Many consumers have wrestled with unexpected medical expenses, but there's a good chance they weren't all for human care. Veterinary bills can be costly, and some pets can cost more than others to treat. Forbes recently released a ranking of the most expensive dog and cat breeds, based on the cost of pet insurance claims per vet visit.
The study also looked at pet insurance and which companies might be a fit for consumers based on deductibles, benefits, extras, wellness coverage, and more. If footing a pricey vet bill could upend your finances, pet insurance might be a safeguard worth considering. Among the companies offering insurance for pets that Forbes reviewed were Pets Best, Petco, ASPCA, Lemonade, and more.
If you're wondering which breeds are cheapest at the vet, when it comes to dogs, the Australian labradoodle had the least costly medical bills ($226), followed by the miniature goldendoodle ($230), and shichon ($241), according to Forbes. For cats, Burmese ($216) was the breed with the lowest treatment costs, followed by Himalayan ($287) and Persian ($317).
Top 10 Cat Breeds With the Highest Vet Bills
- Siberian forest, $457
- Bengal, $404
- Mixed-breed medium hair, $403
- Mixed-breed longhair, $397
- Ragdoll, $381
- Mixed-breed shorthair, $386
- American shorthair, $376
- Maine coon, $374
- Russian blue, $369
- Domestic medium hair, $35
Top 10 Dog Breeds With the Highest Vet Bills
- Greater Swiss mountain dog, $425
- Rottweiler, $401
- Dogue de Bordeaux, $395
- Cane Corso, $386
- American bulldog, $376
- Irish wolfhound, $375
- American Staffordshire terrier, $373
- Mixed extra-large breeds (111 pounds or more), $368
- Bernese mountain, $367
- Belgian malinois and bull mastiff (tied), $366