10/20/2025
๐๐จ๐ฐ ๐ญ๐จ ๐ฉ๐ซ๐จ๐ญ๐๐๐ญ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ ๐ฉ๐๐ญ๐ฌ (๐๐ง๐ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ ๐ฐ๐๐ฅ๐ฅ๐๐ญ) ๐๐ซ๐จ๐ฆ ๐ซ๐ข๐ฌ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐๐จ๐ฌ๐ญ๐ฌ ๐จ๐ ๐ฏ๐๐ญ๐๐ซ๐ข๐ง๐๐ซ๐ฒ ๐๐๐ซ๐
We see it everywhere in veterinary medicine- the social media posts asking for recommendations on low cost veterinary care, clients shopping around to get prices or some of us needing to put off routine veterinary care in order to allocate the family's funds elsewhere. The veterinary industry has not been spared from rising costs, but why is that?
๐ธInflation is impacting everything around us, including veterinary care. External vendors set the price for lab tests, medications and supplies. When vendors increase their prices, veterinary hospitals unfortunately need to do the same.
๐งฌThanks to advances in technology and care, our pets are living longer than ever before! And while we wish our pets could live forever, the reality is that longer lifespan = more medical needs over time. High quality diagnostics like lab work, imaging, and surgical procedures are more available than they were even 10 years ago, and cost of these services reflects the level of care. ๐๐๐๐๐ง๐ญ ๐ฌ๐ญ๐ฎ๐๐ข๐๐ฌ ๐ฌ๐ก๐จ๐ฐ ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ญ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐ฏ๐๐ซ๐๐ ๐ ๐ฅ๐ข๐๐๐ญ๐ข๐ฆ๐ ๐๐จ๐ฌ๐ญ ๐จ๐ ๐จ๐ฐ๐ง๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ ๐๐จ๐ ๐ข๐ฌ $๐๐,๐๐๐, ๐ฐ๐ก๐ข๐ฅ๐ ๐๐๐ญ๐ฌ ๐๐ซ๐ $๐๐,๐๐๐. These figures reflect the average cost of wellness visits, illness and emergency care- but they are certainly impacted by an individual pets' health.
So how can pet owners stay in control of cost of care for their pets?
๐ถ๐ฑGet pet insurance! This is hands down the best way to mitigate financial strain from illness or emergency visits. The longer you wait to enroll your pet in insurance, the more chance you have of a condition being considered pre-existing and therefore not being covered, so don't wait until you need it. Care Credit is also a great option to help cushion the cost of veterinary care, but be aware of the interest rates once the variable period of 0% interest has ended.
๐ถ๐ฑDon't skip annual wellness exams and recommended lab work! Annual visits are invaluable for detecting health issues early on. Pets (especially cats) are good at hiding signs of pain or illness, so by the time you start seeing symptoms, conditions may become more severe- and costly- to treat. Early detection is key.
๐ถ๐ฑ Don't skip monthly flea, tick and heartworm prevention. Fleas and ticks can transmit a myriad of diseases and illnesses which require medication to treat, and heartworm disease costs thousands to treat. Prevention is far more affordable and far safer.
The veterinary industry understands how costly pet care can be, but there are ways to help soften the blow. Investing in proactive care and insurance isnโt just smartโitโs compassionate. Your pet deserves a lifetime of health, and you deserve support in making that possible! As always, give Salmon Brook a call at 860-653-7238 with any questions or if you need a starting point with getting pet insurance.
