Mon, 12 Jan 2026

Mon, 12 Jan 2026 Vets under corporate pressure to increase revenue, BBC told

Questions have been raised about whether the pet-care market is giving customers value for money.

* Prices charged by UK vets rose by 63% between 2016 and 2023, with some owners facing bills of over £13,000.
* A vet working for IVC Evidensia, one of the largest vet care providers in the UK, expressed concerns about a new monitoring system that could encourage vets to offer costly tests and treatment options.
* The vet's concerns were echoed by others who spoke to BBC Panorama, with some describing being pushed to do more tests and procedures than necessary.
* IVC Evidensia has been accused of price gouging, with one owner receiving a bill that rose from £5,000-£8,000 to £12,000 just hours before an operation was due to take place.
* The CMA's provisional findings estimated the combined cost of this to UK pet owners amounted to £900m between 2020-2024.
* Corporate vets dispute the figure and claim their prices are competitive and made freely available, with some arguing that customers value their services highly.
* The CMA is expected to publish its final report on the vet industry by the spring, which proposes improved transparency on pricing and vet ownership.
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