Vet bills reveal 10 most expensive dogs to own in Australia

Some dogs are going to be more expensive to keep than others, especially when it comes to visits to the vet.

By Gregosborn

less than 2 min read

August 20, 2019 - 10:39AM

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ANYONE wanting to become a dog owner knows the investment in a fur-baby is going to hit their bottom line.

And some dogs are going to be more expensive to keep than others, especially when it comes to visits to the vet.

SCROLL DOWN TO SEE THE TOP 10

According to data from Pet Insurance Australia, as a general rule, crossbreeds typically have lower costs than purebreeds.

Purebred dogs are also more likely to go to the vet than crossbreeds.

"The average claims cost for a crossbreed animal in 2018 was $445, and $470 for a purebred," spokeswoman Nadia Crighton said.

There are some dogs however whose claims costs are more than double the average.

You'll need deep pockets to look after a Bullmastiff. Picture: Jay Cronan

The most expensive is the Bullmastiff ($1,052), followed by the British Bulldog ($965) and the Shar-Pei ($906).

Bulldogs are frequent visitors to the vet.

Despite the Bullmastiff's hefty bill, it is the Bulldog that goes most often to the vet, on average three times in 2018.

A Shar-Pei could set you back more than $900 a year. Picture: Matt Taylor

"The good news for Australians is that the dog breed that goes least often to the vet is the Kelpie, on average 1.1 times in 2018," Crighton said.

Colby Boughton with his Kelpies. Picture: Chris Lines

And the type of breed is not he only cost consideration these days. With dogs living longer, specialist treatment is becoming much more common.

Here are some of the top claims for dogs and the approximate costs:

10 MOST EXPENSIVE DOG BREEDS (average claims cost of more than $750 per year)