2025 Pet Care and Wellness

• Pet owners can share bacteria with their pets – and vice versa, which can increase the risk of antimicrobial resistance on each side. 

• Antimicrobial resistance happens when bacteria and other germs stop responding to the medications meant to kill them, making infections harder to treat. 

• Pet owners are always encouraged to consult their vets with any questions about antibiotics, medication, or signs of infection in their pets. 

If you’re cuddling with your cat or dog right now, you might be surprised to learn you’re also sharing something invisible: bacteria.

Researchers from the Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University have explained that people and their pets often swap tiny microorganisms — called “flora” — through everyday contact. 

These microbes live on the skin, in the gut, and around the home. When either you or your pet takes antibiotics or other antimicrobial medications, it can change the balance of those microorganisms. 

This means that if your pet carries drug-resistant bacteria, there's a chance you might end up carrying them too. This also means that when an infection develops — for either you or your pet — antimicrobial resistance may be more likely for one or both of you. 

Why it matters

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a growing public health concern. It happens when bacteria and other germs stop responding to the medications meant to kill them, making infections harder to treat. 

While the problem has been closely tracked in hospitals for years — where strict rules are in place to limit unnecessary antibiotic use — pet care hasn’t caught up.That’s beginning to change.

Experts at the Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine are leading efforts to improve how antibiotics are used in pets. Their goal? To stop the spread of resistance before it becomes an even bigger threat.

“We know antibiotic use in animals can cause resistance to develop in them, which can be shared with their owners and the environment, and the same can happen if antibiotics are used in people with pets,” Claire Fellman, D.V.M., Ph.D., said in a news release.

“We have to be mindful of antimicrobial use and resistance across species.”

What can pet owners do?

No pet owner wants to willingly increase health risks or complications with their pets. To help lower the risk of AMR, Lindsey Veterinary Center shared some of the top ways pet owners can help prevent antibiotic resistance: 

• Follow directions with antibiotics. Pet owners should give their pets the entire course of antibiotics when they’re prescribed – even if symptoms have gone away. 

• See your vet regularly. Preventative veterinary care can help lower the risk of serious infections or any other health concerns. Your vet can also catch any potential infections early when you bring your pet in for regular check-ups. 

• Hygiene is key. Keeping your home clean and sticking to regular grooming with your pets can help lower the risk of infection. Pet owners are also encouraged to wash their hands after handling their pets – especially if they’re sick. 

Bottom Line

The next time your vet prescribes antibiotics for your pet, ask questions. Just like in human medicine, it’s important to use these drugs only when truly necessary. 

After all, when it comes to germs, your furry best friend is closer to you than you might think.

Like nearly everything else, the costs for having a dog or cat have been rising fast.

The average yearly cost for having a dog is $3,343 and $1,963 for cats in 2025, up from $3,113 and $1,788, respectively, in 2024, according to Rover, an app where people can arrange for pet care and other services, which surveyed 1,000 U.S. pet owners.

Pet costs have risen significantly in recent years after inflation: In 2023, the average yearly cost for raising a dog was $2,083 and $963 for cats.

Nearly half of respondents said they worry about the rising cost of pet care over their animal's lifetime.

Over a 10-year lifetime, average costs are $34,258 for dogs and $36,123 for cats as of 2025, Rover said.

"While the lifetime costs of a pet can potentially be overwhelming, the average healthy dog or cat can live for a decade or more, and the love and companionship they provide is priceless," said Dr. Rebecca Greenstein, Rover Pet People panelist and owner of the Kleinburg Veterinary Hospital, in the report. 

The biggest expense? Pet food and treats, according to 66% of survey respondents.

Still, 34% of respondents said their spending on pets would be one of the last areas they cut if expenses were tight, showing how people are devoted to their animals.

Inflation and tariffs are also worrying many pet parents.

Some 48% said they are concerned that tariffs will raise prices for their pet expenses and a separate 31% said the cost of pet items appear to be rising faster than other household or personal care items.

But there is soome positive news: Costs for adopting a dog or cat, including vaccines and neutering, dropped 19% for dogs and 16% for cats in 2025.

"Adopting from a shelter is the most budget-friendly way to welcome a pet into the family," Rover said.

How to save money on pets

Survey respondents and Rover said there a few ways to save money raising a cat or dog:

• Subscriptions: There are various websites that offer low-cst subscriptions to treats and toys.
• Set budget: Track expenses for pets and maintain a monthly budget.
• Savings: Set aside money for potential emergencies.
• Pet insurance: Insuring pets for medical emergencies is a good idea to save costs in the long run. On average, pet insurance costs $53.34 per month for dogs and $32.25 for cats, according to the North American Pet Insurance Association. (ConsumerAffairs has reviews of pet insurance here.)
• Dry food: Switching from fresh to dry dog food can save up to $3,000 a year, resulting in a 78% decrease in costs for dog food, Rover said.
• Local community: There are often organizations that offer used pet items, such as ramps, cat trees and orthopedic beds, and lower-cost veterinary services.
• Online meds: It is generally cheaper to buy pet medications online.

Auto and homeowner aren't the only type of insurance that's in growing demand and price. Pet insurance is also getting pricer.

There's more demand because pet owners are facing high vet bills and are turning to pet insurance, making it a booming industry.

In 2024, pet insurance premiums reached $3.4 billion by September and likely totaled $4.5 billion by year-end, according to a new market report.

Why Pet Insurance is Expanding

• Vet Costs Are Rising: Veterinary prices increased 8.24% from 2023 to 2024, following similar jumps in previous years.
• More Pets: U.S. households now own 87.9 million dogs and 73.8 million cats, increasing demand for vet care.
• Strong Growth: Pet insurance premiums have more than doubled since 2019, with at least 20% annual growth.

Market Insights

• 10 Companies Dominate: The top 10 pet insurers control 90% of the market.
• Profitability Varies: Some insurers are profitable, while others struggle with high claims costs.
• Nationwide’s Policy Drop: The largest U.S. pet insurer, Nationwide, cut 100,000 pet policies due to rising veterinary costs.

Different animals, different rates

But just like with homeowners and auto insurance, rising vet bills are causing premiums to rise. While some industry estimates put the average rate increase at $1 a month each year for dogs and 50 cents for cats, that doesn't tell the whole story.

Rates are based on the pet's age, since older animals may have more healthcare needs. Also, rates could be higher for some breeds.

While many pet owners will tell you that having insurance on their pet saved a lot of money, you should ask the same sort of questions you would when shopping for any type of insurance. The California Department of Insurance offers these questions:

• Does the coverage offered have exclusion for preexisting conditions? If so, what exclusions? 
• Does the coverage exclude costs for treatment of a hereditary disorder?
• Does the coverage exclude costs for a congenital anomaly or disorder, which means a condition that is present from birth?
• Is there a deductible or coinsurance clause that causes any claim reimbursement to be reduced by a set amount? 
• Will the renewal premium be increased if a claim is made? If so, by how much?
• Is there a basis for reimbursement or formula for payment for veterinary services other than the actual amount of the billed services? 

Pet owners now have a new online resource that can help them save money. 

GoodRx, a company known for offering consumers coupons and discounts on prescription drugs, has a new arm of its company specifically for pets – GoodRx for Pets. 

The new platform will allow pet owners to access deep discounts on some of the most popular pet medications, as well as simplify the process of getting prescriptions for your pets. 

"Pet owners have been using GoodRx for years to save on medications for their beloved pets for conditions like anxiety and seizures - to the tune of several million prescriptions per year,” said Aaron Crittenden, SVP of Rx Marketplace at GoodRx. 

“It's a pretty strong signal of value when people use your platform for something you haven't actively pursued. So, we decided to build a focused experience for pet owners with a broader range of medications, more savings, and easy access through both pharmacies and home delivery. We're excited about what GoodRx for Pets can do for American households over time."

Helping pet owners save money

The primary goal of GoodRx for Pets is to help pet owners save money on their pets’ medications. The company is offering significant discounts on medications for some of the most common conditions for dogs, cats, and other pets – allergies, pain, seizures, diabetes, anxiety, and more. 

Pet owners can skip going through their vet’s office and instead have the prescriptions filled at their local pharmacy or have them delivered to their doors. The vet’s office will have to supply its DEA number, which the pharmacy will need to fill the prescription. From there, the orders will be all set. 

If the medication is pet-specific and a traditional pharmacy doesn’t carry it, pet owners can still utilize GoodRx for Pets. With the help of the e-commerce platform Allivet, consumers can search for any medication on GoodRx for Pets and have it delivered. 

The site will also allow pet owners to do a side-by-side comparison of different medication prices to help consumers make the choice that best fits their budgets.  

Additionally, pet owners can find health and wellness resources for their animals through GoodRx for Pets. The collection of expert articles and videos is designed to help pet owners learn more about giving their pets the highest quality of care.

Food that is perfectly fine for people can be poison for pets, meaning pet owners need to be mindful of their pet’s environment. The Pet Poison Helpline has unveiled its annual list of the Top 10 Pet Poisons of 2024, highlighting the most common toxins that pose a threat to household pets. 

The list is based on data from actual calls received by the helpline. The list underscores the ongoing risks associated with everyday substances that pets may encounter.

"Although there are thousands of potential toxins, some items rise to the top of the list every year,” said Dr. Renee Schmid, a senior veterinary toxicologist and director of Veterinary Medicine at Pet Poison Helpline. “This year's lists for dogs and cats are very similar to 2023, but the order has changed slightly, and the differences between dogs and cats continue to be significant."

Top threats

For dogs, the top culprits include:

1. Chocolate

2. Grapes/Raisins

3. Bromethalin (a rodenticide)

4. Xylitol

5. Ibuprofen

6. Marijuana (THC)

7. Anticoagulant Rodenticides

8. Vitamin D3 (overdose)

9. Carprofen (overdose)

10. Onions/Chives/Leeks/Shallots (Allium species)

Schmid highlighted a notable shift, with bromethalin moving up two places from fifth to third, and carprofen advancing from tenth to ninth. The latter is often due to accidental ingestion or overdose rather than therapeutic use.

For cats, the list differs significantly:

1. Lilies (Lilium species)

2. Chocolate

3. Onions/Chives/Leeks/Shallots (Allium species)

4. Garlic

5. Ibuprofen

6. Alstroemeria, Peruvian Lily

7. Vitamin D3 (overdose)

8. Amphetamine Combos

9. Carprofen

10. Tulips

"Lilies pose an extreme danger to cats, whereas chocolate is the biggest temptation for dogs," Schmid explained, reflecting the distinct differences in the lists for each species.

Don’t let your dog use marijuana

Marijuana remains a significant concern for dog owners, with a 430% increase in THC-related calls from 2019 to 2023. Although there was a 24.7% decrease in marijuana-related calls in 2024 compared to the previous year, it still ranks sixth on the dog list. Schmid attributes this decline to increased educational outreach about the dangers of THC exposure.

"Even if you don't use marijuana, your pet can still be exposed," Schmid warned. "We've seen cases where dogs have ingested a neighbor's pot brownies or a visitor's THC-infused treat without the owner's knowledge. Dogs are far more likely to be attracted to marijuana than cats."

This annual report serves as a crucial reminder for pet owners to remain vigilant about potential toxins in their pets' environments and to seek immediate veterinary assistance if exposure is suspected.