TL;DR: More than 50% of pet owners skipped needed veterinary care in the past year because of cost (Synchrony / Encore Vet, 2025)—a deferred-care crisis that makes payment plans and pet insurance strategic imperatives for the industry.
deferred vet care explained
A striking 2025 finding: over half of pet owners delayed or skipped veterinary care their animals needed in the prior year, citing cost (Synchrony / Encore Vet, 2025). This is not a niche behavior—it is a majority-market gap with consequences for pet health, veterinary practice economics, and the business models of insurers, retailers, and clinics. As wages and pet-population growth strain budgets, affordability infrastructure (insurance, wellness plans, financing) becomes the differentiator between care delivered and care deferred.
The headline: >50% skipped needed vet care
Synchrony and Encore Vet (2025) report that more than 50% of owners skipped or deferred veterinary care they considered necessary in the past 12 months, with cost as the primary barrier. This is among the most consequential demand-side facts in the 2025 pet market.
What “deferred care” means
- Skipping annual wellness exams.
- Delaying diagnostics for symptoms.
- Declining recommended procedures (dental, surgery).
- Substituting Dr. Google or treats for professional care.
- Postponing chronic-disease management.
Why owners defer: the cost stack
Rising vet prices
Veterinary care has outpaced general inflation in many markets, driven by advanced diagnostics, specialist access, and consolidated practice ownership.
The US vet shortage
The US recorded 243 veterinary shortage areas in 2025—a record (AVMA / USDA, 2025)—which tightens supply and pushes prices up precisely as demand grows.
Debt and burnout
Veterinary student debt exceeds $180k, driving attrition and reinforcing the shortage (AVMA, 2025). Industry stress averages 6.6/10, with 78% citing insufficient mental-health resources (Provet Cloud, 2025)—a workforce under strain that cannot simply expand capacity.
No financial buffer
Unlike human care, pet care has no broad public payer; owners bear 100% out of pocket. Without insurance, a single emergency can mean a heartbreaking choice.
The consequences of deferred care
For pets
Delayed care worsens outcomes: minor issues become emergencies, chronic disease goes unmanaged, and preventable suffering rises.
For practices
- Lost revenue from skipped visits.
- Ethical stress on vets forced to discuss cost trade-offs.
- Reactive, not preventive caseload—less efficient medicine.
For the industry
Deferred care is suppressed demand. Unlocking it requires affordability mechanisms, not just more clinics.
The strategic answers: insurance and payment plans
Pet insurance
The global pet insurance market reached $14.2B in 2025 (Global Market Insights, 2025) at a 12.8% CAGR toward $46.8B by 2035. Insurance converts unpredictable emergencies into manageable premiums. Scaled players show the model works: Trupanion hit $1.44B revenue in 2025 (Insurance Business Mag, 2025), and Spot grew +1,656% over three years (Spot Pet Insurance, 2025). Yet penetration remains low in many markets, leaving most owners exposed.
Wellness plans and memberships
Chewy’s Chewy+ membership (~3% of sales, 2025) and clinic push (18 clinics, Chewy, 2025) bundle preventive care into recurring fees—directly attacking the deferred-care gap. See our Chewy clinics analysis.
Financing
Synchrony itself is a pet-financing provider; point-of-care credit and installment plans let owners say “yes” to needed care immediately and pay over time.
Vet telehealth
Vet telehealth is projected at $20.5B in 2025, growing 25.1% to $52.2B by 2029 (Global Market Insights, 2025). Lower-cost remote triage can catch issues early and reduce unnecessary ER visits—though it cannot replace hands-on care.
The humanization paradox
Owners deeply love their pets—43.6% prioritize pet food health over their own (Pride and Groom, 2025)—yet >50% still skip care on cost. The gap between emotional commitment and financial capacity is the central tension of the 2025 market. Affordability tools are how the industry reconciles the two.
How this connects to 2025 themes
- Functional treats (soft-chew 42%, NIQ, 2025) may be used as affordable self-care substitutes—risky if they replace vet visits (functional treats).
- Chewy’s med-pharm-insurance loop is a direct structural response to deferred care.
- Vet shortage / burnout (AVMA, Provet Cloud, 2025) limits the supply side of any solution.
- Pet insurance growth is the demand-side unlock.
Risks and limitations of the insurance answer
- Pre-existing exclusions: Most plans exclude conditions present before enrollment, so owners must buy early (Synchrony / Encore Vet context aligns with Quora/Reddit insurance threads).
- Premium affordability: Insurance itself is a recurring cost some deferrers cannot add.
- Awareness gaps: Many owners do not know insurance exists or misunderstand it.
- Underwriting friction: Claims processes can deter use.
What the industry should do
- Bundle insurance at point of sale (breeders, shelters, retailers).
- Normalize wellness plans as preventive, not luxury.
- Expand telehealth triage to filter true emergencies.
- Transparent pricing to build trust and reduce sticker shock.
- Workforce investment to ease the 243-area shortage (AVMA / USDA, 2025).
What to watch in 2025–2027
- Insured-pet penetration rising from low bases.
- Employer/retailer insurance bundles launching.
- Telehealth adoption narrowing deferred-care rates.
- Legislation on vet pricing transparency.
The role of employers and shelters
Surrender prevention
A leading cause of pet surrender is unaffordable care. Clinics, insurers, and nonprofits that subsidize or finance emergency care directly reduce surrender rates—a social return that also builds brand loyalty.
Shelter and breeder insurance bundles
Enrolling a pet in insurance at adoption or purchase—often with a free first month—builds the early-insurance habit that avoids later pre-existing exclusions. This is the single highest-leverage intervention against deferred care.
Employer benefits
Just as pet-friendly workplace policies spread, pet insurance as an employee benefit is emerging. Group plans lower premiums and normalize coverage, attacking the awareness and affordability gaps simultaneously.
The telehealth bridge
Triage before the ER
Vet telehealth ($20.5B in 2025, 25.1% CAGR to $52.2B by 2029, Global Market Insights, 2025) lets owners get a professional read before committing to an in-person visit. Used well, it catches emergencies early and deflects non-urgent cases—lowering cost and anxiety.
Limits and trust
Telehealth cannot replace hands-on diagnostics, and owners must understand its boundaries. Over-reliance could deepen deferred care if it substitutes for necessary in-person treatment.
A 2025 action framework for the industry
| Lever | Mechanism | Owner impact |
|---|---|---|
| Insurance | Spread cost over time | Enables “yes” to care |
| Wellness plan | Preventive bundled fee | Removes sticker shock |
| Financing | Installment at checkout | Immediate care, later pay |
| Telehealth | Low-cost triage | Early intervention |
| Workforce | More vets, less burnout | More capacity, lower price |
The throughline: affordability infrastructure converts deferred demand into delivered care—the defining commercial opportunity of the 2025 pet market.
Related reading
- Chewy’s veterinary clinic and membership push
- The US veterinary shortage in 2025
- Global pet insurance market size
FAQ
What share of pet owners defer vet care?
Synchrony and Encore Vet (2025) found more than 50% of owners skipped needed veterinary care in the past year due to cost.
Why do owners skip needed vet visits?
Primary drivers are cost, a US vet shortage (243 areas in 2025, AVMA / USDA, 2025), high student debt, and lack of financial buffers since pet care has no public payer.
How can deferred vet care be reduced?
Pet insurance ($14.2B global market, 2025, Global Market Insights), wellness memberships, point-of-care financing, and vet telehealth ($20.5B, 2025) all improve affordability.
Does pet insurance actually help?
Yes—scaled insurers prove the model (Trupanion $1.44B revenue 2025, Insurance Business Mag, 2025), but owners must enroll early to avoid pre-existing exclusions.
How does deferred care connect to other 2025 trends?
It drives Chewy’s clinic/membership loop, fuels insurance growth, and intersects with functional-treat substitution and the vet shortage—making affordability the industry’s central fix.
Sources
- Synchrony / Encore Vet (2025): >50% of owners skipped needed vet care in the past year on cost.
- AVMA / USDA (2025): 243 veterinary shortage areas, a record; student debt >$180k.
- Provet Cloud (2025): Vet industry stress 6.6/10; 78% see insufficient mental-health resources.
- Global Market Insights (2025): Pet insurance $14.2B, 12.8% CAGR to $46.8B by 2035; vet telehealth $20.5B→$52.2B.
- Insurance Business Mag (2025): Trupanion 2025 revenue $1.44B.
- Spot Pet Insurance (2025): +1,656% three-year growth; Inc. 5000 #233.
- Chewy (2025): 18 clinics; Chewy+ ~3% of sales.
- Chewy IR (2025): 2025 net sales $12.6B; Autoship 83.3%.
- NIQ (2025): Supplement soft-chew format 42%.
- Pride and Groom (2025): 43.6% of owners prioritize pet food health over their own.
