Synchrony has officially released its 2025 Pet Lifetime of Care Study, which works to provide clients more information on how much owning a pet could cost as well as ways owners can be better financially prepared. Since originally being conducted in 2022, the study surveyed almost 5000 dog and cat owners in the United States, but, for the first time, included hamster, guinea pig, rabbit, and other pet owners.

The research, conducted on behalf of CareCredit, Synchrony’s pet and veterinary financial solution, was to build more awareness for the cost of caring for a pet and how to help clients be more financially prepared. The findings showed a gap between the perceived and actual costs of care. Seventy-four pet owners who participated in the study disclosed they faced unexpected pet care costs over $250, with only 31% admitting they can comfortably manage a major pet expense.

"The best asset you can give your pet is their health. The profound bond we have with them drives us to prioritize their health and happiness," expressed Courtney Campbell, DVM, DACVS-SA, founder of Stitches Veterinary Surgery, in an organizational release.

 "Preventive care is the bedrock of a vibrant life. If we can prevent costly emergencies before they start, we can help ensure a lifetime of joy and comfort for our multispecies family members."

Some trends from the study compared with the study in 2022 include:

For dogs over 15 years, the cost rose from $21,125 to $60,602.

For cats over 15 years, the cost rose from $20,073 to $47,106.

For small companion animal expenses, based on a 6-year life span, the cost rose from $7600 to $14,938.

Besides normal costs of care, unexpected bills can cause some concerns for pet parents, another trend that is on the rise since the 2022 study. In 2022, 1 in 3 pet owners had financial worries related to expenses, and now nearly 1 in 2 worry in 2025.

 With this rise in concern also came an increase in wanting financial solutions such as pet insurance and credit cards. The survey found that of the participants, 58% have used a credit card for care, but only 20% had a dedicated savings or insurance for pet owners.

"Pets enrich our lives in countless ways, and it's natural for pet owners to want to provide them with the best possible care. Our research shows that while 60% of dog owners, 61% of cat owners, and 59% of 'pocket-pet' owners see them as family, many are unaware of the true financial commitment,” said Jonathan Wainberg, MBA, senior vice president and general manager, Pet, Synchrony.

"At CareCredit we're committed to bridging this gap and empowering pet owners by offering financing solutions that help them to focus on providing the best possible lifetime of care for their beloved companions," he concluded.

Anyone interested in reading the full study can visit the 2025 Pet Lifeline of Care website.

A new synchrony study found that nearly 8 out of 10 pet owners underestimate the cost of care, reaching up to $61,000 during a pet's lifetime. News release. Synchrony. June 2, 2025. Accessed June 3, 2025. 

https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/new-synchrony-study-finds-nearly-8-out-of-10-pet-owners-underestimate-the-cost-of-care-reaching-up-to-61-000-during-a-pets-lifetime-302470666.html

Articles

The 2025 Pet Lifetime of Care Study aims to create awareness for the costs of owning a pet 

Study finds most clients underestimate lifetime pet care costs

New veterinary TV show rides with an animal ambulance team

The veterinary team at Ready Vet Go, a mobile veterinary urgent care clinic and pet ambulance in Melbourne, are set to star in an 8-part television series to be aired on Channel 9 Gem. The television program will highlight the team’s emergency response work in the community where they provide veterinary medical care to pets at home.

“The series will give viewers a behind-the-scenes look at a day in our shoes and scrubs as we treat the pets of Melbourne and provide clinical support to pets and referring vets who need help with transporting their animals from hospital to hospital,” explained Paul Cunningham, DVM, MANZCVS (ECC), the co-founder and chief veterinarian of Ready Vet Go, to 

A member of the Ready Vet Go team filming scene from the television series (image courtesy of Ready Vet Go) 

“The program follows our pet patients as we provide critical care, stabilization and paramedicine support, and also the palliative care and humane euthanasia aspect of our service which we are fortunate to be able to provide to pets at their homes.”

Cunningham works in both a clinical and managerial role at Ready Vet Go, alongside his partner and co-founder Nic Saunders, BN/BP. Saunders brought a wealth of knowledge from the human paramedic world where he previously worked, which helped to form the foundation of Ready Vet Go’s veterinary ambulance service in line with current evidence-based human paramedic practices.

It was whilst the duo was working out on the road that they were approached by a local television producer interested to create a factual reality show that would highlight the varied day-to-day work of their service.

“Filming a television show is hard work, especially when doing so with particularly sensitive situations like critical emergencies and emotional pet owners. There are a lot of logistical considerations when shooting footage from within an ambulance or in a pet owner's home,” said Cunningham.

“Ultimately, we were surprised at how often pet owners were enthusiastic about showcasing the particular situation that their pet was dealing with, and viewers will get to see both gut-wrenching and heart-warming moments with the different cases that are featured on the show.”

The television series will be narrated by Yvie Jones, well-known from television programs

 House of Wellness, I'm A Celebrity Australia

“We've met many incredible veterinarians and veterinary nurses during the filming of the television show, and we’re looking forward to a second series where we will be able to highlight our growing team and the great partnerships we've formed with the veterinary care providers of Melbourne,” Cunningham concluded.

A scene from the television series showing the Ready Vet Go team in action

The Australian Veterinary Association (AVA) is holding a raft of member consultation sessions as part of their AVA Transition Project – a strategic approach to making the AVA simpler to engage with, more inclusive, and better aligned with the needs of a modern veterinary profession.

Through the transition project, the AVA will deliver a new all-inclusive membership model, incorporating a reduced membership cost with free access to all special interest groups. There will also be streamlined membership categories to reflect different career stages, work situations and level of involvement.

The AVA will also revamp its website and communications, strengthen the impact of its various branches and special interest groups, and align the organization’s constitution with its future direction.

The VetYogi Collective which provides on-demand and live yoga, meditation, and mindfulness sessions to support veterinary teams in the United Kingdom, Australia and globally, has released its own market research which shows that veterinary professionals highly value workplace wellness initiatives, with many seeking out employers who prioritize wellbeing.

Detailing how yoga, meditation, and mindfulness have been widely recognized as effective tools for reducing stress and enhancing overall wellbeing, the VetYogi Collective highlighted how integrating these practices into veterinary practices offers a holistic and accessible approach to managing the unique stressors of veterinary work – with benefits for veterinary teams, businesses – and ultimately clients and patients.

The 2024 edition of the Animal Health in Australia (AHiA) report, an annual report highlighting updates and innovations of Australia’s animal health system, was published by Animal Health Australia. The report is developed in collaboration with the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, and forms part of Australia’s official submission to the World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH), showcasing Australia’s favorable animal health status on the world stage.

At their recent annual General Session gathering in Paris, WOAH also launched its inaugural State of the World’s Animal Health Report 2025, which highlights the positive impact of vaccination on a selection of key important animal diseases and challenges – including avian influenza, brucellosis, foot-and-mouth disease, lumpy skin disease, rabies, peste des petits ruminants, and antimicrobial resistance.

Cover of The state of the world's animal health (image courtesy of Phil Tucak, BSc, BVMS)

The report provides a data-driven overview of global animal health, using WOAH’s core data systems to highlight trends, challenges and opportunities, promoting transparency and coordinated action. It also features animal health case studies from across the globe, detailing both challenges and successes. Two Australian veterinarians, Shyuan Seah, BSc, BVMS and the author of this article, were part of the team who wrote the flagship report located on the WOAH website.

Updates on the new veterinary television series which will follow a mobile veterinary urgent care clinic and pet ambulance team; and more veterinary news snippets.  

Veterinary scene down under: Animal ambulance team to star in limited series, plus Animal Health Australia releases annual report

Happy Monday dvm360 readers! For those of you that attended Fetch Nashville, we hope you had as much fun as we did! We also want to give a special thank you to all of our amazing Fetch faculty and fellow dvm360 staff members. None of it could be done without all of you and we are grateful for your hard work and dedication. If you were unable to make the conference, our coverage of the event is still ongoing so make sure you tune in throughout the week to check out session recaps, interviews with faculty, and more!

As you catch up from Fetch Nashville, be sure to look out for these articles, interviews, and podcast episodes coming to dvm360.com this week:

Phil Tucak, Bsc, BVMS, returns to dvm360.com for his latest installment of The Vet Scene Down Under. This month, Tucak discusses updates on a new television show that will feature a veterinary ambulance team, plus other news.

In an interview with dvm360 highlighting what he spoke about at Fetch Nashville, Benjamin Bergstrom, DVM, MS, DACVO, will explain how to differentiate nuclear sclerosis from early cataracts during an ophthalmic exam.

Christian Capobianco, DVM, CertAqV, CVA, joins this week’s episode of The Vet Blast Podcast to talk with our host Adam Christman, DVM, MBA, about what it is like to be a zoo veterinarian.

Synchrony’s recently announced that its 2025 Pet Lifetime Care study is now available! The study shared its key findings, including that nearly 8 out of 10 pet owners underestimate the cost of care for their pet, which can be up to $61,000 during their pet’s lifetime, and more.

Meals on Wheels American and Pet Smart Charities announced that they have distributed its 15 millionth pet meal as part of its initiative to provide meals to homebound seniors and their pets food across the US.

Sneak peek: dvm360 continues Fetch Nashville coverage, and other news 


Tibial plateau leveling osteotomy (TPLO) surgery is used to help dogs and cats regain mobility following a cranial cruciate ligament (CCL) tear. The CCL is the canine and feline equivalent of humans' anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and connects the femur to the tibia. If the CCL tears, the tibia can slide forward relative to the femur, leading to instability in the stifle joint.

In dogs, most cruciate tears result from degeneration, obesity, poor physical condition, conformation, and breed.

 Canines commonly experience partial CCL tearing that, over time, progresses to a full tear.

 In cats, however, degenerative disease is rarely the culprit of CCL ruptures, although it can occur in overweight felines. Instead, CCL tears in cats are most frequently caused by trauma.

The top of the shinbone in dogs has a natural slope, making the bones in the leg more susceptible to sliding, according to a Texas A&M University College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences (VMBS) report.

 “Without the CCL holding the bones in place, that slope causes instability that leads to pain, inflammation, and the development of arthritis over time,” Katherine Barnes, DVM, MS, DACVS (Small Animal), clinical associate professor at VMBS, said in the report.

Although any feline or canine patient can tear their CCL, it is most common in large, active dogs. At least half of canine patients who experience a CCL tear in one knee will likely develop a similar issue in the other knee.

Breeds most at risk for a CCL tear include

For CCL tears, patients may undergo TPLO surgery. The procedure involves reshaping the knee by making a circular cut in the tibial plateau. The cut section is then rotated to reduce the slope of the tibial plateau until it reaches a more level orientation that brings the tibial plateau to approximately 90 degrees to the attachment of the quadriceps muscles, helping to prevent the abnormal forward sliding of the tibia that occurs with a CCL tear.

“Instead of replacing or repairing the damaged ligament, TPLO changes the anatomy of the knee to eliminate the need for the ligament entirely,” Barnes said in the Texas A&M report.

 “This is done by making a curved cut in the top of the tibia to flatten its weight-bearing surface. The bone is then secured with a specialized bone plate and screws.

“Clipping the fur and scrubbing the leg beforehand is a critical step, as it helps decrease the risk of postoperative infection,” Barnes continued.

 “Before surgery, x-rays are performed to confirm the diagnosis and rule out any other sources of pain, such as from a fracture, and blood work is done to ensure the patient is healthy for anesthesia. X-rays are also taken after surgery to ensure that the implants are well positioned before waking the patient up.”

According to VMBS, the entire process, from preparation to waking the patient, generally takes a few hours and has “excellent” outcomes.

 Still, carefully guiding clients through the recovery process is a crucial step for safe healing.

When the knee gives out: understanding TPLO surgery. News release. Texas A&M University Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences. May 29, 2025. Accessed June 2, 2025. 

https://vetmed.tamu.edu/news/pet-talk/understanding-tplo-surgery/

Canine cruciate ligament injury. Colorado State University James L. Voss Veterinary Teaching Hospital. Accessed June 2, 2025. 

https://vetmedbiosci.colostate.edu/vth/services/orthopedic-medicine/canine-cruciate-ligament-injury/

Cranial cruciate ligament injury disease (feline). Manchester Veterinary Specialists. Accessed June 2, 2025. 

https://www.mvsvets.co.uk/pet-owners/cranial-cruciate-ligament-disease-feline/#:~:text=What%20causes%20cruciate%20ligament%20disease,is%20often%20in%20overweight%20cats

Cranial cruciate ligament injury disease (CCL) in dogs. Schwarzman Animal Medical Center. March 21, 2024. Accessed June 2, 2025. 

https://www.amcny.org/pet_health_library/cranial-cruciate-ligament-disease-in-dogs/

Tibial plateau leveling osteotomy surgery involves changing the anatomy of the knee

Cranial cruciate ligament tears and TPLO surgery

Asking clients 1 or 2 questions about litterbox use during each exam can make a big difference, according to Tabitha Kucera, RVT, VTS (Behavior), CCBC, KPA-CTP, FFCP

Why having the litterbox conversation matters

Are you having regular conversations with caregivers about patients’ litterbox habits? In an interview with 

 on her lecture “Litterbox Lessons: Keeping Cats in the Litterbox,” presented at the Fetch dvm360 Conference in Nashville, Tennessee this past weekend, Tabitha Kucera, RVT, VTS (Behavior), CCBC, KPA-CTP, FFCP, stresses the importance of discussing appropriate litterbox setup with clients, especially when it comes to new kitten caregivers.

Still, these conversations should not be limited to kitten caregivers. In the video, Kucera explains how just a few open-ended questions can help identify potential pain or underlying health issues in cats. She also talks about how veterinary teams can initiate these conversations with caregivers and highlights the value of educating clients on what a healthy feline environment looks like.

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

Tabitha Kucera, RVT, VTS (Behavior), CCBC, KPA-CTP, FFCP:

 I love proactivity and prevention and setting up caregivers and cats for success. So, a few [of these] things [are] asking and talking about litter boxes. Sometimes we don't really bring them up until there's been a concern. And we have to realize many caregivers may not even mention their cat is house soiling until it's been going on for a while and they're already over threshold. So, I think us just talking about it every appointment. Especially when they're kittens, in your kitten packs have—I call them the ‘Litterbox ABCs’—an appropriate litter box set up to start.

I'll be honest, in my 10,12, years of consulting, I have never seen appropriate litter box set up to start. And to be fair, I did not have one as a vet tech until I got a lot more into behavior, so be kind to yourselves. But most caregivers and cats aren't set up for success, so I think just talking about what appropriate litter box setup is and explaining that this is a need, not necessarily a want. Again, having some information in your kitten packs, or even better—having kitten kindergarten or kitten socialization classes.

And then also just a question or 2 you can ask during every exam. I think we always talk about open ended questions. So, what I like to ask is, “when was the last time your cat missed the litter box?” because they may say, “oh, never.” But also, the amount of times cats and dogs like, ‘when was last time your dog had an accident in the house?’ The amount of caregivers in general practice I've worked with who I've always gotten great histories [from], the practice I work with is awesome, the team is great, but these animals have been house soiling for years, and it was never identified. 

So that simple question; first off, you're starting the conversation, “When was the last time your cat missed the litter box?” And then [the client] might say “once or twice” and then you can get more context—“it was right outside of the litter box, both times it was defecation.” That's a big warning sign that most likely that cat has some underlying constipation and/or pain, I mean, definitely, right?

So, we can easily help by helping [clients provide a] low entrance, make sure those litter boxes are easily accessible to that cat. And then lastly, I think providing caregivers with the 5 pillars of a healthy feline environment, which we've all heard of—I love that it's getting more popular. So, providing multiple safe spaces, providing multiple and separated key environmental resources and telling clients what those are. So of course, food, water, litter boxes. Three boxes right next to each other is one box. 

So, kind of helping caregivers recognize scratchers, vertical spaces, providing opportunities for play and predatory behavior, providing positive, consistent and predictable human-cat, human-dog, cat-to-cat interactions. And then an environment that respects the importance of a cat's sense of smell. But by doing all those things, we're also helping to just manage stress and prevent other behavioral issues as well because those animals’ needs are being met.

Videos

Asking clients 1 or 2 questions during every exam about litterbox use can make a big difference, according to Tabitha Kucera, RVT, VTS (Behavior), CCBC, KPA-CTP, FFCP.

Chronic pruritus is one of the most frequent dermatologic complaints in general practice, and food allergies are responsible for roughly 15 to 35% of non‐seasonal cases.

 Accurately identifying food‐induced dermatitis requires a systematic approach, since most itchy dogs suffer from environmental allergens, parasites, or infections rather than dietary triggers. This was the topic in focus at a panel discussion at Fetch Nashville 2025 titled “Don’t dread the diet trial! Demystifying food allergies and their diagnosis,” featuring Joya Griffin, DVM, DACVD, Julia Miller DVM, DACVD and Natalie Marks, DVM, CVJ, CCFP, Elite FFCP-V. The trio came together to share practical insights on when and how general practitioners should implement diet trials.

Early in the conversation, Griffin described her typical approach to newly pruritic patients. She said she rarely brings up diet in a first‐time offender unless there is a clear nonseasonal pattern. She illustrated this point with a hypothetical example: “If it’s June and it’s a Labrador and it’s the first time they’ve ever had issues, I don’t talk about food…I treat that dog like an atopic [dermatitis] case, because atopy is more common.”

The panel agreed that environmental allergies, parasites, and infections are far more likely in a first‐time itchy dog than food. In many general practice settings, Marks noted that general practitioners often feel pressed for time and said, “We don’t need to do a diet trial on every itchy dog.” She encouraged ruling out infections and parasites first, managing pruritus, and monitoring the patient’s response before considering elimination diets.

A diet trial becomes reasonable when pruritus is persistent and nonseasonal or when standard atopy treatments fail over several months. Griffin explained that once you establish that itching persists into colder months, when environmental allergens should be less active, it makes sense to discuss diet.

Framing the diet trial as a diagnostic test

A recurring theme was how to position the elimination diet as a finite, diagnostic tool rather than a lifelong prescription. Griffin stressed that it’s important to communicate clearly with clients due to the challenge of compliance with the prescribed diet, stating it “takes a lot of work” to get the client on board. “If I’m going to do a diet trial, I want to do it once and do it well,” she said

She typically asks clients to commit to at least 6 weeks on a novel or hydrolyzed‐protein diet, with a plan to taper pruritus medications around week 4. In her words:

“Give me 6 weeks. If you can give me 6 weeks with this, I’m going to try to get your dog off of Apoquel right around week 4 or 5, and then we’ll see where we are…By week 8, you are going to get dramatic improvement in greater than 95% of your food allergic dogs.”

At the mid-point (week 4–5), Griffin will withdraw medications such as oclacitinib (Apoquel; Zoetis) or lokivetmab (Cytopoint; Zoetis)—provided she knows the patient’s Cytopoint injection schedule—so she can judge whether the diet alone maintains comfort. If itch returns immediately, she discontinues the trial; if the dog remains comfortable, she continues to week 8, she said.

The idea is that describing the trial this way helps owners see it as a limited study, not a permanent expense.

The panel next addressed diet selection, emphasizing the pitfalls of over‐the‐counter limited‐ingredient foods. Griffin debunked the grain‐free myth:

“Grains are great. They’re great for the heart…There is the occasional wheat or soy allergic dog, but they are really, truly the low end of the list.”

Griffin explained that “cross‐contamination” in commercial kibble is rampant. Even novel diets often contain trace amounts of common proteins. Marks cited a 2011 study showing that 10 of 12 over-the-counter “limited‐ingredient” foods labeled free of mammalian, fish, or dairy contaminants nonetheless tested positive for those proteins.

 This evidence led all 3 veterinarians to recommend prescription diets containing a verified novel protein (e.g. rabbit, alligator) or a hydrolyzed protein (commonly salmon).

Miller reminded attendees that in cats, beef, dairy, and fish top the allergy list. She agreed that choosing a diet involves a thorough review of every protein or treat the patient has consumed, including flavored medications and occasion‐specific snacks.

Throughout the discussion, several pitfalls emerged:

Hidden allergens in treats and supplements

Griffin warned that owners may inadvertently sabotage a trial by offering flavored pill pockets, rawhides, or table scraps. “Cheese for pills … flavored medications … they forget that.” She recommended alternatives like vegan cheese or specialized “pill wrap” products to ensure no animal protein is introduced.

In urban practices, Marks has seen dogs flare because doormen or neighbors slip them treats. She advised, “Ask exactly what goes in the mouth…even treats outside the home count.”

Griffin described how some owners simply reorder prescription food indefinitely, too often without re‐evaluation. She suggests restricting refills to a three‐month supply. “Your front desk staff will call you and say, ‘Myrtle needs her refill.’ And you'll look back [think], ‘Oh my god, I haven't talked to Myrtle in 3 months. Is that [hydrolyzed‐protein diet] even working?

Both Miller and Griffin stressed that a recheck—ideally at week 4 or 5—is non‐negotiable. Owners need guidance on tapering medications, troubleshooting appetite issues, and confirming compliance.

At the end of 8 weeks, Griffin expects a clear reduction in pruritus, measured via a Pruritus Visual Analog Scale (PVAS) recorded at baseline and week 8. “If there’s been no change or only a teeny change by week 8…that diet has not made a difference,” she said. Successful diets not only allow withdrawal from medications but also provide a basis for a formal rechallenge: re‐introducing the original diet or suspect protein to confirm a true food allergy. If a dog’s itching returns immediately upon rechallenge, the diagnosis is confirmed, the panel said

Griffin acknowledged that some patients have mixed atopic and food allergies. In such cases, even after confirming a food trigger, clinicians must address environmental allergens while maintaining dietary restriction for the offending protein.

Diet trials don't have to be scary or arduous. By following a structured approach that starts with ruling out more common causes first, framing elimination diets as limited diagnostic tests, choosing verified prescription diets, and scheduling timely rechecks, general practitioners can efficiently identify those few patients who truly require lifelong dietary restriction.

Carlotti DN. Cutaneous adverse food reactions in dogs and cats. 

Olivry T, Mueller RS. Critically appraised topic on adverse food reactions of companion animals (3): prevalence of cutaneous adverse food reactions in dogs and cats. 

Griffin J, Marks N, Miller J. Don’t dread the diet trial! Demystifying food allergies and their diagnosis. Presented at: Fetch dvm360 conference; Nashville, TN. May 30, 2025.

Raditic DM, Remillard RL, Tater KC. ELISA testing for common food antigens in four dry dog foods used in dietary elimination trials. 

. 2011;95(1):90–97. doi:10.1111/j.1439-0396.2010.01016.x.

Not every itchy dog needs a diet trial, but when they do, these tips can make all the difference