A survey of British pet owners has shown that welcoming a dog or cat into your household costs on average an eye-watering ยฃ1,340 a year.
The study, commissioned by financial experts Forbes Advisor, also found that over half of owners admit they underestimated the cost of having a pet.
Medical costs are the number one expense, costing an average of ยฃ462.80 each year โ even more than food, which sets owners back around ยฃ340 per annum.
Kevin Pratt, insurance expert at Forbes Advisor recommends owners consider insuring their pets to manage costs, explaining: โOne thing any pet owner will tell you is that a trip to the vet โ probably inevitable at some point โ can be extremely expensive.
โThis makes pet insurance such an important purchase. Having cover in place means animal lovers donโt have to worry about paying for the care their pet might need, and they wonโt need to raid their savings or even go overdrawn to pay the vetโs bill.โ
But pet insurance can vary hugely depending on the breed of dog or cat.
Here are the 10 most expensive breeds of dogs and cats to insure.
1. Cane Corso
An average cost of ยฃ669.29 each year makes the unusual Cane Corso the second most expensive dog to insure. Photo: Canva/Getty Images
2. Hovawart
The elegant and rare Hovawart costs an average of ยฃ633.94 to insure each year, placing it third on our list. Photo: Canva/Getty Images
3. Bulldog
The Bulldog is the most expensive breed of dog to insure โ racking up a bill of ยฃ688.14 each year. Photo: Canva/Getty Images
4. Dogue De Bordeaux
Completing the five most expensive dogs to insure is the adorable Dogue De Bordeaux โ with an average annual cost of ยฃ572.92. Photo: Canva/Getty Images
