Here's how pet ownership costs are changing (and what owners need to do now)

Owning a pet comes with big responsibilities and a hefty financial burden, especially in terms of vet care. Rebecca Nelson/ About two-thirds of U.S. households now include a pet as one of the family members, and for most people, that relationship is a central part of daily life. But alongside the emotional investment that comes with having a pet, there's a financial one — and that component is becoming harder to ignore. Whether it's routine care or unexpected emergencies, the cost of keeping a pet healthy and comfortable is climbing, and not always in the ways you'd expect. Pet-related expenses have been surging across multiple categories, according to recent survey data from Healthy Paws Pet Insurance , from food and grooming to veterinary services. And while inflation has been climbing recently, driving up the prices of essentials like housing, food and transportation, the rising cost of pet care has outpaced much of it. And, that's particularly true when it comes to medical treatment and services. That, in turn, is leaving many pet owners with the tricky balance of maintaining a high standard of care while trying to keep their budgets intact. Just how much has the cost of pet ownership changed, though, and what expenses are driving it? Find out how affordable pet insurance could be with Healthy Paws . The changing cost of pet ownership Pet ownership has never been cheap, but the scale and structure of those costs are evolving. …