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Australians consider their pets as a part of their family, and with that bond comes a strong desire to provide the best possible care. Fortunately, the Australian veterinary field is evolving rapidly, bringing more sophisticated diagnostics, innovative treatment options and specialist services than ever before.
But with more options comes greater complexity. Pet parents are no longer just deciding whether to treat, but how to treat. And that choice isn’t always as straightforward as it once was. As veterinary medicine advances, a growing challenge emerges: balancing the idea of “gold standard” treatment with what is appropriate and feasible based on your pet’s unique health needs. This article explores how veterinary care is evolving, how this is influencing the outcome for each individual patient and their caregiver and how pet parents can navigate this increasingly complex landscape with confidence to make more informed decisions.
How pet healthcare has become more complex (not just more expensive)
Rising costs are often the headline. The real story is that veterinary care is becoming more advanced and treatments that were once reserved for humans are now available for our pets, such as MRI scans, targeted cancer therapies and minimally invasive surgeries.
The upside? Pets have the potential to live longer and enjoy a better quality of life and more sustainable recoveries from previously untreatable conditions.
The trade-off? With guidance from veterinarians, pet parents are now facing more nuanced choices about treatment pathways. These aren’t just financial decisions, they are also impacted by available resources, including budget and time, as well as the emotional and ethical weight of wanting to do what’s best and what’s right for our pets.
Vets always prioritise the health and welfare of each animal, guiding pet owners through a spectrum of available care options. Whether it’s gold standard diagnostics or a more tailored approach, the decision will be guided by what’s most appropriate for the individual pet’s needs, the family’s circumstances and the goals for care, ensuring the best possible outcome in every case.
Even when the chosen treatment is not gold standard for the specific ailment, the diagnosis and care plan may be what is best for the individual patient’s overall welfare and their family.
This is where contextualised care becomes key. It recognises that while clinical expertise and best practice protocols are essential, every pet and every household is different. Contextualised care means making treatment decisions based on the animal’s health and welfare while also considering the specific needs and circumstances of the pet parent. Vets are expected to exercise professional judgement, adapting standard protocols where necessary to ensure the most appropriate outcome for each individual case, rather than applying a one-size-fits-all approach. This way balances medical insight with compassion and practicality, ensuring care is both high-quality and genuinely achievable.
Consequently, vets rely not only on clinical skills, but also on the insights that pet parents bring to the consultation. You know your pet best, so when you come prepared with clear concerns, honest insights and observations (and even photos or videos), it helps your vet quickly get to the heart of the issue and tailor a care plan that is fit-for-purpose.
That’s why tools like our Pet Parent Checklist for Contextualised Care are so valuable: they support a more informed, collaborative conversation which can lead to better health outcomes for your pet.
Trends in specialist referrals
Veterinary specialists undergo an additional five to six years of training and clinical experience beyond their veterinary degree. This includes internships, residencies, and board certification, equipping them to manage complex conditions with advanced tools and techniques often unavailable in general practice.
Referrals are less common in puppies and kittens, unless a congenital or serious developmental issue is present, but early intervention in these cases can improve long-term outcomes. For senior pets, referrals are often weighed against quality of life, co-morbidities, and overall care goals, with palliative or simplified treatment sometimes more appropriate than pursuing the gold standard.
Timing matters. Early referral can lead to faster diagnosis and better outcomes, but when immediate access isn’t possible, your vet may recommend steps to manage care in the interim.
The table below highlights the conditions with the highest referral rates, five-year trends, and the breeds most commonly referred, offering a snapshot of where specialist care is most often sought and why.
*Data based on trends in PetSure claims data 2024
Navigating difficult decisions
Modern vet care offers more choices than ever, but those choices must be navigated with clarity, empathy and flexibility. This is where contextualised care plays a critical role as pet parents are faced with increasingly complex and often more expensive treatment options. Two major areas driving this shift are the growing availability of veterinary specialists and advanced diagnostic tools.
Specialist vets play a critical role in managing complex conditions. The Australian and New Zealand College of Veterinary Scientists (ANZCVS) currently recognises 28 specialist chapters, with around 20 directly applicable to the care of cats and dogs, including fields such as cardiology, oncology, and dermatology.
Because pets can’t describe their symptoms, diagnostic tools can help pinpoint a condition. Access to advanced diagnostics, such as MRI, CT scans and echocardiography, allows vets to accurately identify and assess conditions that may not be detectable through basic testing. These tools are especially useful in planning targeted treatments and ruling out more serious underlying issues.
Referrals to specialists are often recommended when:
- A condition hasn’t improved with initial treatment
- Specialised expertise, advanced imaging or procedures are required
- A second opinion is needed to confirm the best course of action
While advanced diagnostics are often expensive and specialist care also comes at a higher cost (3-4 times more on average), according to PetSure claims data, this can provide more definitive answers and significantly improve treatment outcomes in the long run.
In some cases, specialists may need to repeat imaging or tests previously done in general practice, not unnecessarily, but to access higher-resolution equipment or perform real-time interpretation critical to diagnosis. Strong communication and shared records, in these situations, can be managed transparently by the transfer of vet notes, avoiding unnecessary repetition and reducing stress and cost for the owner.
As veterinary medicine continues to evolve, so too does the way care is delivered. Two important concepts shaping modern pet healthcare are contextualised care and the shared care model, closely linked approaches that prioritise both clinical excellence and real-world practicality.
Contextualised care is a treatment philosophy. It acknowledges that while gold standard diagnostics and treatments (such as MRIs or advanced surgeries) may represent the highest level of care, they aren’t always necessary, or feasible for every pet or household. As discussed, contextualised care focuses on what is most appropriate for the individual animal’s health and welfare, considering the pet owner’s resources, lifestyle, preferences, and ability to manage ongoing care. It ensures care is not only high quality, but also genuinely achievable.
The shared decision-making model (SDM) is the practical framework that makes contextualised care possible, especially in complex or referral cases. It relies on collaboration between general practitioners, specialists, and pet owners, each of whom plays a distinct and valuable role in the decision-making process. In the shared role, the veterinarian seeks out and provides information based on the client’s stated preferences and decisions are made together. In this role, there is no dominance within the conversation as the client and veterinarian provide equal input.
When this model of care functions well, it enables:
- Sound clinical decisions tailored to each unique situation
- Pet parents to feel informed, supported, and confident
- Smoother transitions between vets, with fewer delays or duplicated tests
Ultimately, contextualised care supported by a shared care model allows veterinary teams to balance clinical best practice with the lived realities of pet ownership. It’s not about compromise; it’s about delivering care that’s both medically sound and personally appropriate, ensuring every pet gets the best possible outcome for their circumstances.
A smarter way to care
Vet clinics today operate more like private hospitals that we see in human health, with advanced diagnostics, surgical theatres and 24-hour monitoring, but without the payment subsidy of Medicare. Every test, treatment and medication reflect the true cost of modern veterinary care.
When a vet recommends a treatment, it’s based on clinical need, not profit. Still, open conversations about diagnostic options, budget, trade-offs, and options are essential. By being prepared—whether that’s financially by having pet insurance (which can help with eligible vet costs), savings, or simply knowing what questions to ask your vet—pet parents can feel empowered to choose the best care pathway.
Tip: Use our Pet Parent Checklist for Contextualised Care to prepare for your next vet visit and make confident decisions. With the right tools and conversations, every pet family can find a path that works for them.
Treatments and diagnostics that might be recommended
The following table outlines the base costs of several advanced diagnostic and treatment procedures commonly used in veterinary care. These figures represent the procedure alone and do not include additional fees, such as sedation, anaesthesia, or specialist consultations, which can significantly increase the overall cost.
| Treatment/ Diagnostic Tool | Description | Average Cost* |
|---|---|---|
| MRI Machines | High-resolution imaging of soft tissues, especially the brain, spinal cord and joints. Offers detailed imaging without radiation; essential for diagnosing neurological disorders. | $3,500 |
| CT Scans | 3D imaging of internal structures—great for bone, chest, abdominal, and nasal issues. It is faster than MRI so ideal for trauma and surgical planning. | $2,010 |
| Ultrasound | Could be performed by GP, specialist and in emergency clinics for quick, real-time checks (e.g., fluid, trauma, bladder). Guides urgent decisions. When performed by specialists with advanced training it can help to diagnose early stage and more complex conditions with improved accuracy. | $420 |
| Echocardiography | Enables veterinary cardiologists to see real-time imaging of the heart, used for diagnosing heart disease. | $740 |
| Fluoroscopy | Real-time moving X-ray imaging, especially for swallowing studies, tracheal collapse, and orthopaedic procedures. Allows for dynamic assessments, not just static images. | $940 |
| Cytology | Automated image analysis of biopsy and fine-needle aspirate samples. Some systems use AI to assist in identifying cancerous cells, streamlining diagnosis. | $80 |
| Minimally Invasive Surgery | Enables internal examination or surgery (e.g., biopsies, spays, foreign body removal) with less pain, quicker recovery, and fewer complications than open surgery. | Varies. Compares to traditional surgery |
| Oncology and Radiation Therapy | Includes chemotherapy and advanced radiation (e.g., SRT, IMRT). Delivers targeted cancer care with less damage to healthy tissue. | $8,110 |
*PetSure claims data 2024 as at April 2025
References
https://knowledge.rcvs.org.uk/evidence-based-veterinary-medicine/contextualisedcare/
Pet insurance can help by covering a portion of the eligible vet bill if the unexpected happens. Because it is difficult to predict the costs of veterinary care, it can help to have measures in place to help prepare for the unexpected. Check out our partner network and explore our policy tools to find a pet insurance policy.
Not all conditions or items are covered by Pet Insurance. Refer to the applicable Product Disclosure Statement for information about coverage and exclusions.
