Annual Report · 2026 Edition
State of Pet Health
AIVet's annual data report on pet care trends, costs, and outcomes across North America.
184M
Pets in North America
+3.2% YoY
$1,480
Average annual vet cost
+11% YoY
59%
Pets overweight/obese
+2pp
42%
Owners using pet health apps
+18% YoY
+340%
AI vet consultations YoY
5.4M
Pet insurance enrollment
+22% YoY
Key findings
- Costs are rising faster than inflation. Average annual vet spending hit $1,480 in 2025, up 11% YoY, driven by surgical, dental, and chronic-condition care.
- Obesity is the #1 preventable health issue. 59% of dogs and cats in North America are now overweight or obese — a leading driver of diabetes, joint disease, and shortened lifespan.
- AI is transforming triage. Adoption of AI-powered symptom checkers and tele-vet platforms grew 340% in 2025, with most owners reporting they reduced unnecessary ER visits.
- Insurance is mainstream. 5.4M pets are now insured in North America (+22% YoY), with average premiums of $48/mo for dogs and $28/mo for cats.
- Preventive care lags. Only 38% of pets received a recommended annual dental cleaning in 2025.
Methodology
This report aggregates data from 12,000+ AIVet user surveys, public APPA/AVMA datasets, Pet Insurance Industry quarterly reports, and anonymized usage telemetry from the AIVet platform between January 2025 and December 2025. Statistical confidence intervals: 95%.
Use this data
All figures in this report are free to cite with attribution. When referencing, please link to https://aivet.ca/state-of-pet-health.