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Veterinary Services in Canada - Market Research Report (2014-2029)

Marley Brocker Marley Brocker New York, United States Last Updated: December 2024 NAICS 54194CA

Revenue

$7.4bn

2024

$7.4bn

Past 5-Year Growth

Profit

$X.Xbn

Employees

49,586

Businesses

3,097

Wages

$X.Xbn

Veterinary Services in Canada industry analysis

Veterinary practices have benefited in recent years as more pet owners and agricultural producers seek out vets regularly to care for their animals. At the same time, medical advances for human care have been pouring into veterinary care, extending care beyond preventive measures into specialized areas. More than ever, households see their pets as an integral part of the family. Consumers' shifting attitudes toward household pets support the growth of veterinary clinics, as pet owners are more willing to spend on veterinary care. This willingness, combined with Canada's jump in its pet ownership rate, has strengthened the industry's role in supporting the country's pet owners. Pet ownership trends have led industry-wide revenue to rise at a CAGR of 3.6% over the past five years – totaling an estimated $7.4 billion in 2024 – when revenue will drop an expected 1.4%.

Trends and Insights

  • Canada has more pet owners than ever. A big jump in the pet ownership rate between 2020 and 2024 provides practices with more animals to care for, but widespread labour shortages prevent them doing so. Shortages pressure the industry’s existing workforce, drive skyrocketing care costs and encourage consolidation.
  • In-house diagnostics gains a larger role in veterinary care. Tech and medical advances introduce new tools that allow vets to provide owners with quick results about a pet’s health. Pet owners’ desire to keep their pets happy and healthy drives spending that incentivizes clinics to invest in these technologies.
  • Ontario has the most active veterinarians in Canada. While vets concentrate in this province for its access to populated metro areas, quality of life and professional opportunities, the supply of vets still falls behind demand.
  • Canada doesn't have enough veterinarians to meet the fast-growing demand for pet care. Pet owners have fewer options to choose from when seeking care, exposing vet practices to less direct competition.

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  • Market estimates from 2014-2029
  • Critical performance data and rankings
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Industry Statistics and Trends

Market size and recent performance (2014-2029)

Industry revenue has grown at a CAGR of 3.6 % over the past five years, to reach an estimated $7.4bn in 2024.

Trends and Insights

Canada’s pet owners embrace their pets as family members

  • Pet ownership in Canada has been on the rise. Findings from the Canadian Animal Health Institute show that 60.0% of Canadian households owned at least one dog or cat in 2022. Between 2020 and 2022, the dog population rose from 7.7 million to 7.9 million, or 2.6%, while the cat population increased from 8.1 million to 8.5 million during the same period, a jump of 4.9%.
  • Additional trends and insights available with purchase
Veterinary Services in Canada
Revenue (2014-2029)
IBISWorld Logo Source: IBISWorld

Industry outlook (2024-2029)

Market size is projected to grow over the next five years.

Trends and Insights

Growth in veterinary medicine is bolstered by technology advances in human healthcare

  • The integration of artificial intelligence (AI) and telemedicine from human healthcare is translating to industry growth in veterinary medicine. AI can aid in detecting patterns and making predictions, helping doctors make more accurate diagnoses.

Biggest companies in the Veterinary Services in Canada

Company
Market Share (%)
2024
Revenue ($m)
2024
Profit ($m)
2024
Profit Margin (%)
2024
VCA Antech Inc.
664.7
105.3
15.8

To view the market share and analysis for all 1 top companies in this industry, view purchase options.

Products & Services Segmentation

Veterinary Services in Canada
Products & Services
IBISWorld Logo Source: IBISWorld

Industry revenue is measured across several distinct product and services lines, including Routine exams, Nonsurgical procedures and Surgical procedures. Routine exams is the largest segment of the Veterinary Services in Canada.

Trends and Insights

Routine and nonsurgical procedures provide half of revenue

  • Pet owners take animals for routine checkups, which usually involve the veterinarian inspecting the animal, listening to the owner's concerns and conducting a standard examination. This may include checking the animal’s ears, skin and temperature and listening to its heart rate.
  • More insights available in the full report

Table of Contents

About this industry

Industry definition

Veterinary services are the medical and healthcare services licensed veterinarians and their support staff provide to animals. These services encompass a broad range of activities to maintain the health and well-being of animals, including household pets, livestock and wildlife.

What's included in this industry?

Routine examsNonsurgical proceduresSurgical proceduresLaboratory and diagnostic testingPet products and foodPet care services

Companies

VCA Antech Inc.

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Related Terms

DIAGNOSTIC EQUINELIVESTOCK

Industry Code

NAICS 2007

NAICS 541940 - Veterinary Services in Canada

Performance

Get an indication of the industry's health through historical, current and forward-looking trends in the performance indicators that make or break businesses.

Analyst insights

Canada has more pet owners than ever. A big jump in the pet ownership rate between 2020 and 2024 provides practices with more animals to care for, but widespread labour short...

In this chapter (4)

  • Current Performance
  • Outlook
  • Volatility
  • Life Cycle

Key metrics

  • Annual Revenue, Recent Growth, Forecast, Revenue Volatility
  • Number of Employees, Recent Growth, Forecast, Employees per Business, Revenue per Employee
  • Number of Businesses, Recent Growth, Forecast, Employees per Business, Revenue per Business
  • Total Profit, Profit Margin, Profit per Business

Charts

  • Revenue, including historical (2014-2023) and forecast (2024-2029)
  • Employees, including historical (2014-2023) and forecast (2024-2029)
  • Businesses, including historical (2014-2023) and forecast (2024-2029)
  • Profit, including historical (2014-2024)
  • Industry Volatility vs. Revenue Growth
  • Industry Life Cycle

Detailed analysis

  • Trends in supply, demand and current events that are driving current industry performance
  • Expected trends, economic factors and ongoing events that drive the industry's outlook
  • Key success factors for businesses to overcome volatility
  • How contribution to GDP, industry saturation, innovation, consolidation, and technology and systems influence the industry's life cycle phase.

Products and Markets

Learn about an industry's products and services, markets and trends in international trade.

Analyst insight

In-house diagnostics gains a larger role in veterinary care. Tech and medical advances introduce new tools that allow vets to provide owners with quick results about a pet’s ...

In this chapter

  • Products & Services
  • Major Markets

Key metrics

  • Largest market segment and value in 2024
  • Product innovation level

Charts

  • Products & services segmentation in 2024
  • Major market segmentation in 2024

Detailed analysis

  • Trends impacting the recent performance of the industry's various segments
  • Innovations in the industry's product or service offering, specialization or delivery method
  • Key factors that successful businesses consider in their offerings
  • Buying segments and key trends influencing demand for industry products and services

Geographic Breakdown

Discover where business activity is most concentrated in an industry and the factors driving these trends to find opportunities and conduct regional benchmarking.

Analyst insights

Ontario has the most active veterinarians in Canada. While vets concentrate in this province for its access to populated metro areas, quality of life and professional opportu...

In this chapter (1)

  • Business Locations

Charts

  • Share of revenue, establishment, wages and employment in each province
  • Share of population compared to establishments in each region in 2024

Tables

  • Number and share of establishments in each province in 2024
  • Number and share of revenue each province accounts for in 2024
  • Number and share of wages each province accounts for in 2024
  • Number and share of employees in each province in 2024

Detailed analysis

  • Geographic spread of the industry across North America, and trends associated with changes in the business landscape
  • Key success factors for businesses to use location to their advantage

Competitive Forces

Get data and insights on what's driving competition in an industry and the challenges industry operators and new entrants may face, with analysis built around Porter's Five Forces framework.

Analyst insights

Canada doesn't have enough veterinarians to meet the fast-growing demand for pet care. Pet owners have fewer options to choose from when seeking care, exposing vet practices ...

In this chapter (4)

  • Concentration
  • Barriers to Entry
  • Substitutes
  • Buyer & Supplier Analysis

Key metrics

  • Industry concentration level
  • Industry competition level and trend
  • Barriers to entry level and trend
  • Substitutes level and trend
  • Buyer power level and trend
  • Supplier power level and trend

Charts

  • Market share concentration among the top 4 suppliers from 2019-2024
  • Supply chain including upstream supplying industries and downstream buying industries, flow chart

Detailed analysis

  • Factors impacting the industry’s level of concentration, such as business distribution, new entrants, or merger and acquisition activity.
  • Key success factors for businesses to manage the competitive environment of the industry.
  • Challenges that potential industry entrants face such as legal, start-up costs, differentiation, labor/capital intensity and capital expenses.
  • Key success factors for potential entrants to overcome barriers to entry.
  • Competitive threats from potential substitutes for the industry’s own products and services.
  • Key success factors for how successful businesses can compete with substitutes.
  • Advantages that buyers have to keep favorable purchasing conditions.
  • Advantages that suppliers have to maintain favorable selling conditions.
  • Key success factors for how businesses can navigate buyer and supplier power.

Companies

Learn about the performance of the top companies in the industry.

Analyst insights

Consolidation will create larger, corporate-owned veterinary groups. Small, independent clinics remain the status quo, but accelerating consolidation activity reshapes the in...

In this chapter

  • Market Share Concentration
  • Companies
  • Company Spotlights

Charts

  • Industry market share by company in 2020 through 2024
  • Major companies in the industry, including market share, revenue, profit and profit margin in 2024
  • Overview of VCA Antech Inc.'s performance by revenue, market share and profit margin from 2018 through 2024

Detailed analysis

  • Description and key data for VCA Antech Inc., and factors influencing its performance in the industry

External Environment

Understand the demographic, economic and regulatory factors that shape how businesses in an industry perform.   

Analyst insights

A veterinary shortage characterizes the industry’s current environment. Steep barriers to entry for new veterinary graduates prevent the workforce from growing, while a boom ...

In this chapter

  • External Drivers
  • Regulation & Policy
  • Assistance

Key metrics

  • Regulation & policy level and trend
  • Assistance level and trend

Charts

  • Regulation & Policy historical data and forecast (2014-2029) 
  • Assistance historical data and forecast (2014-2029) 

Detailed analysis

  • Demographic and macroeconomic factors influencing the industry, including Regulation & Policy and Assistance
  • Major types of regulations, regulatory bodies, industry standards or specific regulations impacting requirements for industry operators
  • Key governmental and non-governmental groups or policies that may provide some relief for industry operators.

Financial Benchmarks

View average costs for industry operators and compare financial data against an industry's financial benchmarks over time. 

Analyst insights

Growth in pet ownership and higher veterinary fees strengthen profit. The combination of a growing number of pets and the willingness of pet owners to invest in their pets' h...

In this chapter

  • Cost Structure
  • Financial Ratios
  • Key Ratios

Key metrics

  • Profit margin, and how it compares to the sector-wide margin
  • Average wages, and how it compares to the sector-wide average wage
  • Largest cost component as a percentage of revenue
  • Industry average ratios for days' receivables, industry coverage and debt-to-net-worth ratio

Charts

  • Average industry operating costs as a share of revenue, including purchases, wages, depreciation, utilities, rent, other costs and profit in 2024
  • Average sector operating costs as a share of revenue, including purchases, wages, depreciation, utilities, rent, other costs and profit in 2024
  • Investment vs. share of economy

Data tables

  • Liquidity Ratios (2017-2022)
  • Coverage Ratios (2017-2022)
  • Leverage Ratios  (2017-2022)
  • Operating Ratios (2017-2022)
  • Assets (2017-2022)
  • Liabilities (2017-2022)
  • Cash Flow & Debt Service Ratios (2014-2029)
  • Revenue per Employee (2014-2029)
  • Revenue per Enterprise (2014-2029)
  • Employees per Establishment (2014-2029)
  • Employees per Enterprise (2014-2029)
  • Average Wage (2014-2029)
  • Wages/Revenue (2014-2029)
  • Establishments per Enterprise (2014-2029)
  • IVA/Revenue (2014-2029)
  • Imports/Demand (2014-2029)
  • Exports/Revenue (2014-2029)

Detailed analysis

  • Trends in the cost component for industry operators and their impact on industry costs and profitability 

Key Statistics

Industry Data

Data Tables

Including values and annual change:

  • Revenue (2014-2029)
  • IVA (2014-2029)
  • Establishments (2014-2029)
  • Enterprises (2014-2029)
  • Employment (2014-2029)
  • Exports (2014-2029)
  • Imports (2014-2029)
  • Wages (2014-2029)

Top Questions Answered

Unlock comprehensive answers and precise data upon purchase. View purchase options.

What is the market size of the Veterinary Services industry in Canada in 2024?

The market size of the Veterinary Services industry in Canada is $7.4bn in 2024.

How many businesses are there in the Veterinary Services in Canada industry in 2024?

There are 3,097 businesses in the Veterinary Services industry in Canada, which has declined at a CAGR of 0.1 % between 2019 and 2024.

Has the Veterinary Services industry in Canada grown or declined over the past 5 years?

The market size of the Veterinary Services industry in Canada has been growing at a CAGR of 3.6 % between 2019 and 2024.

What is the forecast growth of the Veterinary Services industry in Canada over the next 5 years?

Over the next five years, the Veterinary Services industry in Canada is expected to grow.

What are the biggest companies in the Veterinary Services market in Canada?

The biggest company operating in the Veterinary Services market in Canada is VCA Antech Inc.

What does the Veterinary Services in Canada include?

Routine exams and Nonsurgical procedures are part of the Veterinary Services industry.

Which companies have the highest market share in the Veterinary Services in Canada?

The company holding the most market share in Canada is VCA Antech Inc..

How competitive is the Veterinary Services industry in Canada?

The level of competition is moderate and increasing in the Veterinary Services industry in Canada.

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Methodology

How are IBISWorld reports created?

IBISWorld has been a leading provider of trusted industry research for over 50 years to the most successful companies worldwide. With offices in Australia, the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany and China, we are proud to have local teams of analysts that conduct research, data analysis and forecasting to produce data-driven industry reports.

Our analysts start with official, verified and publicly available sources of data to build the most accurate picture of each industry. Analysts then leverage their expertise and knowledge of the local markets to synthesize trends into digestible content for IBISWorld readers. Finally, each report is reviewed by one of IBISWorld’s editors, who provide quality assurance to ensure accuracy and readability.

IBISWorld relies on human-verified data and human-written analysis to compile each standard industry report. We do not use generative AI tools to write insights, although members can choose to leverage AI-based tools within the platform to generate additional analysis formats.

What data sources do IBISWorld analysts use?

Each industry report incorporates data and research from government databases, industry-specific sources, industry contacts, and our own proprietary database of statistics and analysis to provide balanced, independent and accurate insights.

Key data sources in Canada include:

  • Statistics Canada
  • Industry Canada
  • Canadian Business Patterns

Analysts also use industry specific sources to complement catch-all sources, although their perspective may focus on a particular organization or representative body, rather than a clear overview of all industry operations. However, when balanced against other perspectives, industry-specific sources provide insights into industry trends.

These sources include:

  • Industry and trade associations
  • Industry federations or regulators
  • Major industry players annual or quarterly filings

Finally, IBISWorld’s global data scientists maintain a proprietary database of macroeconomic and demand drivers, which our analysts use to help inform industry data and trends. They also maintain a database of statistics and analysis on thousands of industries, which has been built over our more than 50-year history and offers comprehensive insights into long-term trends.

How does IBISWorld forecast its data?

IBISWorld’s analysts and data scientists use the sources above to create forecasts for our proprietary datasets and industry statistics. Depending on the dataset, they may use regression analysis, multivariate analysis, time-series analysis or exponential smoothing techniques to project future data for the industry or driver. Additionally, analysts will leverage their local knowledge of industry operating and regulatory conditions to impart their best judgment on the forecast model.

IBISWorld prides itself on being a trusted, independent source of data, with over 50 years of experience building and maintaining rich datasets and forecasting tools. We are proud to be the keystone source of industry information for thousands of companies across the world.

Learn more about our methodology and data sourcing on the Help Center.