Veterinary Exam and Procedure Costs

When to Take Your Pet to the Vet

Your pet may need to see a vet for many different reasons, and how much it costs depends on the type of vet visit. Common reasons to take a pet to the vet include:

• Routine veterinary visits. Routine veterinary exams are similar to human physicals. They're meant to help keep your pet healthy by assessing their overall wellness, treating any ongoing conditions and following up on any concerns you may have.
• Vaccinations. You may have to set up a series of appointments to ensure your pet gets the properly scheduled vaccination shots to help prevent conditions like rabies and Bordetella.
• Condition or illness. Maybe your pet isn't drinking much water or has a suspicious cough. If so, you should take them in for a sick visit, where your vet will check their baseline health and may recommend additional evaluations and testing to diagnose their condition and determine next steps.
• Emergencies. There may be a time that your pet needs immediate medical attention, which calls for an emergency vet visit. Emergency visits can mean the difference between life and death, and the cost of an emergency vet visit will likely be higher due to specialized equipment and treatments.
• Surgical or specialty visits. Your pet may need to see a specialist to set up surgical procedures like spaying or neutering, dental extractions, fracture repairs, foreign object removal or cancer-related surgery or chemotherapy treatment.

Cost of a Vet Visit

During a routine veterinary appointment, your vet will perform a physical exam to assess your pet's health. The vet will check their vitals (heart rate, breathing, temperature, weight), signs of infection (ears, eyes, nose, mouth) and parasites (coat and skin).¹

The national average cost* for a routine vet visit can range from $70 to $174 (dogs) and $53 to $124 (cats). The total cost will vary based on location of the clinic, vaccines or tests needed, your pet's age and health, additional treatments (like flea prevention) and any extra procedures (like nail trimming and dental care).²

Cost of vet visit by state/district (dogs)

Here is a look at the average cost* for all 50 states and the District of Columbia for dogs:²

State/District	Average cost
Alabama	$77
Alaska	$109
Arizona	$90
Arkansas	$77
California	$110
Colorado	$89
Connecticut	$93
Delaware	$89
District of Columbia	$112
Florida	$90
Georgia	$80
Hawaii	$146
Idaho	$91
Illinois	$87
Indiana	$83
Iowa	$78
Kansas	$76
Kentucky	$82
Louisiana	$83
Maine	$88
Maryland	$101
Massachusetts	$106
Michigan	$83
Minnesota	$85
Mississippi	$78
Missouri	$79
Montana	$89
Nebraska	$80
Nevada	$88
New Hampshire	$94
New Jersey	$101
New Mexico	$82
New York	$94
North Carolina	$84
North Dakota	$82
Ohio	$82
Oklahoma	$79
Oregon	$97
Pennsylvania	$86
Rhode Island	$94
South Carolina	$85
South Dakota	$78
Tennessee	$78
Texas	$83
Utah	$88
Vermont	$92
Virginia	$87
Washington	$100
West Virginia	$81
Wisconsin	$84
Wyoming	$83

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Cost of vet visit by state/district (cats)

Here is a look at the average cost* for all 50 states and the District of Columbia for cats:²

State/District	Average cost
Alabama	$61
Alaska	$83
Arizona	$70
Arkansas	$61
California	$85
Colorado	$69
Connecticut	$72
Delaware	$68
District of Columbia	$92
Florida	$69
Georgia	$63
Hawaii	$97
Idaho	$69
Illinois	$64
Indiana	$60
Iowa	$60
Kansas	$61
Kentucky	$63
Louisiana	$63
Maine	$70
Maryland	$82
Massachusetts	$80
Michigan	$62
Minnesota	$63
Mississippi	$55
Missouri	$61
Montana	$67
Nebraska	$60
Nevada	$68
New Hampshire	$73
New Jersey	$72
New Mexico	$62
New York	$71
North Carolina	$63
North Dakota	$63
Ohio	$64
Oklahoma	$59
Oregon	$75
Pennsylvania	$67
Rhode Island	$70
South Carolina	$65
South Dakota	$64
Tennessee	$62
Texas	$63
Utah	$67
Vermont	$71
Virginia	$67
Washington	$78
West Virginia	$62
Wisconsin	$64
Wyoming	$65

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Routine Veterinary Exam Costs by Procedure

A routine veterinary exam is a good time to discuss any concerns you may have about your pet's health and get preventive treatment for common health issues. For dogs, your vet may recommend additional procedures like deworming, flea prevention and/or heartworm tests, with costs varying by location, species, pet size and other factors.²

Vet exam procedure costs (dogs)

Here's a look at the average costs* of some common vet exams for dogs:²

Vet exam procedure costs (cats)

Here's a look at the average costs* of some common vet exams for cats:²

Dog and Cat Vaccine Costs

On average, vaccinations for dogs and cats will cost between $15 and $78 and can help protect them from catching serious diseases, like rabies.²

Vaccination costs (dogs)

Here are the average costs* of some common vaccinations your dog may need:³

Vaccination costs (cats)

Here are the average costs* of some common vaccinations your cat may need:²

Veterinary Test and Diagnostic Costs

You'll want to set up a special appointment with your vet if you think your pet is sick (or worse). For example, the following symptoms your pet may exhibit could require further evaluation, tests and diagnosis from your veterinarian:⁴

• Behavior changes
• Body odor
• Breathing rate
• Changes in appetite, coat or skin
• Coughing or sneezing
• Increased thirst
• Increased urination
• Lethargy or tiredness
• Panting
• Weight gain or loss
• Whining

If your pet is exhibiting signs of an illness, your vet will likely want to run some tests to help determine what's going on.

Vet test and diagnostic costs (dogs)

Here's an overview of the average costs* of some common tests for your dog:²

Test or procedure	Average cost
Allergy testing3	$281
Arthritis testing	$562
Arthritis testing with scans	$1,857
Blood pressure test	$26
Blood test (basic diagnostic-CBC/chem panel)3	$188
Blood test (CBC)	$78
Blood test (chem panel)	$156
Blood test (glucose)	$36
Blood test (thyroid)	$118
Diabetes (diagnosis)	$391
Diabetes (testing)	$290
Computed tomography (CT scan)	$1,113
Geriatric screening	$128
Hypothyroidism testing	$156
Ultrasound	$453
Vision care (ophthalmoscopy)	$78
X-rays	$133

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Vet test and diagnostic costs (cats)

Here’s a look at what you might expect to pay for routine tests for your cat:²

Test or procedure	Average cost
Allergy testing3	$243
Blood glucose test	$25
Blood pressure test	$25
Blood test (basic diagnostic - CBC/chem panel)3	$113
Feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) testing	$32
Computed tomography (CT scan)	$915
Fructosamine test	$51
Geriatric screening	$125
Ultrasound	$465
Urinalysis	$25
Urine test (culture)	$65
Urine test (microscope)	$40
Urine test (specific gravity)	$30

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Once your vet has the results, they will provide a course of treatment to address the cause of your pet's symptoms and hopefully help your fur baby feel better.

Cost of treatment for common conditions or illnesses (dogs)

Below is the average cost* of treating some common health problems your dog may experience:²

Condition or illness	Average cost
Allergy shot	$78
Arthritis (acupuncture)	$104
Arthritis (joint supplements)	$42/month
Arthritis (medication)	$21/month
Arthritis (steroids)	$18/month
Bladder issues (tumors with radiation)	$5,742
Bladder issues (UTI)	$365
CCL treatment3	$2,299
Diabetes (initial treatment and meter)	$421
Diabetes (monthly treatment)	$162
Diarrhea (minor)	$208
Diarrhea (moderate)	$518
Diarrhea (severe)	$1,369
Ear infection	$680
Eye infection (blepharitis)	$286
Eye infection (corneal ulcers)	$677
Eye infection (keratitis)	$416
Eye infection (pink eye)	$209
Eye infection (uveitis)	$520
Hypothyroidism (medication: levothyroxine)	$23/quarter
Skin infection (atopic dermatitis)	$701
Skin infection (bacterial treatment for pyoderma)	$365
Skin infection (flea allergy)	$208
Skin infection (mange)	$467
Skin infection (ringworm)	$312
Skin infection (yeast infection)	$417
Sprains (exam and X-rays)	$287
Upper respiratory infection (mild)	$205
Upper respiratory infection (moderate)	$570
Upper respiratory infection (severe)	$2,076
Upset stomach	$363
Vision care (antibiotic eye drops or ointments)	$21
Vision care (anti-inflammatory eye drops or ointments)	$21
Vision care (glaucoma medications)	$18

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Cost of treatment for common conditions or illnesses (cats)

Here's a look at what it will cost to treat common illnesses in cats:²

Emergency Vet Care Costs

An emergency veterinarian visit is an unscheduled trip to the vet to get help for your pet in an urgent or critical situation. There are many reasons you might need to take a pet to see an emergency veterinarian, such as:

• Toxins. When you know your pet has consumed foods or chemicals that are poisonous — like antifreeze, human medications, chocolate, insecticides, certain plants and other toxic substances — a visit to the emergency vet may be needed.⁵
• Trauma. This includes bite wounds, electrical shock or being hit by a car.
• Vomiting and diarrhea. Frequent vomiting and diarrhea can be signs that something serious is going on, like an obstruction, gastroenteritis or pancreatitis.⁵

The price of an emergency vet visit will depend on the situation, but due to specialized care and testing, it will likely be more expensive than a routine visit.

Emergency vet procedure costs (dogs)

Below are the costs for initial assessment, stabilization and treatment for common dog emergencies:²

Emergency vet procedure	Average cost
ER exam	$125
Hospitalization (emergency clinic)	$722
Hospitalization (veterinary clinic)	$289
IV catheter and one bag of fluid	$75
Oxygen therapy (hyperbaric oxygen therapy or HBOT)	$284
Oxygen therapy (oxygen cage or chamber)	$287
Pain medication (carprofen/Rimadyl®)	$43
Pain medication (deracoxib/Deramaxx®)	$57
Pain medication (firocoxib/Previcox®)	$62
Pain medication (grapiprant/Galliprant®)	$47
Sedation (deep)	$151
Sedation (inhaled)	$161
Sedation (injectable)	$131
Sedation (light)	$123
Sedation (oral)	$104
Wound treatment (abrasions and scrapes)	$182
Wound treatment (abscesses)	$260
Wound treatment (bite wounds)	$570
Wound treatment (puncture wounds)	$314

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Emergency vet procedure costs (cats)

Here is a summary of common ER vet treatments and procedures for cats:²

Emergency vet procedure	Average cost
Emergency surgery (bladder stone)	$1,439
Emergency surgery (foreign body removal)	$1,260
Emergency surgery (pyometra)	$903
ER exam	$121
Hospitalization (emergency clinic)	$72
Hospitalization (veterinary clinic)	$125
IV catheter and one bag of fluid	$121
Pain medication (gabapentin)	$6
Pain medication (meloxicam)	$25
Pain medication (robenacoxib)	$30
Pain medication (tramadol)	$15
Sedation (deep)	$141
Sedation (inhaled)	$147
Sedation (injectable)	$114
Sedation (light)	$121
Sedation (oral)	$94
Wound treatment (abrasions and scrapes)	$78
Wound treatment (abscesses)	$285
Wound treatment (bite wounds)	$236
Wound treatment (puncture wounds)	$133

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Surgery and Specialty Treatment Costs

If your pet has an underlying condition, or something is discovered as a result of testing during a wellness check, your vet may recommend specialized treatment. The cost of these treatments ranges widely depending on the type of care needed and the type of animal.

Surgical and specialty treatment costs (dogs)

Here's a look at some common surgical and specialty treatments and associated average costs* for dogs:²

Surgery or specialty treatment	Average cost
Bladder issues (stones: surgical)	$1,821
Cancer therapy3	$5,351
Cataract surgery3	$3,600
CCL surgery3	$2,299
Colon tumor surgery (no chemo)	$3,494
Colon tumor surgery (with chemo)	$7,171
Dental cleaning3	$376
Dental disease/periodontitis (cleaning)	$270
Heart murmur (echocardiogram)	$415
Heart murmur (electrocardiogram)	$467
Heart murmur (medication: ACE inhibitors)	$22
Heart murmur (medication: anti-arrhythmic)	$41
Heart murmur (medication: beta blockers)	$22
Heart murmur (medication: pimobendan)	$78
Hernia surgery (diaphragmatic)	$2,650
Hernia surgery (hiatal)	$2,346
Hernia surgery (inguinal)	$1,028
Hernia surgery (initial exam)	$468
Hernia surgery (perineal)	$2,414
Hernia surgery (umbilical)	$874
Microchipping3	$50
Neuter3	$315
Spay3	$465
Stomach blockage3	$3,681
Vision care (corneal retinal surgery)	$3,013
Vision care (corneal ulcer treatment)	$2,339
Vision care (fluorescein staining)	$36
Vision care (ophthalmoscopy)	$78
Vision care (Schirmer tear test)	$47
Vision care (tonometry)	$57

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Surgical and specialty treatment costs (cats)

We've outlined the average costs* of common surgeries and specialty treatments specific to cats:²

Surgery or specialty treatment	Average cost
Cancer therapy3	$3,980
CCL surgery	$4,160
Dental cleaning	$430
Dental consultation	$50
Dental tooth extraction	$81
Feline leukemia3	$633
Microchipping3	$45
Neuter3	$95
Spay3	$155

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