Prices for veterinary care of dogs, cats and horses in selected countries in Europe.

Autor:	Egenvall A; Agneta Egenvall, Odd Höglund, Department of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Husbandry, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden., Höglund OV; Agneta Egenvall, Odd Höglund, Department of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Husbandry, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden., Hoffman R; Ruben Hoffman, Department of Economics, Faculty of Natural Resources and Agricultural Sciences, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden., Valle PS; Paul S. Valle, Tornes i R, Norway., Andersen PH; Pia Haubro Andersen, Department of Anatomy, Physiology and Biochemistry (AFB); Division of Anatomy and Physiology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden., Lönnell C; Cecilia Lönnell, Tequi, Stockholm, Sweden., Byström A; Anna Byström, Department of Applied Animal Science and Welfare, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden., Bonnett BN; Brenda N Bonnett, B Bonnett Consulting, Georgian Bluffs, ON, Canada.
Jazyk:	angličtina
Zdroj:	Frontiers in veterinary science [Front Vet Sci] 2024 Jul 18; Vol. 11, pp. 1403483. Date of Electronic Publication: 2024 Jul 18 (Print Publication: 2024).
DOI:	10.3389/fvets.2024.1403483
Abstrakt:	Introduction: In recent years, prices for veterinary care have received considerable attention in mainstream media, yet scientific literature has not delved into actual figures. This study aims to elucidate veterinary care costs for dogs, cats, and horses across five countries [Sweden (SE), Norway (NO), Denmark (DK), United Kingdom (UK), and Ireland (IR, with limited data)] through web searches. Methods: Utilising online business directories, we located URLs featuring veterinary care prices in autumn 2022, and repeated tri-monthly five times. Vetpris.se (VP), a price comparison site for SE, NO, and DK, emerged from the search. Additionally, we sought to compare price data from veterinary clinics (ranging from animal hospitals to small private clinics) using a similar approach to VP. We targeted elective procedures (e.g., gonadectomy, GDY) and common procedures (e.g., pyometra surgery in dogs). Results: Comparing data from the same clinics' websites and from VP within extraction from autumn 2022 to winter 2023/2024, median prices for dog and cat GDY were largely consistent. By October 2023, median prices for male cat GDY ranged from €72 (SE) to €230 (DK), and €130 (SE) to €361 (DK) for females; for dog GDY from €390 (SE) to €599 (DK) for males, and €461 (UK) to €1015 (DK) for females. Across sources, median prices for cat and dog GDY increased by 2-24% over a year for procedures with at least 10 clinics per extraction. Equine GDY (per sedation and local analgaesia) in SE saw a 64% increase by year-end, with a median price of €492. Emergency surgeries during regular-hours (e.g., pyometra and caesarean section) in SE were approximately €2,300 at the last extraction, marking a 27% increase for pyometra surgery during regular-hours and 15% after-hours compared to the previous year. Variability existed within and across countries and diagnoses/procedures. Discussion: Cross-validation suggested VP generally provided reliable information, though data points for emergencies were limited. Our web searching tool necessitated extensive manual verification, indicating room for further development. We recommend enhancing price transparency for animal owners to become better informed about the cost of veterinary care and be able to make informed choices. Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest. (Copyright © 2024 Egenvall, Höglund, Hoffman, Valle, Andersen, Lönnell, Byström and Bonnett.)
Databáze:	MEDLINE
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