Key insights from vets in the field

From an uptick in grass seed foreign bodies to a renewed focus on year-round tick preventatives, vets share the pet trends they’ve observed in 2022.

We reviewed our claims data and asked our Veterinary Advisory board to share the common pet trends and insights they’ve noticed over the past year. Here’s what they had to say.

1. An uptick in grass seed foreign bodies

There was an increase in the number of grass seed foreign body cases during the summer and autumn months. This is likely due to wet and warm weather, which stimulated grass growth. Dogs presented with grass seeds in or around their eyes, ears, mouth, paws, abdomen and their tails.

According to PetSure claims data, there was an 82% increase in claims related to grass seed conditions from November, December 2021 and January 2022 to November, December 2022 and January 2023.

2. Increased in brachycephalic airway repair surgeries

Vets in the field have anecdotally observed an increase in dogs requiring brachycephalic
airway repair surgery. This may be due to increased numbers of brachycephalic, or flatfaced
breeds such as French Bulldogs, being purchased during the pandemic. As these puppies are now 1-2 years old, many of them are now requiring airway corrective surgery.

According to PetSure claims data, there was a 7.3% increase in the number of brachycephalic dogs insured in 2022 compared to 2021.

3. Will ‘open vet’ hospitals hit Australia?

In the US, there’s an increasing number of veterinary hospitals that give the pet parent greater involvement during the treatment process. ‘Open vet hospitals’ take the pet parent out of the waiting room and into the treatment room, exploring new frontiers in pet care and to allow pet parents to come ‘behind the scenes’ to better understand what’s involved with veterinary care and embrace the strong human-animal bond that exists between people and their pets. 

Our veterinary experts predict this model will be embraced in Australia over the next few years, with at least one emergency hospital already taking this new approach to veterinary care. This is a trend to watch.

4. A renewed focus on heartworm prevention

With increased rainfall affecting many parts of the country, our experts are reminding pet parents to stay up-to-date with heartworm prevention. Heartworm is transmitted via mosquito bites, while puddles and excess water provide ideal environments for mosquitoes to breed. 

PetSure claims data over the past two years shows heartworm cases have been low, however there was a sharp spike in the number of cases in January 2023.

If your pet has missed their heartworm prevention, chat to your veterinarian about having a heartworm test before starting on heartworm prevention.

5. The importance of year-round tick preventatives

Spring 2022 saw an increase in paralysis tick cases compared to the same period in 2021. Veterinarians in the field speculated that this is due to a lapse in tick preventative treatment being used on pets.

The highest prevalence of tick paralysis is in the coastal areas of Eastern Australia with New South Wales having the highest number of tick paralysis cases in 2022 at 55% followed by Queensland 39%. Tick paralysis is preventable, so if your pet isn’t currently protected speak to your local vet about getting a year-round tick preventative.