Going back for seconds

Recurring care costs from Hambone mishaps to chronic conditions

One might think that Hambone Award incidents fall into the “one-and-done” category, but there are a few nominees who had a strange experience, then went back for seconds.

Like Rolly, the standard poodle whose love of chasing (and eating) the local invasive iguanas led to not one but two visits to the emergency veterinarian. Or Kodiak, a Gordon setter who had multiple rocky visits to the vet after ingesting stones from the backyard.

These Hambone nominated incidents are surprising and unique, but most recurring incidents for pets are much more mundane, coming in the form of chronic conditions.

The cost of lifelong recurring care

Nationwide analyzed the more than 3.3 million pet insurance claims submitted for dogs and cats. For the 15th year in a row, we found that chronic conditions make up more than half of the top 10 conditions submitted to Nationwide pet insurance for reimbursement, including skin allergies, arthritis and diabetes. Diagnosing a chronic condition can quickly turn a one-time veterinary visit into a lifetime of maintenance for many pets. Although these conditions are common, managing them can become quite expensive over time.

For example, skin allergies are the most common condition for dogs, according to annual claims data from Nationwide. This highly uncomfortable condition is more than mere itchiness; it can cause hair loss, hot spots and deep or recurring skin infections.

Managing allergies can cost pet parents almost $900 per year for prescription treatments (for a puppy diagnosed with allergies, that's over $10,000 of care for the life of your pet!).

For cats, 7 of the top 10 claim submissions to Nationwide pet insurance are chronic conditions that require regular care. A diabetes diagnosis for a cat can cost over $2,000 per year to manage.

You can learn more about pet allergies, diabetes and other chronic conditions on the Nationwide Pet HealthZone®.

Be ready for lifelong care costs

The costs of ongoing treatment can be daunting, but the good news is Nationwide® pet insurance reimburses for eligible veterinary expenses related to managing chronic care. However, your policy must be in effect before diagnosis to avoid a pre-existing condition exclusion, which is why it’s recommended to gets pet insurance early for new pets.

For all covered pets—including those with pre-existing conditions—Nationwide pet insurance members can fill many prescription medications at a cool discount of up to 30-50% via Nationwide PetRxExpress®.*

Of course, we’re also there if your pet does something uniquely Hambone-worthy too.

Get a quote for your pet at petinsurance.com.

Source: Nationwide News, “Chronic Conditions Dominate this Year’s List of Most Common (and Expensive) Pet Health Problems.” March 2026.

*Based on program savings vs. 2021 average U.S. retail pet prescriptions.