Veterinary Marketing Statistics (Current & Verified)

Veterinary marketing is changing as pet owners become more selective about where they seek care, how often they visit clinics, and what they are willing to spend. 

Current data on veterinary visits, pet-care spending, affordability, online research, reviews, and digital behavior can help practices understand where new client opportunities exist.

Below are the most important veterinary marketing statistics drawn from recent industry reports, surveys, and research. The data can help veterinary practices, marketers, and agencies identify trends in client acquisition, retention, online visibility, reputation management, and veterinary service demand.

Editor’s Picks: Veterinary Marketing Statistics

1. The global veterinary services market is projected to reach $237.06 billion by 2030, growing at a 7.4% CAGR during the forecast period.
2. The North American veterinary medical services market is projected to reach $55.33 billion by 2030.
3. North America’s veterinary medical services market is forecast to grow at a 6.8% CAGR from 2024 to 2030.
4. The U.S. veterinary medical services market is projected to reach $46.81 billion by 2030.
5. The U.S. veterinary medical services market is forecast to grow at a 6.6% CAGR between 2024 and 2030.
6. The U.S. veterinary medical services market generated approximately $29.85 billion in revenue in 2023, providing the base for the 2030 projection.
7. The U.S. accounted for 32.8% of global veterinary medical services revenue in 2023.
8. North America accounted for 38.4% of global veterinary medical services revenue in 2023.
9. Companion animals are projected to be the fastest-growing animal-type segment in North America’s veterinary medical services market through 2030.
10. The Asia-Pacific veterinary medical services market is projected to reach $27.85 billion by 2030.
11. India’s veterinary medical services market is projected to reach $4.92 billion by 2030.
12. India’s veterinary medical services market is forecast to grow at a 9.6% CAGR from 2024 to 2030.
13. India’s veterinary medical services market generated approximately $2.59 billion in revenue in 2023.
14. India’s projected 9.6% CAGR through 2030 is higher than the 6.6% CAGR forecast for the U.S. veterinary medical services market.
15. Growth in the veterinary services market through 2030 is associated with advanced diagnostics, mobile veterinary services, genetic and pathology testing, preventive care, specialty clinics, and rising companion-animal healthcare spending.

Veterinary Market, Pet Ownership & Demand Statistics

1. 87.3 million dogs were estimated to live in U.S. households in 2025.
2. 76.3 million cats were estimated to live in U.S. households in 2025.
3. The combined U.S. population of pet dogs and cats reached 163.6 million in 2025.
4. The combined dog and cat population increased 45% from 1996 to 2025.
5. U.S. pet-industry spending reached $158 billion in 2025.
6. U.S. pet-industry spending grew 3.7% in 2025.
7. U.S. pet-industry spending is projected to reach $165 billion in 2026.
8. 95 million U.S. households owned at least one pet in 2025.
9. Dogs were present in 53% of U.S. households in 2025.
10. About 71 million U.S. households owned dogs in 2025.

Veterinary Visits & Client Acquisition Statistics

11. 83.4% of U.S. pet owners reported having a regular veterinarian or veterinary practice.
12. 69.4% reported visiting a veterinary practice in 2024.
13. 86.8% of dog owners identified a regular veterinarian or veterinary practice in 2024.
14. 74.2% of dog owners visited a veterinarian during 2024.
15. 77.1% of cat owners identified a regular veterinarian or veterinary practice in 2024.
16. 57.3% of cat owners visited a veterinarian in 2024.
17. 56.5% of dog owners who visited a veterinarian in 2024 went twice.
18. 44.9% of cat owners who visited a veterinarian in 2024 went once.
19. 81.6% of dog owners cited routine checkups or preventive care as the reason for their latest veterinary visit in 2025.
20. 76.4% of cat owners cited routine checkups or preventive care as the reason for their latest veterinary visit in 2025.
21. 19.2% of dog owners cited a medical concern as the reason for their latest veterinary visit in 2025.
22. 19.7% of cat owners cited a medical concern as the reason for their latest veterinary visit in 2025.
23. 16.1% of dog owners reported spending nothing on veterinary care in 2025.
24. 28% of cat owners reported spending nothing on veterinary care in 2025.
25. 35.1% of dog owners who spent nothing on veterinary care said their dog did not get sick or injured.
26. 38.6% of cat owners who spent nothing on veterinary care said their cat did not get sick or injured.
27. 19.4% of dog owners who did not visit a veterinarian cited not needing vaccines as the reason.
28. 16.4% of cat owners who did not visit a veterinarian cited veterinary costs as being too high.
29. Pet owners reported spending about $1,700 annually on pets in 2025.
30. Annual pet spending increased by about $200 compared with the previous two years.

Veterinary Spending & Pricing Statistics

31. Veterinary care represented 32.4% of pet owners’ total household pet-related spending in 2025.
32. Dog owners spent an average of $598 on veterinary care in 2025.
33. Cat owners spent an average of $529 on veterinary care in 2025.
34. Owners of other pet species spent an average of $552 on veterinary care in 2025.
35. The average reported cost of the last veterinary visit was $200 in 2025.
36. The average reported veterinary visit cost was $147 in 2024.
37. The average reported veterinary visit cost was $190 in 2023.
38. The average 2025 veterinary visit cost for dog owners was $220.
39. The average 2025 veterinary visit cost for cat owners was $202.
40. The average 2025 veterinary visit cost for owners of other pets was $177.

Veterinary Care Affordability

41. 52% of U.S. pet owners reported skipping or declining needed veterinary care during the previous year.
42. 37% visited a veterinarian but declined at least one recommended care option.
43. 15% did not take their pet to a veterinarian because of barriers such as financial concerns.
44. 41% visited a veterinarian and accepted the recommended care.
45. 71% of owners who skipped or declined care cited financial considerations as a factor.
46. 73% of owners aged 18–29 who skipped or declined care cited financial considerations.
47. 74% of owners aged 30–44 cited financial considerations when skipping or declining care.
48. 69% of owners aged 45–59 cited financial considerations.
49. 68% of owners aged 60+ cited financial considerations.
50. 66% of owners earning $90,000 or more who skipped or declined care cited affordability or perceived value as a factor.
51. 33% of pet owners earning at least $90,000 said they could not afford veterinary care when they skipped or declined it.
52. 29% of owners who declined care said it was impractical or too stressful for their pet.
53. 73% of owners who declined care because of cost said they were not offered a lower-cost alternative.
54. 46% of owners who declined care because it was impractical said they were not offered an alternative treatment plan.
55. Only 23% of pet owners reported ever being offered a veterinary payment plan.
56. 66% of pet owners said they could afford $1,000 or less for lifesaving treatment.
57. 64% said an interest-free one-year payment plan could at least double the amount they could afford for lifesaving treatment.
58. 94% of veterinarians said client finances often or sometimes limit recommended care.
59. 38% of veterinarians said client finances often prevent recommended care.
60. 56% of veterinarians said client finances sometimes prevent recommended care.

Pet Lifetime Costs & Veterinary Marketing Opportunities

61. Nearly 8 in 10 pet owners underestimate lifetime pet-care costs.
62. Dog ownership over a 15-year period costs an estimated $22,125 to $60,602.
63. Dog lifetime care costs increased by an average of 11.65% from 2022.
64. Cat lifetime care costs range from $20,073 to $47,106.
65. Cat lifetime care costs increased by an average of 19.4% from 2022.
66. Small companion-animal care costs range from $7,600 to $14,938 over the reported six-year lifespan period.
67. 74% of pet owners reported unexpected pet-care expenses exceeding $250.
68. Only 31% of pet owners said they could comfortably manage a major pet expense.
69. About 75% of surveyed pet owners consider their pets family members, best friends or children.
70. Fewer than 25% of pet owners have saved for or purchased insurance for pet emergencies.

Online Search & Digital Veterinary Marketing

71. 78.6% of surveyed UK pet owners used the internet as their most frequent source of pet-health information.
72. 72% of respondents used veterinarians as a source of pet-health information.
73. 61.3% searched online for specific pet medical problems.
74. 58.5% searched online for pet diet or nutrition information.
75. 42.1% discussed online information with their veterinarian at least sometimes.
76. 49.6% said their veterinarian never recommended specific websites for pet-health information.
77. More than 90% said they would visit websites recommended by their veterinarian.
78. Approximately 85% of owners seeing veterinary oncologists reported researching their pet’s condition or treatment online.
79. Search engines were the most-used method for veterinary oncology-related online research.
80. Pet owners who researched their own health conditions online had 4.3 times higher odds of researching their pet’s condition online.

Social Media & Veterinary Content Statistics

81. 56.2% of surveyed dog owners received pet-health information through Facebook groups.
82. 51.8% of surveyed cat owners received pet-health information through Facebook groups.
83. 55% of dog owners reported giving pet-health information through Facebook groups.
84. 57.9% of cat owners reported giving pet-health information through Facebook groups.
85. Around 50% of surveyed dog and cat owners either gave or received pet-health advice through Facebook groups.
86. 80% of surveyed Australian veterinarians believed more than 80% of their clients had internet access at home or work.
87. 68% of Australian veterinarians surveyed believed most clients did not understand what they read online.
88. 56% of Australian veterinarians reported a negative impact from online pet-health information on the veterinarian-client relationship.
89. 33% reported a positive impact from online pet-health information on the veterinarian-client relationship.
90. 47% of Australian veterinarians reported a negative impact from clients’ use of the internet for companion-animal health information.

Reviews, Local SEO & Reputation Marketing

91. Only 4% of U.S. consumers said they never read online business reviews.
92. 81% of consumers used Google to find local business reviews in BrightLocal’s 2025 survey.
93. 48% of U.S. adults used local news outlets as sources for local business reviews.
94. 6% of consumers used ChatGPT or other AI tools to find local business reviews in 2025.
95. More than 75% of U.S. consumers consumed video when researching local businesses.
96. 31% watched videos from everyday people on social media when researching local businesses.
97. 27% of consumers used only one website when reading local business reviews.
98. 74% used at least two websites when researching local business reviews.
99. 42% trusted online reviews as much as personal recommendations from friends and family in 2025.
100. 48% of consumers said they read AI-generated review summaries before reading individual positive and negative reviews.

Additional 2026 Veterinary Marketing Statistics

101. 67% of U.S. consumers reported owning a pet in Morgan Stanley’s 2026 survey.
102. U.S. pet ownership declined from 69% in 2024 to 67% in 2026.
103. 66% of U.S. pet owners consider their pets part of the family, according to Morgan Stanley’s 2026 research.
104. About 60% of pet owners identify veterinarians as a trusted source of pet-care information.
105. Roughly 75% of pet owners reported visiting a veterinarian during the previous six months.
106. Veterinary patient visits fell 1.9% year over year in Q2 2026.
107. Veterinary practice sales increased 0.3% year over year in Q2 2026.
108. 13% of veterinarians surveyed by Morgan Stanley cited a declining pet population as a concern in 2026.
109. More than 88% of mobile users reportedly search online for pet-care information in a 2026 veterinary marketing report.
110. 62% of pet owners surveyed in a 2026 report said online search influenced which veterinarian they chose.
111. In a 2026 audit of 240 veterinary practices, 64% had a Google rating below 4.7 stars.
112. 51% of the 240 veterinary practices audited missed the same-day response window on at least one of four major review platforms.
113. 26% of audited veterinary practices had a Yelp Recommended-section issue that hid many of their reviews.
114. Services accounted for over 40% of total U.S. pet-industry spending in 2025, according to Morgan Stanley’s 2026 analysis.
115. 76% of pet owners surveyed in 2026 said they would go into debt to save their pet’s life.
116. The average pet owner reported being able to handle about $2,818 in emergency veterinary costs before needing to borrow money.
117. Typical emergency veterinary bills can start around $4,000, according to a 2026 pet-owner survey.
118. 72% of pet owners surveyed in early 2026 reported spending $50-$200 per month on their pets.
119. 30% of pet owners said they spend more on their pets than on their own health and wellness.
120. 67% of pet owners reported unexpected veterinary bills between $500 and $3,000.
121. 34% of pet owners in the survey had pet insurance.
122. 86% of insured pet owners said their pet insurance was worthwhile.
123. 65% of uninsured owners cited the cost of pet insurance as a barrier.

Veterinary Market Forecasts Through 2030

124. The global veterinary services market is projected to reach $237.06 billion by 2030, growing at a 7.4% CAGR.
125. The North American veterinary medical services market is projected to reach $55.33 billion by 2030.
126. North America’s veterinary medical services market is forecast to grow at a 6.8% CAGR from 2024 to 2030.
127. The U.S. veterinary medical services market is projected to reach $46.81 billion by 2030.
128. The U.S. veterinary medical services market is forecast to grow at a 6.6% CAGR between 2024 and 2030.
129. The U.S. veterinary medical services market generated approximately $29.85 billion in revenue in 2023.
130. The U.S. accounted for 32.8% of global veterinary medical services revenue in 2023.
131. North America accounted for 38.4% of global veterinary medical services revenue in 2023.
132. Companion animals are projected to be the fastest-growing animal-type segment in North America’s veterinary medical services market through 2030.
133. Asia-Pacific’s veterinary medical services market is projected to reach $27.85 billion by 2030.
134. India’s veterinary medical services market is projected to reach $4.92 billion by 2030.
135. India’s veterinary medical services market is forecast to grow at a 9.6% CAGR from 2024 to 2030.
136. India’s veterinary medical services market generated approximately $2.59 billion in revenue in 2023.
137. India’s projected 9.6% CAGR through 2030 is higher than the 6.6% CAGR forecast for the U.S.
138. India accounted for approximately 2.8% of global veterinary medical services revenue in 2023.
139. Canada is projected to reach approximately $8.51 billion in veterinary medical services revenue by 2030.
140. Growth in the global veterinary services market through 2030 is associated with advanced diagnostics, mobile veterinary services, genetic and pathology testing, preventive healthcare, specialty and referral clinics, and rising companion-animal healthcare spending.

Sources

• AVMA Pet Ownership & Demographics
• American Pet Products Association
• Gallup: 52% of U.S. Pet Owners Skipped or Declined Veterinary Care
• Synchrony 2025 Pet Lifetime of Care Study
• CareCredit: 2025 Pet Lifetime of Care Study
• PubMed: UK Pet Owners’ Use of the Internet for Online Pet Health Information
• PubMed: Internet Research Habits Among Owners Seeing a Veterinary Oncologist
• PubMed: Dog and Cat Owners’ Use of Facebook Groups for Pet Health Information
• PubMed: Australian Veterinarians and Online Pet Health Information
• BrightLocal: Local Consumer Review Survey 2025
• Research and Markets: Veterinary Services Market Report
• Grand View Research: North America Veterinary Medical Services Market
• Grand View Research: U.S. Veterinary Medical Services Market
• Grand View Research: India Veterinary Medical Services Market