This survey asked U.S. adults who are guardians to companion animals about veterinary visits in the previous year. A majority of people (80%) had taken their companion animals to a vet visit in the previous year.

Eighty percent of respondents took their animals to the vet between October 2010 and October 2011. The median amount of money spent on vet visits was $250. Twenty-two percent of respondents spent under $100, one-fourth spent between $101-200, and one-fifth of respondents spent over $501.

Overall, most respondents trusted vets to be honest. Fifty-two percent of respondents thought the vets recommended unnecessary treatments “not too often” or “not at all,” 26% thought this happened “moderately often”, while 17% thought it happened “extremely often” or “very often.”

Over half of those who did not take their animals to the vet noted that they only take their animals to the vet when they are sick and/ or that they have a type of animal that does not require regular vet visits.