Many Companion Animals Go Without Yearly Vet Visits
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.