When Danielle Amos’s hamster, Lyla, started feeling unwell, the first thing she did was consult a vet.
Lyra had a problem with her teeth and the vet said it would cost between £450 and £500 to remove them.
But Danielle, from Thurn, Co Bridgend, who is on welfare, could not afford to pay the bills which she calls “ridiculous”.
She’s not alone. There are 16 million pet owners in the UK. Competition and Markets Authority The CMA said the cost of veterinary care was rising faster than other goods and services amid the cost of living crisis.
- author, Cary Thomas
- role, BBC News
BBC Wales spoke to other pet owners who have been hit with costly vet bills.
They include a dog walker who considered selling his apartment to pay for £4,000 emergency treatment for his dog, and people who have cancelled their insurance because of rising costs.
For Daniel, £500 was simply too much to pay to have his hamster’s teeth removed.
“I suppose you could say that about a dog or a cat, but a hamster? The cost of living is so high and I’m on welfare so that seems ridiculous,” she said.
Like many pet owners struggling with rising veterinary bills, she went online to search for cheaper ways to help Lyla.
“I couldn’t find a vet locally who would do it so I decided to look for a YouTube channel on how to properly cut a hamster’s teeth and do it myself every month,” she said.
This DIY approach is not recommended by vets and has also been warned by the RSPCA.
More than half of all UK households have pets and last year the RSPCA revealed that four in 10 households reported going without food, using food banks or missing vet visits because of financial pressures.
There are a few things you can do to reduce veterinary care costs.
Veterinary care charity PDSA has seen a surge in demand from pet owners in need of help.
Our advice is to avoid DIY treatments, seek treatment early and have an honest discussion with your vet about what you can afford in case alternative, cheaper treatment options are available.
Can you afford to have a pet?
“Something like pet insurance can help a lot of people who are hit with unexpected expenses,” said PDSA vet Richard Hooker, who helps 430,000 sick and injured pets every year.
“But when you’re thinking about getting a pet, really think carefully and do your research. Are pets prone to illnesses that will be expensive to treat as they get older?
“Does the pet fit your lifestyle? Does it come from healthy parents? Has it undergone all necessary health tests and lab tests?”
Veterinarian Cat Henstridge, who uses social media to share tips and advice with pet owners, said preventative care such as feeding pets a healthy diet to stop them becoming overweight and brushing their teeth can help.
She believes veterinary visits are cost-effective and that vets can detect problems early.
Victoria Jones, from Fockrew, County Caerphilly, thought she would have to sell her first home to cover the nearly £4,000 costs of emergency intestinal surgery for her dog Biscuit.
“It was a very stressful time. We didn’t know we were going to lose her, we didn’t know we might have to lose our home as well,” she said.
Victoria, a dog walker, and her husband Colin had insurance but their policy was maxed out and they had to turn to family and friends to help cover the rest of Biscuit’s medical costs.
“I was already very anxious, but not knowing how much the final bill would be made even more so,” Victoria said.
“Costs are unclear and it can be hard to budget when it comes to taking your pet to the vet or pet specialist.”
Sam Davies, from Blackwood, was also charged a whopping £1,000 to have his cat Muto’s teeth removed.
“My cats and dogs are all quite elderly, so I dread vet visits,” she says.
“I know the vet staff don’t set the fees and I feel sorry for them, but the fees are just too prohibitive to keep a pet.”
Why are veterinary care costs increasing?
Veterinarians are highly trained, and when it comes to treating pets, you’re paying for their time and skill, Cat Henstridge said.
The UK is not alone in facing a pet shortage – it’s a global problem exacerbated by rising pet ownership, the effects of Brexit and occupational burnout.
The CMA said many veterinary practices were also no longer independently run.
Six large corporate groups operate in the UK – CVS, IVC, Linnaeus, Medivet, Pets at Home and VetPartners – and together they own more than half the market.
Over the past decade, the number of veterinary clinics owned by these groups has increased from about 10 percent to around 60 percent, potentially limiting pet owners’ choices and reducing competition in some areas.
This is something the CMA’s investigation will look into, and the agency has the power to force these groups to divest parts of their operations if their dominance threatens healthy competition.
Rescue dog Biscuit, 13, underwent surgery and has now made a full recovery.
But her owner Victoria worries that other pets may not be as lucky.
She said: “My overall concern is the welfare of the animals and them not getting the care they need.”
“We are already seeing this in some places. I met a man on one of my walks whose dog needs surgery but can’t afford it – it’s really sad.”
Additional reporting by Rhiannon Eaves