Bupa Pet Insurance: Household items cost animal owners thousands

A woman who paid $15k for a very rare eye surgery for her dog is encouraging pet owners to invest in insurance.

Sophie Chen with Beta a three-year-old shiba inu. Picture: Tim Carrafa

Corn cobs, earphones, socks, and BBQ skewers are just some of the weird and wacky items landing many curious canines in the ruff.

The biggest insurance claims paid for dogs include $12,000 for a pooch who ate food and household items they shouldn’t have and $10,771 for a dog severely injured in an accident, 2021-22 data from Bupa Pet Insurance reveals.

Claims for skin conditions topped the list of most common claims followed by dogs with stomach conditions and ear conditions.

PetSure vet advisor Dr Kylie Mitchell said all dog owners needed to be mindful of what was lying around the house or accessible to inquisitive pups.

“Foods such as corn cobs can easily cause an intestinal obstruction, which can be fatal,” Dr Mitchell said.

“Dogs are naturally curious and many like to chew things they shouldn’t like socks, food, or food packaging.

“Common human foods like chocolate, items containing artificial sweeteners, or ingredients like onions are toxic for dogs and can result in death if enough is consumed.”

Dr Mitchell also said pet owners needed to act quickly if they noticed their dogs scratching themselves.

“They may think a dog scratching is normal but it’s not,” Dr Mitchell said.

“Being itchy is very uncomfortable so if a dog is scratching a lot, a trip to the vet for assistance is important.”

Bupa General Insurance General Manager Shannon Orbons encouraged all pet owners to get insurance for their furry friends.

Sophie Chen spent $15,000 on eye surgery for her dog Beta. Picture: Supplied

Beta recovering from eye surgery. Picture: Supplied

“Having pet insurance means it can help you be prepared for your pooch’s treatment if they get sick or injured, including chemotherapy for cancers and surgical implants for fractures,” Dr Orbons said.

Sophie Chen from Doncaster spent $15,000 on rare eye surgery for her dog after he suffered retinal detachment and lost vision in both eyes

Ms Chen had to drive her three-year-old shiba inu, Beta, to Sydney to access surgery that would help him regain eyesight.

“We drove to Sydney and stayed there for two weeks during lockdown in 2021,” she said.

“It was a nine hour surgery with three specialists operating on his eyes.

“Recovery took a couple of months but they were able to restore about 55 per cent of his eyesight.”

Ms Chen said 80 per cent of her $15,000 claim was covered by Bupa.

“It was such a big relief financially and even emotionally to have a lot of it paid for,” she said.