Dental bills for UK cats and dogs requiring non-routine care add up to £28.5million a year, research from Sainsbury’s Finance has revealed.

And the news could mean more than just a pain in the tooth for pet owners without adequate pet insurance cover.

According to Sainsbury’s Finance, almost two in three pet insurance policies do not provide dental cover for injury and illness, leaving owners with a hefty bill to pay.

In fact, around 100,000 treatments at a collective cost of £21million each year are being financed out of pet owners’ own pockets as a result of inadequate pet insurance cover, Sainsbury’s Finance found.

In addition, the bank found that 2.5 million people have turned down veterinary care, including dental treatments, because they cannot afford it, which is why Sainsbury’s Finance is urging pet owners to shop wisely when buying pet insurance.

Commenting, manager of Sainsbury’s pet insurance, Neal Devine, said: “Pet owners should take care to choose a pet insurance policy that provides dental cover in the event of both illness and injuries. Some policies will say that dental treatment is covered but it’s important to watch out for those who really only provide dental cover resulting from accidents.

“Dental problems amongst the nation’s pets are widespread and we fear the situation may only get worse as some owners begin to feel the effects of the current financial climate and forgo taking their pet to the vet for regular dental check-ups that could prevent an animal needing treatment or worse still, deny their animals treatment they ultimately need due to cost, something pet insurance would help prevent.”

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