Costs of veterinary care have increased a lot over recent decades, but less than it feels when you are faced with a sick pet. It is easy to not realize you are getting so much more for your dollar than previously.
Costs that have risen:
Labor - Minimum wage increases push other low-wage jobs higher, or you start to lose employees when the $4-above-minimum they earned dissipates. State and local governments are mandating increasing benefits and more employee protections. Clinics are increasingly required to hire a larger number of licensed nursing staff as the medicine becomes more technical and the lawsuit risk grows. Veterinarians are no longer willing to work 60–70 hours a week to only be able to afford used cars while having the same school loan debt as an MD making 3x their pay. We also are now REQUIRED to provide paid sick leave and other benefits that we used to negotiate.
Utilities - phones, electric, etc. never decline.
Marketing - In a world with ever-increasing competition and pervasive media presence, marketing has become much more necessary… and costly.
Technology - It is expected by prospective employees, clients, vendors, and regulatory agencies that we have computerized records, in-clinic diagnostic equipment, and ready internet access everywhere. That requires significant equipment and IT investment.
Taxes - payroll taxes keep multiplying. Existing taxes rise, and we get new taxes.
Drugs and medical supplies - It isn’t unusual to go to order an item that has long been inexpensive and stable, only to find that since last week its cost jumped by a factor of 10–12. With a few corporate exceptions, we are small businesses with no buying power. COVID supply chain problems have made this much worse.
Now add that many clients are choosing to buy their medicines and pet foods elsewhere, and not only have we lost that revenue, but our labor costs increase yet more, as these all require handling and approval on our end, which requires more labor than just filling medications ourselves.
BUT: Your pets are healthier than ever! With rare exception, surgeries are required less often. Illnesses are more easily treated outpatient, without overnight hospitalization. We can protect pets from more infectious diseases. We finally have really effective flea products (by some estimates, fleas used to cause up to 20–25% of veterinary visits). We can treat diseases that used to be fatal in the short-term.
Budget for the wellness care your pet needs and get pet insurance to protect you from any serious illnesses and injuries.