Why have vet costs gone up? NBC Connecticut [Video]

Connecticut has the country’s most expensive routine vet costs with an average bill of $93, according to a 2023 study by pet financing company Care Credit.

So, what’s behind the increase that’s impacting our budgets?

Vet costs have risen about 6 percent from July 2023 to July 2024.

Those numbers are from the latest U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics July 2024 consumer price index for all urban consumers.

The Connecticut Veterinary Medical Association (CVMA) tells NBC CT Responds our state’s high costs of living results in higher overhead, like the expense of rent, mortgage payments, utilities, and equipment.

Dr. Linda Wallace is a veterinarian and board member of “The Pet Fund” out of California, which helps struggling animal owners pay bills for pets with existing conditions.

“The need is huge. We literally have thousands of more requests than what we can fund,” she said.

Wallace says another factor impacting the price of veterinarian costs is big corporations purchasing local practices, changing how a practice functions and its price …