 by PetSmart Charities and Gallup found that many pet owners in the United States cannot afford veterinary care. The survey found that the cost of care affects pet owners across a range of income levels, leading just over half of surveyed pet owners to skip or decline necessary treatment for their pets.

 Among those who declined care, many reported not being offered more affordable or alternative options that better suited their needs.

In response to the findings from PetSmart Charities and Gallup's

State of Pet Care Study: Pet Parents’ Assessment of American Veterinary Care," 

 reached out to PetSmart Charities for insight on how the veterinary profession can better support pet owners facing financial barriers to care. In the Q&A-style interview below, Robyn Jaynes, DVM, director of veterinary affairs at PetSmart Charities, discusses ways veterinary professionals can address the various issues highlighted in the survey and shares resources veterinary teams can use to offer more flexible options to clients.

How can the veterinary profession address the growing challenge of veterinary care becoming increasingly unaffordable and inaccessible for many pet owners?

 Veterinary teams should embrace the Spectrum of Care model, offering pet owners a range of diagnostic and treatment solutions tailored to their individual circumstances, and work with them to understand what solution best fits their needs.

Presenting diagnostics and treatments in a stepwise fashion—if possible—can help minimize unnecessary procedures and costs, ensuring care remains accessible without compromising outcomes.

Evaluate and optimize practice efficiencies:

 Constantly evaluate for efficiencies within the practice operations, such as full utilization of support staff or technologies available to help decrease workload [eg text appt reminders/confirmations, medical note transcribing software, etc].

Providing flexible wellness plans that spread the cost of preventive care over time can make ongoing care more manageable and predictable for clients. Tailor these plans to meet the unique needs of each pet owner by offering options that focus on essential services, with the flexibility to add additional wellness items as needed. This approach helps keep the initial cost affordable while ensuring comprehensive care.

Continually explore lower-cost alternatives: 

Veterinarians must continually seek out lower-cost alternatives, such as sourcing generic medications or utilizing lower-cost diagnostic options when clinically appropriate, always critically assessing what information is truly necessary for quality care."

 What support or resources would help veterinarians feel more equipped to offer compassionate, flexible solutions to clients when cost is a barrier?

"Veterinarians need access to evidence-based resources to feel confident offering compassionate, flexible solutions when cost is a barrier. Staying current with research that validates lower-cost treatment models is essential; resources such as the Veterinary Innovation Council’s vet access hub

 and low-cost care diagnostic textbooks provide valuable, credible information to guide clinical decisions. Continuing education is another critical support; many organizations, including the Open Door Veterinary Collective,

now offer specialized trainings in Spectrum-of-Care practices and financial triage strategies to help veterinary teams deliver accessible, high-quality care.

Many veterinarians are concerned about the legal ramifications associated with offering flexible solutions. To practice with confidence, veterinary teams must be well versed in their state's veterinary practice acts and understand the legal boundaries within which they can offer a range of care options. Strong client communication is equally critical, as many complaints in veterinary medicine stem from misunderstandings rather than clinical outcomes. Clearly presenting and documenting all care options, along with their risks and benefits, not only protects the veterinary team but also strengthens client trust. New technologies, such as medical record transcription software, can help streamline documentation processes, making it easier for teams to maintain thorough records."

 How can veterinary teams approach a situation where a pet owner cannot afford necessary treatment for their pet?

"When a pet owner cannot afford necessary treatment, veterinary teams should be prepared with practical, compassionate strategies to support them. First, clinics should build relationships with community low-cost providers and be ready to refer clients early in the process. Early referral allows pet owners to stretch their resources across both diagnosis and treatment, rather than depleting funds before a full course of care can be pursued. Some nonprofit clinics may also have grant programs available to help offset costs.

Veterinary teams should also be knowledgeable about the range of payment options available and understand the pros and cons of each. Offering financing solutions that do not require hard credit checks or carry high interest rates—such as VetBilling or Varidi—can help make care more attainable for a broader range of clients.

Finally, clinics should be prepared to guide pet owners on legitimate fundraising options. Being familiar with organizations like Furlanthropy

 can ensure that funds raised for a pet’s care are managed responsibly, providing owners with a trustworthy path to secure the help they need."

Bautista-Alejandre A. Many pet owners cannot afford veterinary care, survey finds. 

https://www.dvm360.com/view/many-pet-owners-cannot-afford-veterinary-care-survey-finds

Introducing the Access to Care Resource Hub. Veterinary Innovation Council. 

Open Door Certification. Open Door School. 

https://opendoorschool.thinkific.com/collections

Furlanthropy: Paws for a Cause. Furlanthropy Inc. 

Articles

In this Q&A article, Robyn Jaynes, DVM, director of veterinary affairs at PetSmart Charities, shares expert advice on how the veterinary profession can better support pet owners facing financial barriers to care.

When cost is a barrier for clients: Navigating financial challenges

Pet owners are seeking the same level of care for their reptiles as they would for a dog or cat, explains Jb Minter, DVM, MS, DACZM, in this video.

Demand for reptile care in veterinary practice is rising

Reptile ownership is on the rise, prompting an increasing demand for reptile veterinary care, Jb Minter, DVM, MS, DACZM, director of animal health and chief veterinarian at the North Carolina Zoo in Asheboro, explains in this video interview. As Minter notes, veterinarians are now expected to provide the same level of medical and surgical care for reptiles as for dogs and cats. With this growing expectation comes a need to understand common reptile surgeries—procedures that small-animal surgeons can perform with the right resources, Minter explains.

Below is the video transcript, which has been lightly edited for clarity:

What I want people to understand is there is a growing demand for reptile care in veterinary practice. So as ownership rises, this increase in the amount of reptiles that are being owned by people, and as this younger generation is coming on, that number has grown exponentially. Veterinarians need to recognize that...there's an increased demand for this advanced veterinary care for their patients. It’s no longer the thing where [veterinarians can say], “Well, it's a lizard. It's not doing well. I'm going to euthanize it.”

So, pet owners are seeking the same level of medical and surgical care for the reptiles as they would [for] a dog or cat. This includes understanding some basic and common surgeries, such as egg binding, shell fractures, and orthopedic procedures, as well as managing the complexity involved in some of the anesthesia and postsurgical care.

Again, with this human-animal bond that people are developing with reptiles, it is really important that we understand some of these basic things. Now, while it does require some specialized care and...some expertise, most small-animal surgeons—most people that are [at] small-animal practices—can do most of this stuff by themselves. They may need a few smaller implementations or instruments...but they can get by with a lot of different things that they may not realize they can do.

Videos

Pet owners are now seeking the same level of care for their reptiles as they would for a dog or cat, Jb Minter, DVM, MS, DACZM, explains in this video.

Christopher Pachel, DVM, DACVB, CABC (IAACB), discusses his Fetch On-Demand session about condition relaxation foundations. 

Teaching pets how to compose themselves

Behavior therapy can help teach a dog how to relax in a situation where they might otherwise be afraid or distressed. In a 

interview, Christopher Pachel, DVM, DACVB, CABC (IAACB), lead clinician and practice owner at the Animal Behavior Clinic in Portland, Oregon, discussed the lecture he presented at the 

2025 Fetch dvm360 Conference in Charlotte

, North Carolina, that addressed how to condition relaxation, how it can be used in other behavior treatment plans, and the versatility of this technique. 

This lecture is now available to virtual learners through the Fetch On-Demand platform. In this video, Pachel describes the lecture and what he hopes attendees will take away from it.

The following is a transcript of the video:

Christopher Pachel, DVM, DACVB, CABC (IAACB): 

The topic is "incorporating condition relaxation into behavior therapy." So, this particular session goes through the foundations of why we might want to teach that. We cover the basics of how to teach it, how to troubleshoot it, and then also look at about a half a dozen or so practical examples of where and how we might actually incorporate that into treatment plans for other conditions—whether that's leash reactivity, separation anxiety, noise phobia, or just unruly manners...scenarios like barking and jumping at the front door. Starting from that standpoint of what relaxation [looks] like, [we’ll cover] not just a "down, stay" but actually teaching an animal how to compose themselves [and] how to address some of the arousal that gets in the way of behavior modification in so many other contexts.

The biggest thing for me with this particular topic is the versatility of this particular technique. I don't expect that teaching a dog how to settle on a mat is going to fix all of the problems, but it's a really important and helpful segment of so many other treatment plans and so many other things that we can do. If we can master 1 or 2 techniques and then pass along that same technique and education to our clients, it levels [up] their ability to address the issues that are concerning for them.

 delivers expert-led veterinary continuing education (CE) on your schedule. With 

, you can access top-tier sessions anytime, anywhere—whether at home, in the clinic, or on the go. Ready to earn CE credits? Watch this session and more on 

National Mobility Awareness Month is annually recognized in May. In support of animals with mobility issues, 

is sharing several articles that address certain diseases that can limit mobility and how they can be treated. These articles focus on creating a plan for managing canine osteoarthritis, helpful tips for clients to implement at home with their pets, and a study that aims to better understand how intervertebral disc disease (IVDD) affects a patient and their quality of life (QOL) over the long term, as well as at the QOL of IVDD caregivers.

Make a patient-specific plan for canine osteoarthritis

Many therapies exist for managing osteoarthritis, but the best approach is multimodal and patient specific. In this article authored by Kate Boatright, VMD, expert insights from David Dycus, DVM, MS, CCRP, DACVS-SA, founder and orthopedic surgeon at Fusion Veterinary Orthopedics in Lanham, Maryland, are shared. These insights are based on his lecture presented at the 

This article is authored by Tyler Carmack, DVM, CVA, CVFT, CHPV, CTPEP, CVPP, director of Caring Pathways, an at-home end-of-life veterinary practice with a national network. Carmack provides practical tips for veterinary teams to share with clients. Educating pet owners on the common challenges older pets face and taking proactive measures to improve their pets' comfort as they age instills confidence and trust in the veterinary team, according to Carmack. The article addresses flooring, feeding areas, ramps and stairs, and other spaces and areas where pets may struggle with mobility.

Understanding canine intervertebral disc disease

A recent study examined the long-term effects of IVDD, as well as the QOL for pets and their caregivers. Author Miranda Morman, BS, PharmD candidate at the University of Connecticut in Storrs, breaks down key points of the study and results. Thirty-one pet owners with dogs treated for IVDD were interviewed for the study to ascertain how patients and their caregivers are living with the disease.

These articles focus on creating a plan for managing canine osteoarthritis, helpful tips for pet owners to implement at home, and a study that aims to better understand how IVDD affects a patient over the long term.

Three must reads for mobility awareness

Life is full of challenges that will be thrown at you. These challenges throw us out of sync with our daily routine, and some will struggle because they are creatures of habit. We feel great when we establish routines because life appears to be on autopilot. There are a few who actively force themselves to grow by introducing change, but the large majority stay in the same routine throughout their entire life. Those who embrace change will create mental resiliency to handle the unknowns and hard times while looking for a way to be stronger on the other side.

Events that create calamity are hurricanes, tsunamis, earthquakes, tornadoes, fires, and flash storms. If you purchase a home or business with a loan, then you are required to purchase insurance. If you purchase or lease a new vehicle, then insurance is required. When you start a new job, there are options to enroll into health insurance, disability, life, and other insurances, but they are not required. Most will enroll in insurances that are required by asking, “What amounts do I need?” The standard is often established by the lender to help protect themselves in the event of default or an unknown event to recover the outstanding loan. This can make your life easy, but there are many other considerations besides the loan being repaid.

When we think about preparing, the main component we need to consider is risk. In the context of financial planning, we need to consider the impact events would have on your livelihood, which includes income and business value if you’re an owner. Most will approach risk with the mindset of paying the least. They will sign up with companies that offer suboptimal coverage or reduce coverage to limits that hardly protect them to save a few dollars.

Let’s paint a picture to help understand what risks exist in your life.

This might be your first year working, or maybe you’re someone who is getting within 10 to 15 years of retirement. When starting your career, there is so much to lose. Hopefully, during your career, money is saved and wealth is built to help counterbalance the unknowns. Your human life value is all projected future earnings brought down into the present day.

A newly graduated, 30-year-old veterinarian earning a $100,000 annual salary is projected to collect at least $3.5 million by the age of 65 years with zero pay increases. This money is used to provide your lifestyle, save for the future, and pay for taxes and outstanding debts. When your income gradually increases by 4% each year, the total climbs to an eye-watering $7.3 million. These numbers are future based, and a multiple is used for different age bands to bring the income to today’s value.

As a business owner, there might be a wage paid from the business, but the profits need to be considered into the overall story because that money is your money. Whether the money is kept inside the business checking, contributed back into the business, or randomly withdrawn to your personal checking, these funds can help with wealth building in addition to your future business value.

You could be a sole business owner and 1 veterinarian or a multiowner practice with dozens of veterinarians; the value of the business is calculated from profits. This is all the money after expenses, including deductions like depreciation and your wage. The goal is to increase the profits—not revenues—to increase the business value. Revenues will increase with the profits, but increased revenues do not always equal higher profits. As more expenses are introduced into a veterinary practice, this can dramatically decrease the profits. The value today for the business will be less and increase as profits increase. Profits can increase by expanding locations, increasing service fees, offering new services, and reducing costs.

“I’ve been meaning to get that done.” You might be someone who has repeated this statement dozens of times but has not taken the next step. Your estate plan is vital for a smooth transition to your immediate family and the next generations. These documents include a will, living will, power of attorney, and health care surrogate (the terminology is different if you live on the East or West Coast of the US). Another overlooked document is a trust. These documents come in several forms, and the most common is a revocable trust. Other legal documents, such as buy-sell agreements with the proper funding, are important for clarity and direction on how ownership changes hands upon an early passing, disability, disagreement, divorce, early retirement, etc. When a business is owned by more than 1 person, this can create extra complexity that most family members are unprepared to handle. Ownership of belongings such as vehicles, homes, and other assets can create extra liability for the other person. This is common for those who cosign for a car or extend auto insurance to their child, even when they are an adult.

There are many pieces to the puzzle of life. Most get overwhelmed and decide to react to what’s presented without understanding how everything interconnects. The best way to get a good handle on what to do next is by organizing all personal and business finances. The categories to consider are protection, income, expenses, savings for wealth building, debt costs, assets, and liabilities. Without a clear picture of what exists, this can create obstacles and oversight. As everything is compiled, the immediate next step can be handled, such as an unforeseen severe car accident or a closer dive into disability insurance. Afterward, the bigger picture can be brought into the equation to understand how to better prepare for the unknowns.

Put on your investigator hat because now is the time to really understand what decisions you made and the overall impact those decisions will and could have on your life. This includes the disability insurance that you signed up for through work, the life insurance policy that you randomly purchased from an insurance agent, the legal documents that were set up through an online platform, how much money you’re actually saving for wealth-building purposes, and how your handling debt repayment with everything else in your life (just to name a few). We want to take a closer look to know how much the insurance coverage will pay, what events qualify, how your legal documents read and whether they are still sufficient for your current situation, and how much is really being saved for future financial independence and less reliance on the business sale.

A plan should have a plan when nothing goes according to plan. Maybe there is a plan in place, and all these actions were taken previously. The question to ask yourself is: How adaptable and flexible is my plan when calamity does strike? Veterinarians struggle with planning for their finances because of limiting beliefs or overconfidence and trust in people who they believe are doing what’s best for them. There is a fine balance between self-educating for baseline knowledge and trusting the professional to educate and guide you. Make sure you’re working with someone who focuses on the habits and behaviors that will help contribute to your highest level of financial success. Otherwise, now might be the time to consider making a change to someone who can see the picture at a higher level and create simple steps to implement what’s best for you.

You have a choice to take action now or stay in the status quo, like most of society. You might be OK when an event strikes. The best gift to give yourself is to remove the “might” and add certainty to your life so you can live a less stressed and regret-free life.

 is the cofounder of Florida Veterinary Advisors, a national personal and business financial planning firm. He is the cohost of the 

Unleashed: The Financial Clarity Every Veterinarian Needs

: Material discussed is meant for general informational purposes only and is not to be construed as a recommendation or advice. Please note that individual situations can vary; therefore, the information should be relied upon only when coordinated with individual professional advice. Guardian, its subsidiaries, agents, and employees do not provide tax, legal, or accounting advice. Consult your tax, legal, or accounting professional regarding your individual situation. Tom is a Registered Representative and Financial Advisor of Park Avenue Securities LLC (PAS). Securities products and advisory services offered through PAS, member FINRA, SIPC. Financial Representative of The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America® (Guardian), New York, NY. PAS is a wholly owned subsidiary of Guardian. Florida Veterinary Advisors is not an affiliate or subsidiary of PAS or Guardian. Florida Veterinary Advisors is not registered in any state or with the US Securities and Exchange Commission as a Registered Investment Advisor. The individuals associated with Florida Veterinary Advisors do not maintain specialized licenses or qualifications for the financial services provided to veterinary professionals CA Insurance License # 0K80141, AR Insurance License #15823672. 7833541.1 Exp 4/27

From natural disasters to personal setbacks, veterinary professionals need to assess their financial risks, prepare strategically, and take control of their future with a plan that can weather any storm.

When it’s too late to prepare for the unknown and catastrophic

 readers, and a happy belated Mother’s Day to all of the veterinary professionals who are moms! On Mother’s Day, Christine Mundy, BS, CVT, 

 how her career as a veterinary technician prepared her to become a mother.

. Hosted by Christopher Lee, DVM, MPH, DACVPM, his first episode interviews Alice M. Jeromin, RPh, DVM, DACVD, to discuss the tips and pitfalls of veterinary dermatology in the age of isoxazolines.

and check out Mundy’s article, here is other content you will be able to find this week on dvm360.com:

The FDA approved using gene-editing technology that can create pigs resistant to the highly contagious, and costly, porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome. This approval is among the first for gene-editing livestock in the United States after years of extensive research and collaborations

, DJ Haeussler Jr, DVM, MS, DACVO, gives an inside scoop into his upcoming lectures at Fetch Nashville on May 30-31, 2025, including handling canine ophthalmic emergencies and retina and optic nerve diseases in dogs and cats.

, Christopher Pinard, DVM, DSVc, DACVIM (Oncology) joins host Adam Christman, DVM, MBA, to talk about artificial intelligence for veterinary professionals, and why remaining informed matters.

Antech recently announced that it is expanding its vector-borne disease portfolio with enhanced Accuplex, a reference lab canine vector-borne disease screening test which now detects 7 pathogen as well as an enhanced vector-borne disease PCR profile.

In a Q&A with dvm360, PetSmart Charities shares more on its 

PetSmart Charities-Gallup State of Pet Care Study: Pet Parents’ Assessment of American Veterinary Care

 and how the veterinary professional can address the growing changes in veterinary care becoming more unaffordable and inaccessible for clients.