Written by The short answer
For a routine visit, expect the exam fee alone to run about $56 to $129 for a dog and $57 to $130 for a cat. Those are the national average ranges from the 2025-2026 Synchrony Average Procedural Cost Study, a survey of veterinary prices in all 50 states and Washington, D.C., published by CareCredit.
That is rarely the whole bill. The exam fee pays for the vet’s time and the physical exam. Vaccines, tests and medicines are added on top. The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) asked owners what they actually paid per visit, and the 2024 averages were $214 for dogs and $138 for cats. Those figures cover every kind of visit, sick visits included, and every pet seen at that visit.
So a fair working number is this: around $60 to $130 to walk in the door, and roughly $150 to $335 at average prices by the time a healthy adult pet has had its yearly vaccines and tests. The tables below show where that range comes from.
What the exam fee covers
The exam fee (also called an office visit or consultation fee) buys a nose-to-tail physical exam and a conversation with the vet. According to Cornell’s Riney Canine Health Center, a routine check-up usually includes:
- Watching how your pet moves and behaves before anyone touches them.
- Eyes, ears, mouth, teeth and gums.
- Skin and coat, including the armpits, belly and between the toes.
- Feeling for lumps, and checking legs, joints and tail for swelling or pain.
- Feeling the belly to check the organs.
- Listening to the heart and lungs with a stethoscope.
Your pet is also weighed, and staff will ask about food, behavior, medicines and anything you have noticed at home. This is the part of the visit that catches problems early, such as dental disease, a heart murmur, an ear infection or a new lump.
The exam fee does not usually include vaccines, lab tests, nail trims, medicines or flea, tick and heartworm preventives.
Common add-ons and what they cost
These are US average prices from the same 2025-2026 Synchrony study. Your clinic may charge more or less. Prices vary with location, the size of your pet and the clinic.
| Service | Dogs | Cats |
|---|---|---|
| Routine exam (average range) | $56 to $129 | $57 to $130 |
| Rabies vaccine | $35 (one-year) | $31 |
| Core combination vaccine | $42 (DHPP) | $34 (FVRCP) |
| Bordetella vaccine | $39 | $34 |
| Leptospirosis vaccine | $34 | Not listed |
| Canine influenza vaccine | $53 | Not listed |
| Feline leukemia (FeLV) vaccine | Not listed | $33 |
| Heartworm test | $71 | Not listed |
| Fecal exam | $58 | $29 |
| Blood chemistry panel | $164 | $144 |
| Complete blood count (CBC) | $104 | Not listed |
| X-rays (two to three views) | $172 | $158 |
Source: 2025-2026 Synchrony Average Procedural Cost Study for Veterinary Practices Across the United States, as published by CareCredit. The study notes that an office visit fee may be charged in addition to each service.
A worked example
Take a healthy adult dog due for a rabies vaccine, a DHPP vaccine, a heartworm test and a fecal exam. Adding the study’s averages gives $35 + $42 + $71 + $58 = $206 in add-ons. With the exam fee, that is roughly $262 to $335.
A healthy adult cat due for rabies and FVRCP vaccines and a fecal exam comes to $31 + $34 + $29 = $94 in add-ons, or roughly $151 to $224 with the exam.
These totals are our own sums of the study’s averages, not quotes. They show why the bill is usually much higher than the exam fee. Not every pet needs every item every year: some boosters are only needed every few years, and your vet will choose vaccines based on your pet’s lifestyle.
What makes a visit cost more
- A sick pet. Finding the cause of vomiting, limping or itching takes tests. An ear infection visit, for example, often adds an ear swab looked at under the microscope, plus medicine.
- Age. Older pets are more likely to be offered screening tests, such as bloodwork, a urine test or X-rays, at routine visits.
- Puppies and kittens. The first year needs a series of visits three to four weeks apart for vaccines and deworming, so the yearly total is higher even when each visit is modest.
- Where you live. Prices vary by region and from one clinic to the next, which is why the national figures are ranges.
- The type of clinic. Emergency and specialty hospitals charge more than a general practice. The Synchrony study put the average emergency exam fee at $135 for dogs and $143 for cats, before any treatment. See our guide to emergency vet versus regular vet costs.
- After-hours care. Nights, weekends and holidays usually mean an emergency hospital and emergency pricing.
How often you will pay for a visit
How many visits a year matters as much as the price of each one.
- Puppies and kittens: every three to four weeks until about four to five months old.
- Healthy adult dogs: at least once a year, says the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA). Some dogs benefit from twice a year.
- Adult cats: every 6 to 12 months at every age, according to AAHA.
- Senior dogs: at least twice a year, usually with screening tests such as bloodwork.
The AVMA’s 2024 survey found that 74.2% of dog owners and 57.3% of cat owners had taken their pet to a vet in the past year. Average veterinary spending per household for the year was $580 for dog owners and $433 for cat owners.
Houston and Austin: prices clinics publish
Many private clinics do not post prices online, so you have to call. Several non-profit clinics do publish theirs. We checked each clinic’s own website on November 11, 2026. Prices change, so confirm before you go.
| Clinic | Exam or office visit | Rabies vaccine | Core combo vaccine | Heartworm test (dogs) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Houston SPCA Veterinary Clinic, 900 Portway Dr, Houston | $35 wellness exam; $45 sick patient exam; $20 technician exam for returning booster patients | $20 | $20 (dog DAPP or cat HCP) | $30 |
| Houston Humane Society Veterinary Clinic, 3100 W Fuqua St, Houston | $70 exam (by appointment); $35 office visit for routine vaccines or tests | $17 | $25 (dog); $22 (cat FVRCP) | $31 |
| Emancipet Monroe Plaza Clinic, 8533 Gulf Fwy, Houston | $20 office visit fee | $17 | $17 (dog DAP or cat FVRCP) | $20 |
| Emancipet Levander Loop Clinic, 7201 Levander Loop, Austin | $20 office visit fee | $17 | $17 (dog DAP or cat FVRCP) | $20 |
A few things to know before you compare these with a private clinic:
- Emancipet states that its Monroe Plaza clinic is not a full-service veterinary clinic and does not treat sick or injured pets. The $20 fee applies to its healthy pet services.
- Houston SPCA requires an exam at every appointment before vaccines are given. A healthy adult dog getting a wellness exam, rabies vaccine, DAPP vaccine and heartworm test there would come to $35 + $20 + $20 + $30 = $105 at the listed prices.
- Houston Humane Society also sells bundles. Its “Dog-103” package (rabies, distemper combination and heartworm test) is listed at $62, and its “Cat-102” package (rabies and FVRCP) at $32.
These clinics keep prices low partly by offering a narrow list of services. They are a good fit for vaccines, parasite tests and microchips. For a pet that is unwell, or for ongoing problems, you will need a full-service clinic. Browse vets in Houston to find one near you, and keep the list of 24-hour emergency vets in Houston handy for nights and weekends.
What happens at the visit, step by step
- Check-in. You confirm your details and the reason for the visit. New clients fill in a history form. Bring any past records and a list of medicines.
- Weight and history. A technician weighs your pet and asks about eating, drinking, toilet habits, behavior and any changes.
- Physical exam. The vet examines your pet from nose to tail and tells you what they find.
- The plan. The vet recommends vaccines, tests or treatment. This is the moment to ask what each item costs and which ones matter most today.
- Tests and vaccines. Some results come back during the visit. Other samples are sent to an outside lab and the clinic calls you with results.
- Checkout. Payment is normally due at the end of the visit. Ask beforehand if you need a payment plan.
Ways to keep the cost down
- Ask for prices when you book. Ask for the exam fee and the price of each vaccine and test your pet is due for.
- Tell your vet your budget. The AVMA encourages owners to talk about cost openly. There are often several reasonable care plans, and your vet can help you put the most important items first.
- Do not skip the routine visit. Yearly check-ups cost far less than treating disease that was found late. A cat with a urinary blockage needs days of hospital care; many chronic problems are cheaper to manage when caught early.
- Use non-profit clinics for the basics. Vaccines, heartworm tests and microchips are much cheaper at the clinics in the table above.
- Ask about wellness plans. Some clinics let you spread a year of preventive care over monthly payments. Add up what is included and compare it with paying per item.
- Consider insurance while your pet is healthy. Insurance mainly helps with unexpected illness and injury, and conditions that start before you buy are usually excluded. Learn how a pet insurance deductible works and what accident-only cover leaves out before you choose.
- Ask about medicines. Your clinic may match online pharmacy prices or offer a generic. Never give a pet human medicine unless your vet has told you to.
- Keep a small emergency fund. Even a modest amount set aside each month takes the edge off a surprise bill.
- If you cannot pay, say so early. Many clinics offer payment plans or financing, and the AVMA lists charities that help with vet bills.
If you are still choosing a clinic, our guide on how to find a good vet covers what to ask besides price.
When not to wait for a routine appointment
Price should not delay care for a pet that is clearly unwell. The Merck Veterinary Manual advises booking a visit if signs such as not eating, vomiting, diarrhea, coughing, limping, or changes in urination last more than a day or two.
Some problems cannot wait even that long. Trouble breathing, collapse, repeated vomiting, a swollen belly, a male cat straining to urinate, seizures, or a suspected poisoning need a vet now. Call your clinic or go to a 24-hour emergency hospital.
How we got these numbers
National figures come from two sources: the 2025-2026 Synchrony Average Procedural Cost Study (clinic prices, published by CareCredit) and the AVMA’s 2024 Pet Ownership and Demographic Sourcebook (what owners reported spending). Houston and Austin prices come only from each clinic’s own website, checked on November 11, 2026. We did not phone clinics or estimate prices that are not published. If a price here is out of date, the clinic’s own price list is the one to trust.