--- title: 25+ Statistics on Pet Health and Insurance description: A break down of common health issues, cost of treatment, the pandemic's effect on our pets, and more. Click through for the full list. authors: - name: Julio Vargas Pérez role: Content Creator url: https://money.com/author/julio-vargas-perez/ bio: Julio Vargas is a Content Creator for Money, where he covers personal finance statistics and trends. at_money_since: 2021 articles: 10 covers: - Pets - Banking - Credit - Investing - Loans - Mortgages former_staff: true editors: - name: Money Staff url: https://money.com/author/money-staff-2/ at_money_since: 2007 articles: 118 covers: - Pets - Banking - Business - Credit - Credit Cards - Economy and Politics - Education - Housing - Identity Theft - Insurance - Investing - Lifestyle - Loans - Mortgages - Personal Finance - Professional Services - Shopping - Technology former_staff: true published: '2022-08-01T17:30:27.000Z' modified: '2026-02-12T18:21:21.000Z' section: Pets tags: - Resources word_count: 823 canonical: https://money.com/pet-health-statistics/ type: Article source: structured-blocks --- > **Disclosure:** We research all brands listed and may earn a fee from our partners. Research and financial considerations may influence how brands are displayed. Not all brands are included. [Learn more](https://money.com/page/disclaimer/). ![25+ Statistics on Pet Health and Insurance](https://money.com/content.money.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Pet-Health-Stats-Facts.jpg?crop=0px%2C236px%2C2880px%2C1620px&resize=1012%2C569&quality=85&strip&ssl=1) Pets are always there for us. In an effort to bring you the most accurate information possible so you can make the right decisions for you and your pet, we’ve put in over 50 hours of research compiling the most relevant information on pet health and ownership and their associated costs. If you want to do right by your fur baby, read on! ## Get the care your pet needs with a Pet Insurance Policy ### Healthy Paws can help you fetch a great plan and for your four-legged friend. Select your state to get a free quote today! [View Plans](https://money.com/pr/i73f18adc050?ap_referrer=%2Fpet-health-statistics%2F) ## Common Pet Health Issues There are many considerations to [pet](https://money.com/best-pet-insurance/) ownership, including accidents. For example [American Humane](https://www.americanhumane.org/fact-sheet/pets-poisons/), a nonprofit animal welfare organization, estimates that 232,000 pets are poisoned annually in the U.S. Your pet may also be genetically predisposed or susceptible to various medical issues. ### Dogs - The [Association for Pet Obesity Prevention](https://petobesityprevention.org/2018#:~:text=That%20equals%20an%20estimated%2056,%25\)%20were%20Overweight%20or%20Obese./) estimates that 50 million dogs are overweight or obese. - [Kansas State University](https://www.ksvhc.org/services/pet-health-center/intestinal-parasites.html#:~:text=Nationwide%2C%2034%25%20of%20dogs%20are,and%20hookworms%20\(Ancylostoma%20sp.\)/) found that at a national level, 34% of dogs are infected with gastrointestinal parasites; in southern states, that number is roughly 1.5 times higher at around 54%. - The [Animal Emergency Clinic of San Diego](https://www.animalemergencysd.com/site/blog/2021/07/28/common-dog-health-problems/) states that approximately 20% of dogs have some form of ear disease. ### Cats - In a study last updated in 2021, [Cornell University](https://www.vet.cornell.edu/departments-centers-and-institutes/cornell-feline-health-center/health-information/feline-health-topics/feline-immunodeficiency-virus-fiv#:~:text=FIV%2Dinfected%20cats%20exist%20worldwide,at%20high%20risk%20of%20infection./) revealed that roughly 2.5% to 5% of healthy cats are infected with the feline immunodeficiency virus. However, if already immunocompromised or otherwise unhealthy, that number can be between three and six times higher, at 15%. - [Cornell](https://www.vet.cornell.edu/departments-centers-and-institutes/cornell-feline-health-center/health-information/feline-health-topics/feline-leukemia-virus#:~:text=Suggested%20Articles&text=Feline%20leukemia%20virus%20\(FeLV\)%20is,cats%20in%20the%20United%20States./) also reported that the feline leukemia virus affects 2% to 3% of all cats. - The [Association for Pet Obesity Prevention](https://petobesityprevention.org/2018#:~:text=That%20equals%20an%20estimated%2056,%25\)%20were%20Overweight%20or%20Obese./) estimates that 56 million cats are overweight or obese. ## The Pandemic Pet Effect When the COVID-19 pandemic began, lots of folks turned to their pets for companionship or even brought new ones into their home: - In a 2020 study, [Washington State University](https://news.wsu.edu/news/2020/06/08/bond-humans-dogs-strengthened-covid-19/) revealed that 70% of respondents said their pet decreased feelings of loneliness. - Of those surveyed by the [American Pet Products Association](https://www.americanpetproducts.org/press_factsheets.asp), 15% reported acquiring a new pet since the beginning of the pandemic ## Pet Ownership More people own pets than ever before: - [Statista](https://www.statista.com/statistics/198086/us-household-penetration-rates-for-pet-owning-since-2007/) and the [American Pet Products Association](https://www.americanpetproducts.org/press_factsheets.asp) say that 70% of American households own one or more pets - Pet ownership increased by approximately 3.5% from 67% in 2019 - [Statista](https://www.statista.com/statistics/1130651/pet-ownership-by-generation-us/) found that the millennial demographic group represented the largest proportion of pet owners, composing 32%
Breakdown of Pet Owners by Demographic Group%
Millennials32%
Boomers27%
Gen X24%
- According to the [American Veterinary Medical Association](https://www.avma.org/resources-tools/reports-statistics/us-pet-ownership-statistics/), dogs are the most popular type of pet, followed by cats
Pet Ownership by Species%
Dogs38.4%
Cats25.4%
Birds2.8%
## Readiness for Emergencies If your furry friend seems to pick the worst times possible to get sick or hurt, it's more likely that you aren't well prepared — and you're not alone. According to a [May 2021 Federal Reserve report on Americans' economic well-being](https://www.federalreserve.gov/publications/2021-economic-well-being-of-us-households-in-2020-dealing-with-unexpected-expenses.htm), roughly a third of Americans can't afford an emergency: - Some 36% of Americans revealed they couldn’t cover an emergency of $400 or more with cash - Another 15% stated they would have to use a credit card, incurring interest ## Average Cost of Treatment It's no secret that veterinary care can be expensive. The [American Pet Products Association](https://www.americanpetproducts.org/press_industrytrends.asp) estimates that pet owners spent $34.3 billion on vet care and products in 2021. Even when talking about routine, pre-planned visits, veterinary care doesn't come cheap. ### Annual Medical Costs
TreatmentDogsCats
Routine Medical Costs$225$160
Preventative Medication$185$140
Spay/Neuter$300$150
Initial Medical Costs$300$150
Dental$500$700
(Source: [ASPCA](https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/general-pet-care/cutting-pet-care-costs)) Naturally, emergencies can set you back even more. [Preventive Vet](https://www.preventivevet.com/pet-emergency-statistics/), a blog run by a team of accredited veterinarians estimates that: - An ER exam can cost between $100 and $200 - Basic blood tests could set you back anywhere between $80 and $200 - Imaging can cost as little as $150 for an X-ray or as much as $600 for an ultrasound - Hospitalization can cost as little as $600 for one day or as much as $3,500 for five days - Emergency surgery can set you back as much as $5,000 ## The Average Cost of Insurance Given the unpredictable nature of pet-related expenses and how much they can add up, it could be sensible to [consider taking out pet insurance](https://money.com/best-pet-insurance/). - Monthly premiums average $50 for dogs and $28 for cats - Plans typically reimburse 70% to 90% of covered expenses - Several premium discounts are available, such as discounts for enrolling multiple pets or paying annually - With a broad choice of providers available, finding an option that fits your budget and works for you and your pet is incredibly easy ### Adoption Rate of Pet Insurance Considering the cost of treatment, its unpredictable nature, and the comparative affordability of insurance, the amount of people who actually insure their pets is comparatively small. The [North American Pet Health Insurance Association](https://naphia.org/industry-data/) reports only 4.4 million pets were insured in 2021. Compared with the number of pet owners, this number is staggeringly small, representing only 4.9%. If you learned anything by reading this post, feel free to share it with a fellow pet enthusiast in your life! ## Pet Insurance policies are out there for when your pet needs you the most ### Veterinary medicine can do amazing things for pets these days, but the costs for scans and other treatments can quickly add up. Because of that, Healthy Paws is here to help you and your pet out! [View Plans](https://money.com/pr/wcd791b6dba0?ap_referrer=%2Fpet-health-statistics%2F) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "@id": "https://money.com/pet-health-statistics/#breadcrumb", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://money.com" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Pets", "item": "https://money.com/pets/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Pet Care", "item": "https://money.com/pet-care/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "25+ Statistics on Pet Health and Insurance" } ] }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://money.com/#website", "url": "https://money.com", "name": "Money", "publisher": { "@id": "https://money.com/#organization" } }, { "@type": "WebPage", "@id": "https://money.com/pet-health-statistics/#webpage", "url": "https://money.com/pet-health-statistics/", "name": "25+ Statistics on Pet Health and Insurance", "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://money.com/#website" }, "datePublished": "2022-08-01T17:30:27.000Z", "mainEntity": { "@id": "https://money.com/pet-health-statistics/" }, "inLanguage": "en-US", "breadcrumb": { "@id": "https://money.com/pet-health-statistics/#breadcrumb" }, "dateModified": "2026-02-12T18:21:21.000Z" }, { "@type": "Article", "headline": "25+ Statistics on Pet Health and Insurance", "articleSection": "Pets", "image": [ { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://img.money.com/2022/07/Pet-Health-Stats-Facts.jpg?quality=85", "width": 2880, "height": 1920 } ], "author": [ { "@type": "Person", "name": "Julio Vargas Pérez", "url": "https://money.com/author/julio-vargas-perez/", "@id": "https://money.com/author/julio-vargas-perez/#author", "description": "Julio Vargas is a Content Creator for Money, where he covers personal finance statistics and trends.", "image": "https://img.money.com/2022/08/julio-vargas-e1659555549830.png?w=350&h=414&crop=1" } ], "publisher": "https://money.com/#organization", "datePublished": "2022-08-01T17:30:27.000Z", "description": "A break down of common health issues, cost of treatment, the pandemic's effect on our pets, and more. Click through for the full list.", "abstract": "A break down of common health issues, cost of treatment, the pandemic's effect on our pets, and more. Click through for the full list.", "@id": "https://money.com/pet-health-statistics/", "inLanguage": "en-US", "dateModified": "2026-02-12T18:21:21.000Z", "editor": [ { "@type": "Person", "name": "Money Staff", "url": "https://money.com/author/money-staff-2/", "@id": "https://money.com/author/money-staff-2/#author" } ], "wordCount": 823, "keywords": [ "Resources" ], "about": [ { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Pet", "sameAs": [ "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pet" ] } ] } ] } ```