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pet owners Being forced to choose a “terrible choice” between Heating And whether to eat or not their sick or injured pet till Veterinarian For Treatment, Britain’s leading veterinary charity says.
More than half (51 percent) of people say they are Concerned about the cost of veterinarian careAmid the current cost of living crisis, according to the PDSA Animal Wellbeing PAW report.
One pet owner concerned about rising costs is Laura Atherton, 37. Ms Atherton is disabled and lives alone with her nine-year-old Bichon Frize, named Poppy, who she describes as her “whole world”.
Laura noticed that Poppy was not behaving like her usual self in the weeks before Christmas last year. She had frequent urination and seemed distressed and anxious, panting even while resting.
She decided to take Poppy to a local private veterinarian, where they suspected the dog had Cushing’s disease – a condition caused by abnormally high levels of the hormone cortisol – which her breed is prone to. The disease is usually not curable but can be controlled with lifelong medication and regular checkups.
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Poppy’s monthly medicine costs £180.88. On average a small dog can live to the age of 15, and it will cost more than £13,000 to maintain Poppy’s current treatment for the rest of her expected lifespan.
When the discussion turned to testing protocols and pricing, Laura said “alarm bells started ringing”. He explained that while Poppy had always had private pet insurance, the test for Cushing’s disease alone was going to “max out the cover for the year”. She said: “I was scared – my income is very limited because of my disability.”
Laura was able to contact the PDSA Pet Hospital in Liverpool, where her pet was diagnosed with Cushing’s disease and the charity funded the treatment. The dog is now thriving and enjoying a good quality of life, thankfully Laura still has her best friend.
The PDSA has seen an “unprecedented need” for its services and with the increase in pet ownership, the charity expects to treat around 450,000 at a cost of more than £85 million next year.
PDSA Director General, Jan McLoughlin, said: “For the people we support, their pet is not just an animal, it is their family, their lifeline, often their only source of companionship. For many people, a pet’s unconditional love is a huge part of their world.”
Like Laura, more than 4 in 10 people supported by a PDSA live alone and more than 37 per cent have a disability or are living with a serious health condition.
Additionally, more than half of the people helped by PDSA are 55 or older, as 87 percent of those surveyed say owning a pet makes them feel less lonely and 88% say owning a pet makes them mentally healthier.
An RSPCA spokesperson said: “With the rise in pet ownership and the cost of living crisis putting pressure on people’s finances, we are seeing an increase in rescues.” Animal “Coming into our care at a time when rehoming has slowed.”
According to the RSPCA, one in five owners is concerned about the cost of pet food, and concerns about vet bills are at an all-time high. kindness index Survey.
Suili Vet, a senior community manager at Cats Protection, said: “Our own research shows that many cat owners are still having a very tough time financially. The general increase in the cost of living has increased the pressure on everyone, while the cost of cat care has also increased, including vet costs.”