Vets should be made to publish prices, watchdog says

According to the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), an antitrust watchdog, veterinarians should be required to publicly disclose their prices. This would allow pet owners to see costs up front and shop around for the best deal. A CMA inquiry into the soaring costs of veterinary care revealed that owners are often unaware of prices or aren't given estimates for procedures that can cost thousands of pounds. Furthermore, vet prices have risen at nearly double the rate of inflation.

The CMA's plans to address this issue include:

• Requiring vets to reveal whether they are part of a large corporate group.

• Placing a cap on prescription prices.

• Banning bonuses for prescribing specific drugs.

The CMA's initial probe found that 84% of vet practice websites had no pricing information, and there are no standardized prices for medications. This inquiry was prompted by an April BBC File on Four investigation into vet bills, which found that bills had soared. Whistleblowers within the industry blamed large companies that were buying up independent practices for the higher costs. The BBC also received hundreds of messages from pet owners raising concerns about their bills. According to vets and animal charities, some pet owners are increasingly being forced to euthanize or deny treatment for their sick animals because they can't afford the spiraling costs. The CMA's latest estimates show significant differences in prices for common drugs, a finding based solely on publicly available data.

A £12,000 Vet Bill

Nicole Hawley, 26, contacted the BBC after she received an unexpected £12,000 bill to treat her dog, Ernie. He had inhaled a grass seed during a walk, which led to an infection.

"The emergency vet gave us two options: either put him down or pay an extortionate bill for surgery," she told the BBC.

At the time, Ms. Hawley was looking for a new pet insurance company, so she had no financial assistance. She and her partner had to take out a loan and use money they had been saving for their wedding to cover the cost. "We didn't have the money," she said. "But we had to decide that we'd find it somewhere."

Many vets offer a monthly subscription service that includes check-ups, vaccinations, and flea and worm treatments, but the price and services vary by clinic. According to BBC Radio 4's Today program, vet prices had risen by 63% over a seven-year period, which is almost double the rate of inflation. A program source noted that "many people were paying twice what they needed to for vet drugs."

The Call for Transparency

"It's not fair to keep pet owners in the dark on the vital topics that affect them, their pets, and their wallets," said a source from the BBC. "We're often not being told basic information up front, such as who owns the clinic, the cost of commonly used services, and we are not often given estimates of the likely cost of treatment that costs hundreds, even thousands of pounds."

The CMA also found that practices owned by major vet groups charge, on average, 16.6% more than independent vets.

The regulatory system for veterinary services was introduced in 1966, a time when "the world of veterinary services was very different," according to Mr. Coleman. "There is legislation surrounding individual vets, but there is no oversight of the companies that control the majority of the country's practices."

The British Veterinary Association (BVA) has accepted the need for greater transparency and regulatory reform. However, BVA President Dr. Rob Williams expressed reservations about the proposed introduction of comprehensive price lists. "Vet care is variable and complicated," he said, and "if the CMA does it correctly, it could lead to more confusion for consumers."

Francesca Verney, a Veterinary Director at Pet People, also contacted the BBC, expressing her frustration. "It's frustrating to be thought of as having the wrong motives and being pushed by money," she said. She noted the high costs associated with advanced procedures. "If we're going to do a CT scan on a dog, it would cost a quarter of a million pounds, plus the staff to operate it safely. It's a big deal. We also have to anesthetize animals for procedures that they may not tolerate."

A Luxury Item?

"If people were worried about the expense of owning a pet, then they should be thinking about it before acquiring the animal," said Dr. Natalie Morris Webb, who runs Malthouse Vets in Shropshire. She recommends that owners insure their animals. "We love our dogs so much, but ultimately they are a luxury product and we have to accept that they are not cheap," she told BBC Radio's 5Live.

On X, Chancellor Rachel Reeves welcomed the CMA's study, calling it "welcome news for millions of pet owners" who could save hundreds of pounds on vet bills. She stated, "I will carefully consider the CMA's findings to ensure that the pet owners, practicing vets, and companies are all doing well."

The CMA's recommendations for the £6.3 billion market are currently provisional. Interested parties have until next month to make their submissions before a final decision is released next year. Following the decision, reforms will be carried out through a legally binding CMA order, which is expected to be in place before 2026. The implementation of the reforms may take longer for businesses that employ fewer vets.