Are these prices what PetVitale will charge?

No. PetVitale is a pet health record app, not a clinic. These are published national estimates from the sources on each page, shown to help you prepare for your own vet's quote.

Why don't you show prices for my city?

We only publish figures from large, dated studies. City-level figures from small samples are often misleading, so we explain the factors that move the price instead.

How often are these pages updated?

Each page shows a last-reviewed date and the publication date of every source. We re-check sources when they publish new studies.

Vet costs

What does veterinary care cost?

Every guide below quotes published national estimates with the source and its date, explains what the price includes, and lists the levers that move it. None of it is a quote; use it to ask better questions and to recognize a fair estimate when you see one.

By the PetVitale editorial team · Last reviewed 2026-10-19 · Sources listed below

The short answer

Routine exams are commonly $40 to $100; emergency exams average $135 to $143 before any treatment.
Dental cleanings average around $375 to $388; spay and neuter average $455 to $487 at private clinics, far less at subsidized programs.
Vaccines are $15 to $50 per shot, and a puppy or kitten series spans several visits.

How we choose and present cost figures

We only publish figures that come from a named, dated source: large national cost studies (such as the Synchrony / ASQ360 study republished by CareCredit) and veterinarian-reviewed cost guides. Each page links to its sources and shows the date we last checked them. We do not publish prices collected from individual clinics as if they were national averages, and we label every number as an estimate.

Why the same service has such a wide range

Geography: the same exam can cost twice as much in a large coastal city as in a small town.
Provider type: private hospitals, corporate chains, non-profit clinics and vet-school clinics price differently on purpose.
Bundling: one clinic's "spay" includes bloodwork and pain medication; another's does not.
Your pet: weight, age and health change anesthesia, dosing and surgical time.

Budgeting for pet care

Routine care is predictable: an annual exam, boosters, parasite prevention and occasional dental work. Emergencies are not, which is why most financial advice for pet parents is to hold a dedicated emergency fund, carry insurance, or both. Logging what you actually spend is the simplest way to size that fund; the free expense tracker below does that without an account.

Questions pet parents ask

Sources

How much does dog teeth cleaning cost? — CareCredit (Synchrony / ASQ360 2025 cost study), updated April 24, 2026
Dog spay and neuter cost — CareCredit (Synchrony / ASQ360 2025 cost study), updated June 19, 2026
Emergency vet visit cost and veterinary financing — CareCredit (Synchrony / ASQ360 2025 cost study), updated May 1, 2026
How much does a vet visit cost? — Webvet, reviewed by Dr. Pippa Elliott BVMS MRCVS, July 2026

Pet expense trackerLog vet bills and see your yearly spend. No account needed.Vet visit checklist Find a vet How we collect vet prices

This guide is general information, not veterinary advice, diagnosis or treatment. Prices are published estimates that vary by clinic, region and your pet's needs — ask your veterinarian for a written estimate. PetVitale organizes your pet's records and reminders; it does not replace your vet.