[Oggie]

Here's why we're probably going to change vets. My wife began using this vet clinic when she got a puppy. It's supposed to be "the best in town." But, man is it pricey.

We now have a pup that we need to neuter before we take him back to his family in Colorado. Our usual vet clinic: $200. A country vet that we're probably going to start using more: $65.

It's not that complicated of a surgery. How can there be such a difference?

I was going to try to do it with a serrated grapefruit spoon, but I couldn't stand the yelping.

 

[WindowOrMirror]

Do you mean "how much does it cost to neuter a dog and still have a working dog when you're done"?

If so, it's $60-$120 out by us

R

 

[ozark_jewels]

Yes, there is a big difference in prices around here too. The vet who does all our dogs and cats is extremely reasonable. The last pup we had done was $45 and he was a big Pyrenees. For a cat its never over $30.

 

[SteveD(TX)]

There's a huge disparity in fees charged by the vets here for neutering. Between $65 and $200 or so.

 

[susieM]

Sixty Euros for a dog, one hundred and fifty for a donkey.

 

[Oggie]

Sixty Euros for a dog, one hundred and fifty for a donkey.

Plus a whole bunch for me to ship him there.

 

[Oggie]

uhm, and what makes you the expert, there hoggie? Have you ever actually DONE a neutering surgery? Assuming you haven't, then you wouldn't know that all neuters are not created equal (as in the undescended testicle situation) or where other complications might be involved. In that case, it actually WOULD be "that complicated a surgery". Not only is there the physical aspect of the neutering itself, there's anesthesic monitoring to be considered. Some vets "fly solo" while others have an assistant to monitor the dog's depth of anesthesia and monitor its breathing and vital signs during surgery.

The price difference is in what the market will bear, hoggie. A root canal in Manhattan costs significantly more than a root canal in El Paso, Texas. A neutering done by an exclusively small animal vet in town will almost ALWAYS cost more than the mixed animal practioner who does the "occasional" small animal surgery. The local economy, the demographics of the area, the cost of overhead, wages, updating to stay abreast with current technology and equipment, it all takes money -and thats something that DOES gets passed along to the consumer.

I knew a gal who called every vet in the county and asked about prices...the average for the surgery she called about was $65.00...finally she found an old semi-retired large animal vet who said he only charged $15.00...she was thrilled but dumbfounded!

Then she asked "Thats amazing! Everyone else wants $65.00!!!Why are you so cheap?"

"Because some of mine die."

I rest my case.

I've been around cattle castrations most of my life. I've even been around some that were "banded."

If I don't get this dog neutered, the guy in Colorado we're returning him to will either band him or cut him on the kitchen table.

I don't mind paying $65 or $70. I just don't plan to pay $200.

I think the pup will probably get along just fine without the mint on his pillow or the post-castration counseling or whatever they do to justify charging $200 for a $65 operation.

And just because I'm a little overweight (and I'm working on it), please don't call me Hoggie.

 

[fishhead]

I just switched vets. My original vet started out with reasonable prices but they kept moving up and up and up.... The clientel of that office has much deeper pockets than I do so the prices moved accordingly. I found a qualified vet who's just a bit further away and doesn't charge such high prices. In this case I don't believe that price reflects the quality of care. It has more to do with clinic location.

 

[RockyGlen]

It is a common practice for farm dogs around here to get banded. Our farm vet charges $45 to neuter, the city vets charge a base rate of $100 and then it goes up based on the size of the dogs.

 

[georgec]

I think one of the differences is whether or not the dogs stays at the vet's office over night after the procedure. Our new vet charged $120, and that was with an overnight stay. I think the dog can spend the night at home, and save me the extra bucks next time (different dog hopefully).

 

[Silvercreek Farmer]

When I was growing up, we drove an hour and 3 counties away from Charlotte, NC to find a reasonably priced vet. He did great work (my dog had a habit of breaking teeth) and charged half of what the city vets charged for surgery to remove the root, as well as charging significantly less for run of the mill items such as rabies shots (which anybody could do). Never use price as a judge of quality for anything, find quality then determine what you are willing to pay for it!

 

[gilberte]

Do vets anywhere spay and neuter for a nominal fee, or have a clinic every now and then where they'll do so? Might do something to keep down the population of unwanted pets/strays. After all, I'm doing my part with the occasional problem animal ss.....never mind.

 

[ozark_jewels]

I consider our neuter/spay vet nominally priced. A cat neuter is $15.00, a cat spay is $30. Dogs go by the weight but its also very nicely priced. At these prices, I can afford to get my barncats fixed! :dance:

 

[georgec]

Do vets anywhere spay and neuter for a nominal fee, or have a clinic every now and then where they'll do so? Might do something to keep down the population of unwanted pets/strays. After all, I'm doing my part with the occasional problem animal ss.....never mind.

The Humane Society will often have Spay/Neuter clinics for a very reasonable fee (sometimes free), but I think they are income based; so if you make more than a certain amount you go to the vet.

 

[Michael W. Smith]

In our town, we have 1 vet with vets in the outlying towns. My sister works for the vet, and they were the busiest around as they had the cheapest prices. (Of course, they also did business in an old outdated building that smelled of . . . . . . . well . . . . . . . . it smelled. Dogs would lift their leg against the wall (and the floor was carpeted). Between the smell of old urine and "cover-up" deodorant - it smelled.)

They recently updated to a state of the art vet shop. State of the art as in they went to vet seminars and a company actually designed the layout based on what services they provided. All new machinery, all new everything. (Needless to say, but they AREN'T the cheapest anymore either.)

I hear there is still an old vet in a neighboring town that doesn't do appointments. It's a first come, first served deal, but rumor has it he is about 3 times as cheap as the "state of the art" vet.

 

[Bearfootfarm]

Ive never paid more than $50 to have a male dog neutered. Im sure some Vets here probably charge more but I dont use them

 

[Ole Man Legrand]

My neighbor was banding Bull Calves and decided to fix his dog . It sure did the job, but I don't know about the pain. Probably no worse that the calves pain.

 

[Shirley]

Local humane society has reduced cost spay and neuter once in a while. I recently went thru them and got my cat spayed for 25.00. Last year took my dog to the vet paid 89.00 for spaying. Don't know what neutering costs are.

 

[Wendy]

I had a male dachsund neutered. I asked what the charge would be including his exam & shots & the gal told me $90. I had her repeat it for me. When I picked him up, (same day) I got a bill for $120. I was not very happy & told them so. I had asked her twice & was told both times that it would be $90 for everything. Too bad I didn't tape the call. He only weighs 9 lbs.!

 

[HeavenHelpMe]

$95 to neuter a dog

$140 to spay a *****. Prices for medium sized dogs. More if they're large breeds.


Both prices are highway robbery, in my estimation. :grump: