Veterinary costs can vary considerably per practice, according to a sample of veterinary practices. For example, sterilization of a cat costs an average of 172 euros and a minimum of 111 euros, but with a bit of bad luck you can get a hefty bill of more than 240 euros.
This is evident from a sample from the comparison site petverzekeringen.nl. They looked at the rates for three common treatments – a consultation, sterilization of a cat and castration of a dog – at 150 veterinarians throughout the country. The differences turned out to be large. A fifteen minute vet consultation? Then you will pay an average of 48.43 euros this year. But it is also possible for around 32 euros or 63 euros, depending on the practice you choose.
“The ever-increasing rates are in line with what you see around you,” says Wiep Knol, who mapped the rates for petverzekeringen.nl. “Everything is becoming more expensive. But in some cases the price increases and differences are significant. This probably has to do with the takeover of veterinary practices by larger parties, sometimes from abroad,” Knol knows.
For castration of an 8 kilo dog, the average bill is 222.18 euros, with peaks of up to 340 euros, or down to 135 euros. According to petverzekeringen.nl, the difference for major treatments can amount to hundreds of euros. The place where you live also influences the costs, the sample shows. As an indication: in North Holland you pay an average of around 52 euros for a consultation at the 31 vets surveyed, while in North Brabant that is only 46.46 euros (twenty practices surveyed).
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Rates higher than in 2023
The rates are also considerably higher than in 2023: at that time, pet owners paid 9 percent less for these standard procedures and consultations. The price for a veterinary consultation has increased by an average of 20 percent in two years, and for a castration or sterilization this is 18 percent. “From conversations with Stichting Sterk voor Dieren (organization that helps middle-income people with veterinary costs, ed.) we know that if costs rise significantly, people will look around to see if it is cheaper elsewhere,” says Knol.
Also read: Only email and don’t ask questions in return: this is how you recognize a bread breeder (premium)
What about the quality? “A lower price does not necessarily mean that the quality is lower,” says Knol. “But just looking at the price is not a good idea either. Look at the reviews online and perhaps have a conversation with an assistant to see how the practice comes across. It’s more of a feeling than just the rates.”
1500 euros for chemotherapy, 1000 euros for an MRI scan: is pet insurance worth it?
Nowadays, medical care for animals is just as good as for people, so the costs can be quite high if something is wrong with your pet. What can you expect in veterinary costs and when is insurance smart? “If your dog is healthy when you take out the insurance, you will benefit from full coverage.”
You can read how that works here (premium).
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Tags: Veterinarians vary considerably price treatments costing hundreds euros Money
