Vet services
SS62054+5.7% over the past 12 months
1.1% vs last monthAbove overall inflation
Past 12 months
This seriesAll items (benchmark)
Is the cost of owning a dog or cat rising?
Monthly U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data on vet, pet food and pet-product prices, so you can see what is pushing up your dog or cat cost per year.
Data through August 2026CPI-U, not seasonally adjustedPast 12 months, August 2026
+5.7%
Vet services, past 12 months
BLS series CUUR0000SS62054, Veterinarian services
+3.4%
All consumer prices, past 12 months
BLS series CUUR0000SA0, All items
Vet prices rose 5.7% over the past 12 months, 2.3 percentage points faster than overall inflation.
How we calculate thisPet food
SS61031+1.6% over the past 12 months
0.1% vs last monthBelow overall inflation
Past 12 months
This seriesAll items (benchmark)
Pets & products
SERB01+1.9% over the past 12 months
0.2% vs last monthBelow overall inflation
Past 12 months
This seriesAll items (benchmark)
The data
The numbers behind the charts
Price change over the past 12 months, by month. BLS series CUUR0000SS62054, CUUR0000SS61031, CUUR0000SERB01, CUUR0000SA0. A dash means the BLS did not publish that month.
| Month | Vet services | Pet food | Pets & products | All items |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| August 2026Latest | +5.74% | +1.57% | +1.93% | +3.40% |
| July 2026 | +4.73% | +1.35% | +1.71% | +3.36% |
| June 2026 | +5.14% | +1.26% | +1.51% | +3.53% |
| May 2026 | +4.92% | +1.83% | +1.52% | +4.25% |
| April 2026 | +5.50% | +2.23% | +2.61% | +3.81% |
| March 2026 | +5.58% | +2.33% | +3.10% | +3.26% |
| February 2026 | +5.32% | +1.37% | +1.89% | +2.41% |
| January 2026 | +7.35% | +1.44% | +1.26% | +2.39% |
| December 2025 | +7.07% | +1.16% | +1.29% | +2.68% |
| November 2025 | +5.40% | +0.30% | +0.35% | +2.74% |
| October 2025 | — | — | — | — |
| September 2025 | +7.84% | +0.50% | +0.85% | +3.01% |
| August 2025 | +6.42% | +0.22% | +0.11% | +2.92% |
| July 2025 | +6.44% | +0.14% | +0.34% | +2.70% |
| June 2025 | +6.09% | −0.35% | −0.50% | +2.67% |
| May 2025 | +5.57% | −0.46% | +0.17% | +2.35% |
| April 2025 | +5.32% | −0.57% | −0.19% | +2.31% |
| March 2025 | +5.94% | −0.91% | −1.20% | +2.39% |
| February 2025 | +8.07% | +0.41% | −0.56% | +2.82% |
| January 2025 | +6.60% | −1.10% | −0.73% | +3.00% |
| December 2024 | +6.18% | −1.69% | −0.92% | +2.89% |
| November 2024 | +7.00% | −1.21% | +0.01% | +2.75% |
| October 2024 | +7.28% | −1.27% | −0.71% | +2.60% |
| September 2024 | +6.74% | −0.88% | −0.33% | +2.44% |
Practical use
What it means for the cost of owning a pet
See when vet costs hit your pet’s budget
Vet prices compound over a pet’s life. Map the dated vaccines, spay or neuter, dental cleanings and senior care for your breed.
Estimate your dog or cat cost per year
First-year, annual and lifetime cost of owning a dog or cat, by breed, care level and metro.
For context on why vet bills have climbed, read the 2026 vet cost squeeze.
Method and source
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U), U.S. city average, not seasonally adjusted. Series IDs:
- CUUR0000SS62054 (Veterinarian services)
- CUUR0000SS61031 (Pet food and treats)
- CUUR0000SERB01 (Pets and pet products)
- CUUR0000SA0 (All items)
Percent changes are calculated by PetBudgetCalculator from the published index levels: the past-12-months figure compares a month with the same month a year earlier, and the vs-last-month figure compares it with the month before. The latest month shown is August 2026. Not endorsed by the BLS.