Cost guide, not veterinary advice. Prices are typical US ranges from public sources and vary by clinic and region. Last reviewed October 28, 2026. How we research
In this guide
- Vet prices at a glance
- Routine care: exams, vaccines and blood work
- Spay and neuter prices
- Dental care prices
- X-rays, MRI and other tests
- Surgery prices
- Emergency vet prices
- End-of-life care prices
- What pet insurance costs
- Why vet prices vary so much
- How to pay less for vet care
- Frequently asked questions
- How we put this price list together
Vet prices at a glance
A routine vet exam costs about $95 for a dog in the U.S. in 2026, and most everyday vet bills, from a yearly checkup to an X-ray, come to between $100 and $500. Planned surgery such as a spay or a dental cleaning usually costs $300 to $900 at a private vet. Emergencies and orthopedic surgery are where bills reach the thousands: about $1,500 for one night in an emergency hospital and $3,500 to $6,000 per knee for TPLO surgery.
| Vet service | Typical US price | Full guide |
|---|---|---|
| Routine exam, dog | About $95 ($75–$171) | Vet visit cost |
| Yearly checkup with vaccines, dog | About $170–$250 | Vet visit cost |
| Blood work (CBC and chemistry panel) | $100–$268 | Dog blood work cost |
| X-ray | $213 on average | Dog X-ray cost |
| Dog spay, private vet | $455 on average | Dog spay cost |
| Dog dental cleaning under anesthesia | $388 on average | Dog teeth cleaning cost |
| Emergency exam | $135 for a dog, $143 for a cat | Emergency vet cost |
| One night in an emergency hospital | About $1,486 | Emergency vet cost |
| MRI | About $2,300 | Dog MRI cost |
| Swallowed-object surgery (intestines) | $4,383 on average | Foreign body surgery cost |
| TPLO surgery for a torn cruciate ligament | $3,500–$6,000 per knee | TPLO surgery cost |
| Euthanasia at a vet clinic | About $100–$250 | Cost to put a dog down |
Sources: national averages from CareCredit‘s veterinary cost data, based on the 2025 Synchrony national cost study; TPLO and euthanasia ranges from clinic price lists and pet insurers. Each guide lists its full sources, the date we checked them and state data where it exists.
The sections below show what a specific visit, test or procedure costs, why the same treatment can cost twice as much at another clinic, and how to pay less. If you’re looking at an estimate right now, start with the table for that kind of care, then open the full guide for real clinic prices.
Routine care: exams, vaccines and blood work
Expect about $95 for a routine dog exam and $170 to $250 for a yearly checkup with vaccines. Tests, vaccines and medicine are billed on top of the exam fee, which is why most visits cost more than the headline price.
| Service | Typical price |
|---|---|
| Routine exam, dog | $95 on average ($75–$171) |
| Yearly checkup with vaccines, dog | About $170–$250 |
| Checkup with vaccines, heartworm test and fecal exam, dog | About $335 |
| Sick visit with basic tests | About $200–$400 |
| Virtual visit for a minor problem | About $50 |
| Complete blood count (CBC) | $104 on average |
| Chemistry panel | $164 on average |
| Senior screen (CBC, chemistry, urinalysis and thyroid) | $150–$300 as a bundle |
| Yearly heartworm test | $30–$71 |
Full guides: Vet visit cost · Dog blood work cost
Spay and neuter prices
Spaying a dog costs about $455 at a private vet and neutering about $487, while nonprofit clinics often charge $165 to $325 depending on weight. Cats cost less: about $322 for a spay and $212 for a neuter at a private vet, and often $65 to $80 at a nonprofit or low-cost clinic.
| Surgery | Private vet, national average | Nonprofit or low-cost clinic |
|---|---|---|
| Dog spay | $455 ($361–$829) | $215–$325 by weight |
| Dog neuter | $487 ($385–$885) | $165–$250 by weight |
| Cat spay | $322 ($255–$587) | About $80, with a core vaccine, at one nonprofit clinic |
| Cat neuter | $212 ($168–$385) | About $65, with a core vaccine, at one nonprofit clinic |
Full guides: Dog spay cost · Dog neuter cost · Cat spay and neuter cost
Dental care prices
A dental cleaning under anesthesia averages $388 for a dog and $375 for a cat; extractions are what push a dental bill past $1,000. Anesthesia, dental X-rays and pre-surgery blood work are part of almost every dental visit, so the price per tooth is only one line of the bill.
| Dental procedure | Typical price |
|---|---|
| Dog cleaning under anesthesia | $388 on average ($307–$702) |
| Cat cleaning under anesthesia | $375 on average ($300–$682) |
| Dog tooth extraction, simple | $78 per tooth on average |
| Dog tooth extraction, complex | $130 per tooth on average |
| Dog dental visit with one or a few extractions | $500–$2,500 |
| Cat dental visit to remove one tooth | $600–$1,200 |
| Cat full-mouth extraction | $1,500–$4,000 or more |
Full guides: Dog teeth cleaning cost · Cat dental cleaning cost · Dog tooth extraction cost · Cat tooth extraction cost
X-rays, MRI and other tests
A dog X-ray costs about $213 on average, while advanced imaging runs into the thousands: about $1,600 for a CT scan and $2,300 for an MRI. Sedation or anesthesia and the specialist visit are usually extra.
| Test | Typical price |
|---|---|
| Dog X-ray | $213 on average; $172 for a standard two- or three-view study |
| X-ray visit with the exam and any sedation | About $250–$500 |
| CT scan | About $1,600 on average |
| MRI | About $2,300 on average; $2,000–$5,000 in total |
| Full neurology workup at a specialty hospital | $3,000–$5,000 |
Full guides: Dog X-ray cost · Dog MRI cost
Surgery prices
Smaller operations, such as an umbilical hernia repair or ear hematoma surgery, usually cost about $150 to $1,230, while most emergency and orthopedic surgeries cost $2,000 to $6,000 or more. The procedure sets the base price; your dog’s size and the type of clinic decide where in the range you land.
| Surgery | Typical price | Full guide |
|---|---|---|
| Ear hematoma surgery | $535–$1,230 | Ear hematoma surgery cost |
| Hernia repair | $150–$400 for an umbilical hernia on its own; about $2,300 for an inguinal hernia | Dog hernia surgery cost |
| Pyometra surgery | $1,218 for a dog and $2,116 for a cat on average | Pyometra surgery cost |
| Swallowed-object surgery | $2,217 (stomach) to $4,383 (intestines) on average | Foreign body surgery cost |
| Bloat (GDV) emergency surgery | $2,500–$8,000 or more | Dog bloat surgery cost |
| Cruciate repair with a lateral suture | $1,500–$3,000 | TPLO vs. lateral suture |
| TPLO surgery | $3,500–$6,000 per knee; up to $10,000 at urban specialty hospitals | TPLO surgery cost |
| Hip dysplasia surgery | $2,791 on average for an FHO; $4,000–$10,000 per hip for a total hip replacement | Hip dysplasia surgery cost |
Emergency vet prices
Just walking into an emergency vet costs about $135 for a dog and $143 for a cat, and one night in the hospital with tests and IV fluids comes to about $1,500. Emergency surgery or intensive care can push the bill past $5,000.
| What you get | Typical price |
|---|---|
| Emergency exam only | $135 for a dog; $143 for a cat |
| Exam plus blood work and X-rays | About $737 |
| One night in the hospital | About $1,486 |
| Emergency surgery | $1,500–$5,000 or more |
| Intensive care | $500–$2,000 per day |
Full guides: Emergency vet cost
End-of-life care prices
Euthanasia costs about $100 to $250 at a regular vet clinic, $30 to $75 at many shelters and city animal services, and $350 to $900 at home. Cremation is billed separately.
| Service | Typical price |
|---|---|
| Euthanasia at a humane society or city animal service | $30–$75 |
| Euthanasia at a regular vet clinic | About $100–$250 |
| In-home euthanasia | $350–$900 |
| Cremation | $50–$140 communal (ashes not returned); $100–$425 private (ashes returned), by weight |
Full guides: Cost to put a dog down · Pet cremation cost
What pet insurance costs
Accident-and-illness pet insurance averaged about $70 a month for a dog and $36 for a cat in 2025, according to the industry group NAPHIA. Your own price depends on your pet’s age, breed and ZIP code, and on the deductible, reimbursement rate and annual limit you choose. Insurance doesn’t pay for routine care such as vaccines or spaying. On a $4,000 covered surgery, a policy with a $250 deductible and 80% reimbursement would leave you about $1,050 to pay.
| Policy | Typical monthly price |
|---|---|
| Average dog policy, all US policies (2025) | About $70 |
| Average cat policy, all US policies (2025) | About $36 |
| Dog with a $250 deductible, 80% reimbursement and $5,000 limit | About $56 |
| 7-year-old dog, same settings | About $74 |
| Cat, same settings | About $24 |
Sources: NAPHIA (2025 averages); Forbes Advisor (prices by settings and age). The $1,050 example is our calculation, with the reimbursement percentage applied before the deductible. Details: how much pet insurance costs per month, how pet insurance works and whether pet insurance is worth it.
Why vet prices vary so much
The same treatment can cost twice as much a few miles away. Four things explain most of the gap:
- Type of clinic. Nonprofit and high-volume clinics charge a fraction of private-practice prices for routine surgery, and emergency and specialty hospitals charge the most. Pyometra surgery for a dog, for example, runs about $200 to $515 at nonprofit spay/neuter clinics, $600 to $2,500 at private vets and $1,500 to $3,500 at emergency hospitals.
- Where you live. State averages for the same surgery can differ by more than double: a dog spay averages $367 in West Virginia and $814 in Hawaii, and foreign body surgery $3,513 in Mississippi and $7,824 in Hawaii.
- Your pet’s size. Bigger dogs need more anesthesia, drugs and surgical time. Ear hematoma surgery, for instance, costs about $500 to $700 for a dog up to 50 pounds and $1,500 to $2,500 for one over 100 pounds.
- What the quote includes. Some clinics quote an all-inclusive price; others bill the exam, blood work, anesthesia, X-rays, medicine and the cone separately. Ask for a written, itemized estimate before a planned procedure.
Prices also keep rising. Veterinarian services have gone up about 4.9% a year on average since 1997, roughly twice the rate of overall inflation, with the biggest jumps in 2022 and 2023, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics consumer price data. Rising vet prices are also one of the main reasons pet insurance premiums go up.
How to pay less for vet care
- Use nonprofit clinics for planned care. Spaying, neutering, vaccines and some surgeries cost far less at nonprofit and shelter clinics; see the clinic comparisons in our dog spay and cat spay and neuter guides.
- Get an estimate and compare. For anything planned, ask two or three clinics for itemized quotes. Prices for the same procedure vary widely, even in the same city.
- Insure early. Accident-and-illness insurance pays for the unexpected bills on this page, but only for problems that start after coverage. The best time to buy is before the first vet exam.
- Plan for routine costs separately. A wellness plan or a savings fund covers predictable care that insurance excludes.
- Know your payment options. Compare vet financing options before you sign up for one, read how CareCredit’s deferred interest works, and see the charities and grants that help with vet bills.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a vet visit cost?
A routine exam costs about $95 for a dog on average in the U.S., before tests, vaccines or medicine. A yearly checkup with vaccines usually comes to $170 to $250, and an emergency exam averages $135 for a dog and $143 for a cat.
Which vet bills cost the most?
Among the treatments in our guides, orthopedic surgery and serious emergencies cost the most. A total hip replacement runs $4,000 to $10,000 per hip, TPLO knee surgery $3,500 to $6,000 per knee and up to $10,000 at urban specialty hospitals, and serious emergencies often $5,000 to $8,000 in total.
Why are vet prices so high?
Vet clinics pay for much of the same equipment, drugs and trained staff as human medicine, including anesthesia, monitoring and imaging. Prices have also risen faster than general inflation: about 4.9% a year on average since 1997, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics consumer price data.
Are low-cost vet clinics much cheaper?
Often, yes. A dog spay averages $455 at a private vet but $215 to $325 at nonprofit clinics, and spaying or neutering a cat often costs $65 to $80 at a nonprofit or low-cost clinic, sometimes with a core vaccine included.
Does pet insurance pay for vet bills?
An accident-and-illness policy reimburses most unexpected vet costs, such as emergencies, surgery and diagnostic tests, after your deductible and up to your annual limit. It doesn’t pay for routine care such as vaccines or spaying, or for conditions your pet had before coverage started.
How we put this price list together
Every price on this page comes from one of our cost guides, where you’ll find the full sources, the date each figure was checked and state-by-state data where it exists. Most national averages come from CareCredit’s veterinary cost data, which is based on the 2025 Synchrony national cost study; ranges come from published clinic price lists, nonprofit clinics and pet insurers. Pet insurance averages come from NAPHIA, the industry group for North American pet insurers, and Forbes Advisor. We checked the figures in September and October 2026 and update this page when a guide changes. Prices are for the U.S., before tax; your clinic’s price can be higher or lower.
Sources
- CareCredit: Veterinary costs
- CareCredit: Emergency vet visit cost
- CareCredit: Dog spay and neuter cost
- CareCredit: Cat spay and neuter cost
- CareCredit: Cat and dog teeth cleaning cost
- CareCredit: Dog tooth extraction cost
- CareCredit: X-ray cost for dogs
- CareCredit: Dog MRI cost
- CareCredit: Intestinal blockage surgery cost
- CareCredit: Dog hip dysplasia surgery cost
- CareCredit: Dog ear hematoma surgery
- Healthy Paws: Common pet emergencies and their costs
- NAPHIA: State of the Industry Report 2026, average premiums
- Forbes Advisor: Average cost of pet insurance
- Officialdata.org: Veterinarian services price inflation (BLS consumer price index)