Dogs are Americans’ favorite animals: Nearly 50 million American households have one or more. Of course, dog owners want to keep their best friends happy and healthy, and that sometimes means a visit to the vet. In fact, Americans spend more than $ 20 billion annually on veterinary dog care, which is more than the gross domestic product of many countries. (These are the states with the most dogs.)
Paint on the American Veterinary Medicine Association’s 2017-2018 Pet Ownership and Demographics SourcebookReporting data for 2016, the most recent year for which full information is available, 24/7 Pace has compiled a list of the most common reasons Americans take their dogs to the vet.
Fortunately, the main reasons include routine preventive measures such as examinations and vaccinations, which are not too stressful for the owners and hopefully not too stressful for their dogs either. There are also other benign reasons further down the list, including dental care and grooming, that keep dogs looking and feeling great.
There are also reasons that range from flea and tick care, which is important but usually not a question of life and death, to heartworm and intestinal worm care, which is crucial. These include x-rays and emergency care that will be stressful for owners and dogs alike.
Click here to see the most common reasons people go to the vet with their dogs
Euthanasia is the worst. Unfortunately, many dog breeds only have a lifespan of 10 to 13 years. It is terrible to think about, but many people would prefer their beloved pets to have a painless ending than suffer unnecessarily. (These are the longest-lived dog breeds in the United States)