Vet bills can be five times higher for pet owners in the Home Counties

A POSTCODE lottery means pet owners pay vets up to five times more for the same procedure in different regions of the UK.

Data covering the cost of common medical treatments for cats and dogs revealed price differences of hundreds of pounds to treat identical conditions in different regions.

On average, owners can expect to pay £617.11 to remove a foreign object swallowed by a cat or dog. However, those living in Doncaster, South Yorks, will be charged the cheapest vet fees in the UK for this, at just £463, compared to almost double the price (£919) for the same treatment in Southend-on-sea, Essex.

The bill for arthritis treatment can be as low as £39 in Dumfries, Scotland, or as high as £187 in Watford, Herts.

And the cost of treating diabetes varies from £444 in St Albans, Herts, to just £96 in Leeds, West Yorks.

Average bills for all treatments are highest in London, at £268, and lowest in Scotland, at £137. Bills were found to be on average higher in the south of England and lower in the West Midlands and the North.

The Association of British Insurers (ABI) has found that one in three pets need some form of veterinary treatment at least once every three years.

The average pet insurance claim is for £720, according to the ABI. Most policies are taken out for cats and dogs.

Long-running treatment, such as chemotherapy, can cost thousands of pounds.

Megan Jerred, a non-practising vet from Animal Friends, a pet insurer, which carried out the research, said: “Not only are vet fees increasing year on year, but they are generally unregulated.

“Prices can vary depending on the location and standard of the veterinary practice.”

Larger or exotic pets can also incur more significant fees, she added.

Gudrun Ravetz, the president of the British Veterinary Association, said: “Anyone who has owned an animal will agree that it is an important responsibility and, with no NHS for animals, owning a pet will cost tens of thousands of pounds over its lifetime.

“As with any service, costs vary from London to Loch Ness and no two pets, or their treatment plans, will be the same. During a veterinary consultation, there will be a two-way discussion about the treatment options available and the potential costs involved so that clients can make a decision that is right for them and their pet in collaboration with their vet.”

One in four of Britain’s 16.5 million pets are insured, meaning the majority of owners pay for treatment themselves.