You’ll Spend Over $10K Owning a Dog or Cat

Research indicates that 1 in 3 people think owning a pet is sort of a practice run for parenting, but that all comes at more of a cost than you think it will.

A recent survey of 2,000 American cat and dog owners showed that pet ownership comes with some of the same anxieties and expenses just like having a kid would.

The study found that the typical pet owner spends $176 on initial supplies, adoption fees, and more in just the first few days. Then from there, the average cost of having a dog or cat runs you about $111 per month.

With the average lifespan of most breeds of cats and dogs being 10-years-old, that adds up to about $13,320 in the pet's lifetime.

Meanwhile, 45% of owners actively worry that their pet is going to get sick or injured, and another 33% worry constantly that their pet is unhappy.

The survey, commissioned by AskVet and performed by OnePoll, also found that pet parents trust veterinarians, but are apprehensive to foot the bill.

24% of people said they only take their pet to the vet if something is wrong.

"It's hard to care for any living thing that can't tell you what it's feeling, whether it's a puppy, a newborn or even a houseplant," added Pluto. "That's why it's so important to have veterinary resources you can trust to provide you with personalized, proactive guidance instead of resorting to online searches and unqualified advice."

Generationally, millennials wait the longest to get their pets checked out:

• Gen Z (18-24): 6 Days
• Millennials (25-40): 9 Days
• Gen X (41-55): 6 Days
• Baby Boomers (57+): 3 Days

"It's hard to care for any living thing that can't tell you what it's feeling, whether it's a puppy, a newborn or even a houseplant," added Pluto. "That's why it's so important to have veterinary resources you can trust to provide you with personalized, proactive guidance instead of resorting to online searches and unqualified advice."

Read more at Yahoo!