Why Caring For Your Pet's Health Is So Expensive
Veterinary care has become often too expensive for owners with injured or ill animals. NPR's Lulu Garcia-Navarro talks with Karen Leslie, of The Pet Fund, about the reasons why.
LULU GARCIA-NAVARRO, HOST:
The pandemic puppies are all fun and games until they need a check-up or they get sick or injured. And then here comes that first big pandemic puppy bill. I just went through that myself when a doggy mishap landed me with a $5,000 tab. One trade group estimates that this year alone, Americans will spend more than $30 billion on veterinary care. So how did this industry become so expensive? Karen Leslie is the executive director of The Pet Fund, a nonprofit that provides veterinary care assistance for those who can't afford it. And she joins us now to talk about it. Hello.
KAREN LESLIE: Hello. Good morning.
GARCIA-NAVARRO: What kind of bills are we talking about here? You know, when owners reach out to your organization for help, what are they trying to cover?
LESLIE: Most of our grants unfortunately and increasingly are for cancer treatment. And there is no answer for that yet. As an example, when we started over 20 years ago, 20% of our total requests were for cancer treatment. Now that is over 60% and rising. And the typical bill for cancer can go as high as $10,000.
GARCIA-NAVARRO: Wow. So what's at the root of this? Why has veterinary care become so expensive?
LESLIE: There are a few reasons for that. One, the rise in cancer rates requires that kind of expensive treatment. The other reason is that vets are corporately owned increasingly. So that increases the cost of veterinary care. On the vet side, the cost of medication and rental for the office and equipment has gone up. And unlike human medical care, where a hospital is reimbursed by the government for programs like Medicare, there is no reimbursem*nt. And so they have to pass that cost along.
GARCIA-NAVARRO: What about pet insurance? I mean, I have it. But it only covered about half my bill. What should people know before they get pet insurance to maybe defray some of these rising costs?
LESLIE: One of the things that is difficult about pet insurance is that it is not appropriate for every person or every situation. They don't necessarily reimburse the entire bill, or they will cap reimbursem*nt at a much lower rate than you were billed for the procedure or treatment. One of the other problems is that typically pet insurance requires that you pay upfront. So if you have a $5,000 veterinary bill, you need to be prepared to be able to pay that upfront. And one of the things that we advise is that you need to read that fine print about what they do and don't cover.
GARCIA-NAVARRO: I mean, is there anything pet owners can do to keep costs down?
LESLIE: One of the things that we talk to pet owners about a lot is preventative care, which doesn't always avoid the problem. But one of the things that we talk to them about is the importance of regular vet care when nothing's going on.
So, for example, if you have a cancer that is in its early stages, if you go to that yearly visit and you get those tests done, something can potentially be caught in an early stage where it's easily treatable rather than wait and not have any preventative care done and only handle things once they're a problem.
The other thing that we tell them is, again, to anticipate that all animals are going to need veterinary care. With the high rate of cancer that exists for dogs and cats, you are looking at a statistical likelihood that you might have to encounter that. So again, preventative care is key but also knowing that you're going to have to save for some future vet bills. And then there are the things you don't expect.
GARCIA-NAVARRO: That's Karen Leslie, executive director of The Pet Fund. Thank you very much.
LESLIE: Thank you.
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FAQs
Just as the price of human medications rises, the price of pet medications follows suit. A veterinarian has to go to school for 4 years of undergraduate education (100-120k), and 4 years of post-graduate vet school (150-300k). Some of our board-certified doctors even went to 2 years of specialty internships!
Why is pet health care so expensive? ›
Your veterinary bill is also a reflection of the costs associated with maintaining suitable facilities, equipment, and the staff and support personnel needed to provide your pets with the level of care they need to stay healthy through all stages of life.
Why does animal care cost so much? ›
What is the goal of veterinary medicine? Veterinarians spend many years in school before devoting the rest of their lives working for the benefit of the animal population. In order to gain the knowledge that is required to work in this field, they often acquire student loan debt in the hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Why is it so expensive to take your pet to the vet? ›
When you're looking at your vet bill, bear in mind that veterinary clinics need to earn enough money to cover their labor costs, including benefits like health insurance. They also need to keep the lights on and pay other utility bills. Your vet may have a mortgage or pay rent on his or her facility.
Why is animal medicine so expensive? ›
Pharmaceutical companies need to recoup that cost, so any new pet medicine on the market is patented. This means nobody can manufacture the same drug, usually for 10 years. While they're in the patent phase there's no competition, so manufacturers charge a lot to recoup their costs.
When did veterinary care become so expensive? ›
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the price of urban veterinarian services rose by 7.9% from February 2023 to February 2024, more than 2½ times higher than the average of all consumer items. Compared with two years ago, urban vet care is up 11%, and over the last decade it has soared by nearly 60%.
Why is pet health important? ›
Regular wellness exams, proper nutrition, exercise routines, and disease prevention measures ensure that your furry friend lives a longer, healthier, and more fulfilling life. Preventative care can help identify and address potential health concerns early, enabling your pet to enjoy their golden years to the fullest.
Why do we care about our pets so much? ›
Caring and attachment: tending for another creature is a rewarding activity. It makes us feel good and develop a stronger sense of purpose. Social support: having a pet nearby can reduce loneliness. Often, we may interpret pet behaviour in a way that provides us with emotional support.
Why do pets cost so much? ›
It's a combination of increased adoption prices, pet food and medicine, along with a rise in veterinarian services, an industry suffering from labour shortages and burnout.
What are the disadvantages of pet care? ›
One of the primary drawbacks of pet care is the financial commitment it demands. From food and grooming to veterinary bills and unexpected medical expenses, the cost of caring for a pet can add up quickly. For some individuals or families on a tight budget, these financial strains may pose a significant challenge.
Veterinarians make far less money than human doctors and are often in debt from years of education. Their prices have gone up partly because of the rising cost of drugs, vaccines and other supplies, as well as paying workers in a tight labor market.
Why are vet bills so high now? ›
Veterinary-industry insiders now estimate that 25 to 30 percent of practices in the United States are under large corporate umbrellas, up from 8 percent a little more than a decade ago. For specialty clinics, the number is closer to three out of four. And as this happened, veterinary prices began to rise—a lot.
Why are dogs so expensive to take care of? ›
Dogs are more expensive to adopt, buy, and care for, because – contrary to the stereotypical image of cats being primped and spoiled – cats don't require nearly as much maintenance or as many resources as dogs do. Whether you're adopting or buying, the price can range drastically, depending on the breed.
Why are pet blood tests so expensive? ›
Blood work provides far more diagnostic information than a physical exam can. As we discussed, a vet will sometimes need to run specialized blood tests on your pet to diagnose or monitor certain conditions. These tests, like thyroid and electrolyte panels, provide more comprehensive data and, therefore, cost more.
What is the highest paid animal doctor? ›
5 of the Highest Paying Veterinarian Jobs in 2024
- Veterinary Radiologist. Salary range: $92,000-$287,000 per year. ...
- Emergency Veterinarian. Salary range: $176,500-$219,500 per year. ...
- Associate Veterinarian. Salary range: $102,500-$165,500 per year. ...
- Small Animal Veterinarian. ...
- Veterinary Inspector.
Try these cost-saving tips.
- Lay your financial cards on the table when talking to your vet. ...
- Kick the once-a-year vaccine habit. ...
- Don't neglect preventive health care. ...
- Feed your pet the right amount. ...
- Investigate options for paying your veterinary bills. ...
- Invest in pet insurance. ...
- Price shop for your pet's prescriptions.
Pet Ownership in the U.S. at a Glance
In 2022, Americans spent $136.8 billion on their pets, up nearly 11% from 2021 ($123.6 billion). Essential dog expenses cost an average of $1,533 annually.
