ArcaMax

Ultimately, it's the pets who win when clients like and trust their vets and vet techs. The IDEXX survey also showed that when pet owners are bonded to practices, they're more likely to do all they can -- within their budget -- for a pet.

In fact, if a practice is accredited by the American Animal Hospital Association, 44 percent of those surveyed indicated they would even pay more for pet care because of the level of care their animals were likely to get.

In fact, only about 15 percent of practices in the U.S. are AAHA accredited. To be accredited, hospitals must pass on approximately 900 standards of veterinary excellence. Once these standards were explained to those taking the survey, just over half said they'd drive farther to find an accredited facility, and 81 percent suggested they saw the value in an accredited practice.

One problem with this survey is that it was somewhat skewed because most pet owners interviewed regularly visit a veterinarian. Despite industry efforts, regular preventive care visits continue to decline. According to a 2012 study from Bayer Animal Health, here are some reasons for the drop in visits:

1) Dr. Google: In an effort to save time and money, many pet owners are alternatively seeking pet care advice from the Internet. Pet websites enjoy tons of traffic, and 39 percent of pet owners will go there before their veterinarian. However, according to the IDEXX study, when a trusted veterinarian recommends appropriate sites, pet owners are less likely to go online to "double-check" the veterinarian.

2) Sticker shock: Just over half of all clients suggest the price of a vet visit is often higher than expected. Others feel veterinarians focus on making money over caring for the pet, sometimes by promoting unnecessary vaccines or procedures. No surprise, though, when pet owners trust their veterinarian, they're more likely to accept pricing.

According to the American Veterinary Medical Association, dog visits to the vet have slipped 21 percent since 2001, and cat visits have taken a free fall, dropping 30 percent. As a result, preventable illness in pets is on the rise, which is frustrating for veterinarians. Obviously, they can't help pets they're not seeing.

"It's really very simple: If we can get people to see veterinarians once or twice a year, pets would be healthier, and living longer, and overall pet owners could actually save money," said Cavanagh.

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