Specialty Veterinary Care: The Newest Trend in Veterinary Medicine

The price to keep pets in tip-top shape has soared in recent years, leaving many pet parents facing a heartbreaking dilemma, treat or retreat. But for those individuals who have embraced the safety net of pet insurance, the story has taken a delightfully different turn.

Even as veterinary bills have ballooned—with some veterinary specialties witnessing a dizzying 30-38% jump in average claim amounts between 2019 and 2024—insured pet owners are increasingly saying "yes" to advanced care. Trupanion data scientists looked at over 5.7 million veterinary claims and found significant increases in both the number of specialty veterinary care claims and the average claim amounts over the past five years.

“While price adjustments were necessary to sustain the long-term health and viability of the veterinary industry, the rising cost of care can be a significant concern for pet parents and veterinary professionals alike," said Margi Tooth, President and CEO at Trupanion. "Our data shows a notable increase in specialty care claims, demonstrating that pet parents, empowered by high-quality insurance, have continued to prioritize their pets. With every invoice paid, we're shaping the future of pet care, making it easier for pet parents to continue to access the advanced treatments their pets deserve."

Key Findings:

• Oncology and Cardiology Lead the Way in the Number of Claims: Oncology and cardiology claims have seen the most substantial growth. Oncology claims for dogs have soared by 73%, while cardiology claims for dogs have increased by 55%.
• Dentistry, Cardiology, and Oncology Claim Amounts Rise: Average claim amounts have increased substantially across all specialty care areas, with the most notable increases seen in dentistry, cardiology, and oncology.

  o    Dentistry saw significant increases in claim amounts, rising 38% and 37% for dogs and cats, respectively.

  o    Cardiology saw a significant rise in claim amounts for dogs at 34%; however, claim amounts for cats rose by 14%.

  o    Oncology saw a significant rise in claim amounts for dogs at 36%.

By the Numbers: The Rise of Specialty Veterinary Care

Dermatology Claims

Total Dermatology Claims Payout

Dentistry Claims

Total Dentistry Claims Payout

Cardiology Claims

Total Cardiology Claims Payout

Oncology Claims

Total Oncology Claims Payout

Neurology Claims

Total Neurology Claims Payout

Aging Pets and Specialized Care

Several factors may be contributing to this upward trend in Trupanion insured-pet claims for specialty veterinary care, including:

• Increased complex health issues: Pets can now live longer, healthier lives, but this increased lifespan may make them more susceptible to age-related illnesses, requiring specialized intervention. By insuring pets early and ahead of signs of illness, pet parents can ensure treatment for age-related conditions can be covered.
• Better pet insurance experiences: Optimizations in pet health insurance, including direct and immediate payments made to veterinary hospitals, have improved overall veterinary experiences, leading to retained patients with more frequent practice visits.
• Aging pet population: Approximately 52% of dog-owning households in the U.S. have a senior dog (age 7+). With the pet population aging, veterinarians will likely see more pets with age-related health conditions that require comprehensive coverage for advanced and specialized care. Most specialty care claims submitted to Trupanion are for cats and dogs 7+ years old whose owners acquired pet insurance before signs of illness.

The Future of Veterinary Care

The continual rise in specialty veterinary care among Trupanion insured-pet owners has broad implications for the veterinary industry, including:

• Greater Demand for Specialized Expertise: As pets live longer, health issues become more complex, strengthening the demand for veterinarians with specialized expertise.
• Advanced Technologies and Medicine: Spending on specialty veterinary services is increasing, and technology and medicine are being advanced to meet the needs of pet parents and veterinarians.
• Evolving Veterinary Practices: Veterinary practices are adapting to meet the growing demand for advanced care, often investing in specialized equipment, training, and diversifying services.

"The data speaks for itself: high-quality pet medical insurance is not just about managing costs; it is about investing in the health and well-being of our beloved companions and ensuring they have access to the best possible care, now and in the years to come,” said Dr. Steve Weinrauch, BVMS, MRCVS, Chief Product/Veterinary Officer at Trupanion.

Methodology

5.7 million claims were analyzed and adjusted for member growth. Data in this study is taken from December 2019 through November 2024 and includes multiple claims from individual pets. Oncology claim data for cats was excluded from due to sample size. Oncology data for dogs excludes claims from canines under 10 years old.

About Trupanion

Trupanion is the leader in medical insurance for cats and dogs throughout the United States, Canada, Europe, Puerto Rico and Australia with over 1,000,000 pets enrolled. For over two decades, Trupanion has given pet owners peace of mind so they can focus on their pet's recovery, not financial stress. Trupanion is committed to providing pet owners with the highest value in pet medical insurance with unlimited payouts for the life of their pets. With its patented process, Trupanion is the only North American provider with the technology to pay veterinarians directly in seconds at the time of checkout. Trupanion is listed on NASDAQ under the symbol "TRUP". The company was founded in 2000 and is headquartered in Seattle, WA. Trupanion policies are issued, in the United States, by its wholly-owned insurance entity American Pet Insurance Company and, in Canada, by Accelerant Insurance Company of Canada. Trupanion Australia is a partnership between Trupanion and Hollard Insurance Company. Policies are sold and administered in Canada by Canada Pet Health Insurance Services, Inc. dba Trupanion 309-1277 Lynn Valley Road, North Vancouver, BC V7J 0A2 and in the United States by Trupanion Managers USA, Inc. (CA license No. 0G22803, NPN 9588590). Canada Pet Health Insurance Services, Inc. is a registered damage insurance agency and claims adjuster in Quebec #603927. Trupanion Australia is a partnership between Trupanion and Hollard Insurance Company. For more information, please visit trupanion.com. 

About truInsights

The data presented in this report is part of Trupanion’s truInsights initiative. truInsights is a data focused initiative introduced by Trupanion and designed to deliver valuable health-related data and insights to pet parents, veterinarians and pet lovers alike. With over 20 years of pet health data, Trupanion has explored its veterinary invoice data from more than two million pets and provides details on data trends, as well as prevention tips for keeping our pets safe.