# Average cost of a C-section



## Sharon Potter (Feb 29, 2004)

After the Whelping Weekend From Hell, I'm curious...what have others paid for a C-section? 

The good news is that mom and nine pups are now doing fine. And also that I like ramen noodles, which is a good thing.


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## Vicky Trainor (May 19, 2003)

Just had our first c-section this past Mother's Day....~$1,400.00 We lost the one pup that was stuck in the birth canal.

A friend's Irish Wolfhound had a c-section done last year. Her total was ~$1,700.00 and they lost 7 of the 12 pups. 

Same emergency hospital.


Glad to hear mom and pups are doing well!


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## North Mountain (Oct 20, 2003)

We just paid $850 in June including the spay at my regular vet. She was 6 and this was to be her last litter.


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## ErinsEdge (Feb 14, 2003)

I just had one the other day-under $1K with a breeder discount. One puppy (we knew) but he missed the exit ramp and was completely stuck between and in the two uterine horns. There's got to be a name in that-I guess it's pretty unusual to be that stuck. Kathy's vet in Iowa it's under $400. At ER's it can be higher.


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## dnf777 (Jun 9, 2009)

Congrats on the nine pups!

Old Bay Ramen
1 pack Ramen shrimp noodles
1 sprinkle of Old Bay Seasoning

Make as directed, then drain broth
sprinkle OBS on noodles

(Ramen was my main kibble for the better part of 4 years! You'd be amazed what you can do with it!)


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## Sharon Potter (Feb 29, 2004)

The last one I had was $500. 

And then there was this one. Of course, it was Friday night...and since the emergency clinic opened an hour away, none of the local vets do any emergency work. So..off we go. Keep in mind, this emergency clinic is simply a regular vet clinic that is open during off hours. No specialists, no out of the ordinary equipment. And they expect payment when you walk in the door, up front, before they will do anything.


Simple C-section, cost was *$3000*.:shock::shock: And when my jaw dropped and I said What?? the vet said, well, your other option is euthansia.


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## Juli H (Aug 27, 2007)

HOLY MOLY!!! That is ridiculous! 

All the c-section costs I have heard of have always been in the $1200-1700 range.

I could ship you some moose burger...gonna need a little protien to go with those oodles of noodles! 

Juli


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## cakaiser (Jul 12, 2007)

Sharon Potter said:


> Simple C-section, cost was *$3000*.:shock::shock: And when my jaw dropped and I said What?? the vet said, well, your other option is euthansia.


WOW! They do always have to have whelp after hours, don't they?

My regular vet charges about $800, but it's been a couple of years.

Glad all are well, who are the mom and dad??


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## Heelsit (Nov 7, 2007)

In the Memphis area, you can go to the main office of the humane society and make a donation of $50. Several reputable vets honor this donation and perform spaying, and they accept the receipt of the donation as payment. They consider it as their donation toward the society.
We've had two neutered this way, by our own vet.
Of course, this is a planned situation, not the emergencies that many of you have decsribed. In that situation, you just do what you must and grin and bear it.


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## Richard Halstead (Apr 20, 2005)

I can't remember but the 1983 price was cheaper and my vet had me assist during the surgery o he didn't have to call a vet tech to assist in the surgery. We got 2 pups 1 natural and a large male by c-section.


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## ErinsEdge (Feb 14, 2003)

Sharon Potter said:


> Simple C-section, cost was *$3000*.:shock::shock: And when my jaw dropped and I said What?? the vet said, well, your other option is euthansia.


Wow, where was that Sharon? I have heard $2K at an ER but $3K? Wow.


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## Todd Caswell (Jun 24, 2008)

> Simple C-section, cost was $3000. And when my jaw dropped and I said What?? the vet said, well, your other option is euthansia.


Excellent " bedside manners" I'm sure you'll rush back for regular office visits


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## Juli H (Aug 27, 2007)

Todd Caswell said:


> Excellent " bedside manners" I'm sure you'll rush back for regular office visits


I agree, crappy way to treat a patient/owner.... but I don't think it was her 'regular' vet...but a vet clinic that opens for emergency treatment after hours...not an uncommon way to operate an 'emergency' clinic.

Juli


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## Amy Avery (Feb 17, 2005)

$350 last year, she had 5 pups.


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## Creek Retrievers (Jul 1, 2005)

Sharon Potter said:


> The last one I had was $500.
> 
> And then there was this one. Of course, it was Friday night...and since the emergency clinic opened an hour away, none of the local vets do any emergency work. So..off we go. Keep in mind, this emergency clinic is simply a regular vet clinic that is open during off hours. No specialists, no out of the ordinary equipment. And they expect payment when you walk in the door, up front, before they will do anything.
> 
> ...


Wow, $3000! I had to have a c-section with my field trial bitch in March. She had 13 pups and the cost was $1600. Due to the number of pups, they had to call in extra vet techs. All 13 pups were alive at delivery, lost one pup two days later. After 8 days and my first day back to work, the bitch decided to perform her own stitch removal which resulted in another trip to the vet clinic where they stapled her up. No charge for this.


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## Sharon Potter (Feb 29, 2004)

cakaiser said:


> WOW! They do always have to have whelp after hours, don't they?
> 
> My regular vet charges about $800, but it's been a couple of years.
> 
> Glad all are well, who are the mom and dad??


Mom is my Abby, and Dad is HRCH Rouxs Blazin Chocolate Thunder MH.


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## firehouselabs (Jan 23, 2008)

Sharon, total cost for three days of observation at vet along with initial emergency visit ~ after 9:00pm with Fergie knocking on deaths door in full diabetic seizure, c-section/spay, and then ultimately cremation cost for Fergie (95lb female, went by weight) only totaled $935.00. 12 pups plus one dead pup that had been dead for at least 2 days. This was on Christmas Eve no less! 
You need to find an older vet with "horse sense" ei...large animal vet, that is willing to make those late night visits on the rare occassion.


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## Jay Dufour (Jan 19, 2003)

Dec 2008.....312.56 7 pups.


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## Sharon Potter (Feb 29, 2004)

Raina, I've got it covered for next time. A good friend of mine who used to do equine work now does all small animal, and I talked to him....he said next time, head south and he'll do the job. (he's an hour and a half from me) He was incredulous when I told him the story. I tried to call him while I was at the emergency clinic, but he didn't answer the phone at 3 am....but he will next time. 

And there's more...Abby does not do well with narcotics (she over reacts, and is out of it for far longer than is typical), so I said specifically to not give her Tramadol. And guess what? Yep....they did and she was totally stoned and unresponsive for almost 18 hours. That did come off the bill. But I was still stuck with a dog that couldn't even raise her head for almost a day.


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## windycanyon (Dec 21, 2007)

It was ~$1500 for a c-section at Emergency to remove a single, dead pup from mine 2 yrs ago.  Nothing like kicking you when you're down. Anne


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## TerRun (Jan 6, 2008)

Wow! Everybody has to make a living, but gee whiz! I know a vet in Rushford, MN. He's an all around vet who will see a farm dog that needs surgery. Farmers often won't pay what the going rate is so I've been told he'll do a $1200 (at other clinics) surgery that he will normally charge $500-$700 for, but if they won't pay that, he'll say, well, will you do it for $250? Just because he wants to help the animal. To actually say euthanasia is the other option, I'd say it is fair to spread the word wide and far -would you please share with us where you had this experience?


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## ybrlabs (Aug 3, 2008)

I had a girl in whelp that was not progressing last year. We took her to the emergency vet and as I was about to sign the estimate for $2000 for the c-section, she managed to squeeze the pup out. I was never so happy! My regular vet charges about $1400 for a c-section.

Sandy A.


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## susanb (Aug 15, 2008)

15 months ago my girl had an emergency c-section, after hours (just after closing) done by my regular vet. We had three vet techs and two vets doing the procedure. The charge was a bit less than $400.00, if I'm remembering correctly. 

Can I tell you how much I love my vet? 

I'm shocked at the comment about euthanasia, and at the $3000.00 price tag for a section. I believe I would be contacting my state veterinary board on that one, as well as spreading the news far and wide to any and all dog owners that I know.


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## ginnyr (Sep 25, 2007)

After reg hours went to Emergency Vet clinic for the one remaining puppy. total charge for meds given to the dam, xrays, and the C section $1800. Vet and team did not spay bitch, felt the hormone level would be best if not spayed at that time. This was almost 2 years ago. I knew I would worry about this 5th pup so he stayed here with us. He is fine and doing well. his dam is also. Money well spent.


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## limiman12 (Oct 13, 2007)

Sharon Potter said:


> The last one I had was $500.
> 
> And then there was this one. Of course, it was Friday night...and since the emergency clinic opened an hour away, none of the local vets do any emergency work. So..off we go. Keep in mind, this emergency clinic is simply a regular vet clinic that is open during off hours. No specialists, no out of the ordinary equipment. And they expect payment when you walk in the door, up front, before they will do anything.
> 
> ...



I am sorry but how is that not price gouging? I understand they have extra overhead and what not, but to charge 6 times what you paid in the same area to hire an associate vet to stay up at night.....


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## Tollwest (Oct 22, 2008)

$3000-4000 is pretty much the base cost for an uncomplicated c-section at most of the after-hours emergency clinics here! Thankfully I have not yet needed a c-section on any of my bitches, and if I did the clinic I would be dealing with would charge me half that (which is still too much for my bank account) damn big city prices


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