Commentary: Steady rise in vet fees is a problem for pet-loving Singapore

SINGAPORE: Only those who own pets may comprehend the magnitude of our happiness and love for animals. However, their lives are significantly shorter than ours, even more so if they suffer from diseases.

A Singaporean couple recently made headlines by investing S$ 60, 000 to address their French pug’s chronic conditions, which included an enlarged prostrate, an expanded kneel, and a lumbar condition. The dog died at the age of four despite the owners ‘ emptying their savings to pay the vet bills.

The number of licensed veterinarians in Singapore is growing, but the cost of veterinary care has been rising steadily every year. Dog vet costs at our shelter increase by 10 % to 20 % annually, and they have increased even more dramatically in the post-COVID era as a result of inflation.

Dog owners can then expect to pay between S$ 100 and S$ 500 for common conditions like diarrhea and vomiting, while more expensive but routine procedures like sterilization can cost between S$ 400 and S$ 1,000.

This pattern might get a result of how veterinarians organize their care. When I went to my family vet about my dog’s queasy stomach back in the day, she gave me a prescription for anti-diarrhoea pills and told me to call if issues do n’t resolve in a week.

Fast forward to today, in the same position, the physician may order a cell of assessments, scans and more drugs than necessary to cover all bases. Vets these days do n’t want to risk making a wrong choice, which is what I get when I interact with dog owners.

Another development is that veterinary clinics does not perform immediate or complex procedures and may refer owners to veterinary hospitals that are empty 24/7 and have more advanced equipment. This may intensify the dog’s vet fees.

For instance, after business hours, we sent a cancer-positive puppy to a vet for emergency care. After 20 days of treatment, the costs came up to S$ 23, 300. Most dog owners may struggle to afford such eye-watering expenses.