Some new data from Synchrony / Care Credit sheds light on how much dogs cost over a lifetime. The survey also summarizes where people now cut back due to the rising costs for everything dogs need. I always think these estimates are way, WAY low, but let’s take a look at the results of the 2025 Pet Lifetime of Care Study (with 1,541 dog owners responding to the online survey).
The 2025 Data Compared to 2022
The first set of data comes from 2022. The new report compares that data set to online survey results from 2025.
Overall, in answer to the question “How much do dogs cost over a lifetime?” the survey results show an 11.65% increase in the last 3 years. It feels like a lot more, doesn’t it?
People Greatly Underestimate How Much Dogs Cost
The data shows that people greatly underestimate how much dogs cost throughout their lives by as much as $14,000 to $52,000.
Over a 12.5-year anticipated lifespan, people estimate the costs to be $8,152 for that whole time. Actual costs fall between $22,125 and $60,602 over 15 years according to the survey. That means our budget planning needs to be a lot better.
Dog Budget Cuts
With costs for dogs’ needs rising pretty much across the board, the survey found that people now cut back in their spending on these things.
- Dog food
- Veterinary visits
- Supplies like toys and beds
- Grooming
As dog costs go up, spending goes up too, so when the data says that 32% of people spend more now I’m guessing that’s not by choice. The survey results show that 45% of people say their pet spending is the same, so they must be cutting back somewhere to keep that real amount steady. Some 16% of survey respondents admit to getting “more creative” with their spending, whatever that means, and another 7% say they’ve cut back.
Dog Costs Going Up
What’s interesting is that the data shows that premium dog care costs stabilized, but costs for basic dog care items increased. We talked about that recently in the context of routine tests such as dog urinalysis. Even looking back at the staggering amount we spent over 2 years trying to save our original canine heroine, Lilly, in 2012-2013, I suspect the cost of similar veterinary specialty care now is truly unimaginable.
The survey results note spending trends with arrows in the graphic below and budget cuts marked with yellow down arrows. The one that jumped out at me as not matching my reality is the down arrow for dog food. Goodness knows the cost of what we feed (nothing fancy) has gone way up. It’s going to increase even more now that we recently lost access to a great discount program through our local shelter. That means each bag of dog food is now going to cost us around $35 more, putting it close to $100 per bag (50 pounds … we have 3 dogs to feed!!) I haven’t decided what to do about that yet, but we’re on our last bag now, so I need to figure it out.
Veterinary Costs and Pet Insurance Costs Rising
There’s a clear correlation between veterinary costs rising and increased pet insurance premium costs. I cannot easily find the breakdown of our pet insurance policy costs by each dog, but we’re currently paying $337.44 per month for all 3 dogs to be insured. That’s gone up a lot over the last few years, even though I doubled our annual deductibles.
The press release I got about the 2025 Pet Lifetime of Care Study says, “Wellness and insurance on the rise: Dog owners are increasingly investing in pet health insurance ($198–$313 per year) and wellness plans ($422–$701 per year), mirroring a broader societal shift toward proactive health and wellness – now extending to their pets.”
Honestly, I laughed at those pet insurance numbers as way, way, way low compared to our reality or that of our friends. That’s gotta be a bare bones policy or something people *think is insurance but really isn’t.
It’s a Worry, For Sure
If you want to learn more about how other pet lovers cope with rising costs of pet care and supplies, I encourage you to read the whole study. Especially when facing a veterinary emergency or big surgery or lengthy treatments out of the blue, people end up having to rely on friends, family, credit cards, and other options for coming up with the money.
“Pet care expenses, whether planned or unexpected, can create real financial pressure for families. Our 2025 Pet Lifetime of Care Study revealed that the lifetime cost of dog ownership can reach nearly $61,000. This trend is influenced by several factors, including advanced veterinary technologies, which deliver better outcomes for our beloved companions, but contribute to higher costs.” – – Jonathan Wainberg, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Synchrony
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