Pet Insurance Stats

Hello Summarians!

It turns out that surgery, in some cases, is the more conservative choice.

Horses with immune-mediated keratitis do better long-term with a standing keratectomy than with years of daily eye medications. A new topical cream shows meaningful improvement in itching and skin lesions for atopic dogs. And pet insurance, which fewer than one in twenty American dogs actually has, may change how owners think about their dogs' health.

This week covers all three. The findings are early. The implications are not.

Keratitis In Horses

This retrospective study evaluated the diagnosis and treatment outcomes of equine immune-mediated keratitis (IMMK), a chronic inflammatory corneal disease in horses. Researchers reviewed 22 horses treated at the Cornell University Hospital for Animals between 2020 and 2024 that were definitively diagnosed with epithelial or stromal IMMK using in vivo confocal microscopy (IVCM), histopathology, or both.  

The average age of affected horses was nearly 17 years, and geldings were significantly more affected than mares, suggesting a possible hormonal influence on disease development. Most horses had a disease affecting only one eye. IVCM proved highly valuable because it allowed rapid, noninvasive diagnosis by identifying characteristic dendritic antigen-presenting cells in the cornea. In cases where both IVCM and histopathology were performed, the diagnoses matched completely, supporting the reliability of IVCM as a diagnostic tool.  

All horses were initially treated medically with combinations of topical anti-inflammatory or immunomodulatory medications such as cyclosporine, diclofenac, corticosteroids, and systemic flunixin. However, medical management frequently failed over time, with recurrence occurring at a median of 180 days in horses that returned for follow-up. Some horses later underwent episcleral cyclosporine implant placement, but only about 29% achieved long-term disease control.  

The most successful treatment was standing superficial keratectomy, a surgical procedure performed on sedated standing horses. Nine of ten horses treated this way achieved long-term disease remission without ongoing medications, with only one recurrence documented. Researchers believe the surgery works by removing diseased corneal tissue containing inflammatory cells and self-antigens that drive the immune response. The procedure also allowed tissue collection for histopathologic confirmation and helped distinguish IMMK from conditions such as corneal lymphoma. Overall, the study concluded that standing superficial keratectomy was an effective long-term treatment option that improved both horse and owner quality of life while reducing dependence on daily medications.

Toddy, T., Ledbetter, E. C., & Knickelbein, K. E. (2026). Standing superficial keratectomy provides long-term control of epithelial and stromal equine immune-mediated keratitis. Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, 264(6), 710-716.  https://doi.org/10.2460/javma.25.11.0754

Bottom line — Standing surgery is useful for the horse and the owner.

Emollient Plus For Atopy

This study evaluated a novel “emollient plus” topical treatment designed to help dogs with canine atopic dermatitis (cAD), a chronic allergic skin disease characterized by itching, inflammation, impaired skin barrier function, and microbial imbalance. Researchers enrolled 27 client-owned dogs with stable, nonseasonal cAD, although only 21 completed the 30-day trial. Owners applied the product once daily to commonly affected areas such as the ears, abdomen, groin, and paws while maintaining the dogs’ existing therapies unchanged.  

The study found significant improvements in both itching and skin lesion severity after treatment. Average pruritus Visual Analog Scale (pVAS10) scores decreased from 4.25 to 3.38, while CADESI-04 skin lesion scores fell from 24.62 to 13.43. Approximately 81% of dogs showed improvement in itching, and 76% improved in skin lesion severity. Dogs with more severe lesions at the beginning of the study tended to experience the greatest improvement. Researchers also measured indirect indicators of skin barrier function, including transepidermal water loss (TEWL) and skin pH. Significant reductions in both TEWL and pH were observed in the pinnae, suggesting improved skin barrier integrity, although similar improvements were not seen consistently in the inguinal region.  

Owner satisfaction was very high. More than 90% rated the product’s effectiveness as good or excellent, and owners particularly appreciated the product’s smell, appearance, and ease of use. These positive sensorial qualities may improve long-term treatment compliance, which is often difficult in veterinary dermatology. Adverse effects were uncommon, occurring in only two dogs, and included mild contact dermatitis and possible hyperpigmentation.  

The authors concluded that this emollient plus formulation appears to be a promising and well-tolerated adjunctive therapy for canine atopic dermatitis. However, they emphasized that larger randomized controlled studies are still needed to confirm efficacy, determine optimal treatment protocols, and better understand how the product improves skin barrier function.

Fernandes, B., Mendes, A.C., Alves, S.P., Schmidt, V., Bizarro, A.F., Pinto, M., Pereira, H., Marto, J. and Lourenço, A.M. (2026), A Novel Topical Emollient Plus for Canine Atopic Dermatitis: A Clinical Trial Assessing Efficacy and User Acceptance. Vet Dermatol, 37: 293-305. https://doi.org/10.1111/vde.70035

Bottom line — Early results are promising and well-tolerated.

Pet Insurance Statistics

A 2026 study using data from the Dog Aging Project examined how pet insurance relates to dog owner demographics and owners’ perceptions of their dogs’ health. Researchers analyzed survey responses from 47,444 dog owners enrolled in the Dog Aging Project between 2020 and 2023. About 21% of participants reported having pet insurance, which is substantially higher than the estimated national average of approximately 5.5% of insured dogs in the United States.  

The study found that insured dog owners were more likely to be between 25 and 44 years old, highly educated, urban or suburban residents, and in higher income brackets. Owners identifying as Asian, Black, Hispanic, Native Hawaiian, or Pacific Islander had proportionally higher insurance participation rates than White owners. Households earning more than $180,000 annually showed the greatest uptake of pet insurance.  

Insured dogs also shared several common traits. They were more often young adults or puppies, single-breed dogs, intact rather than neutered, and frequently obtained directly from breeders. Dogs involved in activities such as search and rescue, agility, therapy, or service work were more likely to be insured than dogs kept solely as companions. Researchers suggested that owners of highly active or specialized dogs may view insurance as protection against the financial risks associated with injury or illness.  

One of the study’s most important findings was the relationship between insurance status and owner-perceived health. Fifty-four percent of insured dogs were rated by owners as being in “excellent” health compared to 48% of uninsured dogs, a statistically significant difference. Researchers proposed several possible explanations, including that insured owners may seek veterinary care earlier, approve more diagnostics and treatments, or have greater awareness of their dogs’ medical conditions. However, the study emphasized that the relationship is likely complex and may work in both directions. 

McCullough, A. W., O’Brien, J. S., Sexton, C., Dog Aging Project Consortium, & Ruple, A. (2026). Pet insurance uptake is associated with dog and owner demographics and health status based on Dog Aging Project survey data. American Journal of Veterinary Research https://doi.org/10.2460/ajvr.26.02.0065 

Bottom line — Interesting insights.

Just putting things in perspective …