HOW MUCH DO YOU NEED TO OWN A PET?

It has been five years since the authorities embarked on a review of the pet sector in Singapore, and the pet business is bigger than ever. In the second part of a series looking at breeding, ethics, medical treatments and costs of the industry, Judith Tan examines rising veterinary costs.

- Judith Tan

With more people treating their cats or dogs as family members and often willing to pay for the animals' medical treatments like they would for their own, veterinary services have changed from offering mainly primary care to something resembling human healthcare today.

This means expensive diagnostic scans, surgery and cancer treatments are routinely offered, leading to one of the sector's biggest problems: escalating costs.

Many pet owners are in a quandary about how much they can afford to pay for treatments for their beloved animals.

For example, cataract surgery for a dog today costs between $2,700 and $4,000, while urinary stone removal is upwards of $1,000. The most expensive procedure is a hip replacement, which would most likely start from between $4,000 and $9,000.

Only a few veterinarians here have been trained as specialists in those procedures.

According to the National Parks Board (NParks), there are about 610 licensed veterinarians in Singapore as at July 2024, an increase from 590 in May. This could be due to higher demand for veterinary services over the years, it said.

Vets here are licensed and regulated by the Animal and Veterinary Service under NParks, and are required to comply with the Code of Ethics for Veterinarians, which sets out the expected professional standards of conduct.

Issues such as the cost of medication and treatment are being looked into, while the authorities continue consultations with stakeholders and determine if these issues can be addressed through a veterinary council to be set up by 2025.

Announcing this at the Singapore Vet Show in October 2023, Senior Minister of State for National Development Tan Kiat How said the council will provide better support for veterinarians, veterinary nurses and technicians.