Pet cost questions, answered
Quick, sourced answers to 71 of the most common questions about what dogs and cats cost in the US. Every figure links to its source.
Last updated: October 2026
Budgeting
How much does a dog cost per month?
About $67–$150 a month
See the answerBudgetingHow much does a cat cost per month?
About $42–$100 a month
See the answerBudgetingHow much does a dog cost per year?
$800–$1,800 a year
See the answerBudgetingHow much does a cat cost per year?
$500–$1,200 a year
See the answerBudgetingHow much does a puppy cost the first year?
About $3,221 for the first year
See the answerBudgetingHow much does a kitten cost the first year?
About $1,904 for the first year
See the answerVaccines & checkups
How much do puppy shots cost?
$140–$350 per vaccination visit
See the answerVaccines & checkupsHow much do kitten shots cost?
$60–$225 per vaccination visit
See the answerVaccines & checkupsHow much is a rabies shot for a dog or cat?
$30–$48 per shot (median $38)
See the answerVaccines & checkupsHow much is a vet visit without insurance?
$130–$525 for a full visit (exam fee about $75)
See the answerVaccines & checkupsHow much is a vet exam fee?
$65–$88 (median $75)
See the answerVaccines & checkupsHow much does a dog checkup cost?
$130–$500
See the answerVaccines & checkupsHow much does a cat checkup cost?
$190–$525
See the answerVaccines & checkupsHow much is a vet visit for a sick dog?
$160–$525
See the answerVaccines & checkupsHow much does it cost to microchip a dog or cat?
$40–$68 (median $52)
See the answerVaccines & checkupsHow much does heartworm prevention cost?
About $185 a year for dogs, $140 for cats
See the answerVaccines & checkupsHow much does flea and tick prevention cost?
$120–$360
See the answerFood & supplies
How much does cat litter cost per month?
About $13 a month ($150 a year)
See the answerFood & suppliesHow much does cat food cost per month?
About $19 a month ($225 a year)
See the answerFood & suppliesHow much does dog food cost per month?
About $25 a month ($300 a year)
See the answerAdoption
How much does it cost to adopt a dog?
$109–$185 on average
See the answerAdoptionHow much does it cost to adopt a cat?
$52–$82 on average
See the answerInsurance
How much is pet insurance per month?
About $36–$70 a month
See the answerInsuranceHow much is pet insurance for a dog?
$190–$836 a year
See the answerInsuranceHow much is pet insurance for a cat?
$112–$435 a year
See the answerCare services
How much does dog grooming cost?
$40–$150 for a full groom
See the answerCare servicesHow much does a dog nail trim cost?
$10–$30
See the answerCare servicesHow much does dog boarding cost per night?
$20–$75 a night
See the answerCare servicesHow much does doggy daycare cost?
$15–$80 a day
See the answerCare servicesHow much does a pet sitter cost per night?
$30–$100 a night
See the answerDental
How much does a dog teeth cleaning cost?
$700–$1,350 (base prices from about $461)
See the answerDentalHow much does a cat teeth cleaning cost?
$350–$1,450
See the answerDentalHow much does a cat tooth extraction cost?
$60–$275 (surgical extractions $150–$400 a tooth)
See the answerDentalHow much does a dog tooth extraction cost?
$30–$110 per simple extraction (complex cases average $1,160)
See the answerSurgery
How much does it cost to spay a dog?
$300–$1,200 (low-cost clinics from about $170)
See the answerSurgeryHow much does it cost to neuter a dog?
$275–$675 (low-cost clinics from about $170)
See the answerSurgeryHow much does it cost to spay or neuter a cat?
$275–$800 (low-cost clinics from about $170)
See the answerSurgeryHow much does dog ACL (TPLO) surgery cost?
$3,700–$4,350
See the answerSurgeryHow much does dog hip surgery cost?
$2,500–$5,500 (estimate)
See the answerSurgeryHow much does dog surgery cost?
$578–$3,229 (median $1,284)
See the answerTests & imaging
How much does a dog X-ray cost?
$130–$300
See the answerTests & imagingHow much does dog blood work cost?
$60–$190
See the answerTests & imagingHow much does cat blood work cost?
$70–$225
See the answerTests & imagingHow much does a dog ultrasound cost?
$80–$500
See the answerTests & imagingHow much does a cat ultrasound cost?
$90–$400
See the answerTests & imagingHow much does a dog MRI cost?
$900–$2,900
See the answerTests & imagingHow much does a dog CT scan cost?
$475–$875
See the answerEmergencies
How much is an emergency vet visit for a dog?
$500–$1,600 (exam fee about $115)
See the answerEmergenciesHow much is an emergency vet visit for a cat?
$450–$1,200 (exam fee about $115)
See the answerEmergenciesHow much is an emergency vet exam fee?
$99–$129 (median $115)
See the answerEmergenciesHow much does a cat urinary blockage cost?
$600–$1,550
See the answerEmergenciesHow much is a vet visit for a dog throwing up?
$250–$1,050
See the answerEmergenciesHow much does surgery cost if a dog swallowed something?
$1,150–$3,500
See the answerEmergenciesHow much does pyometra surgery cost?
$1,500–$3,000 for dogs, $1,200–$2,200 for cats (estimates)
See the answerEmergenciesHow much does it cost for a dog to stay at the vet hospital?
$425–$2,350
See the answerConditions
How much does heartworm treatment cost for a dog?
$750–$2,200 total
See the answerConditionsHow much does it cost to remove a lump on a dog?
$725–$1,700
See the answerConditionsHow much does chemo cost for a dog?
$2,000–$8,000 total
See the answerConditionsHow much does chemo cost for a cat?
$1,500–$6,000 total
See the answerConditionsHow much does it cost to treat a UTI in a dog?
$375–$1,650
See the answerConditionsHow much does it cost to treat a dog ear infection?
$200–$650
See the answerConditionsHow much does dog allergy treatment cost?
$275–$850
See the answerConditionsHow much does dog arthritis treatment cost?
$500–$2,500 total
See the answerConditionsHow much does pancreatitis treatment cost for a dog?
$375–$1,250
See the answerConditionsHow much does it cost to care for a diabetic cat?
$1,000–$3,000 a year
See the answerConditionsHow much is insulin for a dog?
$30–$150 a month
See the answerConditionsHow much does it cost to treat kidney disease in a cat?
$400–$1,200 a year
See the answerConditionsHow much does a senior dog cost at the vet?
$325–$800
See the answerConditionsHow much does a senior cat cost per year?
$1,200–$3,500+ a year
See the answer