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Vet procedure cost guides

One guide per procedure, each built the same way: the published national range first, then the splits that actually move the price — species, weight, clinic type, planned vs emergency — with every figure's source named on the page. Where no published source exists for a figure, the guide says so instead of estimating.

Routine vet visit costs

The wellness exam fee: $56–$129 for dogs, $57–$130 for cats nationally (CareCredit 2025 study), with a published average for all 50 states.

Emergency vet visit costs

The emergency exam fee runs $107–$246 for dogs before any treatment — plus published state-by-state exam averages and the average cost of common emergency procedures.

Spay & neuter costs

Dog spay averages $465 and cat spay $155 in published CareCredit data — and published clinic lists show exactly how weight and clinic type move the price.

Low-cost spay & neuter price lists

What published low-cost clinics actually charge, by weight: dog spays from $210, cat neuters from $75 on the lists we read.

Dental cleaning & extraction costs

A dog dental cleaning runs $300–$687 published; extractions found at the same visit are priced per tooth or per case on top.

Vaccination costs

Core vaccination sets run $34–$77 for dogs and $50–$150 for cats in published study data; low-cost clinics publish $15–$28 per shot.

Microchipping costs

$38–$87 for dogs and $30–$80 for cats in the 2025 Synchrony study — and as low as $15 on a published municipal clinic list.

Bloodwork costs

A combined CBC + chemistry panel is published at $100–$200; thyroid add-on $50–$150; heartworm test $35–$75.

X-ray, ultrasound, CT & MRI costs

Dog X-ray averages $213 published; ultrasound $383–$880; CT $1,280–$2,941; MRI averages $2,285. Cat imaging ranges are not published — the guide says so.

TPLO & cruciate surgery costs

TPLO $3,500–$5,000 (Pawlicy); lateral suture $1,000–$2,500; plus the published add-on stack — diagnostics, anesthesia, hospitalization, rehab.

Foreign body removal costs

Intestinal blockage surgery runs $2,000 to more than $10,000 (PetMD), depending on how much intestine is involved.

Pyometra surgery costs

Emergency pyometra surgery is published at $1,800–$5,000 (MetLife), with the diagnostic workup itemized separately.

Bladder stone surgery costs

Cystotomy from about $587 to over $4,000 (CareCredit); a university referral center publishes $3,500–$4,800 before the workup.

Cataract surgery costs

Per eye: average $3,782, range $2,995–$6,845 (CareCredit) — plus published one-eye vs both-eyes totals that bundle the extras.

C-section costs

$500–$4,000 overall (Fetch); the planned-vs-emergency split is the story: $974–$2,226 planned vs roughly $3,000–$4,500 emergency.

Tumor & lump removal costs

A simple lipoma runs $250–$700 published; mast cell tumors $450–$2,100; size and invasiveness drive the price more than tumor type.

Heartworm treatment costs

The full adulticide protocol for a medium dog: $1,200–$1,800 (CareCredit) — against a $71 average for the test that catches it early.

Euthanasia costs

Clinic euthanasia averages $126 for dogs and $76 for cats as published; at-home averages $456 and $318. Aftercare is a separate decision and cost.

Cremation costs by weight

CareCredit's published weight table: communal $45–$200, private $100–$450, across five weight tiers.

Pet insurance costs

Accident & illness premiums average $749.29/yr for dogs and $386.47/yr for cats (NAPHIA 2025 report) — with median quoted premiums for all 50 states.

Dog procedure costs at a glance

Every published dog figure on this site on one page — procedures, diagnostics, insurance, and end-of-life costs.

Cat procedure costs at a glance

Every published cat figure on this site on one page — including the honest list of cat figures no source publishes.

Annual & lifetime dog costs

The ASPCA's annual dog budget ($1,391) and Synchrony's lifetime range ($22,125–$60,602), line by line.

Annual & lifetime cat costs

The ASPCA's annual cat budget ($1,149) and Synchrony's lifetime range ($20,073–$47,106), line by line.

First-year puppy costs

The ASPCA's first-year dog total is $3,221 — the initial-cost table shows where it goes.

First-year kitten costs

The ASPCA's first-year cat total is $1,904 — the initial-cost table shows where it goes.

Senior pet care costs

What changes in the budget after age seven: twice-yearly bloodwork, dental, and the published senior insurance premiums.

Paying for vet care

The factual menu: insurance, clinic payment plans, low-cost clinics, university hospitals — what each published source says each route costs.