Charlie spent nearly ten hours at the animal hospital. The story ended well - he was declared cured after a month and today, eight months later, he is a lively and healthy young dog. He has probably forgotten the incident - but his owner Kerstin Jonsson has not.
"Animals are incredibly important. You don't just kill someone, I would never do that," she says when TT meets her in southern Stockholm.
Expensive veterinary care is a concern
In five years, a vet visit has become 51 percent more expensive on average for dogs, according to a customer survey conducted by the insurance company Sveland. For cats, the figure is 79 percent.
The price of emergency veterinary care in Sweden has increased by around 50 percent in five years, according to a study by the Swedish Competition Authority. The increase is greater than the general price trend.
Charlie's vet visits were largely covered by insurance, but the expensive veterinary care worries Kerstin Jonsson.
I'm retired and don't get much each month. At some point, I might have to sell the house to afford it.
Pontus, a Chihuahua crossbreed, shivers in his owner Mona Wallsén's arms. When he once had problems with his eyes, they received different answers. One vet sounded the alarm - Pontus would be sent to a specialist, the owner had to come back for a follow-up visit and several check-ups would be needed. The other one prescribed an ointment, which turned out to be enough.
The price then differed.
"You really get to choose veterinarians who don't charge unnecessarily or exploit the animal owner's feelings. They do everything they can to ensure that animals don't suffer," says Mona Wallsén.
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Sveland's survey shows that the regional differences in price increases are large.
In Skåne, where dog owner Emelie Johnson Vegh lives, veterinary visits for dogs have become 49 percent more expensive. When the insurance for her two dogs was due to be renewed, she was put on notice - the premiums were skyrocketing and she decided to pay almost twice as much in fixed deductibles to bring the cost down.
When she contacted the insurance company, she was told that the increase was partly due to the more expensive veterinary care.
She welcomes the Swedish Competition Authority's investigation.
If it becomes too expensive, I'm afraid people will make bad decisions and wait too long to treat their animals.
In five years, between 2020 and 2025, emergency veterinary care has become about 50 percent more expensive, according to statistics produced by the Swedish Competition Authority. During the same period, a veterinary visit has become 51 percent more expensive on average for dogs, according to a customer survey conducted by the insurance company Sveland. For cats, the figure is 79 percent. The number of veterinary visits has also increased.
Sveland's survey shows regional differences. Worth mentioning is the Halland region, where the average cost per veterinary visit for a cat has increased by 113 percent.
In March 2025, the government commissioned the Swedish Competition Authority to review price transparency in veterinary care. According to the authority, the price increase is partly due to a large concentration of ownership. Insurance companies have also not done enough to curb the cost trend; instead they have increased premiums and maximum insurance amounts, the Swedish Competition Authority believes.
The price for veterinary care for diseases and injuries should be made clearer, the Swedish Competition Authority believes. It also recommends that the government investigate national recommendations for treatments and measures for common injuries and diseases, primarily for dogs and cats.
The authority emphasizes that price transparency is "relatively good" when it comes to preventive care, such as vaccination.
