Trupanion Reconvenes Council on Animal Health; Provides Data-Driven Update on ‘Mystery’ Canine Respiratory Illness

February 13, 2024 at 17:54 PM EST

Thousands of pet parents, veterinary professionals and members of the animal health community joined Trupanion’s live event featuring leading infectious disease experts for an exclusive look into the state of canine respiratory health

Trupanion, Inc. (Nasdaq: TRUP), a leading provider of medical insurance for cats and dogs, reconvened world-renowned animal health and infectious disease authorities to continue the investigation into the reported uptick of on canine respiratory illness.

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(Graphic: Trupanion)

Leveraging Trupanion’s extensive, real-time claims database, the panel was able to extrapolate trends reflecting an increase in respiratory-related invoices in specific areas across the U.S. and Canada, alongside declining or stagnant trends throughout the remainder of North America.

Dr. Steve Weinrauch, BVMS, MRCVS, Chief Veterinary & Product Officer of Trupanion, noted, “We’re proud to be at the forefront of the intersection between pet and public health. Our real-time vet direct pay solution not only serves as a vital tool in eliminating economic euthanasia, but it uniquely positions us to understand and address emerging issues in pet and public health. A close look at our data shows only isolated increases in respiratory illness among canines, albeit more pronounced for vulnerable pets such as older pets and flat-faced breeds.”

With over 20 years of robust historical pet data, Trupanion is able to provide insights into health-related patterns by age, breed, sex, and neighborhood of care. These high-level and granular vantage points enable unique visibility into potential health-related patterns, both within and beyond the conventional norms.

Trupanion’s data also indicates that while rates of respiratory illness are up year-over-year in California, Oregon and Colorado, they have declined from the highs reached in the July to October 2023 timeframe.

During the live event, Trupanion shared data highlighting an increase in respiratory illness in dogs shortly after the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, for reasons not fully understood by global experts at this time. As discussed by the panel, this could be attributed to respiratory vaccine compliance, increased pet owner awareness and sensitivity to respiratory signs, or pure coincidence.

Interviews Available

Trupanion's Chief Veterinary and Product Officer, Dr. Steve Weinrauch, is available to share canine respiratory illness related insights or to provide context regarding pet health data as it relates to the extensive Trupanion database. Please contact corporate.communications@trupanion.com for scheduling.

Recording Available

Pet parents and veterinary professionals are able to learn more and access the recorded webcast at k9illness.trupanion.com.

About Trupanion

Trupanion is a leader in medical insurance for cats and dogs throughout the United States, Canada, Europe, Puerto Rico and Australia. For over two decades, Trupanion has given pet parents peace of mind so they can focus on their pet's recovery, not financial stress. Trupanion is committed to providing pet parents with the highest value in pet medical insurance with unlimited payouts for the life of their pets. With its patented process, Trupanion is the only North American provider with the technology to pay veterinarians directly in seconds at the time of checkout. Trupanion is listed on NASDAQ under the symbol "TRUP." The company was founded in 2000 and is headquartered in Seattle, WA. Trupanion policies are issued, in the United States, by its wholly-owned insurance entity American Pet Insurance Company and, in Canada, by Omega General Insurance Company. Trupanion Australia is a partnership between Trupanion and Hollard Insurance Company. For more information, please visit trupanion.com.