Many Companion Animals Go Without Yearly Vet Visits
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Of companion animal guardian respondents, 80% had taken their animal to the vet this year and those who didn’t cited cost as the main factor not to.
This survey questioned people who live with companion animals about taking their companion animals to a veterinarian. Most people (80%) had taken their companion animals to a vet in the past year. Of those who had not, cost was cited as an important reason.
Survey Findings:
- 80% of companion animal owners took their animals to the vet this year.
- Of those who do not take their companion animal to the vet annually, 52% do so only when the companion animal is really sick, and one-third say they can never afford to take their companion animal to the vet.
- Of companion animal owners surveyed, dog owners were more likely to take their companion animal to the vet than were cat owners.
- The average cost of a vet visit was $505. While most people (60%) spent under $300 for a vet visit, there were some who spent more than $1,000 dealing with companion animals who had serious illness.
- About half of respondents (52%) did not think that vets recommended excessive treatment, though 17% believed that they did either very or extremely often.
Citations:
AP-Petside, jconline.com, United States (National)
