For pet owners, the joy that animals bring into our lives is immeasurable. These valued members of our family not only enrich our daily experiences but can make a house a home. From wagging tails that greet us at the door to soothing purrs that comfort us, pets provide a unique form of love and emotional support.
However, caring for your animal companion goes beyond love and affection. It also means looking after their health and wellbeing. As providers in both dog and cat insurance, we want to understand people’s vet care insights. Vets help to keep our pets healthy and well, and we struggle to comprehend a world without them.
We recently surveyed 2,000 pet owners across the UK. We found that while many pet owners are happy with their vets’ level of care, 78% of those surveyed wanted greater clarity about the cost of treatments.
The need for more clarity when it comes to veterinary fees
When vet fees are clearly displayed, pet owners can anticipate and budget for the costs of routine check-ups, emergency care and long-term treatments. This especially helps owners without adequate cover. Our research found that of those surveyed in Northern Ireland, 54% thought their practices did not clearly display prices. Meanwhile in London 75% of pet owners stated that practices clearly displayed prices.
Areas least to most likely to display pricing information:
1. Northern Ireland (38%)
2. North-West of England (43%)
3. South-West of England (44%)
4. East of England (45%)
5. Scotland (47%)
6. South-East (49%)
7. Yorkshire & The Humber (49%)
8. Wales (53%)
9. East Midlands (54%)
10. West Midlands (54%)
11. North-East (64%)
12. London (75%)
How much does going to the vets cost?
Average vet fees for cats
| Ranking by occurrence | Ailment | Average cost of treatment |
| 1 | Hyperthyroidism | £1,066 |
| 2 | Wound | £592 |
| 3 | Vomiting | £869 |
| 4 | Lameness | £874 |
| 5 | Arthritis/DJD |
£788 |
| 6 | Inappetance |
£1,039 |
| 7 | Kidney/renal disease | £1,042 |
| 8 | Respiratory condition |
£1,135 |
| 9 | Urinary obstruction |
£1,792 |
| 10 | Weight loss |
£921 |
Average vet fees for dogs
| Ranking by occurrence | Ailment | Average cost of treatment |
| 1 | Lameness | £1,063 |
| 2 | Poisoning | £576 |
| 3 | Lump | £909 |
| 4 | Skin allergy | £1,030 |
| 5 | Arthritis/DJD |
£1,174 |
| 6 | Gastro-enteritis |
£1,261 |
| 7 | Cruciate rupture | £3,285 |
| 8 | Vomiting |
£855 |
| 9 | Otitis externa |
£781 |
| 10 | Ear condition |
£706 |
5 top tips for managing vet fees
With many pet owners worried about vet fees, we spoke to veterinarian Martin Stevens from our Pet Insurance provider RSA. He shared his top tips for mitigating and managing vet fees:
1. Consider taking out pet insurance when your pet joins your family. It could provide peace of mind and financial cover.
2. Register at a vet, as you would do a doctor. You should know where to go and have paperwork in place before your pet needs an appointment.
3. Shop around. Don’t be afraid to contact practices to better understand their costs and services — there could be variety. Enquire about several different costs like routine check-ups, X-rays, and ultrasounds.
4. Consider an annual health check for your pet to help spot any warning signs. Catching an issue early could mean less care and costs required further down the line.
5. If your pet needs treatment, always ask for all the details over each stage of the treatment. You can ask about when specific medicines are required and whether the treatment calls for overnight stays. It's important to know about the recovery period, number of follow-up appointments and the cost altogether.
How Lifetime Cover can help give you peace of mind
Benefits of Lifetime Cover
No limit to the length of treatment: Whether a pet needs a few weeks of medication or ongoing therapy for a chronic condition, there’s no limit to the length of treatment, as long as the policy is renewed and there’s no breaks in cover.
Annual renewability: As long as you renew your policy with us and there is no break in cover, your chosen vet fee limit will be available to use again and covered treatments will continue to be paid for.
For more information on pet insurance and to get your cover, get a pet insurance quote. For those with more than one furry friend to look after, check out our multi-pet policy. Our lifetime cover and policy are provided by RSA.
If you’re a new customer, please bear in mind that John Lewis lifetime cover does not cover treatment for any pre-existing conditions your pet may have.
The survey was conducted in May 2024 by market research agency Savanta.
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It’s important that your pet has a regular vet check to help keep them fit and healthy, and to give you peace of mind.
This article is for promotional or information purposes only. You must not rely on it as advice.
John Lewis Money, John Lewis Finance and John Lewis Insurance are trading names of John Lewis plc.
John Lewis plc is an appointed representative (firm reference number: 416011) of Royal & Sun Alliance Insurance Ltd.
John Lewis Pet Insurance is underwritten by Royal & Sun Alliance Insurance Ltd (company number: 93792). Registered in England and Wales. Registered office: St. Mark's Court, Chart Way, Horsham, West Sussex, RH12 1XL. Authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority (firm reference number: 202323).
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