Veterinary teams keep having the same conversation: the treatment that would help is on the estimate, and the owner cannot say yes. A new survey from Pawlicy Advisor and the American Animal Hospital Association found the line where owners decline care is lower than most people would guess.
Eighty-five percent of the 451 veterinary professionals surveyed said clients start turning down recommended care at estimates of $1,000 or less. Nearly half, 47.3%, put that threshold at $500 or less. Cost-driven changes to treatment plans now average 5.1 per week, up from 4.7 in 2025, and 81.3% of practices hold difficult money conversations weekly.
The hardest number: respondents estimated that 13% of euthanasia decisions in their practices came from an owner’s inability to pay. That figure did not move from last year, and nearly one in four respondents put it at 20% or higher.
Insurance changes the arithmetic. Of the practices surveyed, 85.6% saw positive differences between insured and uninsured patients, most often better compliance with treatment (73%) and better outcomes (49.9%). Only 48.2% of practices bring coverage up proactively. The results were published by dvm360.
What this means for your dog
Ask for the estimate in tiers, then ask which parts are urgent and which can wait. Ask what the minimum effective version of the plan looks like. A smaller plan started today beats a perfect plan that never happens.
Money set aside monthly does more good than a scramble later. Chronic conditions are where this bites hardest, which is why the updated diabetes guidelines are worth reading before you need them, and why the longevity research rewards owners who catch problems early, when treatment costs least.