Good Question: What are some ways pet owners can reduce the cost of veterinarian care?

LEXINGTON, Ky. (WKYT) - Emergency veterinarian care can seem expensive, but there are steps pet owners can take to lessen the cost.

Today’s Good Question is, what are some ways pet owners can reduce the cost of veterinarian care? This is a response to yesterday’s question that was posted on our website.

It explained that there are no regulations when it comes to the pricing of emergency veterinarian care. We had several veterinarians email us to say they felt like that discussion required more context.

They told us there are several ways pet owners can reduce expenses and prepare for an emergency, like pet insurance, having a good relationship with a general practice veterinarian, and saving specifically for pet expenses.

They also said there isn’t a lot of profit margin in veterinarian care.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, in 2021, physicians and surgeons made an average of $208,000 dollars per year, while veterinarians averaged just over $100,000.

They told us most of the cost of care goes back into running the business and paying their employees.

We also wanted to make it clear that while there is a grievance process with the Board of Veterinary Examiners, it is only for cases of unprofessional or illegal practices, not for concerns about billing.

If you have a Good Question you’d like us to try to answer, send it to goodquestion@wkyt.com.

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