Senior cat's new vet recommends $12k operation for a sprained leg, then a second opinion from the family vet sparks questions about corporate vet care: 'It's a money making machine'

Blake Seidel • Managing Editor & Brand Manager

Sep 13, 2026 9:30 AM EDT

Shouldn't the one place that's about taking care of your pets actually be about pet health and not solely focused on money?

It's a fact that nearly everything is more expensive now than it was 20 years ago. That's just the way the cookie crumbles, and we have to deal with it. This change in our society has led to many more changes, like people having kids later, renting property instead of buying, and as a result, adopting more pets instead of children. For example, my parents had their first baby at 27, which was when I got my second cat. I'm still working on the kid part, but that's a story for a different article.

So, if more people are adopting cats and dogs, that must mean that it's cheaper to do so, right?

Wrong.

Vet costs have also gone up in the last 5 years, and one of the big reasons is because a lot of veterinary practices and medical centers started getting bought by private equity-backed corporations. One statistic states that these corporate consolidators now control roughly a quarter of primary-care practices and three-quarters of specialty and emergency practices in the US. Do you think that these mega corporations care about the health of your pets? No. They care about money and thus, have changed a lot of vet practices from health-focused to profit-focused.

This whole topic exploded on X a few days ago after a cat pawrent took their senior cat to a new vet practice for a sprained leg, where the vet suggested a $12,000 operation. Surprised by this recommendation, they decided to get a second opinion from their family vet, who had been practicing for nearly 30 years in their community. This vet's advice? Rest and supplements for about 3 months.

Have you had any experiences recently with your vet where you felt like they were more focused on making money than the health of your pet? Let me know in the comments!

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Female vet comforts a senior cat during a check up
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There is a growing feeling among Americans that getting medical care requires you to be your own doctor, accountant, insurance expurrt, and occasionally, a detective. That distrust increasingly extends beyond our own healthcare and to the people taking care of our pets as well.
It's not necessarily that we suddenly believe doctors and vets are trying to scam us. The concern is more about who owns this practice. Who is making the financial decisions? Is the purrson standing in the examination room the one who has the final say?
That question has become especially relevant in veterinary medicine. Like we talked aabout before, independent vet practices have been purchased by corporations and private-equity-backed groups as part of a consolidation trend. This trend was significant enough that the Federal Trade Commission has had to intervene in multiple acquisitions over concerns that further consolidation could reduce competition in local markets. All this has been happening while we, the pet owners, have watched our bills climb.
Back in 2018, I remember a mandatory shot for my cat was around $25. Now, in 2026, that price is around $50. Not all price hikes are a result of these acquisitions, of course. Vets are dealing with higher labor costs, staffing shortages, more sophisticated treatments, expensive equipment, etc., but purrception matters.
When your trusted family vet who's been a staple of your community for 30 years retires, the practice gets bought by a corporation, and suddenly the bill is significantly higher, it creates the same suspicion Americans feel towards healthcare in general. Is this recommendation being made because it's medically necessary, or because someone somewhere needs the numbers to go up?
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Two private investors laughing during an acquisition meeting
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When your patient can't speak for itself, like our cute, fluffy feline fur babies, the uncertainty you feel with your vet can make it very difficult for you to simply trust the bill placed in front of you. And the last place you want to feel uncertain is in the hands of someone who is in charge of your pet's well-being.
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