09/23/2026
Distrust of veterinary care is getting loud.
“They just want your money.”
“They always want to run more tests.”
“My own medication doesn't cost that much.”
“They make you come in for a consult just to charge you again.”
If you spend any time in dog groups and comment sections, those statements aren't hard to find.
And over the past few years, they're getting louder.
Somewhere along the way, being frustrated by the cost of veterinary care has morphed into something quite different.
Distrust of the people providing it.
And I think we need to separate those two things.
Veterinary care can be expensive.
Sometimes painfully expensive.
Every day, people on limited incomes, especially after a pretty difficult few years, are having to make incredibly hard decisions because they simply can't afford the care their dog needs.
That's real.
I'm not saying it isn't.
It's a huge concern.
But “I can't afford this” and “my vet is ripping me off” aren't the same thing.
And there's another layer creeping into these conversations too.
The “connections”.
A medication is recommended and suddenly there's an assumption that somebody, somewhere is playing a much bigger part in that decision being made.
That's quite a leap.
And then theres the tests that apparently “never end”.
“They couldn't find anything, so now they want another test.”
“They've already done bloods.”
“It's just a blood test and it cost a fortune.”
A blood test might rule some things out without telling us exactly what is wrong.
Things can change.
Very quickly.
Sometimes a test needs repeating because what matters isn't about what it showed then, but whether something has changed now.
That's medicine.
We accept that our own doctor orders bloods, repeats them, sends us for imaging, refers us to somebody else and then asks us to come back.
Yet when the patient has four legs?
Somehow that same process is now interpreted as another way to get those dollars in.
And even “just a blood test” isn't just the few minutes it takes to collect the blood.
There are people.
Equipment.
Premises.
Laboratories.
Medicines.
Monitoring.
Records.
Regulations.
Continuing education.
And an enormous amount of knowledge sitting behind those expensive decisions.
Should we ask questions?
Absolutely.
Questioning is a good thing. We SHOULD question.
Good veterinary care shouldn't require blind faith.
And yes, veterinary care is getting more expensive.
But vets aren't operating outside the same world the rest of us are.
Their costs have risen too.
Their staff still need paying.
Equipment costs money, and replacing it costs more than it used to.
Medication and supplies can expire before they're ever used.
Laboratories cost money.
Keeping the doors open and the lights on costs more too.
Disposable items need replacing too. They can't simply be reused, and the cost of every little syringe, needle, tube and piece of equipment adds up.
Does any of this mean every veterinary decision is right?
Of course not.
No profession should be above questioning or criticism.
But questioning a decision is very different from deciding an entire profession can't be trusted.
And that's why I find this weird shift really concerning.
Because even if you believe the criticism is completely justified.
Even if you're absolutely steadfast in the belief that vets charge too much, recommend too much or can't be trusted.
There's one question worth asking.
If your dog collapses tonight,
If they're struggling to breathe.
If they've been hit by a car.
If they're bleeding badly.
If they're suddenly critically ill and you don't know why.
Who are you going to call?
Because I'm betting an awful lot of the people saying they don't trust vets,
will still pick up the phone and call one.
And maybe, just maybe, that tells us something too.
