Health problems by breed / Dogs
ACVS breed lists · insurer claim figures · checked October 20, 2026
Which health problems is the Akita prone to?
The American College of Veterinary Surgeons names the Akita among the breeds predisposed to cranial cruciate ligament disease and patellar luxation. The costliest of these in insurer data is cruciate ligament (knee), at a $5,439 average claim (Trupanion), or 78.1 months of the national average premium.
- 1Cruciate ligament (knee) $5,439 avg claim
- 2Kneecap luxation $4,012 avg claim
- 3NAPHIA, all dogs $69.67/mo
Cranial cruciate ligament disease
What it is. The main stabilising ligament of the knee degenerates over time, so the joint becomes unstable and painful and arthritis follows. ACVS's page lists the Akita alongside 6 other breeds: Rottweiler, Newfoundland, Mastiff, Saint Bernard, Chesapeake Bay Retriever, Labrador Retriever. ACVS says a genetic mode of inheritance has been shown for Newfoundlands and Labrador Retrievers.
Treatments ACVS describes: tplo (tibial plateau leveling osteotomy), tta (tibial tuberosity advancement), suture-based (extracapsular) repair and non-surgical care: pain relief, activity restriction, rehabilitation, bracing or injections.
What it costs. Trupanion's published average claim for cruciate ligament tear is $5,439, and Healthy Paws reports paying an average of $1,056 per cruciate ligament claim in 2025, 15.7% more than in 2020 (a reimbursement after deductible and co-pay, not the whole bill). That claim equals 78.1 months of the $69.67 premium. With a $250 deductible and 80% reimbursement the policy would pay $4,151, leaving $1,288 plus $836 of premiums, $2,124 for the year against $5,439 uninsured, provided the policy covers the condition at all.
Patellar luxation
What it is. The kneecap slips out of its groove on the thigh bone, usually because the limb developed out of alignment. ACVS's page lists the Akita alongside 8 other breeds: Boston Terrier, Yorkshire Terrier, Chihuahua, Pomeranian, Miniature Poodle, Chinese Shar-Pei, Flat-Coated Retriever, Great Pyrenees. ACVS lists small breeds as most affected and says the large breeds named are now considered predisposed as large-breed cases rise.
Treatments ACVS describes: soft-tissue reconstruction around the kneecap, deepening the groove in the femur, moving the tibial crest to realign the kneecap and straightening a bowed femur with a bone plate.
What it costs. Trupanion's published average claim for patellar luxation is $4,012. That claim equals 57.6 months of the $69.67 premium. With a $250 deductible and 80% reimbursement the policy would pay $3,010, leaving $1,002 plus $836 of premiums, $1,838 for the year against $4,012 uninsured, provided the policy covers the condition at all.
Premiums for the Akita
None of the premium sources tracked here (Pawlicy Advisor, Forbes Advisor, Fetch, Insurify) publishes a Akita figure, so this page uses NAPHIA's 2025 average for all insured dogs on accident-and-illness cover: $69.67 a month ($836 a year). It is not a Akita price; the breed's own premium may be higher or lower.
On a policy with a $250 deductible and 80% reimbursement, the year's covered bills have to reach $1,295 before the policy has paid back the premiums. Most claims are much smaller than the conditions above: NAPHIA's 2025 list of the most common dog claims starts with gastrointestinal, ear infection (otitis), skin conditions, anxiety, behavioral or neurological, allergies and growth or mass.
Hereditary conditions and policy terms
Breed-linked conditions are where policy wording matters most. Under the NAIC Pet Insurance Model Act, an insurer must disclose before sale whether it excludes pre-existing, hereditary, congenital or chronic conditions (Section 4A). A condition counts as pre-existing if a vet advised on it, treated it or recorded signs of it before cover began or during a waiting period (Section 3F), and illness and orthopedic waiting periods are capped at 30 days (Section 5B). States adopt the model on their own timetable, so the policy and the state insurance department are the authority. The guides on pre-existing conditions and waiting periods go further.
Other breeds with the same conditions
- Boston Terrier: kneecap luxation, brachycephalic airway
- Chesapeake Bay Retriever: cruciate ligament (knee)
- Chihuahua: kneecap luxation
- Great Pyrenees: kneecap luxation
- Labrador Retriever: cruciate ligament (knee), spinal disc disease, liver shunt
Sources: ACVS, Cranial Cruciate Ligament Disease (updated July 22, 2026), ACVS, Patellar Luxation (Dislocating Kneecap) in Dogs (updated September 28, 2026), Trupanion claims examples, Healthy Paws 2025 reimbursements, NAPHIA State of the Industry Report 2026, NAIC model #633. Last checked October 20, 2026. This page summarises veterinary references; it is not veterinary advice.