Cost of a Spay/Neuter

[anneNjoerule]

 I thought it might be interesting to compile a list of the price ranges of spays and neuters depending on the area. This could be a useful thread for new bunny slaves or even for old ones who are wondering if they got a deal or not.

I got Eden spayed only last week. I spent $80 plus tax on the procedure. My vet is awesome (I live in Albuquerque, NM), she was recomended to me by the HRS and apparently she does the spays and neuters for plenty of their rabbits. The surgery consisted of Eden being put under anesthesia and than (for lack of better words) going under the knife. After that she woke up fine and ate some food. The sutras are disovable and the incision looks perfect. There have been absolutely no difficulties and I have been administering oral pain medication (prescribed by the vet) to her every evening for 5 days. After only two, she had regained her usual energy level and was eating and drinking with gusto   

As for neuters, I’ve never had a boy bunny so I wouldn’t know how much they cost here or what they entail. I could find out if anyone’s interested. 

[Beka27]

I’m hesitant to have a thread on the cost of spay/neuters.

For one, the costs could scare people off from even considering it, without taking into consideration what area they are in, and the benefit/necessity of having it done.

Not all vets use the same procedures (some do traditional surgeries, some use lasers which is pricier).

It may not be clear what is included: are meds included, is the cost of anesthesia, bloodwork, and a follow-up appointment included, is the rabbit boarded overnight?

We’ve seen prices range from under $100 to over $500. So I’m not really sure that a thread like this would be of benefit to anyone. Prices can vary greatly if you drive 30 minutes “into the country”, even across town.

Some states have spay/neuter programs, or if you go thru a humane society, reduced prices.

[Sarita]

The costs for spays and neuters are all over the place. Prices can vary widely even in the same city. I think that it’s not just the price that is important but that you feel comfortable with the vet performing the procedure. There are no humane societies or SPCA’s in my area that I would trust to spay or neuter a rabbit even if they were cheap…one of my vets is very reasonable and very experienced and I refer everyone to her for these procedures, she’s not the cheapest out there but I trust her.

[highway234]

i’m going to sound crazy but i WANT to pay a lot to get banjo spayed. because i want the most gifted vet i can find to do it. so this thread is hopefully going to be useful to me, i’m taking banjo to the vet on monday to get examined in prep for spaying. just the exam is going to be 80 dollars.

when i took BJ to another vet the guy i talked to, nice guy, said he’d actually lost a rabbit during surgery for alteration. i actually appreciated him telling me that. it’s apparently more difficult than dog or cat spaying because of the anesthesia so i’m taking her to a different vet that specializes in “exotic” pets. (i like the idea that banjo is “exotic.”)

[LoveChaCha]

Your state will vary. I believe it is the vet one you need to judge.

[LBJ10]

Just because the cost is high doesn’t mean the vet is good. Some places are just overpriced.

[anneNjoerule]

 Oh, I know all of these things. Of coarse sometimes you get what you pay for and sometimes you don’t and the quality of the vet is what really matters. These are the reasons I wanted to start the thread in the first place. I wanted your experiences and, as a side note, what you payed for them. What did your bunny’s procedure entail? I kind of wanted to know what all the spay/neuter options are and what they cost. I’m curious as to why I payed $80 and got great service and a fast recovering rabbit and yet there are clinics in Albuquerque that charge $350. What’s the difference? I just wanted overall experience. I didn’t mean to offend any one (or frighten anyone off). 

[Beka27]

High prices in cities usually indicate high overhead. It costs more to run an office in the city. The high price vets have gone thru the same schooling as the low price vets, so there are many other factors to consider. This is why I recommended people who live in a city to call some vets up to an hour away. Just going a bit “into the country” can save some people HALF. There are pros and cons to this. You can get cheaper prices, but it’s a further drive, and if you have to return because of an issue, you’re driving there twice (three times including your initial exam).

Ask questions, get a feel for the vet. And just because a vet has lost a bunny during surgery, DOES NOT automatically make them a bad vet. It is more likely that the rabbit had an unknown condition that made anesthesia more risky. Unfortunately, this isn’t always something that is known UNTIL a rabbit is put under. Medicine is not a perfect science. Blood work is a very good idea for rabbits prior to surgery, but not absolutely necessary until they are over 2 years old. It is an additional cost, sometimes over $100 just for blood work/lab costs.

[Sarita]

Ditto what Beka said on the vet costs and bunnies lost during surgery.

[Author]

Messages