Vet quoted £500 to remove hamster's teeth

When Danielle Amos’ hamster Lyra was poorly, the first thing she did was speak to her vet.

Lyra had problems with her teeth, which the vet said would cost between £450 and £500 to remove.

But Danielle, from Sarn, Bridgend, who is on benefits, could not afford the "ridiculous" bill.

And she is not the only one. There are 16 million pet owners in the UK, and the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) said the cost of veterinary care is rising faster than other goods and services in the cost-of-living crisis.

It is now investigating why that might be the case.

BBC Wales has spoken to other pet owners who have received expensive vet bills.

These include a dog walker who considered selling her flat so that she could pay £4,000 for emergency treatment for her dog, and others who have cancelled their insurance due to spiralling costs.

For Danielle Amos, £500 to remove her hamster Lyra's teeth was simply unaffordable.

"I would have expected that for a dog or even a cat - but a hamster? That’s ridiculous, especially with the cost-of-living, and I’m on benefits," she said.

Like many pet owners struggling with the rising cost of veterinary care, she went online in search of less expensive ways to help Lyra.

"I couldn’t find another vet in my area that would do it, so I decided to look up a YouTube channel on how to trim a hamster’s teeth properly and that’s what I’ve been doing every month by myself," she said.

This DIY approach is not advocated by vets and is something the RSPCA cautions against.

More than half of all UK households have a pet, and last year the RSPCA found that four in 10 reported they had either gone without food, used a foodbank or stopped visiting a vet due to financial pressures.

There are things you can do to bring vet bills down.

Vet care charity the PDSA has seen an upsurge in demand from pet owners needing help.

Its advice is to avoid DIY remedies, seek treatment early and have an honest conversation with your vet about what you can afford, in case alternative, cheaper treatment options are available.

Vet Richard Hooker from the PDSA, which helps 430,000 sick and injured pets every year, said: "Things like pet insurance can help many people with that unexpected cost that might occur.

"But when you are thinking about getting a pet, think really carefully and do your research. Are they pre-disposed to expensive diseases that have to be treated as they get older?

"Is that pet right for your lifestyle? Is it from healthy parents? Has it had all the necessary health checks and screening?"

Vet Cat Henstridge, who uses social media to share tips and advice with pet owners, said preventative care such as keeping your pet on a healthy diet to prevent it becoming overweight and brushing its teeth can help.

She believes vet consultations are good value for money, and allow vets to spot problems early.

Victoria Jones, from Fochriw, Caerphilly county, thought she would need to sell her first home to fund the nearly £4,000 bill for emergency surgery on her dog Biscuit's intestines.

"It was a very stressful time - we didn’t know if we were going to lose her, but we also didn’t know if we might have to lose our home too," she said.

Victoria, who is a dog walker, and her husband, Colin, had insurance, but had to call on family and friends to help fund the rest of Biscuit's treatment once it had reached its limit.

"The anxiety was high anyway, but not knowing what the bill was going to be at the end added to that," Victoria said.

"There's no transparency with costs. When you take your pet to a vet, or any kind of pet professional, it can be difficult to budget for it."

Sam Davies, from Blackwood, also faced an eye-watering £1,000 bill for her cat Moot to have her teeth removed.

"We dread a vet’s visit now as all of our cats and dogs are quite elderly," she said.

"I feel sorry for the vet staff though as I know they don’t set the prices, but it’s becoming extortionate to own a pet."

Vets argue they are highly trained, so you are paying for their time and skill when it comes to treating your pets, said Cat Henstridge.

It’s not just the UK facing a shortage, it’s a global problem which has been exacerbated by more of us getting pets, by Brexit fallout and professional burnout.

The CMA said that many vet practices are also no longer independently owned.

There are six large corporate groups that operate in the UK - CVS, IVC, Linnaeus, Medivet, Pets at Home and VetPartners - which collectively own more than half of the market.

Over the last decade, the number of vet practices owned by these groups has increased from around 10% to almost 60%, which can restrict choice for pet owners and weaken competition in some areas.

This is something the CMA investigation will look into and it has the power to compel those groups to sell some of their practices if their dominance threatens healthy competition.

Rescue dog Biscuit, 13, had her operation and is now fully recovered.

But her owner Victoria worries that other pets might not be as fortunate.

She said: "My overall concern is the welfare of animals and that they are going to go without the care that they need.

"You see it already in some places. I met a man on one of my regular walks whose dog needs surgery and he can't afford it, so he’s just not doing it and it's just heart-breaking."

Additional reporting by Rhiannon Eaves