No dog's life being a vet

Business is booming for vets across the Midlands as more pet owners are able to afford better treatment for their beloved pooches and moggies.

A surge in pet insurance has also enabled animal lovers to give their cats, dogs and horses more expensive operations. Pet owners who once visited the vets only for flea treatment and worming tablets are now more willing to shell out on costly heart surgery and other treatment for their beloved pouches and moggies, according to a new survey.

Vets are the most profitable small business category in Britain, with 37-per cent return on capital.

It beats every other business category including plumbers and lawyers, show a league table of profitability from CCH, the accountancy information group.

David Catlow, past president of the British Veterinary Association, said: "We're constantly investing and learning new skills so we can offer new services."

Mr Catlow, who practises in Preston, Lancashire, also said that the long hours that vets work – sometimes up to 100 hours a week – meant that they were more likely than other industries to get the most out of their investments in training."

Chris Lowry, of accountancy firm UHY Hacker Young, said despite a slowdown in the demand from farming, vets said that business serving pets was thriving as more owners could afford better treatment.

"The advent of pet insurance has allowed owners to take gold-standard options for their animals, " he said.

Mr Lowry added: "Although veterinary businesses, which carry out the most costly procedures have to invest in any specialist equipment or extra training required, they appear to be getting the necessary economies of scale to make the return on that expenditure worthwhile."

Amy Burkitt, from the Rosewood Animal Hospital in Coseley, said: "Many pets are treated like children and people are closely bonded to them so they are prepared to spend whatever it takes."

Coming second behind vets in the table were plasterers, then greengrocers, followed by butchers.