Veterinary costs are on the rise. How an independent Lexington clinic is trying to help

If you’re feeling the pinch when you take your pet for an annual exam, you’re not alone.

The cost of veterinary care has risen more than 60% in the last 10 years , according to The New York Times. Private equity firms taking over independently owned veterinary offices is a driving factor, and the increase can make it difficult for beloved pets to receive necessary health care—especially for specialized services.

As more and more veterinarian offices are bought out nationwide, one Lexington clinic is celebrating more than 30 years of independent ownership— Lexington Hospital for Cats.

‘Cats come first’

Lexington Hospital for Cats is exactly what it sounds like, a veterinary office specializing in feline care.

The hospital, located at 2025 Regency Road, Suite 110, intends to deliver individualized care to its patients and help owners understand its services.

“It’s more than just taking care of the cat,” Dr. Alice Mills, 69, owner of the practice, recently told the Herald-Leader. “You’ve got to help the owners understand what’s going on with their pet.”

Mills said she views herself as a teacher to her clients and always includes caretakers in the conversations about what care is best for their cats.

“If they don’t feel comfortable with something, we’re not going to ask them to do it,” Mills said. “I know that sounds really obvious, but there’s a lot of places that are just, ‘here’s your pills’ and out the door you go. That’s not how we work.”

Rachel Dooley, 28, Lexington Hospital for Cats’ case management nurse, said the hospital wants to offer a cat-friendly environment. She said they have taken several initiatives for cats to feel completely comfortable while receiving services, such as using calming diffusers inside examination rooms and never using fear techniques, such as scruffing.

“It’s just refreshing to find a place where I would feel so comfortable taking my cats and knowing they got excellent care,” Dooley said.

The Lexington Hospital for Cats houses two cats of its own, Violet and Dash, who are taken care of by Mills and the staff.

How it all began

Mills met Dr. Barbara Stein , the original owner of Chicago Cat Clinic , in the early 80s. Mills worked for Stein for a while before deciding to open her own practice in Lexington.

She faced several adversities in her journey to become a feline-specialized veterinarian, including a bank teller rejecting her request for a loan for being “a woman of childbearing years,” being overlooked and doubted throughout her education because of her gender and Stein not taking her seriously the first time they met.

Despite the challenges she faced, in 1987, Mills opened Lexington Hospital for Cats .

“I didn’t have a lot of the stuff I have now, but I could help people and their pets,” Mills said.

A changing landscape for veterinary practices

Dooley said prices at the Lexington Hospital for Cats range from $90 to $200 depending on the services patients receive, with the standard visit on the lower end. She also said the hospital accepts most pet insurance,

To compare nationally, CareCredit reported the average cost of a vet visit in 2023 at $25 to $186.

The loss of independent clinics is playing a role in the growing expenses for pet owners. In April, The Atlantic reported three of every four specialty veterinary clinics have been bought by corporations.

Mills said she thinks the increase in corporations purchasing independently owned veterinary practices is negatively affecting the quality of care pets receive.

“I’m not saying that’s how it is at all corporate practices, but the corporations put a lot of pressure on their veterinarians to meet certain production goals and things like that,” Mills said. “Here, we’re just happy if we can pay our bills, and I try to pay my employees really well.”

Mills said she would never sell Lexington Hospital for Cats to a corporation because of the care she has for those she helps.

“When you care about your patients, you want the best for them,” Mills said. “It’s not just a business.”

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