Research the whole kit and cavoodle, vet costs can bite
Inflation has not spared the family pet, and the costs of keeping them healthy has outstripped some other increases.
Rising pharmaceutical costs continued to outpace broader rises, according to insurer PetSure's latest Pet Health Monitor.
Some owners are diligent researchers, the company's chief veterinary officer Simone Maher told AAP.
"But then there are others who unfortunately are caught out because there are some underlying predispositions that they're not aware of and not prepared for," she said.
According to the insurer's data, from more than 700,000 insured pets across Australia, the average dog owner claimed $1047 in vet bills in 2024.
No longer relegated to "outside", dogs are now allowed at many cafes, pubs and offices.
Virgin Australia has announced plans to allow them on domestic flights.
Owners were willing to spend more and plan for vet costs amid the increasing the "humanisation" of dogs, Dr Maher said.
The popular cavoodle accounted for 10 per cent of the insured breeds and were second in costs only behind border collies, with owners claiming less than $800 a year.
Traditional working dogs such as collies and kelpies are less prone to obesity and related diseases, and less likely to need corrective surgeries than dogs bred for exaggerated anatomical features.
The same can't be said for flat-faced dogs such French bulldogs and pugs, which sometimes require complex treatments.
French bulldogs had an average annual claim of $1641.
They also had great personalities, Dr Maher said.
But as with any breed it helps to research, and financial costs aren't the only ones to consider.
"We do need to be mindful that if we are selecting for those features, they do come at a welfare cost," Dr Maher said.
The report also provided some insight into pet name trends.
Whether it's a certain generation of first-time pet owners' enduring affinity for Harry Potter, or perhaps the canine tendency to howl at the moon, Luna is once again the most popular name for female dogs.
It proved similarly popular for cats.
Teddy was most popular for male dogs, while Milo topped the list for for male cats.
Dr Maher advised prospective owners to put some thought into what they call their dog.
"Just make sure it's something you're comfortable yelling out for the next 15 years or so."
Inflation has not spared the family pet, and the costs of keeping them healthy has outstripped some other increases.
Rising pharmaceutical costs continued to outpace broader rises, according to insurer PetSure's latest Pet Health Monitor.
Some owners are diligent researchers, the company's chief veterinary officer Simone Maher told AAP.
"But then there are others who unfortunately are caught out because there are some underlying predispositions that they're not aware of and not prepared for," she said.
According to the insurer's data, from more than 700,000 insured pets across Australia, the average dog owner claimed $1047 in vet bills in 2024.
No longer relegated to "outside", dogs are now allowed at many cafes, pubs and offices.
Virgin Australia has announced plans to allow them on domestic flights.
Owners were willing to spend more and plan for vet costs amid the increasing the "humanisation" of dogs, Dr Maher said.
The popular cavoodle accounted for 10 per cent of the insured breeds and were second in costs only behind border collies, with owners claiming less than $800 a year.
Traditional working dogs such as collies and kelpies are less prone to obesity and related diseases, and less likely to need corrective surgeries than dogs bred for exaggerated anatomical features.
The same can't be said for flat-faced dogs such French bulldogs and pugs, which sometimes require complex treatments.
French bulldogs had an average annual claim of $1641.
They also had great personalities, Dr Maher said.
But as with any breed it helps to research, and financial costs aren't the only ones to consider.
"We do need to be mindful that if we are selecting for those features, they do come at a welfare cost," Dr Maher said.
The report also provided some insight into pet name trends.
Whether it's a certain generation of first-time pet owners' enduring affinity for Harry Potter, or perhaps the canine tendency to howl at the moon, Luna is once again the most popular name for female dogs.
It proved similarly popular for cats.
Teddy was most popular for male dogs, while Milo topped the list for for male cats.
Dr Maher advised prospective owners to put some thought into what they call their dog.
"Just make sure it's something you're comfortable yelling out for the next 15 years or so."
Inflation has not spared the family pet, and the costs of keeping them healthy has outstripped some other increases.
Rising pharmaceutical costs continued to outpace broader rises, according to insurer PetSure's latest Pet Health Monitor.
Some owners are diligent researchers, the company's chief veterinary officer Simone Maher told AAP.
"But then there are others who unfortunately are caught out because there are some underlying predispositions that they're not aware of and not prepared for," she said.
According to the insurer's data, from more than 700,000 insured pets across Australia, the average dog owner claimed $1047 in vet bills in 2024.
No longer relegated to "outside", dogs are now allowed at many cafes, pubs and offices.
Virgin Australia has announced plans to allow them on domestic flights.
Owners were willing to spend more and plan for vet costs amid the increasing the "humanisation" of dogs, Dr Maher said.
The popular cavoodle accounted for 10 per cent of the insured breeds and were second in costs only behind border collies, with owners claiming less than $800 a year.
Traditional working dogs such as collies and kelpies are less prone to obesity and related diseases, and less likely to need corrective surgeries than dogs bred for exaggerated anatomical features.
The same can't be said for flat-faced dogs such French bulldogs and pugs, which sometimes require complex treatments.
French bulldogs had an average annual claim of $1641.
They also had great personalities, Dr Maher said.
But as with any breed it helps to research, and financial costs aren't the only ones to consider.
"We do need to be mindful that if we are selecting for those features, they do come at a welfare cost," Dr Maher said.
The report also provided some insight into pet name trends.
Whether it's a certain generation of first-time pet owners' enduring affinity for Harry Potter, or perhaps the canine tendency to howl at the moon, Luna is once again the most popular name for female dogs.
It proved similarly popular for cats.
Teddy was most popular for male dogs, while Milo topped the list for for male cats.
Dr Maher advised prospective owners to put some thought into what they call their dog.
"Just make sure it's something you're comfortable yelling out for the next 15 years or so."
Inflation has not spared the family pet, and the costs of keeping them healthy has outstripped some other increases.
Rising pharmaceutical costs continued to outpace broader rises, according to insurer PetSure's latest Pet Health Monitor.
Some owners are diligent researchers, the company's chief veterinary officer Simone Maher told AAP.
"But then there are others who unfortunately are caught out because there are some underlying predispositions that they're not aware of and not prepared for," she said.
According to the insurer's data, from more than 700,000 insured pets across Australia, the average dog owner claimed $1047 in vet bills in 2024.
No longer relegated to "outside", dogs are now allowed at many cafes, pubs and offices.
Virgin Australia has announced plans to allow them on domestic flights.
Owners were willing to spend more and plan for vet costs amid the increasing the "humanisation" of dogs, Dr Maher said.
The popular cavoodle accounted for 10 per cent of the insured breeds and were second in costs only behind border collies, with owners claiming less than $800 a year.
Traditional working dogs such as collies and kelpies are less prone to obesity and related diseases, and less likely to need corrective surgeries than dogs bred for exaggerated anatomical features.
The same can't be said for flat-faced dogs such French bulldogs and pugs, which sometimes require complex treatments.
French bulldogs had an average annual claim of $1641.
They also had great personalities, Dr Maher said.
But as with any breed it helps to research, and financial costs aren't the only ones to consider.
"We do need to be mindful that if we are selecting for those features, they do come at a welfare cost," Dr Maher said.
The report also provided some insight into pet name trends.
Whether it's a certain generation of first-time pet owners' enduring affinity for Harry Potter, or perhaps the canine tendency to howl at the moon, Luna is once again the most popular name for female dogs.
It proved similarly popular for cats.
Teddy was most popular for male dogs, while Milo topped the list for for male cats.
Dr Maher advised prospective owners to put some thought into what they call their dog.
"Just make sure it's something you're comfortable yelling out for the next 15 years or so."
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"The reality is that sex selection is happening in Australia already, just not in the IVF industry," she said. "Then there's the risk of people going through a termination of pregnancy with all the physical and emotional impacts that come with that." Gender Selection Australia (GSA) is a service that helps families navigate overseas IVF processes. The sex selection process often came with a lot of misinformation, GSA general manager Nikki Mason said. "The majority of people want to balance out their family, it's not about preferring one sex over another," she said. "Sex selection is not manufacturing a result, it's just revealing what (embryos) families have after a normal IVF process and then they can choose which to implant." The IVF process is already stressful and the additional overseas travel costs make it unattainable for many. It cost Ms Hughes and her family about $30,000, including medications, accommodation, flights and medical appointments. While family and friends supported her decision, she faced trolling online after she previously spoke to the media about her experience. "I don't understand (the trolling) because it doesn't really affect anyone that I've had a baby girl," she said. "I think there's a lack of understanding of the process and people thinking that you are intervening." Stacey Hughes always knew she wanted to have a little girl, but her pathway to getting there was a little different. Already a mum to three boys, in 2019 she travelled with her family to undergo IVF in the United States, where the team implanted a female embryo. Ms Hughes is one of hundreds of Australian parents who choose to travel overseas for sex selection, a practice that is not permitted in Australia other than for medical reasons. "I didn't want a fourth child, I wanted a girl," Ms Hughes told AAP. "My mum passed away in 2009 so I didn't have that mother-daughter relationship anymore and I just also wanted to have a girl in our family." Experts say Ms Hughes is not alone, with parents wanting to select a boy or a girl for family balancing reasons. Australia previously allowed sex selection for non-medical reasons, however in the early 2000s the guidelines changed, Connect IVF scientific director Lauren Hiser said. As a result, people are choosing to travel to nations that allow it, including parts of Southeast Asia, Europe and the US. "The concern in allowing Australians to go offshore is that we can't control the quality of service they are going to get overseas," Ms Hiser said. "The Australian IVF industry is highly regulated and allowing sex selection would make it safer for people to access." Ms Hiser stressed the process was not akin to "playing God" as the embryos were made during a regular IVF process and tested for a range of genetic abnormalities which also determined their sex. The number of people wanting to select a particular sex was in the hundreds, so allowing it in Australia would not expand boy or girl ratios in a particular direction, she added. "The reality is that sex selection is happening in Australia already, just not in the IVF industry," she said. "Then there's the risk of people going through a termination of pregnancy with all the physical and emotional impacts that come with that." Gender Selection Australia (GSA) is a service that helps families navigate overseas IVF processes. The sex selection process often came with a lot of misinformation, GSA general manager Nikki Mason said. "The majority of people want to balance out their family, it's not about preferring one sex over another," she said. "Sex selection is not manufacturing a result, it's just revealing what (embryos) families have after a normal IVF process and then they can choose which to implant." The IVF process is already stressful and the additional overseas travel costs make it unattainable for many. It cost Ms Hughes and her family about $30,000, including medications, accommodation, flights and medical appointments. While family and friends supported her decision, she faced trolling online after she previously spoke to the media about her experience. "I don't understand (the trolling) because it doesn't really affect anyone that I've had a baby girl," she said. "I think there's a lack of understanding of the process and people thinking that you are intervening." Stacey Hughes always knew she wanted to have a little girl, but her pathway to getting there was a little different. Already a mum to three boys, in 2019 she travelled with her family to undergo IVF in the United States, where the team implanted a female embryo. Ms Hughes is one of hundreds of Australian parents who choose to travel overseas for sex selection, a practice that is not permitted in Australia other than for medical reasons. "I didn't want a fourth child, I wanted a girl," Ms Hughes told AAP. "My mum passed away in 2009 so I didn't have that mother-daughter relationship anymore and I just also wanted to have a girl in our family." Experts say Ms Hughes is not alone, with parents wanting to select a boy or a girl for family balancing reasons. Australia previously allowed sex selection for non-medical reasons, however in the early 2000s the guidelines changed, Connect IVF scientific director Lauren Hiser said. As a result, people are choosing to travel to nations that allow it, including parts of Southeast Asia, Europe and the US. "The concern in allowing Australians to go offshore is that we can't control the quality of service they are going to get overseas," Ms Hiser said. "The Australian IVF industry is highly regulated and allowing sex selection would make it safer for people to access." Ms Hiser stressed the process was not akin to "playing God" as the embryos were made during a regular IVF process and tested for a range of genetic abnormalities which also determined their sex. The number of people wanting to select a particular sex was in the hundreds, so allowing it in Australia would not expand boy or girl ratios in a particular direction, she added. "The reality is that sex selection is happening in Australia already, just not in the IVF industry," she said. "Then there's the risk of people going through a termination of pregnancy with all the physical and emotional impacts that come with that." Gender Selection Australia (GSA) is a service that helps families navigate overseas IVF processes. The sex selection process often came with a lot of misinformation, GSA general manager Nikki Mason said. "The majority of people want to balance out their family, it's not about preferring one sex over another," she said. "Sex selection is not manufacturing a result, it's just revealing what (embryos) families have after a normal IVF process and then they can choose which to implant." The IVF process is already stressful and the additional overseas travel costs make it unattainable for many. It cost Ms Hughes and her family about $30,000, including medications, accommodation, flights and medical appointments. While family and friends supported her decision, she faced trolling online after she previously spoke to the media about her experience. "I don't understand (the trolling) because it doesn't really affect anyone that I've had a baby girl," she said. "I think there's a lack of understanding of the process and people thinking that you are intervening."
