How much does the average pet owner spend on vet bills?

Asked by: Melody Raynor PhD  |  Last update: October 16, 2025
Score: 4.8/5 (35 votes)

Overall vet costs including wellness check-ups, dental care, lab tests and vaccines can total between $700 and $1,500 per year.

How much does the average dog owner spend on vet bills?

#2 California: The golden state's costly canine lifestyle

In this state, pet owners can expect to spend $94,792.41 over the course of their dog's life, averaged at 11.5 years. The most costly pet care services in California are for routine care like vet visits $78.95, vaccines $230.66, and dental cleanings $440.95.

What is a reasonable amount of money to spend on routine vet care?

National Average Cost for a Vet Visit

The national average cost for a routine vet visit is between $25-$186. During a routine veterinary appointment, your vet will perform a physical exam to assess your pet's health. The vet will likely check for: Vitals: heart rate, breathing, temperature, weight.

What do pet owners spend most of their money on?

On average, they spend $1,200 on food and $828 on vet bills each year. As for birthday and holiday pet gifts, Americans say they spend an average of $24 on those occasions. Dog owners spend an average of 14% more on their pets than cat owners.

What happens if I take my dog to the vet and can't afford it?

Call local vets and ask if they do payment plans. Call the local humane society and look for discount veterinary clinics. Start a gofundme and post it on your social media pages. Check to see if any organizations in your area have funds available to help people who are struggling financially to pay for vet bills.

What's behind the rising cost of your pet's care? | Marketplace

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How do I pay my vet bill if I can't afford it?

California: Los Angeles area

Actors and Others for Animals is a Southern California community-based organization serving the greater Los Angeles area. Among other services, the organization provides financial assistance for emergency medical procedures for those of limited income. Call 818-755-6045.

Are vet prices negotiable?

Are vet bills negotiable? ‍Yes, many vets are willing to negotiate prices, especially for non-emergency procedures. They may also offer payment plans or discounts if you ask.

What is the average income of a pet owner?

The most common category of total income among dog owners was in the $50,000-$74,999 range for both 2023 and 2024 while the most common category of total income among cat owners was in the $30,000 or less range for both years.

Why are pet bills so high?

Drugs and vaccines are more expensive than ever. As is the cost of staffing vet offices, rent, utilities and medical equipment. Because there are more advanced medical technologies and treatments for pets now — MRIs, allergy testing, even acupuncture — there's often more to charge for.

How much does the average pet owner spend per month?

At Rover, we dug into the data. The annual costs of caring for a dog can range from $1,000–$5,225 a year, while the typical monthly cost of owning a dog lies between $80-$440. This is an annual increase of $100 on average from 2023 to 2024.

How can I avoid high vet bills?

Provide preventive care

Make sure your dog or cat receives regular veterinary check-ups, vaccinations, and preventive care. It is also essential to provide your pet with a healthy diet and plenty of exercise. Taking good care of Boris or Bitsy can help to avoid expensive medical bills down the road.

How expensive is the average vet visit?

If you're going in for a routine visit, expect to pay $50 to $250, though even that can vary depending on your location and which veterinarian you visit. Emergency veterinary visits for your dog can add up even more. The chart below displays the average cost for common veterinary services.

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What is the average vet bill in America?

The average cost of a vet visit in the US is approximately $70*, but this cost doesn't include everything your furry friend may need at their visit. Between vaccinations and fecal exams and diagnostic testing, the cost of a typical vet visit can climb quickly.

Does pet insurance cover vaccines?

Pet health insurance typically covers vaccinations only through an add-on wellness plan that can reimburse you for certain preventative costs. When your pet gets a qualifying vaccine or titer, you can file a claim to get reimbursed up to the plan's limit. Wellness plans typically don't have a deductible.

Who pays the vet bill?

Most vets will require payment before your insurer can process your claim. If you have pre-authorised payments, then your vet might accept payment directly from your insurance provider. However, your vet could still reject direct payments from your insurer for a variety of reasons, including: Previous bad experiences.

What happens when you can't afford vet bills?

Visit an animal shelter or non-profit

Many animal shelters offer significantly reduced fees for their vet services. Nonprofit organizations and charities that provide veterinary services may also be able to help. For example, some charities offer to pay for veterinary care under certain circumstances.

What do pet owners spend the most money on?

Pet owners generally spend the most money on two main categories: food and veterinary care.

What is the most expensive pet to take care of?

Key Takeaways. Dogs are the most expensive pet to own per year – but when we rank pets by lifetime expenses, parrots take the top spot due to their average lifespan of 50 years! Owning a dog will cost you almost double per year what it costs to own a cat – and almost 10 times the cost of owning a fish!

Is pet ownership declining?

Dog ownership fell in absolute numbers for 2019 through 2024, representing a 2% decline for dogs compared to 5% growth for cats. Likewise, between 2019 and 2024, the number households including cats, but not dogs, grew 6%. At the same time, dog ownership to the exclusion of cats declined 5%.

Who is the highest paid pet?

The world's richest pet, a German shepherd known as Gunther VI, is owned by the Gunther Corporation who also manage the dog's estate and fortune and through real estate investments have rocketed Gunther's grandfather's inherited fortune from a mere $80 million in 1992 to the $500 million reported today.

What is the average cost of owning a pet?

So, how expensive is a pet really? The average cost of owning a dog is around $1,400 per year. The average cost of owning a cat is around $1,200 per year. But, every pet is different and the cost of living has increased for people and pets alike.

How much should you budget for vet bills?

Most people know that when they get a dog or cat, a big part of the pet's expense will be routine veterinary care. On average, pet owners spend $235 per year in recurring medical costs for a dog and $160 for a cat, according to the ASPCA.

Why are vet-ER visits so expensive?

In most cases, the emergency vet costs more than your family vet visit. Similar to human medicine, vet ER bills are usually more costly due to the advanced level of care your pet will receive as well as the technology of an emergency room.

How do you know if your vet is too expensive?

Pay attention to what you are actually getting from your vet. These are things like experience, knowledge, quality staff, nice facility, etc. After all of this, if your vet's office ​still doesn't seem worth the price, then it might be time to look for a different veterinary hospital.