Rise and fall

Orlando, Fla. — The majority of pet owners question the need for regular veterinary care.

That's according new data just released from 2,000 dog and cat owners in the Bayer Veterinary Care Usage Study conducted by the National Commission of Veterinary Economic Issues, Brakke Consulting and Bayer Animal Health.

The data should make every veterinarian sit up and take notice, says John Volk of Brakke Consulting.

Consider these results:

• 63 percent of dog owners and 68 percent of cat owners question the need for regular veterinary care.

• Older pets see the veterinarian far less frequently than younger pets.

• One-third of cats have not been to the veterinarian in the past year.

• Many pet owners find the costs of care higher than they expected.

"The need for routine veterinary care is simply not well understood by pet owners," Volk says.

Other causes for the decline in visits included greater access to veterinary care, Internet research, rising costs of care, the recession and resistance from cat owners.