable, they can become chronic and expensive to treat.

A leading US pet insurance provider (VPI) has revealed its policyholders spent more than $46 million in 2011 treating the 10 most common medical conditions afflicting their dogs.

The firm announced that it recently sorted its database of more than 485,000 insured pets to determine the top 10 dog and cat medical conditions in 2011.

Most Common Dog Health Problems

1.   Ear Infection
2.   Skin Allergies
3.   Skin Infection
4.   Non-cancerous Skin Growth
5.   Upset Stomach
6.   Intestinal Upset/Diarrhea
7.   Arthritis
8.   Bladder Infection
9.   Bruise or Contusion
10. Underactive Thyroid

“The large number of claims received for these medical conditions attests to their common, often repetitive, and sometimes chronic nature,” said Dr. Carol McConnell, DVM, MBA, vice president and chief veterinary medical officer for VPI.

“While many pet owners fear major accidents and illnesses, which can cost thousands of dollars to treat for a single incident, repetitive and chronic conditions can be just as detrimental to a pet’s quality of life and financially burdensome to the pet owner.”

All areas of the dog’s internal and external anatomy can be problem health areas with stomach problems taking up two places on the list.

Underactive thyroid in dogs is a relatively surprising entry to the top ten list but the appearance of canine arthritis is no such shock. A recent K9 Magazine health study showed record numbers of dog owners are now paying for treatment for joint problems in dogs.