We asked South Wales Argus readers if they thought vets bills were too high and if they had any recent shocks.

We received more than 200 responses, where the overall majority believed that vets bills are too high and it was the reason more and more pets are being put to sleep or abandoned, with some sharing the price of treatment for their animal friends.

Sandra Rowley said: "Yes, we all have.. Its as though they have a license to print money for themselves.

"Many of us have insurance but that goes up yearly if you claim or not, and with financial implications on everyone, some cannot take the price hikes." She also offered a solution that there should be guidelines, but highlighted that it is 'one of the hardest jobs in the world.' This was echoed by Emily Jayne Sterry who called for a price cap.

Gemma Kenney voiced her concern, stating: "I’m a huge fan of vets and what they do however the prices are absolutely outrageous and unacceptable. Forced into insurance which is going up all the time."

Many readers echoed this sentiment, including Hayley Jones and Cheryl Hulbert-Keast. Ms Jones said: "Costs are absolutely too high.

"The corporations are all about making money. The vets don’t see much of it! It’s dreadful!" While Ms Hulbert-Keast recounted her shock when her initial estimate of £1,500 rose to a final bill of £2,600, an increase of £1,100.

Sharron Forster added: "Yes definitely my cat got hit by car had to have his tail amputated, that alone cost us 1,200 pounds then the night in and his pain relief came to a total of 2,500 pounds ."

Charlotte Perrott was among the few defending the high costs: "Vets and veterinary staff are superheroes! We're lucky we have an NHS, in other countries you'd pay thousands for your care.

"We don't have a pet NHS so of course we have to pay, and whoever thought it would be cheap? Their overheads must be ridiculous, their pay doesn't reflect their work and commitment."

However, other readers spoke of the mismatch between high costs and poor pet insurance. RG RG stated: "My cat has had the same surgery twice within 6 weeks of each other. The price differences was in the hundreds!

"I find it disgusting how vet bills are so high that people have to make the choice of euthanasia or financial hardship/debt!"

Paula Wine warned against turning against the vets themselves, stating: "Firstly, the VAST majority of veterinary professionals have absolutely nothing to do with deciding the clinic's fees, even in independent practices.

"Much has also been made of the costs of veterinary treatments in general but the fact of the matter is good quality medicine and surgery by skilled professionals is costly."

The question of overpricing has also been addressed with a comparison to human medicine, with reader Gavin Facey saying: "Yes. As high as the costs are, it makes you think how lucky we are to have the NHS."

While most readers agreed that veterinary costs are excessively high and often a shock, some understood the reasons, pointing to the reality that good quality work is costly, and the lack of sufficient pet insurance coverage often adds to the pressure on pet owners.

It seems clear that there is a significant consensus that action must be taken to bring veterinary costs down or improve insurance options for pet owners.