Angry About The Cost of Veterinary Care? So Are We

Tell Us What You ThinkThe veterinary industry is changing fast, and Dr. Angie Krause and veterinary nurse JoJo are not afraid to say how they feel about it. In this episode, they get honest about why pet care keeps getting more expensive, what corporate consolidation and mergers like MWI and Covetrus mean for your local vet clinic, and how brands like Chewy are reshaping the industry in severely impactful ways. It is a conversation about what is happening to veterinary professionals trying to stay independent and to pet parents trying to keep up, and what you can actually do about it. Key TakeawaysCorporate and private equity ownership of US veterinary clinics jumped from 8 percent in 2011 to 50 percent in 2025Vet costs have risen 60 percent since 2014, pushing pet insurance from optional to functionally necessaryThe proposed MWI Covetrus merger, under FTC investigation, would give one company control of 75 percent of veterinary supply distributionChewy's $49.99 dollar telehealth consults can prescribe medication without a physical exam, straining the relationship between pet parents and their regular vetSome corporate wellness plan contracts continue billing pet parents after their pet has diedZoetis faces two lawsuits: one from shareholders over undisclosed product losses, one from an Oregon veterinary hospital alleging its VETSCAN Imagyst AI tool misdiagnosed a mass that turned out to be fatal cancerAI tools in note taking, radiology, and diagnostics are becoming standard, raising questions about how new veterinarians will learn to build differentials on their ownLifetime cost of pet ownership: 22,000 to 60,000 dollars for a dog, 20,000 to 47,000 dollars for a catDr. Angie and JoJo recommend pet insurance, filling prescriptions locally when possible, and supporting independently owned clinicsSoundbites" I felt like, okay, it's up to us to evolve or die."  — Dr. Angie "Like it's just contractual, it's not human."  — JoJo"It definitely feels like a knife in the back."  — Dr. Angie "I'm like Chewy is Voldemort."  — JoJo"What I wanna say is try to get care at non corporate veterinary clinics."  — Dr. Angie "I just want to really acknowledge that the industry is changing. You're not imagining that."  — JoJoFollow us on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok and YouTubeSchedule your personalized one-on-one consultation with Dr. Angie Shop my favorite CBD.Please subscribe and review! xoxo Dr. Angie & JoJo