The Cost Of Veterinary Care
March 16, 2016
After attempting to chase a cat up a tree, Rover has taken a nasty knock to the leg. Limping badly and refusing to use the leg you bundle him up and get him to the local emergency veterinary clinic. After numerous tests and x-rays by the veterinarian, ruling out complications such as infected arthritis and broken bones, it’s discovered Rover has ruptured his cruciate ligament. OUCH!
The only option is to operate to alleviate pain and return Rover to his former bouncy self. Leaving only one question…. how much will this treatment cost?
“For owners of injured dogs even having to ask this question can come with a host of guilt,” Nadia Crighton from Pet Insurance Australia says. “In a perfect world, the question of money would never be a factor when dealing with a beloved pet’s health.”
However, for many Australian families facing the cost of treatment for such an injury can bring another wave of stress and worry.
With the pet industry not being subsidised by the Government in any shape or form, the complete cost of veterinarian care lands solely with the pet owner. For the above scenario, pet owners would be looking at anywhere between $3,000 and $8,000 for repair and rehabilitation.
This is why Pet insurance is highly recommended.
“Costs will also vary from clinic to clinic, and this will depend on the types of professional and specialist services the veterinary practice offers plus to cover salaries, the up-keep of the clinic and general expenses.”
So why does veterinary care cost so much?
“Firstly the industry sector is not subsidised so every cost must be handed on to the pet owner,” Crighton says. “Secondly, your companion animal’s veterinarian is also a surgeon, radiologist, pharmacist, dermatologist and sometimes even a treatment specialist. You pay for this specialised treatment in one hit.”
It is good to remember that there is no standard fee for particular veterinary services, so costs can vary quite dramatically from clinic to clinic. The treatment options now available to pets has also increased substantially, giving pet owners more choice in fixing and rehabilitating their injured or sick pet.
“It’s simply breathtaking the advancement in modern veterinary medicine, with many procedures once exclusive to the human sector now readily available to the pet industry.”
TOP FIVE MAJOR VETERINARY SURGERIES
Cats
- Cat Bite Abscess (CBA) – approx. $200 – $1200 (avg $620)
- Bite Injury – approx. $300 – $900 (avg $580)
- Wound Laceration – approx. $300 – $1,500 (avg $680)
- Abscess other – approx. $200 – $1200 (avg $680)
- Desexing – approx. $50 – $750 (avg $350)
Dogs
- Cruciate Ligament Rupture – approx. $300 – $8,000 (avg $3,000)
- Lump Removal or Biopsy – approx. $100 – $4,000 (avg $780)
- Wound – Laceration – approx. $100 – $3,000 (avg $770)
- Desexing – approx. $100 – $2,000 (avg $550)
- Lipoma – approx. $100 – $4,000 (avg $800)
– Does your pet struggle with vet anxiety? We give you some tips on how to manage this –
