Chronic conditions dominate the 2026 list of most common pet health problems

Brea, CA - Nationwide analyzed more than 3.3 million pet insurance claims submitted in 2025 [1] from over one million insured dogs and cats. This year’s analysis underscores a clear and ongoing trend: chronic diseases dominate the most common claims across both species, mirroring what many veterinary healthcare teams observe in practice. These conditions not only contribute to repeat visits, diagnostics, and multimodal management, but also can represent significant cumulative cost over time.

“Each year these findings remind us just how much our pets’ health is shaped by ongoing, chronic conditions,” said Dr. Emily Tincher, chief veterinary officer at Nationwide. “While not every illness can be prevented, early recognition and proactive management can improve outcomes. Our goal is to equip pet families, and the veterinary teams who partner with them, with insights that help support better long-term care.”

2026 top 10 canine conditions

Canine Trends: Allergies top the list again and chronic issues dominate the top 10

1. Skin allergies rank #1 again, for the 15th year running.

2. No movement in the top 9 conditions, signaling persistent, widespread health patterns among U.S. canines

3. Seizures enter the top 10 for the first time but are very closely followed by kidney disease and cranial cruciate ligament tears.

4. Chronic conditions make up 6 of the top 10 and may require long-lasting care and follow families for years, underscoring the importance of ongoing care and budgeting.

2026 top 10 feline conditions

Feline trends: Digestive issues lead the pack again with chronic conditions climbing

1. For the third consecutive year, digestive issues stay firmly in the top spot.

2. The top six conditions remain unchanged from last year, showing consistent health patterns across the feline population.

3. A striking 7 out of 10 conditions for cats are chronic, meaning long-term costs can far exceed a single visit.

4. The bottom half of the list sees some reshuffling among inflammatory bowel disease (#7 in 2024), diabetes (#8 in 2024), and respiratory infection (#9 in 2024).

Resources for Veterinary Teams

While many of these conditions cannot be prevented, early detection, client education, and species or breed-specific risk awareness improve outcomes. Nationwide Pet HealthZone® is a free, publicly accessible resource with clinical insights and risk profiles for more than 100 dog breeds and 11 cat breeds , designed to support both pet families and the veterinary team guiding the care.

With Nationwide pet health insurance, many veterinary expenses associated with the diagnosis and treatment of these common conditions are eligible for reimbursement based on the pet family’s chosen coverage. It’s important to obtain coverage before your pet begins experiencing any symptoms because pre-existing conditions are excluded. To order client materials click here.

REFERENCES

1. These numbers were calculated by analyzing the 80th percentile of costs Nationwide pet insurance policyholders reported January 1 - December 31, 2025 within the first 30 days after diagnosis for a given condition.
2. These numbers were calculated by analyzing the 80th percentile of costs Nationwide pet insurance policyholders reported January 1 - December 31, 2025 within the first year after diagnosis for a given condition.