Rising Vet Costs of Owning a Dog – Let’s Go To College!
A recent survey conducted by Pet Health Insurance Companies revealed that illness and NOT old age as the primary cause of death in dogs. Thirty-Five percent of all dog deaths is due to illness.
Is this because we don’t realize it when are pets are sick? That we wait to long before taking our dog to the vet? Or could it be because we just can’t afford the rising cost of pet health care. Just like the rapidly rising cost of health care for humans – pet health care is also rising. A simple neutering procedure can now cost well over a hundred dollars and spaying for female dogs – twice that. (Prices vary depending on the age , weight and general health of the dog) Some vets even charge extra for “before and after” pain medications and injections.
Spaying and neutering are only the most common vet costs – and ones that we KNOW we will be incurring when we get a new dog or puppy. We also take care of our dogs physical injuries – and those can be VERY expensive. Dogs like to chase – cars, cows, people and cats! A broken leg, an abscessed wound, routine vaccinations – these are all things that most people are aware of and know that they will have to deal with when they get a new pet. Pet health insurance can help alleviate the costs of pet injury tremendously
National average cost for some common medical procedures for dogs:
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Adult canine wellness visit (Includes physical examination, rabies vaccine, DHLPP vaccine, coronavirus vaccine, bordetella vaccine, leptospirosis vaccine, Lyme disease vaccine, heartworm combination examination and fecal examination.): $145
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Broken leg: $350
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Torn ligament repair: $388
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Gastrotomy (retrieving a swallowed object): $274
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Xrays: $50-$60
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Anesthesia (per ½ hour): $56
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Pre-anesthetic sedation: $23
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Spaying: $147-$194 (depends on weight of the dog)
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Neutering: $127-$156 (depends on weight of dog)
* Data from the American Animal Hospital Association and Consumer Reports
Cancer, pneumonia, hip dysplasia in some breeds and many other illnesses affect dogs just as much as they do humans – and the costs to treat them are almost as high. Dietary allergies among dogs are being increasingly diagnosed by vets.
The average annual veterinary costs today is about $500. Over the life-span of most dogs (because they are living longer) is almost $18000! That’s two years of college at a state school!
Pet health insurance is almost a necessity in most households these days. While we love our dogs and cats, many people just can’t afford these continuously rising health care costs for them.
