I think it's a great idea. I'd like to have this information just so I can pass it on to my readers (some of whom say they can't afford a vet or they think vets charge too much).

I'm fortunate that I have a vet I trust implicitly, and I know that neither she nor any of the two other vets who work at that clinic would ever try to jerk me around on prices. Here in rural Maine, vets are very cost-sensitive, and I imagine that costs for certain procedures are lower here simply because average incomes are lower and so on. I had my youngest cat spayed at 8 months (she's a midget kitty and she finally broke the 5-pound barrier at that late age); I paid $180 for the procedure plus overnight care, pain management, etc. Her incision came open--she licked at the superglue incision line until until she located one of the internal sutures and pulled it out--and they repaired it for free (another anesthesia procedure).

The only "sticker shock" experience I ever had with a vet was when I had to take one of my cats to a large clinic for an ultrasound exam. I entered the clinic parking lot, which was full of Mercedes and SUVs sporting vanity plates that indicated they belonged to the docs. The lobby was full of expensive art work and other features that looked like the result of a high-cost Feng Shui consultation. The ultrasound cost $275 or something--and that was five years ago. I paid less than that for an ultrasound of MY abdomen, for goodness' sake!

I guess the Feng Shui worked for that clinic, because it was clear nobody there was hurting for cash!

Amen to what Gina says. I'm now back to driving an hour away to my previous vet, because the new one closer to my house isn't working out as well as I thought. Maybe her staff thinks I'm crazy, but hopefully they feel it is a compliment.

In all that we have gone through together, I only ask the price for a procedure so that I know how to budget for it. If she thinks something is necessary, we do it. How can I expect her to treat my cats if I don't allow her to do the correct tests and gather the info she needs? Rhetorical question. I do not understand people who balk at preventative care (shots, dental cleanings) and then complain later about the price of treating the illness or kidney disease they might have avoided. I also do not understand the woman who posted her pure-bred cat up for adoption on a breed rescue site because they can't afford the tests to confirm IBD. If she could pay hundreds/thousands to buy the cat in the first place, why is she now balking at treatment when her pet needs her most? Sorry for the rant but it really made me angry.

I wonder if people balk at prices because many people have human health insurance and usually pay co-pays instead of full price for doctor visits, surgery, etc. I wonder if prices for vet procedures were compared to actual costs for human procedures, if that would help educate them? What does a new knee cost for a dog vs. a former athlete, for example? What are anesthesia costs for surgery for pets vs. people? Just wondering. Maybe it is comparing apples and oranges, but my point was to show them that all quality care is going to cost them. And it's totally worth it.

It is a great idea! But doesn't it vary drastically? I've seen practices who don't do labwork or use pain meds and send animals home while barely out of anesthesia ...of course they cost less but I also wouldn't trust them with my pets. I think you should include info about what it costs to run a practice.

I agree with LorrieM and while I would be really interested in what others are charging I think it would be largely comparing apples to oranges. We will still be left with the 2 biggest problems which come down to trust and their actual ability to pay.

P.S. I was recently shocked to learn of a senior cat that was brought into a clinic for an unwell exam, no blood work or xrays have ever been done on this cat but he was sent home on ABs because "he doesn't look well". Can you believe that?

I think it's a rockin' idea!! And thanks for taking time to do this.

The insurance plan I have makes reference to the reasoanble cost listed in the American Animal Hospital Association Veterinary Fee Reference Guide. I am asking my vet if she thinks it is a reasonable estimate of costs (because the sales material made no reference to reasonable cost limits).

@hornblower: I was at the North American Veterinary Conference too and I was talking with a hospital owner from Washington state who had attended a bunch of CE classes at NAVC. He said that, according to the marketing gurus that poured forth their knowledge upon the hospital managers, the most-profitable hospitals he encounters on a regular basis are the so-called "NoLow" hospitals, which are basically no-frills, get-'em-in-get-'em-out deals.

I wonder, when looked at in this context, whether a baseline cost might be skewed by NoLow hospitals?

I would be very interested to know what others pay around the country. We are in a rural area in Kansas, and I know from talking to others via the web, prices vary greatly. I would like to know if for no other reason than to make me appriciate my vet even more than I do now! One example is the price of an emergency C-section, here, my vet doesn't ever charge an after hours or emergency fee, day or night, it's $110.00 for the surgery, and that's all inclusive, from the time you enter the office, to the time you leave with the mom and litter. I don't always think price is indicitave of the quality of work the vet does, I would trust my vet with any of my animals' lives, he is very thurough. I'm just very lucky that he is also not expensive, but I would be willing to pay a lot more for the great work he does(but don't tell him that!).

I think its a good idea, just with heavy emphasis on the variability or each area. The SA practice I work in when not in school charges $115 for 2 view rads- the same thing at the hospital my sister goes to (in a very different of the country) is 2/3rds that. Its not uncommon for dentals to go out the door at $500-700, with extractions. An ultrasound, one cavity, with a boarded internist was $450 3 years ago (as opossed to the $275 someone mentioned above).
I'm in the metro DC area-hihg cost of living. Most of our staff lives 45 minutes away where housing is cheaper.