Pet Financing: Best Loans for Vet Bills in August 2025

There's no overstating the benefits of pets for companionship and mental health. But to keep a pet in your life as long as possible requires a lot of care, which can become expensive over a pet's lifetime. According to Synchrony's 2025 Pet Lifetime of Care Study, a cat's lifetime expenses can top $47,000, while a dog's can surpass $60,000. Food, grooming, routine care, medications, and unexpected vet visits — all necessary expenses to keep a pet healthy — can impact the cost of pet ownership.

But what do you do when your pet needs care you don't have the funds for? A pet loan is the answer for some pet owners, allowing them to finance their pet's care over time. Learn more about how pet loans can help you manage large or unexpected expenses without delaying essential care. Also learn about average pet costs for food, care, and more.

Compare pet loans

Below, compare personal loan lenders that offer loans you can use to finance care for your pet.

Methodology

Credible evaluated 32 lenders across 1,216 data points to find the best pet loans. We ranked lenders based on the following weighted categories:

• Rates and fees: 18.75%
• Eligibility and options for bad and no credit: 17.5%
• Availability: 12.5%
• Loan amounts and terms: 10%
• Customer satisfaction: 10%
• Customer service: 10%
• Efficiency and fund delivery: 10%
• Discounts: 7.5%
• Credible proprietary data: 3.75%

Credible's team of experts gathered information from each lender's website and from our partners directly. We also considered each of our partner lenders' statistics over a 12-month period — including average funding times, average credit scores for approved applicants, and average rates. Each data point is verified by a senior editor to make sure it's accurate at the time of publication. Learn more about how Credible rates lenders by exploring our personal loans lender rating methodology.

What is a pet loan, and how does it work?

A pet loan is any loan you can use to pay for pet-related expenses, like vet bills and pet meds. Most lenders don't offer “pet loans” specifically, but instead offer personal loans that can cover a wide range of costs, including pet costs. Personal loans are usually unsecured, meaning they don't require collateral — which can speed up funding. They also tend to have fixed interest rates, leading to a predictable monthly payment.

You could also use a personal loan to consolidate pet-related debts. For instance, you might take out a debt consolidation loan to pay off several credit cards used toward vet bills or pet necessities.

To get a pet loan, you apply through a lender that reviews your credit, income, and overall financial profile to determine if you qualify and what rate you'll get. If approved, the lender will send you a lump sum to use for pet-related expenses. Then, you repay the loan over time in fixed monthly installments, each covering a portion of your principal (original balance) plus interest.

Read More: How Do Personal Loans Work?

How to compare personal loans for pets

Interest rates, repayment terms, fees, and monthly payments can vary for pet loans. Here's what to consider as you compare options.

Annual percentage rate

The annual percentage rate, or APR, represents the total cost of a pet loan, including interest and upfront fees. Comparing loan APRs rather than interest rates provides a more accurate picture of how much you can expect to pay for your loan over time. Generally, personal loan APRs range from 6.49% to 35.99%, with lower APRs reserved for borrowers with good to excellent credit.

A higher APR means you'll pay more to borrow. Say you apply for a $2,000 pet loan to cover your dog's upcoming surgery. A lender offers you a 20% APR and a two-year repayment term. With this loan, you'd pay about $443 in interest over its term. However, a 10% APR would cost just $215 in interest.

Repayment term

A repayment term is the length of time you have to repay your entire loan. Lenders commonly allow between two- and seven-year repayment terms. If you want to lower your monthly payment for a pet loan, choose a longer repayment term. Just be aware that longer terms usually lead to more interest paid over time. To reduce interest costs, choose the lowest repayment term with a monthly payment that fits your budget.

Fees

Pet loans can include fees that increase what you pay to borrow. The most common fee for pet loans is an origination fee. It's a fee some lenders charge to cover loan processing and administrative fees and offset risk. Origination fees can range from less than 1% to as much as 12% of your loan amount and often come directly out of your loan funds before you receive them.

Many lenders also charge late fees, but you'll only need to pay one if you don't make your monthly payment on time or before the grace period expires. For example, Upstart allows a 10-day grace period before charging a fee for late payments.

Some lenders, like Discover and LightStream, are fee-free.

Check Out: Best Personal Loans With No Origination Fee 

Monthly payment

The amount you're required to pay each month depends on the amount you borrow and the loan's APR and repayment term. Higher borrowing amounts and APRs increase your monthly payment. But a long repayment term can lower your monthly payment compared to a shorter term.

Below are a few hypothetical examples to illustrate the monthly payment for a pet loan with different amounts, APRs, and repayment terms.

How much does a pet cost?

Cat expenses cost an average of $3,006 per year, while dog expenses cost an average of $2,770 per year, according to Synchrony's 2025 Pet Lifetime of Care Study. Meanwhile, the expenses for a small companion animal, like a rabbit or guinea pig, cost between $1,267 and $2,490 per year, on average.

Of course, several factors, like your pet's overall health, the type of products you buy, and your lifestyle, can affect how much you spend on your pet. For example, traveling frequently may mean paying more for boarding or pet travel gear, while choosing premium food and toys can drive up your costs.

Below are typical expenses associated with pets.

Initial and ongoing expenses

Most pets need several supplies ready when you bring them home, such as food, grooming kits, litter, toys, and bedding. You may also have a fee to adopt your pet, whether you adopt it from a breeder, shelter, or pet store. All together, it's common to need at least $1,000 just to adopt and set up your home for your pet.

There are also ongoing costs associated with pet ownership. For example, a long-haired dog may need monthly grooming appointments, while a cat needs fresh litter regularly. Other ongoing care costs may include:

• Food
• Pet sitting/walking/daycare
• Training
• Replacement items, like toys and collars
• At-home grooming supplies, like shampoo
• Pet licensing fees
• Cleaning products, like dog waste bags or pet stain removers
• Pet deposit fees and or monthly fees for renters

Routine care

The care your pet needs to maintain its health and well-being in the long term, such as annual veterinary exams and flea and tick prevention, makes up routine care. It also includes vaccinations, dental cleanings, heartworm medications, wellness bloodwork, and nutritional supplements, depending on your pet's species, age, and health needs.

Routine veterinary visits cost $65 to $90, on average, excluding testing and vaccinations your pet might need. Generally, you can expect vaccinations to cost $20 to $50 per dose and tests to cost anywhere from $25 for basic urine screenings to upwards of $1,800 for arthritis testing with scans.

Unexpected costs

Even with regular veterinary checkups and routine care, pets can still have unexpected health emergencies or injuries. “Many high-cost events happen during the first six months to a year post-adoption,” says Jaqueline Mercurio, Certified Veterinary Technician and Certified Veterinary Practice Manager at Tandem Vet Care. “They are typically triggered by accidents, early illness, or a condition that was not detected before adoption.”

It's those unexpected events that are often the costliest to pet parents. “Our three emergency hospitals see a wide range of pets needing surgery, and by far the most common would be exploratory surgery for pets who eat things they shouldn't,” said Thomas Dock, Director of Communications and Public Information Officer at Noah's Animal Hospitals.

Dock adds that orthopedic surgeries, like bone fractures and luxating kneecaps, can also be pricey, depending on factors like the area and extent of the damage, usually costing between $3,000 and $10,000.

In addition to direct costs for your pet's procedures, you may need to budget for indirect costs, like travel expenses to and from an animal hospital or taking time off work to care for your pet.

Reasons to take out a pet loan

Pet loans are often best for larger expenses related to pets, including big vet bills or emergency care. Some of the most common reasons to get a pet loan include:

• New pet expenses: The cost of adoption fees, spaying or neutering, microchipping, and initial pet supplies can stack up quickly. A pet loan lets you spread these costs over several months instead of paying for them at once or charging a high-interest credit card.
• Preventative care: Preventative procedures, like dental cleanings and bloodwork, can be expensive but may be necessary to maintain your pet's health. If cash is tight, a pet loan could help you avoid delaying essential care that could lead to bigger problems later.
• Chronic illness: Chronic conditions, like diabetes or arthritis, may have high initial costs to diagnose and treat, plus ongoing costs for medications. You might use a pet loan to roll those costs into a predictable monthly payment to keep treatment on track.
• Emergencies: An illness or injury that requires an emergency vet visit can cost hundreds to thousands of dollars, especially if your pet requires surgery or hospitalization. Quick financing lets you start treatment immediately.
• Training costs: Enrolling your dog in a structured training program isn't cheap. Basic obedience training for dogs can cost $150 or more per private session, on average. Board-and-train sessions usually require an upfront payment of $2,000 or more for two weeks of training.
• Therapy or service animals: Breeding, specialized training, and handler instruction for therapy or service dogs can cost as much as $50,000. When grants or nonprofit aid aren't available, a service dog loan could be the next best option.

Pros and cons of pet loans

A pet loan can give you quick access to funds to take care of your pet, but it also has some drawbacks. Here's what you should know.

Pros

• Accessible pet care and ownership: Pay for adoption fees, supplies, vet visits, and other initial costs upfront, even if you don't have all the money you need right now. This can be especially helpful for those needing a service animal.
• Lower potential rates than credit cards: Pet loan rates can start in the single digits, much lower than the average credit card rate of 21.16%, per the most recent Federal Reserve data.
• Predictable monthly payments: Personal loans usually have fixed interest rates, giving you the same payment each month to simplify budgeting.
• Budget for large expenses: With a pet loan, you can break a $2,000 vet bill into smaller payments spread over several months or years to make your pet's care more affordable.
• Could help your credit score: Having a mix of credit types, like installment and revolving credit, can boost your credit score. A pet loan is an installment loan, so it could round out your credit profile if you have few or no other installment accounts. 
• Same-day funding potential: Many online lenders can transfer money to your account the same or next business day once you're approved.

Cons

• May have high borrowing costs: Occasionally, a pet loan could have higher costs than a credit card, especially if you have bad credit. A low credit score could mean APRs in the high 20s or 30s.
• Fees could apply: Lenders may tack on an origination fee that increases the amount you'll pay for your loan.
• Another payment to budget for: A new payment decreases how much money you have available each month, which could make it more difficult to save for future pet costs. It also increases your debt-to-income ratio (DTI), which could make it harder to qualify to borrow in the future. 

Learn More: Should I Get a Personal Loan?

How to apply for a pet loan

Follow these steps to apply for a pet loan through a lender:

1. Check your credit: Use Credible's free credit score tool to check your credit score. Knowing your credit score can help you find lenders that might work with you, as some cater to borrowers with specific credit profiles, including fair credit and bad credit.
2. Research and compare lenders: Look for lenders that offer personal loans for a wide range of uses, including pet financing. Check reviews on Trustpilot and Google to get unbiased experiences from real customers. Also, compare maximum borrowing amounts, fees, and funding times for each lender.
3. Prequalify: Many lenders let you prequalify for a loan to explore the potential loan amount, APR, repayment term, and monthly payment you might be offered. Prequalification is a process that doesn't harm your credit. Although your final pet loan offer may differ, prequalifying gives you an idea of what to expect and makes it easier to compare loans.
4. Compare pet loans: Consider prequalified quotes to find a loan that's likely to give you the amount you need and a monthly payment that fits your budget.
5. Apply: Apply for the loan and submit required documents, like your government-issued ID and pay stubs. Most lenders will run a hard credit check when you apply, which may briefly lower your credit score.
6. Review terms: If approved, look over the loan agreement your lender sends you, which outlines the loan's terms and fees. Sign and submit the document to your lender if you agree with all terms.
7. Get funds: Many lenders fund loans within a few business days, but some fund as soon as the same day. You can use your funds for pet expenses immediately, but prepare to start making payments on your loan. Check your loan agreement for your first due date.

Alternative pet financing options

Some pet-related expenses, like emergency vet care, can't wait. But if you're unsure about a pet loan, here are some other options to consider.

Pet insurance

Important: Pet insurance is only an option for future care needs and vet costs.

Pet insurance can reimburse you for your pet's expenses, like medications, treatment for a chronic condition, or an emergency visit for an injury, reducing your costs for pet care. A pet insurance plan with preventative care coverage can even include reimbursement for annual wellness visits.

According to the North American Pet Health Insurance Association, pet insurance premiums for dogs averaged $62.44 per month in 2024, and $32.21 per month for cats. If it fits your budget, pet insurance could help you manage unexpected expenses more easily and avoid going into debt for emergency care.

Clinic wellness plan

Your veterinarian or local animal hospital may offer a wellness plan to help you pay for your pet's preventative care, such as vaccinations and dental cleanings. Monthly pricing varies by the type of pet and your pet's age. Some offices also have packages with advanced care, like diagnostic testing and unlimited visits, for an extra cost.

In-house financing

Your veterinarian's office may have its own financing for pet owners with large bills. Rather than repaying a loan, you can repay your vet's office over time, sometimes at a 0% APR. However, you may need to make a down payment before the office will approve your payment plan.

Treatment alternatives

Talk to your veterinarian to discuss alternative options if they recommend an expensive treatment or surgery. Dock says that, in some cases, at-home treatments or medications from human pharmacies with discounts can be viable alternatives to reduce your costs. Some vets may even be on board with letting you try holistic therapies, like acupuncture or herbal therapy, to see what works for your pet.

CareCredit

Many veterinarians accept CareCredit, a health and wellness credit card, as a form of financing. CareCredit may offer flexible, promotional financing options, like 24 months of interest-free payments. However, Dock warns that borrowers with fair or low credit scores may not get approved for CareCredit without a joint applicant.

0% APR credit card

You can also use a credit card other than CareCredit to pay for vet care or pet expenses. While credit cards can have high interest rates, some have promotional periods with 0% APR or low rates, usually for 12 to 18 months. This can be a good way to finance your pet's care while keeping interest to a minimum, but be sure to pay off your balance before the promo period ends and the card's regular APR goes into effect.

Compare: Personal Loan vs. Credit Card: Which Is Better?

Pet care financial assistance

If you're struggling to afford pet care, community resources may be able to provide funding. Kimberly Mordasky, veterinarian and owner of Hebron Veterinary Hospital, says that financial assistance programs and charities like The Pet Fund, RedRover Relief, and Waggle offer grants or financial assistance to pet owners. Local animal shelters or humane societies may also be able to help. “For immediate needs, crowdfunding platforms like GoFundMe can effectively share a pet's story and garner community support,” says Mordasky.

Mordasky also suggests looking for veterinary schools in your area, which sometimes have low-cost services.

Financial assistance may be available if you need a service animal through organizations such as Canine Companions and Duo Dogs.

Emergency savings

Your savings can be a cushion to use if necessary, especially in the event of a pet emergency when you need quick access to cash. Before dipping into your savings, make sure it won't affect your ability to pay for other essential expenses or emergencies. You won't pay any interest or fees to use your savings, but it could leave you without a financial buffer if it takes you a while to rebuild the balance.

Related: How To Start an Emergency Fund