The 10 priciest pets at the vet

Nobody picks out a pet based on how much or little she's going to cost. (We assume; WE'VE never heard of people doing that.) But our furry friends can rack up some serious costs over the years – some breeds more than others – and while it certainly won't lessen your love for your Great Dane or Maine Coon, it might help you to budget for possible problems if you know for a fact that your pet's breed has pricey problems.

Pet Insurance Comparison.net has just published an infographic listing the dogs and cats who "racked up the highest total amount[s] in veterinary claims" in a year, along with the conditions that tend to plague these breeds. Scroll down for more interesting stats, and to see if your breed of dog or cat is on the list – and a few of the reasons why.

Rottweiler – allergies, hypothyroidism, elbow dysplasia, and gastric torsion.

Bernese Mountain Dog – cataracts, mast cell tumors.

Siamese cat – gingivitis (gum disease), amyloidosis (liver disease), and upper respiratory infections.

Great Dane – gastric torsion, joint dysplasia, and cardiomyopathy (heart disease).

Yahoo! News: Arizona puppy saved from drowning

English Bulldog – joint issues, elongated soft palate, cherry eye (a mass in the eyelid gland), and breathing problems including stenotic nares (pinched nostrils).

Bengal cat – feline leukemia, and digestive issues including inflammatory bowel disease and sensitive stomachs.

French Bulldog – several of the same problems as English Bulldogs, as well as allergies.

Maine Coon – hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, polycystic kidney disease, and hip dysplasia.

Ragdoll cat – "generally quite healthy," Ragdolls are sensitive to live vaccines, and may develop common diseases like worms or diabetes as they get older.

Himalayan cat
– respiratory issues, inflammatory bowel disease, and kidney disease.

With the average claim for a Siamese's veterinary treatment close to $400 – and other breeds' much higher – pet insurance sounds more and more sensible. The infographic notes that carrying a pet-insurance policy could pay for up to 90 percent of a vet bill. Still, only about 3 percent of dogs and 1 percent of cats in the U.S. have insurance – as opposed to Sweden, 49 percent of whose pets are insured.

And the more expensive treatment gets, the less likely pet owners are to seek treatment. Sixty-two percent would go to the vet for a condition or treatment that costs $500 or less – but if the cost climbs to $5000, only 22 percent of owners would choose to treat it, and these responses remained stable regardless of the income levels of those answering.

Do you have one of the priciest breeds to take to the vet? Did you get pet insurance to cover the costs – or do you just WISH you had in retrospect? Talk to us about your bills and your Bulldogs in the comments!

Copyright © 2012 Yahoo Inc.

More from Shine Pets:
Veterinary medicine makes big (and expensive) advances
U.S. spending on pets tops $50 billion
Could your pet get you a tax break?