The dog and cat breeds most likely to land you a MASSIVE vet bill
Key takeaways
- New PetSure claims data reveals the priciest dog and cat health conditions of 2025, with hip surgery topping the list for dogs at an average of $9,268.
- The single highest claim was $72,732, for a dog with intervertebral disc disease (IVDD).
- What's next: Keep your pet protected in almost every scenario with a comprehensive pet insurance policy.
Our pets give us unconditional love, and most of us would do anything to keep them healthy.
But new claims data from pet insurer PetSure shows just how far "anything" can stretch, with the most expensive dog and cat conditions of 2025 running well into the tens of thousands.
For dogs, hip surgery topped the list with an average claim of $9,268, though the highest single hip surgery claim reached $31,582. Larger breeds like the Bernese Mountain Dog, Samoyed and Old English Sheepdog are most at risk.
But it was IVDD, a spinal disc condition, that produced the most expensive single claim in the entire database, reaching an eyewatering $72,732.
This condition most commonly affects French Bulldogs, Miniature Dachshunds and Pekingese.
For cats, fracture repair was the most expensive condition on average at $4,471, followed by lymphoma at $4,327 and malignant cancer at $3,677.
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The financial breaking point for the average pet owner
Separate Finder research found the average Aussie would spend $5,545 to treat their pet before considering "economical euthanasia." This means putting a pet down because the cost of treatment is out of reach.
Dog owners said they'd go further, to $5,810, while cat owners put the figure at $4,842.
Losing a pet due to financial limitations can leave owners carrying guilt and grief long after the decision is made.
Fortunately, with a little planning, Aussies can ensure their pet gets the treatment they need without sending themselves broke.
A comprehensive pet insurance policy provides top to bottom cover against a range of scenarios, from common accidents to major illnesses.
You can compare and purchase a pet insurance policy on Finder.
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