When you are planning on adopting or purchasing a dog, or you already own one, it is important that you get it spayed. Spaying a female dog prevents it from reproducing, which reduces the massive overpopulation of pets, keeping animals out of shelters and away from euthanasia. It can also defend your pet from negative attention, calm their personality, and eliminate the discomfort of going into heat. But how much does it cost to spay a dog?

How is Spaying Performed?

Spaying is achieved by making an incision in the abdomen of the dog through which the ovaries and uterus are removed. The incision is then stitched closed. This procedure is a complete removal of the reproductive organs, which removes the risk of any problems associated with these organs. An alternative to this traditional form of spaying is laser spaying. This type of surgery is less painful for the dog, causes less bleeding, and poses a lower risk for infection, swelling, and discomfort.

How Much Does it Cost to Spay a Dog

You have several options when it comes to getting your dog spayed. Each of these options will affect the average cost of the procedure. These options include:

• If you adopted your dog from a humane society the cost of spaying is likely included in the adoption fee. If the animal is not already spayed when you adopt her you will receive a certificate entitling you to the procedure at either the society’s medical facilities or at a participating veterinary clinic.
• If you did not adopt your pet from a society you still may be able to have her spayed at one. The average cost for spaying at a humane society is between $20 and $60.
• Veterinary schools often offer spaying procedures free when they are completed by graduating students.
• Non-profit veterinary clinics offer these procedures for an average cost of $60.
• Private clinics generally charge between $200 and $300, with some clinics charging slightly more, for traditional spaying procedures.
• These clinics charge an average of $400 and $500 for laser surgery.

Factors that May Affect Cost

There are many factors that can affect the final cost of your dog’s spaying procedure. It is important that you review these options prior to making your spaying appointment so that you can make any necessary decisions with a clear, well-informed mind rather than in a rushed or emotional moment. These factors include:

• Spaying an overweight dog, or one that is in heat or pregnant, is a much more complicated procedure. This will increase the price by $25 to $100.
• To keep your dog healthy and strong your vet will require that she have a check up and her first vaccination prior to undergoing a spaying procedure. The cost of the check up is around $40, while the cost of the vaccination is around $80.
• If your dog is over five years of age your vet will likely want to perform blood work to ensure she is of good enough health to handle the anesthesia and spaying procedure. The cost of this test is approximately $50.
• While anesthesia for during the procedure is included in the cost, most of the time pain medication for after the procedure is not. The cost of this medication is between $25 and $50.

Saving Money on the Cost of Spaying

If the answer to “How much does it cost to spay a dog?” is too high to fit into your budget, you should not simply forego it. Having female dogs spayed and male dogs neutered is crucial for protecting the pet population and reducing the number of unwanted pets in the world. There are organizations that have the mission of providing support for low-income families so that they can have their pets spayed. The ASPCA offers discounted spaying for families on public assistance programs, as does a program referred to as SNAP. ASPCA offers free spaying services for all female Pitbulls, regardless of the income of the family.