Pet insurance essential for pedigree dogs

Pedigree dogs can cost their owners 15 per cent more in vets’ fees than mixed breed dogs, which makes pet insurance even more important to avoid expensive bills, says new research from Saga .

The insurance provider revealed that the average vet bill for a dog is £309.28, but the costs can be a lot higher and even run into thousands of pounds for ongoing conditions, with owners of pedigree dogs paying higher bills than those with mongrel breeds .

Recently, a documentary by the BBC, Pedigree Dogs Exposed, showed that as a result of inbreeding, pedigree canines often suffer from genetic diseases . This is usually as a result of the value being placed on aesthetics rather than the dogs health, especially for those which are being entered to compete in dog shows.

“Every pet owner knows that the cost of keeping a dog is high, but it is sad to see that costs for pedigree dogs have escalated due to inbreeding.” commented Andrew Goodsell, chief executive of the Saga Group Ltd.

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