How much is a vet visit?

A vet visit can cost you anywhere from $410 for annual routine medical costs and preventative medication to $5,000 or more to treat more serious injuries. ⁽¹⁾

The fact that you’re searching this, makes us feel that there’s a high chance that you’ve become a new pet parent. So, welcome to the pet and vet world. It is not going to be an easy journey, but with the right information and assistance, it can be.

It’s important to understand how vet visits work, what to expect during a vet visit, what factors can affect the cost, etc., so keep reading. We’ll cover each of these in detail below –

Vet Visits: An Introduction

Vet visits are a very important part of pet parenting. They help ensure that your pet remains healthy, receives necessary vaccinations, and gets timely treatment for any medical issues. But the benefits do not just stop at the pet’s health. They help strengthen the relationship between you and your pet as well.

The first vet visit for you will usually be when the pet is around 8 weeks old in case you’ve got a new pup or kitty home. If the pet was older than that when you got them home, you should take them to the vet within the first few days of you getting them home.

Now to understand what to expect during a vet visit, you must know the different reasons for which you will have to visit a vet.

Types of Vet Visits

While the above are the most common kind of vet visits, there can be others like geriatric visits for senior pets, reproductive and breeding visits, behavioral and trainings consultations, and end-of-life visits.

We believe now you’re in a better position to understand the costs attached to each kind of vet visits. Most people who do not understand the kind of vet visits and what happens during them, usually get shocked after looking at the costs.

How Much is a Vet Visit for a Dog?

The average cost of a routine vet visit is between $50 - $85. In states like New Jersey and New York, you can expect it to be on the upper end of this spectrum, while in states like Kansas, Wyoming, West Virginia, etc. the cost would be around $60. ⁽²⁾

The cost, however, does not include any diagnostic tests. Your vet may feel the need to conduct some tests if any signs of infection or any other medical condition are visible during the examination. The average costs of the same are – ⁽³⁾

And if you’re taking your dog to the vet for the treatment of a specific medical condition, the average costs of some of them are as below. ⁽²⁾

How Much is a Vet Visit for a Cat?

The average cost of a vet visit for a cat is between $25-$186. A lot of factors affect the cost, like the age of the cat, nature of the visit, your location, type of facility, etc. Below are some average costs for specific vet visits for a cat – ⁽⁴⁾

The cost of diagnostics is similar to those for dogs. In case the vet visit is for a specific treatment, below are the average costs of some of them –

We know that we’ve not mentioned the average costs of surgery. That’s because we’ve written an entire article on ‘Does pet insurance cover surgery?’ You’ll get a detailed idea of the average costs of different kinds of pet surgeries.

Now, to the most important part of this article -

How to Save Vet Visit Costs for Pets?

We know all these numbers can look scary. And they are. In a survey, 16% of pet parents lost a pet because they could not afford vet care. Roughly 83% of pet parents required at least one vet visit in a year. 25% of them required emergency vet visits. ⁽⁵⁾

You can save up to 90% of the covered costs related to treatments for dogs and cats. Routine vet visits, however, may not be covered by basic plans. However, some insurers do have a wellness add-on that can help cover routine visits as well.

If you’re convinced about pet insurance, we don’t want you to get it from us just because we were the ones who convinced you. You must do your research and then decide. All we can do it help you with your research.

With Spot Pet Insurance, you can not only save up to 90% of the covered medical costs, but also costs like alternative therapies, specialist vet visits, prescription diets and many more.

Spot Facts!*

More About Spot Pet Insurance

Spot Pet insurance can help provide financial assistance for eligible veterinary care in case of unexpected accidents, illnesses, or injuries. Our plans can help pet parents manage the eligible costs of covered veterinary care and help ensure that their pets can receive the best treatment possible. Here are some ways that Spot pet insurance plans can help:

Spot's also offers preventive care add-ons, which can help cover the eligible costs of spaying and neutering, dental cleaning, vaccinations, and other routine care services.

Get a quote today!