Sainsbury's Finance is warning pet owners thinking about cutting back on insurance that vet fees have 'risen sharply' over the past few years.
Pet owners should make sure their animals are insured - or they could face some hefty vet bills, a cover provider has warned.
Joanne Mallon, Sainsbury's Pet Insurance manager, warned that there has been a sharp rise in vet fees over recent years. However, the firm has conducted research which shows that almost half a million people have cancelled their pet insurance policies to save money during the recession.
Ms Mallon warned that this group was "leaving themselves exposed to some very large bills".
The rising cost of vet fees was highlighted in a report last month from rival insurer More Than. According to the firm's research, an average medium-sized dog will need to have £10,039 spent on it during its lifetime to make sure it is healthy - and that this figure does not include any unplanned visits to the vet.
Petplan also reported on the rising trend for people to reduce their pet insurance spend and warned that conditions such as glaucoma have been on the increase, being responsible for a large number of claims last year. Treatment for this condition can cost more than £1,000 - leaving owners seriously out of pocket if they do not have cover.
