Fetch Research Shows What The Average Dog Parent Spends On Vet Bills

Pet parenthood sometimes looks like a stressful drive to the vet with an unexpectedly sick or hurt dog — that’s just part of the job.

But seeing our dogs in distress is the worst feeling. Plus, those trips add up — Fetch by The Dodo pet insurance reports that the average dog parent spends over $22,000 in vet bills throughout their pet’s 15-year lifespan.

It’s true. According to Fetch’s patent-pending Fetch Forward™ technology (which is based on 16 years of clinical health research of 725,000 dogs), the average vet visit costs dog parents $725.

Numbers like these show that pet parents’ love knows no bounds when it comes to making sure their pets get the best care — and we wouldn’t have it any other way.

Fetch Forward™ was also able to pinpoint the top reasons dogs unexpectedly end up at the vet so pet parents can get ahead of it. The main culprits: tummy upset due to swallowing a foreign object, broken bones, lacerations, rashes, allergies and cuts.

No one knows your dog better than you — getting ahead of his habits and behaviors is the best way to prevent scary and pricey trips to the veterinarian. It’s as close to bubble-wrapping your pet as you’ll ever get.

If your pup loves eating things he shouldn’t, for example, do a sweep of the house and make sure nothing toxic is within paw’s reach.

And parents of trash diggers should ensure all trash cans have lids or are placed on elevated surfaces. Or maybe your pet is good at finding the gum left in the pocket of those worn pants hanging from the hamper — add a lid to that, too.

Fearless pets who bolt through thorny bushes after rogue tennis balls should start playing fetch in a different part of the yard. And doggy ramps may come in handy for the fearless, free-falling couch jumpers.

If you love this proactive approach to keeping your dog healthy, then you’ll love Fetch’s Free Pet Health Forecast, too. It’s essentially a peek into your pet’s future health so you can get ahead of illnesses and injuries your dog might be predisposed to.

Free for a limited time, you fill out your dog’s breed, age and location. Then Fetch generates a three-page profile that combines veterinary care, artificial intelligence and clinical doggy data to identify the health conditions your pup will most likely experience. It only takes a few minutes.

Print out these insights and take them with you on your next vet visit. You and your vet can chat through the findings and put in place a plan to prevent any future health issues.

It’s every pet parent’s goal to give their best friend the longest, healthiest life possible — and it’s our job to support you every step of the way.