Story Highlights
- 95% of Canadian vets say clients’ finances at least sometimes limit care
- Vets’ primary concern when care is declined is pets’ health
- 79% of vets agree it is difficult to see clients struggle to pay for care
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Cost pressures are shaping veterinary care across Canada, as nearly all veterinarians (95%) say clients’ financial limitations “often” (44%) or “sometimes” (51%) affect their ability to provide care.
Veterinarians report that declined care has consequences not only for pets, but also for pet families and veterinary teams. While financial barriers are widespread, the impact of decisions to decline care extends well beyond the initial point of care.
These findings reflect the latest research from the PetSmart Charities of Canada-Gallup State of Pet Care study, which captures the views of 369 practicing Canadian veterinarians who treat companion animals. The study was conducted Sept. 9-23, 2025.
Insights from veterinarians correspond with the views of Canadian pet owners. Among Canadian pet owners who had declined recommended care, two-thirds (67%) said they did so because it was not affordable, because they did not believe the services were worth the cost, or both.
Declined Care Negatively Affects Pets, Pet Families and Care Teams
When clients decline recommended care, veterinarians’ foremost concern is the pet’s health. Two-thirds (66%) say a pet’s condition worsening or becoming chronic is “a major concern.” These worries are not unfounded. Among Canadian pet owners who declined care for any reason, 12% say their pet’s condition worsened or their pet died, while 42% reported their pet’s condition had not improved in the three months since they declined care.
Veterinarians are also conscious of the emotional toll declined care can have on pet families. Nearly one-third (32%) say the emotional impact on clients is a major concern, and another 59% say it is “somewhat of a concern.” In addition, 81% say the emotional effect on veterinary staff is a major (20%) or somewhat (61%) of a concern when a client declines care.
These experiences also take a personal toll on veterinarians. Nearly four in five Canadian veterinarians (79%) strongly or somewhat agree that it is emotionally difficult to see clients struggle to pay for care.
Veterinarians Balance Client Affordability and Standards for Care
When care is declined because of cost, most veterinarians (87%) say they always (46%) or often (41%) recommend an alternative treatment plan. Veterinarians are less likely to say they always (13%) or often (23%) provide financing or payment plan options and largely say they rarely (39%) or never (30%) refer clients to a lower-cost clinic.
However, the survey of Canadian pet owners (PDF download) found that 28% of those who declined care because of cost said their veterinarian offered them a lower-cost alternative. This gap underscores the complexity of care discussions and suggests that alternative plans offered to clients may not always be remembered or perceived as more affordable options.
Most veterinarians believe that providing some care, even if it falls short of the ideal, is preferable to no care at all. More than nine in 10 strongly or somewhat agree that trying something is better than doing nothing.
Yet translating that belief into practice is not always straightforward. Canadian veterinarians cite several factors as reasons they may hesitate to offer lower-cost or minimum-level care. More than one-quarter point to adherence to educational or practice norms (28%), while others cite liability concerns (25%) or potential impacts on licensure or malpractice risk (22%).
Typical Approaches to Care
With the goal of improving access to veterinary care, a spectrum-of-care approach involves veterinarians tailoring recommendations to the needs and resources of the client, the attributes of the pet, and the capabilities and experience of the veterinary team. This approach begins by clarifying the client’s goals for care, which may range from preventive care and routine management to targeted treatment for a specific concern, or to prioritizing comfort and pain relief when resolution is not feasible or not the immediate goal.
In practice, fewer veterinarians begin care conversations in this way. After completing a physical assessment of the pet, 19% of Canadian veterinarians say they start by trying to understand the client’s goals for care before recommending next steps, the approach most closely aligned with the spectrum-of-care model. Most instead say they begin by suggesting several treatment options and allowing clients to select what works best for them (72%), while a smaller percentage start by recommending the most medically advanced option and adjusting if the client expresses concerns (9%).
Conversations about affordability follow a similar pattern. Twenty-one percent of veterinarians say they try to understand clients’ financial concerns before making treatment recommendations. More often, veterinarians report addressing cost after a plan is presented (51%) or only if the client raises questions about affordability or declines care (28%).
Implications
Affordability challenges are shaping how veterinary care is delivered across Canada. Veterinarians report that financial limitations commonly influence whether recommended care is accepted and note the negative impact declined care can have on pets, pet families and care teams. While most veterinarians say they attempt to offer alternative treatment plans when cost becomes a barrier, Canadian pet owners report far fewer experiences of being offered lower-cost options. The data suggest that professional norms, liability concerns and discomfort with care below perceived standards can limit how often those alternatives are presented. In the context of a spectrum-of-care approach, this gap points to an opportunity for proactive conversations about client goals and affordability earlier in the care process.
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