Dogs are Americans’ favorite pets: Almost 50 million American households have one or more. Of course dog owners want to keep their best friends happy and healthy, and that sometimes means a visit to the vet. In fact, Americans spend more than $20 billion annually on veterinary dog care, which is more than the gross domestic product of many countries. (These are the states with the most dogs.)
Drawing on the American Veterinary Medicine Association’s 2017-2018 Pet Ownership and Demographics Sourcebook, which reports data from 2016, the most recent year for which complete information is available, 24/7 Tempo has created a list of the most common reasons Americans take their dogs to the vet.
Happily, the top reasons include routine preventive care, such as exams and vaccinations, which isn’t too stressful for owners and hopefully not too stressful for their doggies either. There are more benign reasons farther down the list too, including dental care and grooming, which keep dogs looking good as well as feeling good.
There are also reasons that range in seriousness from flea and tick care, which are important but usually not a matter of life and death, to heartworm and intestinal worm care, which is crucial. Below these are x-rays and emergency care, which are going to be stressful for owners and dogs alike.
Click here to see the most common reasons people take their dogs to the vet
Worst of all there’s euthanasia. Sadly many dog breeds have a lifespan of only 10 to 13 years. It’s awful to contemplate, but many people would rather their beloved pets have a painless end than suffer needlessly. (These are the longest living dog breeds in the U.S.)
17. Alternative Therapy
> Percentage of pet owners who obtained service or product in 2016: 0.90%
Alternative therapies for pets including massage, acupressure, aromatherapy, and acupuncture. Talk about pampered pooches!
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16. Behavioral Counseling or Training
> Percentage of pet owners who obtained service or product in 2016: 1.50%
Counseling or training may be needed whenever a dog’s behavior threatens the safety or well-being of the dog, its owners, or others.
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15. Euthanasia
> Percentage of pet owners who obtained service or product in 2016: 3.20%
Sadly, euthanasia may be viewed as the best option for a dog with a very serious medical condition or one that is suffering needlessly at the end of its life.
14. Boarding
> Percentage of pet owners who obtained service or product in 2016: 3.70%
Thankfully boarding is a benign reason for a visit to the vet, and may be chosen for many reasons. Maybe it’s vacation time!
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13. Surgery (Other than Spay/Neuter)
> Percentage of pet owners who obtained service or product in 2016: 5%
Veterinary surgery other than spay/neuter falls into three broad categories: orthopedics (bones, joints, muscles), soft tissue surgery (skin, body cavities, cardiovascular system, GI/urogenital/respiratory tracts), and neurosurgery.
12. Spay or Neuter
> Percentage of pet owners who obtained service or product in 2016: 8.20%
Owners who don’t want to be presented with a litter of puppies have the option to spay or neuter. The difference between the two comes down to gender. Both terms refer to surgical sterilization. Spaying involves removing the uterus and ovaries of a female dog; neutering removes the testicles of a male.
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11. Emergency Care
> Percentage of pet owners who obtained service or product in 2016: 8.70%
This is one dog owners would rather not have to deal with and can be for any number of reasons.
10. X-Rays
> Percentage of pet owners who obtained service or product in 2016: 8.80%
X-rays may be needed when a dog has an accident or may have a condition to be diagnosed.
9. Grooming
> Percentage of pet owners who obtained service or product in 2016: 9%
Some dogs hate it, others are OK with it, but owners like to have their pets looking good.
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8. Dental Care and Products
> Percentage of pet owners who obtained service or product in 2016: 12.10%
Dogs sometimes need the same dental care humans do, ranging from cleanings to oral surgery.
7. Food
> Percentage of pet owners who obtained service or product in 2016: 9.50%
The right diet is crucial to health and wellbeing, and the vet’s may be the best place to get advice and products.
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6. Heartworm or Intestinal Worm Care
> Percentage of pet owners who obtained service or product in 2016: 26%
When it comes to worms, prevention is better than cure. Heartworm disease can cause lasting damage to the heart, lungs, and arteries, and can affect a dog’s health and quality of life even after the parasites are gone.
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5. Blood or Lab Tests
> Percentage of pet owners who obtained service or product in 2016: 28.80%
Blood or lab tests may be the only way to get information about a dog’s health. Tests include a complete blood count and blood chemistries, which analyze chemical components in the blood.
4. OTC Medications*
> Percentage of pet owners who obtained service or product in 2016: 32%
Medications may be needed for any number of reasons, and over-the-counter products are easy to get and often much cheaper than prescription ones.
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3. Flea or Tick Products
> Percentage of pet owners who obtained service or product in 2016: 32.20%
Fleas and ticks — pets don’t want them and owners don’t want them, so that means a trip to the vet for a lot of people.
2. Vaccinations
> Percentage of pet owners who obtained service or product in 2016: No data available
According to the ASPCA, “canine parvovirus, distemper, canine hepatitis and rabies are considered core vaccines. Non-core vaccines are given depending on the dog’s exposure risk. These include vaccines against Bordetella bronchiseptica, Borrelia burgdorferi and Leptospira bacteria.”
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1. Routine/Preventive Care (includes exam, vaccinations, etc.)
> Percentage of pet owners who obtained service or product in 2016: 80.90%
Routine/preventive care is a very good reason for a visit to the vet, and fortunately a very high percentage of dog owners embrace it. Prevention is better than cure and may be a whole lot cheaper too.
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