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Vet bills 'growing faster than inflation'

Wed 10 Mar 2010 - Published in Pet Insurance

Vet's fees have doubled over the last three years, new figures from Saga Pet Insurance have shown.

According to the research, the average annual vet bill in the UK stands at £598, which is a 101 per cent increase on the £298 reported in 2006. Bills have risen by 11 per cent since last 2008.

The study also revealed that the north-east has experienced the largest increase in vets' bills, with treatments for cats rising 29 per cent from £324 in 2008 to £417 and growing by 17 per cent from £561 to £656 for dogs.

Andrew Goodsell, chief executive of Saga Group, said: "As vet bills are vastly surpassing inflation, pet insurance is therefore a vital tool to help owners budget for unforeseen costs of care for their cat or dog that may arise in the future."

Pet owners in the Channel Islands and Northern Ireland are facing the cheapest vets' fees for both cats (£298) and dogs (£452).

Last month, Sean Wensley, senior vet at free veterinary service PDSA warned people of the health dangers of overfeeding their pets.