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Home / Equine Research Bank / Front Vet Sci / Prices for veterinary care of dogs, cats, and horses in Swed...
Frontiers in veterinary science2025; 12; 1544996; doi: 10.3389/fvets.2025.1544996

Prices for veterinary care of dogs, cats, and horses in Sweden and Norway: comparisons between corporate chain, government-run, and independent clinics.

Abstract: In a 10-15-year period, veterinary clinics in Sweden and Norway, as elsewhere, have undergone widespread corporatisation. High veterinary care costs have received attention in the lay press and from competition authorities. Whether corporate chains and independent clinics differ in price levels and how clinic characteristics, such as on-call service, affect pricing is not well-documented. The aim was to analyse prices levels and price changes for various diagnoses/procedures for dogs, cats, and horses from clinics in Norway and Sweden and to examine the influence of affiliation (corporate chain, government-run, or independent), extraction date, and clinic characteristics (e.g., on-call service) on prices. Unassigned: Data from a price comparison site were extracted five times between 2 January 2023 and 2 January 2024. Prices for procedures such as vaccinations, gonadectomy, euthanasia, emergency care, diagnostic imaging, certification, and planned surgery were included. Descriptive statistics and mixed models were used to analyse effects of affiliation (Anicura, The Swedish District Vet Officers (DV), Dyrenes venn, Empet, Evidensia, Vettris, and independent), clinic characteristics (animal hospital or not, on-call service, and number of hours open Mon-Fri), and extraction date. Unassigned: Prices were analysed for 37 procedures (16 dogs, 11cats, and 10 horses) from 771 clinics, of which 502 (65%) were independent. Most clinics with corporate affiliation belonged to Evidensia and Anicura. In statistically significant comparisons, their prices were generally higher than those from the independent group. For Anicura, the median annual price increase (in Euro) was 8%, DV 5%, Dyrenes venn 53%, Empet 12%, Evidensia 15%, Vettris 7%, and the independent group 6%. Multivariable results generally corroborated the descriptive figures. Unassigned: Targeting a range of procedures in two nearby countries, veterinary care prices varied with country, clinic characteristics, and affiliation. Clinics belonging to corporate chains charged higher prices than independent clinics. Most prices increased over the year. Possible reasons for the differences between clinics are investments in equipment or number of staff, expenditure on continued education of staff, or different demands for profit. Increased price transparency within veterinary care might reduce the impact of high prices and perhaps also limit price increases.
Copyright © 2025 Egenvall, Valle, Hoffman, Höglund, Byström, Lönnell and Bonnett.
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Publication Date: 2025-04-17 PubMed ID: 40313629PubMed Central: PMC12045027DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2025.1544996Google Scholar: Lookup
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Summary

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Overview

  • This study analyzed veterinary care prices for dogs, cats, and horses in Sweden and Norway, comparing corporate chain clinics, government-run clinics, and independent clinics.
  • The research investigated price differences across clinic types, price changes over time, and how clinic characteristics influenced pricing.

Background and Purpose

  • Over the past 10-15 years, veterinary clinics in Sweden and Norway have increasingly undergone corporatisation, with more clinics affiliating with corporate chains.
  • There has been public and regulatory concern about the high costs of veterinary care.
  • However, it was unclear whether prices differ based on the type of clinic affiliation—corporate chains, government-run, or independent—and how other factors like on-call service affect these prices.
  • The study aimed to fill this knowledge gap by analyzing prices for various veterinary procedures and diagnoses over time and across clinic categories.

Data and Methods

  • Price data were collected from a veterinary price comparison website at five time points between January 2023 and January 2024.
  • Procedures analyzed included vaccinations, gonadectomy (spaying/neutering), euthanasia, emergency care, diagnostic imaging, certifications, and planned surgeries.
  • The data covered 771 clinics: 502 (65%) were independent, with others belonging to corporate chains such as Evidensia and Anicura, as well as government-run entities like The Swedish District Vet Officers (DV), and other groups like Dyrenes venn, Empet, and Vettris.
  • Statistical analyses included descriptive statistics to summarize price levels and mixed models to evaluate the effects of clinic affiliation, clinic characteristics (animal hospital status, on-call service availability, hours open), and date of data extraction on prices.

Findings: Price Levels and Variation

  • Prices were examined for 37 different procedures: 16 for dogs, 11 for cats, and 10 for horses.
  • Most statistically significant results showed that clinics affiliated with corporate chains (especially Evidensia and Anicura) had higher prices compared to independent clinics.
  • Government-run clinics and smaller chains showed variable prices, sometimes closer to independent clinics.
  • Clinic features like being an animal hospital, offering on-call service, or more open hours also influenced prices.

Findings: Price Changes Over Time

  • The median annual percentage price increase varied across affiliations:
    • Anicura: 8%
    • Swedish District Vet Officers (DV): 5%
    • Dyrenes venn: 53% (notably high, possibly due to smaller sample or specific changes)
    • Empet: 12%
    • Evidensia: 15%
    • Vettris: 7%
    • Independent clinics: 6%
  • These rates indicate that prices are generally rising across all clinic types, with corporate-affiliated clinics often increasing prices faster than independents.

Interpretations and Implications

  • The higher prices at corporate chain clinics may be due to multiple factors, including:
    • Greater investment in medical equipment
    • Larger or more specialized staff
    • Expenditure on ongoing professional education
    • Different profit margin expectations
  • Price transparency, such as that provided by comparison websites and research like this, could help reduce price disparities and limit excessive price increases.
  • The findings highlight the need for owners to consider clinic type and services offered when seeking veterinary care, especially given the rising costs.
  • Regulators and competition authorities might also use this data to monitor pricing practices and promote fair competition in veterinary services.

Cite This Article

APA
Egenvall A, Valle PS, Hoffman R, Höglund OV, Byström A, Lönnell C, Bonnett BN. (2025). Prices for veterinary care of dogs, cats, and horses in Sweden and Norway: comparisons between corporate chain, government-run, and independent clinics. Front Vet Sci, 12, 1544996. https://doi.org/10.3389/fvets.2025.1544996

Publication

Frontiers in veterinary science
ISSN: 2297-1769
NlmUniqueID: 101666658
Country: Switzerland
Language: English
Volume: 12
Pages: 1544996
PII: 1544996

Researcher Affiliations

Egenvall, Agneta
  • Department of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Husbandry, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden.
Valle, Paul S
  • Spillfree Analysis AS, Trondheim, Norway.
Hoffman, Ruben
  • Department of Economics, Faculty of Natural Resources and Agricultural Sciences, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden.
Höglund, Odd V
  • Department of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Husbandry, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden.
Byström, Anna
  • Department of Animal Environment and Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Husbandry, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden.
Lönnell, Cecilia
  • Tequi, Stockholm, Sweden.
Bonnett, Brenda N
  • B Bonnett Consulting, Georgian Bluffs, ON, Canada.

Conflict of Interest Statement

PV was employed by Spillfree Analysis AS. CL was employed by Tequi. BB was employed by B Bonnett Consulting. The remaining authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

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Citations

This article has been cited 1 times.
  1. Egenvall A, Enlund KB, Holmquist T, Rosenquist M. A survey on opinions, perceptions and attitudes of Swedish veterinarians-the Swedish veterinary disciplinary board.. Front Vet Sci 2025;12:1732118.
    doi: 10.3389/fvets.2025.1732118pubmed: 41585520google scholar: lookup
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