What’s included in the cost of a dog castrate?

You may have heard of the term “neutering” before. A dog castrate is the specific term used for neutering a male dog, which can either be done surgically or chemically. Either approach will prevent your dog from being able to breed. But you may have wondered, what exactly am I paying for when getting my dog castrated?

Should I castrate my dog in the first place?

This post will mainly focus on the more common surgical option, a procedure that permanently removes both testicles from a male dog, whilst under anaesthesia. The surgical procedure is performed by a registered veterinary surgeon with the help of qualified veterinary nurses.

You don’t have to castrate your dog surgically, but there are some useful reasons for doing it:

Prevents testicular torsion.

Prevents testicular cancer.

Prevents unwanted pregnancies.

Prevents some types of prostate disease.

Prevents perianal adenomas (a type of cancer).

It can reduce unwanted sexual behaviours including mounting, marking, and roaming.

On the other hand, there are also reasons not to surgically castrate a dog, including:

It can worsen fear or anxiety-related behavioural issues that are unrelated to sex hormones, such as noise phobia.

Increases the chance of other types of prostate disease.

Large-breed dogs benefit from being castrated later than small-breed dogs. This allows their bones to mature fully.

Castration can reduce your dog’s metabolism, meaning they are more likely to gain weight.

There are risks associated with the procedure, including, surgical site infection, bleeding, bruising, and anaesthetic risk.

When should I neuter my dog?

Several factors influence the best time to castrate your dog, such as breed and weight. Your vet will also be happy to help advise you on the best time to neuter your dog.

Chemical castration

Chemical castration is becoming increasingly popular in male dogs and involves placing a hormonal implant under the skin. Placing the implant can cost between £150-200 and must be replaced every 6 months. This option would likely cost more long-term compared to the one-off surgical option. This procedure avoids some of the risks associated with surgical castration, such as wound infection, bleeding, and the risk of anaesthesia. Whilst this option prevents unwanted pregnancies, it does not prevent the risk of testicular disease because the testicles are not removed.

An initial consultation with your vet is the best way to determine if your dog is suitable for surgical or chemical castration. Your vet will be able to assess the health and behaviour of your dog to give advice that meets both your needs.

So, what exactly are you paying for?

Surgical dog castrates are a common procedure in most veterinary practices, and many even offer a standard neutering package. The price of these packages considers the direct and indirect costs associated with performing a surgical dog castrate.

Direct costs

Pre-operative consultation

During a pre-operative consultation, a veterinarian will take a thorough history of your pet’s health and lifestyle. They will then perform a full clinical exam of your pet to ensure they are a suitable candidate for surgery. This takes time and requires a trained veterinarian to do so. Whilst you may think your pet is fit and well, this stage is necessary to identify any underlying disease. This can help to reduce the risk of surgery and anaesthesia, keeping your dog as safe as possible.

Medication

A surgical dog castrate is an invasive and painful procedure, so requires several different medications to ensure your dog is pain-free and well anaesthetised throughout. Most of these drugs require a veterinary prescription:

Anaesthetic drugs – includes drugs for sedation and induction

Pain relief – pre-, intra-, and post-operative

Anti-inflammatory drugs e.g. Meloxicam

Anti-biotics (some cases, not all)

Surgical procedure

A dog castrate takes time and must be performed by a registered veterinary surgeon. The preparation, surgery time, and recovery from anaesthesia can take up to 3 hours in total, despite the surgery itself only being around 30 minutes.

Instruments and equipment

A dog castrate requires some specialist instruments and equipment you won’t find at home! This can be expensive to buy and must occasionally be restored or replaced by the veterinary practice, which all comes at a cost. Some of the equipment required includes:

Heaters and lamps

Surgical tables

Surgical instruments e.g. forceps

Anaesthetic equipment e.g. oxygen tanks, blood pressure machines, intubation tubes, and circuits.

Consumables e.g. gloves, needles, swabs, syringes, suture material, drapes, catheters, clippers, chlorhexidine scrub, and even things like cotton wool.

These items won’t be listed on your estimate, so it’s important to remember they’re still needed and must be considered in the overall cost.

Post-operative support

Some packages include a buster collar to go home with, which prevents your dog from licking their wound and causing further issues. Your dog will also be sent home with post-operative pain relief. This is usually given by mouth to make it easier for the owner to give and ensures your dog continues to be pain-free whilst they recover from the surgery.

Post-operative consultations are usually included in the overall cost, following a dog castrate. A vet or nurse will examine the surgical site to assess how well the wound is recovering. This usually occurs 5-7 days post-surgery and can help to spot any issues as early as possible.

Optional extras

Depending on the health and age of your dog, you may be offered additional services.

The most common add-ons are pre-operative blood tests and fluid therapy. Pre-operative blood tests are recommended in our older and less healthy animals. The results may influence the choice of medications used, to reduce age- or illness-related risk.

Indirect costs

It’s important to remember that a veterinary business has other costs it must cover to maintain its services. Therefore, part of what you pay for a castration also goes towards covering these indirect costs.

Rent and bills

The building that contains the operating theatre will require monthly payments, council tax, maintenance fees, and energy bills. Even cleaning and laundry bills must be accounted for!

Staff pay

It’s not just the vet that plays a part in your dog’s castration procedure. Veterinary nurses, care assistants, and receptionists are also fundamental parts of a veterinary practice, and they all require a salary.

Other business-related costs

These can easily be overlooked yet must be covered by the practice to ensure the safety, comfort, and well-being of all pets, staff, and owners. Some of the miscellaneous business costs include:

Staff training

Computer software fees

Insurance

Staff registration membership fees

Waste disposal

Health and safety compliance

How much should a dog castrate cost in the UK?

A dog castrate in the UK usually costs between £200-400. You can check out your local practice costs using the VetHelpDirect Price Comparisons on the practice pages.

In addition, many practices state the price of their routine dog castrates on their website, so you should be able to compare them easily online. Remember, cheaper is not always better. Look to see what is included in a dog castrate package. Paying for a post-operative check-up in addition to the initial procedure could easily add on £50. Though uncommon, it may be worth checking to see if your insurance covers routine procedures, including castration.

The price for each item listed in an estimate is often beyond the control of your supervising veterinarian. If you are concerned about the costs, it is worth asking your vet to explain the estimate to you and to see if anything can be done to help. Things such as the anaesthetic and pain relief drugs are non-negotiable items when performing a surgical dog castrate.

Why does this cost vary?

£200-400 seems like a large range, but it comes down to dog differences and practice differences.

Price can vary depending on the health and size of your dog. Unsurprisingly, bigger dogs require bigger everything. Higher drug doses, bigger consumables, longer surgical time, and a bigger cone of shame! This means dog castrates tend to cost more in bigger dog breeds. This applies to most surgical procedures and should be something you consider when choosing a breed.

As mentioned above, the age and health of your dog can also impact the cost of castration. The main reason is that anaesthesia poses a greater risk in older or unwell animals. As a result, extra precautions may be recommended to reduce this risk but come at an additional cost. If your dog has abnormal anatomy, such as a retained testicle, you may be charged an additional fee. Correcting and removing a retained testicle may require a more experienced surgeon and could take longer. Certain breeds have a higher anaesthetic risk, including brachycephalic pugs and French bulldogs, so may also require additional precautionary measures to protect them during surgery. Correcting complications will also increase the total cost, but you should be asked for consent by your veterinarian before they go ahead with this.

Each practice will have its own set of outgoings and therefore charge a rate that is suitable for them to cover their costs. Some of the cost variation across practices is due to differences in:

Local overheads

Staffing levels

Corporate vs independent

Equipment availability

What is included in a neuter package

Summary

There is so much more to the cost of a dog castrate than the time it takes for a veterinary surgeon to snip them out. Having the correct equipment, appropriate staff, and adequate medication are all extremely necessary to make the procedure as safe and comfortable as possible for your dog. Whilst complications are rare, they can lead to additional unforeseen costs being added to the total bill. You can always chat with your vet to see if surgical castration is the best option for your dog before booking them in.