Why Are Vet Bills Higher Than They Used to Be?

One of the most frequent questions I get from pet owners is, “I just paid (insert dollar figure here) for (insert procedure here) at my veterinarian’s office. Doesn’t that seem like a lot?”

The reasons behind the high cost of veterinary visits are numerous. In general, owners are demanding a better standard of care than they used to and this obviously costs more than “old school” veterinary medicine. Also, the expense of a veterinary education (typically eight years of college) has gone through the roof, and doctors have to earn more to pay off what can be a staggering debt after graduation.

But owners can do a lot to reduce the chances that they will be faced with an unpleasant financial surprise at the veterinary office. Taking advantage of appropriate preventative care (vaccines, parasite prevention, dental prophylaxes, weight management, etc.) and husbandry (keeping cats inside and leash walking dogs) will eliminate many unwanted veterinary expenses.

It also does help to know what injuries and illnesses are likely to occur and how much it costs to treat them. Drawing on their extensive database, Veterinary Pet Insurance (VPI) has put together just these sorts of lists.

Top 10 Medical Conditions in Dogs	Average Cost of Treatment
Atopy/allergic skin disease	$189
Outer ear infection	$150
Benign skin mass	$339
Skin infection and/or hotspot	$118
Osteoarthritis	$293
Stomach upset	$268
Dental/gum disease	$298
Intestinal upset	$132
Urinary tract infection/inflammation	$274
Soft tissue trauma	$226

Top 10 Medical Conditions in Cats	Average Cost of Treatment
Lower urinary tract disease	$425
Dental/gum disease	$327
Chronic kidney disease	$633
Stomach upset	$328
Hyperthyroidism	$396
Intestinal upset	$185
Diabetes mellitus	$779
Inflammatory bowel disease or acquired lymphangiectasia	$365
Upper respiratory infection	$189
Lymphosarcoma/lymphoma	$1959

Top 10 Surgical Conditions in Dogs	Average Cost of Treatment
Benign skin mass	$999
Skin abscess, inflammation, or pressure ulcer	$458
Tooth extraction	$829
Torn cruciate ligament/cartilage	$2667
Malignant skin mass (cancer)	$1434
Cancer of the spleen	$1875
Cancer of the eyelid	$717
Bladder stones	$1231
Cancer of the liver	$8539
Aural hematoma (blood filled ear flap)	$296

Top 10 Surgical Conditions in Cats	Average Cost of Treatment
Tooth extraction	$924
Skin abscess, inflammation, or pressure ulcer	$458
Benign skin mass	$291
Bladder stones	$985
Cancer of the abdominal wall	$813
Malignant skin mass (cancer)	$1508
Multiple bite wounds	$266
Cancer of the liver	$779
Cancer of the mouth	$1102
Cancer of the nasal cavity	$927

The numbers are good ballpark figures, but remember that every case is unique. To avoid unpleasant surprises, get an estimate of the cost of treatment in advance. If you still end up with questions regarding your bill, ask your veterinarian for an explanation.

Pet insurance or a savings account set aside for veterinary care are good ways to make sure you can always meet your pet’s medical needs.