Trupanion’s Holiday Safety Guide: Protecting Your Pets During Festive Seasons

SEATTLE, Nov. 14, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The holiday season, a period synonymous with joy, merriment, and family gatherings, also presents unique challenges for our beloved pets. As we immerse ourselves in festive activities, Trupanion, the leading provider of pet medical insurance for cats and dogs, aims to shed light on the unique safety considerations for our furry companions during this season.

Pet Health Insights from Trupanion  

The holiday season, with its added decorations, foods, and presents, invites a world of wonder for our curious pets. As the parties roll in, feasts are laid out, and gifts are wrapped, the allure of new sights and scents can lead them into mischief.

Analysis of Trupanion’s data from over 10 million veterinary invoices received over the last 20 years, underscores the importance of being attentive to our pets during these festivities. This analysis highlights certain safety considerations, like Foreign Body Ingestion (eating things that aren’t meant to be eaten), emphasizing that holiday hazards are not just real but can also result in significant unexpected expenses.

According to Trupanion data, foreign body ingestion ranks in the top 4 most commonly claimed conditions among young Trupanion pets.  Comparing data from the past 10 years, the average veterinary invoice for foreign body ingestion cost is $1,052*, with the invoice for one unlucky Trupanion pet totaling an approximate $43,000*. Over this same time period, Trupanion has covered more than 85,000 such claims for dogs, with Golden Retrievers, Labrador Retrievers, and Goldendoodles most frequently finding themselves at the center of such incidents.

Expert Recommendations from Dr. Sarah Nold

With care and attention, we can make sure this festive season is enjoyable for every member of the family, including our cherished pets.

Dr. Sarah Nold, Veterinarian and Trupanion team member, offers pet parents the following advice heading into the holiday season:

1. Monitor Decorations: Ensure that ornaments, tinsel, and candles, although visually appealing, are out of your pet’s reach to prevent unintended ingestion or other dangers.
2. Avoid Offering Bones: While they might seem like a fitting treat, bones can pose serious choking hazards and cause internal injuries to pets.
3. Exercise Caution with Festive Foods: Grapes and raisins, though seemingly harmless, are poisonous to pets and have caused significant distress. Trupanion has processed over 15,550 invoices due to grape or raisin ingestion in the past ten years, with one invoice amounting to $10,840*. Equally perilous is chocolate, which is toxic to both felines and canines. Over the same period, Trupanion has assisted more than 8,908 pets who consumed chocolate, with one invoice amounting to $9,300*.
4. Ensure Waste Management: Make certain that trash, especially post-feast residues, is secure and inaccessible to pets to avoid any consumption of harmful substances.
5. Provide a Safe Environment: With the influx of guests and heightened activity, pets can feel overwhelmed. It’s essential to allocate a serene and secure spot for them to retreat.

Real-life Incidents

• Trupanion member Griffin who nosed his way into the waste basket, ingesting some of the contents and finding himself in after-hours emergency surgery. With the help of his veterinarian and staff, Griffin made a full recovery, and Trupanion was able to pick up its share of the over $2,300 veterinary invoice.
• Trupanion member Charlie found himself in emergency surgery the day after Christmas after ingesting a small dog toy. Thankfully, Charlie got the care he needed and Trupanion was able to pick up its share of the $4,300 veterinary invoice.
• Trupanion member Susie found herself in emergency surgery with an ingested bone fragment caught in her intestinal tract. Thankfully, Susie’s veterinarian was able to remove the bone fragment before it caused additional harm, and Trupanion was able to pick its share of the $2,400 veterinary invoice.

*U.S. dollars and as stated on the invoice

About Trupanion
Trupanion is a leader in medical insurance for cats and dogs throughout the United States, Canada, Europe, Puerto Rico and Australia with over 960,000 pets enrolled. For over two decades, Trupanion has given pet parents peace of mind so they can focus on their pet’s recovery, not financial stress. Trupanion is committed to providing pet parents with the highest value in pet medical insurance with unlimited payouts for the life of their pets. With its patented process, Trupanion is the only North American provider with the technology to pay veterinarians directly in seconds at the time of checkout. Trupanion is listed on NASDAQ under the symbol “TRUP”. The company was founded in 2000 and is headquartered in Seattle, WA. Trupanion policies are issued, in the United States, by its wholly-owned insurance entity American Pet Insurance Company and, in Canada, by Omega General Insurance Company. Trupanion Australia is a partnership between Trupanion and Hollard Insurance Company. For more information, please visit trupanion.com.

Contact:

Corporate Communications

Corporate.communications@trupanion.com