Category
Pet Lifestyle, The Vet Consultancy
Written by Paul
Dr Paul Manktelow is a vet who’s worked for almost 20 years on the front line in some of the UK’s busiest veterinary hospitals. As Chief Vet in the Charity Sector, he leads a team of vets and nurses that treat thousands of pets every year. Paul also appears regularly in the media as a TV and radio presenter, writer, public speaker and podcast producer.
The CMA’s final report into the veterinary sector has brought one key idea into focus.
Transparency.
✅Clearer pricing.
✅Better information.
✅More choice for pet owners.
All of these are positive developments, but there is an important distinction that needs to be made. Understanding a cost is not the same as being able to afford it.
The Assumption Behind the Reforms
The CMA’s approach is based on a logical assumption.
If pet owners have better information, they can make better choices.
If they can make better choices, competition will improve.
If competition improves, value will follow.
In theory, that makes sense….however, in practice, it is less certain.
The Reality of Modern Veterinary Medicine
Veterinary care today is very different from what it was 20 years ago.
We now have access to:
- Advanced imaging
- Complex surgical procedures
- Long-term management of chronic conditions
- Specialist referrals and treatments
These advances improve outcomes and extend lives….but they also increase the cost of delivering care.
At the same time, practices face:
- Rising staffing costs
- Increased regulation
- Expensive equipment and facilities
- Growing demand
These are structural drivers of cost, not simply pricing decisions.
Could Costs Shift Instead?
One of the less discussed aspects of the CMA reforms is the potential for unintended consequences.
Many practices rely, in part, on income from medicines to support overall business sustainability so if more owners choose to buy medication online, practices may need to recover that lost income elsewhere.
The most likely place?
Consultations.
This does not mean costs will rise across the board. But it highlights an important point. Costs may shift within the system, rather than reduce.
A More Honest Conversation
In an episode of The Consult Room, I explore this tension in detail.
Because while transparency is absolutely the right direction of travel, it does not fully address the underlying challenge.
Affordability.
What Matters Moving Forward
For pet owners, the most important thing is not just price comparison.
It is:
- Early engagement with your vet
- Open conversations about cost
- Understanding what is necessary versus optional
- Building a relationship based on trust
Better information supports better decisions, but it does not replace them.
The Key Question
The CMA report improves how the system works. But it leaves one question unanswered….will it make veterinary care more accessible? That is the challenge the profession, and society, still needs to address.
