Two things are certain when it comes to pet ownership: 1) your beloved pet will one day have to visit the vet, and 2) the cost of veterinary care is on the rise, having increased more than 60% in the past decade, according to a recent report in the New York Times . Report,
Stacey Straw, who lives in Long Beach, California, spent about $30,000 on her English bulldog, Blanche, in 2022, most of which she paid with a CareCredit card at zero interest, she said in response to a Times survey asking about readers’ vet expenses. She said the cost was due to an “unfortunate coincidence” in which the dog needed ACL surgery and then developed mast cell cancer. Ultimately, Blanche died after several months of treatment.
“I have a lot of sympathy for veterinarians because they’re trying their best,” Straw said in a follow-up interview. “But it’s really hard and expensive for most people — it’s hard to spend $100 to take your dog to the vet, just to find out if there’s a problem. That’s not a small amount of money. And you may have to compromise on your spending decisions to account for that.”
Stacey Straw’s rescued English bulldog, Blanche.
(Stacey Straw)
Your parents’ vet isn’t necessarily to blame for the rise in veterinary costs. Many factors in the industry are driving up veterinary bills. Medications and vaccines are more expensive than ever. So are the costs of staffing, rent, utilities and medical equipment at veterinary offices. Because more advanced medical techniques and treatments are now available for pets – MRIs, allergy testing, even acupuncture – higher fees often follow. And the ongoing corporatization of independent veterinary practices – with big businesses trying to maximize profits – is pushing costs skyrocketing.
In addition to readers emptying their pockets at the vet, we heard from more than two dozen veterinarians across the country in response to our survey, nearly all of them citing the exorbitant cost of their veterinary school tuition. Many of them also said that veterinarians have a higher suicide rate than the general population — 2.1 to 3.5 times higher, according to 2019 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Study,
Dr. Jessica Bachman of Ira, Virginia, referred to her “$400,000 eight-year education” to become a veterinarian.
But with an industry in crisis, it’s not easy to care for our pets. If you’re suffering from the exorbitant costs of veterinary care, take comfort in knowing you’re not alone. Here’s what some Times readers have to say on the subject.
Raquel Cypert’s rescued Chihuahua-Pug, Luna.
(Raquel Cypert)
Raquel Cypert and Luna, Upland, California
Highest Vet Bills: $3,800 — after spending $800 on Luna at the vet the day before.
What happened: “Luna became very lethargic one day and started vomiting. I took her to our regular vet and they did some tests and gave her some fluids and said it was probably a stomach virus and sent us home. She continued to vomit and have seizures all night long. The next morning I took her back to the vet who said they might kill her or take her to the emergency hospital.
I red lined my Audi twice to get to the hospital and we rushed there where they were waiting for us. The vet called us into the room about 20 minutes later and said he had Addison’s disease which is a deficiency in his stress hormones and he would need emergency medications and IV fluids and would need to stay overnight to stabilize him. $3,800 later we had our baby back.”
the outcome“He needs monthly injections and daily medication but his condition is largely under control.”
Are there any cheaper alternative care options? “Since I’m a nurse, I can give him the injections myself. So I save about $1,000 a year by not having to go to the vet every month.”
William G. Keiner and his dog, Los Angeles
Highest Vet Bills: The $400 amount quickly grew to $5,000, “after which we had to refuse treatment.”
What happened: “Our dog, who was about a year old, slipped off his leash and was hit by a car. He does not qualify for pet insurance due to suffering from distemper. So when we took him to the emergency vet, we were quoted a barrage of ever-increasing estimates…before we were forced to refuse treatment. Basically they quoted a price to admit our dog, evaluate him and give him pain medications. They evaluated and gave a higher estimate. Went back, gave another higher estimate. This happened two or three times before we were forced to refuse treatment. We still had to pay close to $2,000. The vet could not fix the broken leg or bandage the leg properly.”
the outcome: “We opted for pain medications (and) a visit to a nonprofit veterinarian to get through the weekend.”
Are there any cheaper alternative care options? “We took our dog to a nonprofit vet that worked with the rescue group we foster with. He was treated, but it didn’t get better. The pins that were put in his leg got infected. We found out this vet was (eventually) shut down by the city. We finally found an independent vet who agreed to a reasonable (price). It still cost thousands of dollars to have the pins removed, which worked.”
Misty Daly and Elfin, Spring Branch, TX
Highest Vet Bills: $2,200 (Sacramento, California, 1992)
What happened: “Gastric torsion. Deep barrel-chested dogs like Dobermans, Boxers, Great Danes, etc. can have a tendency to gulp down their food. If water isn’t added to it or the bowl isn’t elevated so they don’t have to bend down so low, this causes too much air to get into their intestine. Their intestine starts to swell (like a horse suffering from colic) and their intestines twist, killing them. I was going to Lake Tahoe for a weekend and noticed my Doberman was completely swollen and looked like a chubby Shetland pony. My vet looked at Elfin, took him away from me and took him for x-rays. He said he’d never seen a dog so bloated and still alive. They put him down, ripped open his abdomen, pumped the air out of it and then sewed his organs to his side so if it ever happened again, he wouldn’t twist.”
the outcome: “I started picking up all of my dogs’ dry food off the floor so this wouldn’t happen again.”
Are there any cheaper alternative care options? “No. I was grateful to pay the $2,200. They saved her! Elfin has gone to heaven.”
Michelle Min’s newly-adopted dog, Lola.
(Michelle Min)
Michelle Min and Lola, San Gabriel Valley, CA
Highest Vet Bills: Over $1,300 (in 2013)
What happened: “Recently needed a heart ultrasound for a recently adopted (doctor mandated) ADA dog who I absolutely adored, she saved my life. I was on a fixed income and pet insurance refused to cover it despite paying premiums. Turns out she had severe, congenital heart problems. Lifelong medications (about five a day) and expensive, homemade chicken breast/rice/vegetable diet followed for her entire life. She was worth every penny, there was nothing I wouldn’t do for her, but I can’t do it again. Too painful, not to mention the expense.”
the outcome: “This only confirmed the vet’s diagnosis prior to the test. He was already given medications and supplements to address his heart problems. No changes or adjustments were made after the test.”
Are there any cheaper alternative care options? “No. It’s very expensive to properly care for your companion, even if he serves a life-saving purpose as an ADA animal. That can be the hardest part. As a disabled person living on a fixed income, I (willingly) sacrificed for years so he could receive proper care.”
Daniel Smith-Ramirez’s dog, Legoshi.
(Daniel Smith-Ramirez)
Daniel Smith-Ramirez and Legoshi, Coquina, CA
Highest Vet Bills: $2,300 and $4,000 are expected.
What happened: “This month, my dog has had several stomach ailments. He has been treated with five different medications and was hospitalized for three days. He will also likely need an endoscopy. (He has) been diagnosed with an ulcer, but (an exploratory endoscopy) will confirm that.”
the outcome“The first set of medicines didn’t help, so now we are trying more powerful medicines.”
Are there any cheaper alternative care options? “It’s actually the cheapest in the area. We were told other hospitals would charge around $10,000-20,000.”
Juan Chavez and Sugar, Pasadena
Highest Vet Bills: $10,000
What happened: “Our dog, Sugar, was hospitalized for pancreatitis. She had to be kept in the pet hospital on a 24-hour basis for a week.”
the outcome: “He was put to sleep after seven days.”
Are there any cheaper alternative care options? “No. Our neighborhood is notorious for having good, but expensive vets. I have no illusions about finding a cheap vet, but perhaps we need to shop outside of our location using recommendations on Reddit or NextDoor.”
Shelly Keith’s dog, Olive.
(Shelley Keith)
Shelly Keith and Olive, Sherman Oaks, CA
Highest Vet Bills: $3,000
What happened: “My dog was having a seizure and I took him to the emergency animal hospital.”
the outcome“Did a lot of diagnostic tests but nothing was wrong.”
Are there any cheaper alternative care options? “No.”
Jamie Tran and Grady, Santa Maria, CA
Highest Vet Bills: $12,149.43
What happened: “My dog who I had adopted just five days earlier suddenly became very ill. His condition was so serious they weren’t sure he would survive the night. He remained in critical condition for the next several days and no definitive diagnosis could be made. He was treated for possible sepsis, anaphylaxis, and leptospirosis.”
the outcome: “I know that if he was still at the shelter, they would have decided to let him go. Because they treated him in a variety of ways based on his symptoms, they were able to stabilize him. When they discharged him, they gave him seven medications to continue for two-three weeks. The strange thing is that they discharged him saying that they couldn’t do anything more and we would have to continue the treatment at home and see if he improves. I didn’t go in with the confidence that he would make a full recovery. I don’t regret paying the money to save his life, but it’s something that I will have to pay for in the long run.”
Are there any cheaper alternative care options? “No. The cost of veterinary care is very expensive. Unfortunately where I live, the care options are very limited or nonexistent. They would probably have to take him somewhere else to see a specialist. The options for that were an hour or two away because there are no specialists available anywhere. If your pet needs a specialist, they are probably not healthy enough to travel long distances to get the care they need.”
