Labby digs into the data: Cost of care cited as reason pet owners skip vet visits

Although pets like me bring boundless joy (and zoomies!) into the lives of our owners, there’s no question that many Americans are feeling financial strain over their cost of care in a whine-worthy economy. I’m no stats expert, but things look ruff out there. Whether it’s rent increases of 29% since 2020, a 9.4% rise in food prices–the largest 12-month increase in 40 years!–between April 2024 and April 2025 or the fact that overall expenses are 23.3% higher than just five years ago, plenty of pet owners have their tails between their legs just thinking about money. 

Cost of care and its impact on pets

So, it’s no wonder that pets feel the sting, too. According to the PetSmart Charities-Gallup State of Pet Care Study: Pet Parents’ Assessment of American Veterinary Care, 52% of pet owners have skipped out on needed veterinary care in the past year. These stats also include 37% of owners who saw a vet, but declined one or more care recommendations, and 15% who didn’t visit at all, citing barriers such as financial concerns. Yelp! 

Is this because of rising cost of living? Or the rising cost of veterinary care? According to Robyn Jaynes, DVM, Director of Veterinary Affairs at PetSmart Charities, the short answer is: both.  

“Pet parents that could not afford the cost of care may be related to the rising cost of care or increased cost of living expenses, leaving less available funds for veterinary care, or pet parents did not believe the recommended treatment was worth the cost,” she said. “In this situation, I suspect pet parents are prioritizing all of the different expenses in their lives and determining which are most critical. They may decide that the recommended care is not worth it when considering their varied financial commitments. 83% of pet owners reported that the care their pets received was worth the cost, so I believe pet owners value and want veterinary care but are prioritizing with other expenses.” 

Financial concerns = health concerns

This can have paw-sitively detrimental effects on pets. According to James, there’s a lot at stake (mmmmm, steak) when pets miss out on needed care or even annual check-ups. 

“When pets miss annual check-ups, there is a potential risk of underlying medical conditions going undiagnosed and therefore untreated,” she said. “The conditions can continue to advance and become more serious, painful, and/or costly in the future. Additionally, without annual checkups, pet owners may miss recommendations from the veterinarian regarding their pet’s overall care, such as diet recommendations, dental care, or general aging-related recommendations.” 

And ignoring the cost of pet care does not make the underlying problem go away. Like a tick that gets bigger and bigger the longer it hangs around (*yelp!*), underlying conditions can get worse over time. 

“The State of Pet Care Study found that when owners had declined care, 53% reported their pet’s condition did not change,” James said. “That could mean the pet continued to live with the associated symptoms without the ability to get care and relief. Additionally, 4% reported that their pet’s condition continued to get worse, and 10% reported that their pet passed away. Ultimately, preventative care and treatment helps pets stay healthy and stay in their homes. In some cases, pet parents make the heartbreaking decision to surrender their pets to shelters when they can’t afford to seek treatment.” 

Listen, I don’t paw-ticularily enjoy going to the vet myself. But veterinary care, including annual check-ups, is important to pups like me! So, when seven in 10 pet owners are forgoing veterinary care because of financial concerns, pets like me get stuck in the metaphorical doghouse when it comes to our health. Luckily, there are things that can be done to ensure that veterinary practices bridge these gaps.

Emphasize flexibility 

Notably, the study found that over 70% of pet owners who couldn’t afford treatment or preventative care were not offered lower-cost alternatives at the vet’s office.  And this makes sense! Every veterinarian wants to be the top dog and provide the best care and treatments available—even if they’re often the most costly! But James notes that meeting owners where they are is also important. 

“As veterinarians, we all want to offer the best care possible for pets, but if that means that care becomes out of reach for pet owners and they resort to declining care, then it’s not helpful,” James said. “I believe the best care we can offer considers the practical as well as financial needs of the family. Some veterinarians may be hesitant to offer a variety of solutions out of fear of liability concerns, license risks, or being judged by their peers. However, many of these fears can be mitigated with education around practicing spectrum of care medicine (offering flexible treatment options), proper medical record documentation, and transparent, compassionate communication with clients.” 

As James notes, there are times when some treatment is better than no treatment at all. It’s not that veterinarians should sacrifice their standard of care—but it’s important to stay flexible like an agility dog and be prepared to pivot if a pet owner can’t afford the prime rib-standard of care. Sometimes, a cheaper cut will do just fine (Must. Have. Steak.). 

Make a (payment) plan 

It can be hard to paw over a chunk of change at the vet’s office just because I—errrr, I mean Fido—swallowed a sock. But many pet parents are willing to make a sizable sacrifice to ensure the health of their pets in life-threatening situations. The study found that 66% of pet owners could afford to fork over $1,000 or less to pay for life-saving veterinary care. But here’s the juiciest part: when offered the option to pay over time, pet owners said they would be able to double the amount they originally estimated they could afford. That’s worth howling about! However, only 23% of respondents said they were offered a payment plan at the vet’s office. *whine*  

James says that many industries, from fashion to home repair, have gotten into the practice of offering pay-over-time options. Although longer-term payment plans are becoming the norm, the veterinary industry has been slower to adapt. But making this change could benefit everyone, including practices. 

“Any veterinary practice, regardless of the type of care or clients served, could benefit from exploring financially friendly payment options,” James said. “Unlike historical plans, where clinics often managed them in-house and found them to be operationally challenging, there are now plans that veterinary hospitals can outsource, making it easier on both the hospital and the pe owners.” 

The paw-ttom line on cost of care

When financial uncertainty looms over millions of pet owners, the data show that staying flexible, meeting pet parents where they are, and adapting with the times are all pieces of the pet care paw-zzle. Whether that’s through offering pet owners an interest-free pay over time plan, or offering more treatment options, there are plenty of simple solutions to help make veterinary care affordable and increase the range of care that owners can afford.  

And sure, I may not be an expert on financial bark-ets, but I do know this: when more pets get care, tails wag harder, owners worry less, and practices grow stronger. Now that’s a win-win-win. 

Speaking of winning… if anyone’s offering flexible payment options on steak, I know a lab who’s very interested. 

Photo credit: © Robyn James 

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