The Cost of Vet Surgery

Vet surgery always comes across as being extremely expensive to a pet owners. Learn about typical costs involved with common animal surgery procedures and what you should expect to pay. Also, learn how to save money on pet surgery.

Most veterinarians charge a fee just to see your pet. That fee ranges from $30 to $50. If your pet needs an orthopedic exam add another $75 to $100. X-rays tend to cost $65 to $75. These prices will vary from region to region.

Spaying or Neutering Your Pet

Pet owners should have their pets spayed or neutered. Before this procedure can happen, your dog or cat must have an exam to make sure they are healthy enough to withstand the vet surgery.

The average spay or neuter vet surgery is $110 to $175. This increases with larger dogs. The more a dog weighs, the higher the price. One clinic charges $213 for a 50-pound dog surgery spay and $169 for a 50-pound male dog. If the female is in heat, the cost increases more.

If a vet offers laser spaying and neutering, the cost is higher because the laser equipment costs upwards of $30,000; they must recover the cost of the machinery. Veterinarians state you should expect a laser surgery to increase your cost by 25 to 33 percent.

Broken Bones

If an animal is hit by a car, surgical repair of broken bones is often required. A typical leg fracture repair will cost $2,700.

Hip Surgery

Many dogs face hip problems at some point in their lives, especially certain breeds like German Shepherds and Dachshunds. If surgery is required on both hips, expect to pay $1,800 to $4,000.

Lumpectomy

When finding a lump on their pets, most owners want it removed and then tested to see if the growth is cancerous. Your veterinarian must remove the lump, have it tested and then get back to you with the test results. Just removing the lump requires anesthesia and time handling the surgery. The time it takes depends on the location and size of the lump. This can cost upwards of $300 to $400 in cats and $400 to $500 in dogs.

If it turns out to be cancer, cancer treatments and surgeries cost upwards of $2,000 minimum.

GVD (Stomach Bloat)

Dog breeds with large chests face vet surgery for stomach bloat. This surgical procedure averages $2,800.

Early Diagnosis Saves Money on Vet Surgery

Many pet owners hold off taking their animal to a veterinarian to see if the symptoms will clear up by themselves. Often this only increases the cost you will pay in the future. Waiting to see if a lump continues to grow allows cancer time to spread to other areas of the body. Instead of one lumpectomy, you now have multiple areas of the body where cancer will need treatment.

Payment Plans and Insurance

Most veterinary practices require full payment. Talk to the office to see if they will accept payment plans. If not, look into CareCredit and see if their veterinary payment plans may be of help. Also, look into pet insurance. Your surgery will not be free, but it can save a lot of money.

 

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