Brits are considering getting cut-price cosmetic procedures alongside medical treatment for their beloved pets abroad (Picture: Getty Images)
Amid the ongoing cost of living crisis, pet owners are also being hit by increasing prices at the vets if their furry friend is ill or injured.
So some UK pet owners are being tempted by cheaper vet care in Turkey which can save them thousands – and potentially include a nose job or other cosmetic surgery as part of the deal.
Turkey is already a hugely popular plastic surgery destination, worth £3billion a year, but vet tourism is now starting to emerge as a new industry in the Mediterranean country.
But it’s been warned that these cheaper procedures could be too good to be true, with 25 Britons dying following cosmetic surgery in the country since 2019, and concerns that the travel could be harmful to already sick animals.
The Mirror was offered a package at Pet Clinic Turkey in Antalya costing between £4,500-£5,000 all in.
The package included diagnostic tests for a cat’s broken paw such as X-rays, surgery and aftercare, including physiotherapy and medicine, a hotel for pet and owner for 10 days, transfers, a city tour, and a cut-price nose job for the owner.
There are concerns that the long journey could be harmful to already sick animals (Picture: Getty Images)
Treating a broken paw in the UK can cost £1,200-£2,000, while X-rays are £300-£400. A rhinoplasty here ranges from £4,000-£7,000.
Pet Clinic Turkey is affiliated with Antalya-based cosmetic tourism firm Saluss Medical Group, who started their vet services in 2022.
Chief vet Dr Filiz Göktas said: ‘The numbers of British people who have brought pets in are quite high and are increasing dramatically as bills in the UK have become so high and pet ownership grew after Covid.
‘The health tourism industry is expanding into the veterinary sector.’
But owners are being urged to think twice before taking their beloved pets abroad.
Dr Anna Judson, of the British Veterinary Association added: ‘While it may be possible to get veterinary care at a lower cost abroad, it might not be in the best interest of the animal.
Some clinics are offering packages including hotel accommodation, airport transfers, and city tours (Picture: Getty Images)
‘The treatment may be excellent but the absence of continuity of care and check-ups from the vet team could have a detrimental impact on the animal’s recovery, especially if with complications.
‘Also, if a UK vet needs to step in to provide post-treatment care, with no background knowledge of the case, it could end up costing more.’
Earlier this year, a British woman and mum of three died after getting cosmetic surgery in Turkey.
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26-year-old Demi Agoglia complained of chest pains days after the Brazilian butt-lift operation and died on the same day she was set to return home to Salford, Greater Manchester.
She was on her way back to the clinic in Istanbul for a check-up following the operation on Thursday, but suffered a heart attack in a taxi as her partner Bradley Jones desperately tried to give her CPR.
Previously, Melissa Kerr died hours after her Brazilian butt-lift procedure, while Leah Cambridge may not have been properly informed about the surgery’s risks before she died in 2019.
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