PET owners in the Wee County have been warned to take rising vet costs into account when choosing to adopt or buy a pet.

The Scottish Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SSPCA) issued the warning after seeing calls from owners contacting their helpline because they can't afford medical treatment costs rise.

Scotland's animal welfare charity says calls have more than doubled in the past year, from 59 in 2020 to 141 in 2021.

Mike Flynn, Scottish SPCA chief superintendent, said: "While we know Scotland is a nation of animal lovers, and for the most part people think carefully before taking on an animal, sadly lockdown has seen some people adopting or buying animals without considering the associated costs.

"Certain members of the public are happy to save up hundreds or even thousands of pounds to cover the initial outlay of buying an animal without realising that animal will need veterinary care for the rest of their life.

"As a charity, while we do our best to assist where we can, unfortunately we just don't have the funds or resources to help people with veterinary costs.

"We would really urge people to think carefully about the lifetime cost of owning any animal before they bring that animal in to their lives. Even young and seemingly healthy animals can fall ill or be involved in an accident leading to unexpected veterinary bills.

"We would also advise people to take out pet insurance for any animal they own to give themselves peace of mind should something happen."

The Scottish SPCA are well aware of the costs of veterinary treatments.

As Scotland's animal charity they cared for almost 8,000 domestic animals in 2020 at their nine animal rescue and rehoming centres, many of whom would have needed extensive vet treatment and rehabilitation before being ready for rehoming.

Ian Futter, Scottish SPCA chief veterinary officer, said: "Even minor operations such as dental surgery can cost over £500 for a dog or a cat.

"We also perform a lot of spay and neutering surgeries which cost between £150 and £350 for a dog and £80 to £150 for a cat.

"Sadly, with the popularity of brachycephalic breeds like French bulldogs and pugs, we're now having to perform more obstructive airway disease surgery just to allow these dogs to be able to breathe.

"This surgery can cost anywhere in the region of £2,000 to £4,000.

"We can't stress enough how important it is for new owners to be aware of these costs and make sure they have the right level of pet insurance in place for their animal."