CARING FOR OUR BEST FRIENDS

Frequently asked questions regarding the cost of veterinary care.

Isn’t the cost of veterinary medicine too high these days? I mean we’re “just” talking about animal care.

Every pet owner has different ideas as to what is “acceptable” pet care. Some owners look upon their pet as an important family member and expect state-of-the-art medical care similar to that available in the human field. Other pet owners view their pet as a possession and desire only minimal medical care. The role of the veterinarian is to offer the best available services, products and options to the client. The extent of care given to any animal is determined by its owners, the value they place on their pet, and their financial resources.

Veterinarians do as much as possible to pet owners but, just as any other trade, they must cover the expenses of operation. These expenses include staff salaries, government taxes and fees, costly equipment such as x-ray and anesthetic machines, inventory of supplies rent, insurance, utilities, licenses, maintenance, repairs, and or course, the expense of years of medical training. Considering this “overhead”, veterinary fees are surprisingly reasonable. The cost of veterinary care has actually risen very little over the last 20 years, especially when compared to the cost of human health care of almost any other service.

Sometimes I believe I’m spending more on my pet’s health care than my own! How can this be?

The reason you may feel you are paying more for your pet’s health care than your own is that you probably have health insurance for you own health care needs, thus, you’re not accustomed to seeing true bottom-line figures. If you add up your insurance costs, deductibles, and pharmaceutical costs, you will find that veterinary care is much less costly than human health care. Health insurance options are now available for your pets.

Another reason your pet’s health care may seem expensive is that, due to our pets’ relatively short life spans, they experience the health problems of you and old age over a much shorter period of time. Also, some veterinary procedures are actually more complex than those of humans. An example is the requirement of a general anesthetic to perform a dental cleaning in animals, which obviously increases the relative cost and complexity of this service. Bear in mind that your veterinarian is not only your pets general physician, but also their surgeon, radiologist, dermatologist neurologist, dentist, cardiologist, pharmacist, urologist, etc.

What is an appropriate fee for a spay or neuter surgery?

Veterinarians are doing their part to control the pet population problem by offering spay and neuter surgery at very reasonable prices, often at a fraction of the actual cost to the veterinarian. These procedures are major surgeries for your pet and require the time of a trained veterinarian and technician, sterile surgical instruments, general anesthesia, drapes, suture material, patient monitoring, and hospitalization. A comparable procedure in a human (i.e. a hysterectomy) would cost thousands.

Veterinarians hope that by providing spay/neuter surgery at such a reasonable cost that every responsible pet owner will be able to afford this important service for his/her pet. Not only has spaying/neutering a pet been shown to reduce its likelihood of developing various medical and behavioral problems, it also prevents the birth of unwanted puppies and kittens, millions of which are put to sleep every year.

Why can’t my veterinarian guarantee results?

The problems and diseases that affect animals are at times difficult and complex, especially since veterinarians cannot “talk” to their patients. Neither a human doctor nor a veterinarian can provide a guarantee that a specific test will diagnose a problem of that a recommended treatment plan will be successful. Veterinarians do, however, attempt to select tests and treatments that are most likely to be helpful to your pet and are most cost effective to perform.

Why is there sometimes a wide range of prices for the same procedures among veterinarians?

Prices are set by each individual veterinary practice and each has different expenses that are covered by the fees charged (i.e. salaries, rent, etc.). Often, the different prices do not actually reflect the exact same set of services, some being more complete than others. Different types of materials such as drugs, anesthetics, and antibiotics, may have a significant bearing on the cost of the services. Also, different techniques are used by different veterinarians, which may affect the time required to complete the procedure.

My injured/sick pet needs to be seen by a veterinarian but; (a) I just lost my job, (B) I don’t get a paycheck until next week, (c) I just don’t have the money…

As there are no government subsidies covering veterinary care, veterinary hospitals would end up operating at a loss and closing without satisfactory financial arrangements. Veterinarians want to provide pets with the care they need, but cannot be expected to do so at a loss. Just as in any other business, a veterinarian cannot tell his or her staff or landlord that he/she will not be able to pay them until next week. It would also be unfair to expect responsible, paying pet owners to absorb the cost of those who cannot pay for their pets care. Most veterinary practices accept major credit cards. If you do not have a credit card, perhaps a relative or friend could provide you with financial help. You may want to ask your veterinarian if other payment options are available. Your pet is your financial responsibility. Be prepared before the emergency arises.

Why can’t veterinarians advise, diagnose, and/or prescribe medications over the phone and save me a lot of time and money?

Not only is it unethical to prescribe medication for an animal that hasn’t been physically examined by a veterinarian, it is also impossible to provide an accurate diagnosis and rational plan of treatment to help the animal. A veterinarian cannot make a diagnosis based on symptoms only as observed by an owner. The outward signs may be an indication of any number of internal causes with a wide variety of clinical treatments. A complete physical examination is required as a first step in determining the cause of the symptoms and the best course of diagnosis and treatment. Asking your veterinarian to advise, diagnose, and /or prescribe over the phone could easily lead to a misdiagnosis and mistreatment of your pet. Imagine if your own doctor told you to take an antacid for what could, in actuality, be a heart attack! Your veterinarian cares about your pet, but must follow the law as well as protect your pet from harm and federal law prohibits the dispensing of certain medication without examination or prescription.

Does my pet really need an annual examination and vaccinations?

It is in the best interest of your pet to get a routine check-up plus all the recommended vaccines so that your pet may remain healthy and happy. The examination by the veterinarian is particularly important because our pets cannot “tell” us about the early development of a disease or problem, which the veterinarian may be able to diagnose. In fact, this may be the least expensive “insurance” you can buy. Early detection of problems and use of preventative care will both protect your pets health as well as save you money over the long run. Vaccines are important to prevent disease, pain, suffering, and death. Some pet owners intending to save money by skipping vaccinations and/or an exam end up spending far more in treating their pet for a disease, which could have been prevented and may be fatal.

Can I afford a pet?

Before acquiring a pet you should determine if you have the motional and financial resources to give a pet the home it deserves. Raising a pet can be a tremendously rewarding experience, however it also requires providing necessary care for the animal including food, shelter, safe confinement, and veterinary services. Remember, the original cost of a pet has no bearing on the costs you will incur over its lifetime providing food and medical care. If you cannot meet these demands, you should delay accepting the responsibility of keeping a pet until you can.

The text on this page only is copyright © the Arizona Veterinary Medical Association - with thanks to the Hillsborough Animal Foundation, Tampa, Florida.