How much does castration cost?

Typically £400 for large dogs. That is the middle price across 1,221 UK practices that publish one, so half charge less and half charge more. Independent vets typically charge £309.83 and the big chains £448. The cheapest town with three or more priced vets is Saltburn-by-the-Sea, where the typical price is £240.

Yes. Most practices price castration by weight. Typical published prices: cats £107; dogs (all sizes) £253; rabbits £165; medium dogs £357; small dogs £318; large dogs £400; extra-large dogs £360; giant dogs £360.16; other small pets / exotics £120; all pets £301.18. The standard list uses cats and five dog sizes (small, medium, large, extra large and giant), but each practice sets its own kilogram limits, so ask which band your pet falls in.

Compare the vets in your own town first: the gap between the cheapest and dearest is often larger than the gap between towns. Then check what each price includes, because a cheaper castration without pain relief or a follow-up check may cost more once those are added. If you are near Saltburn-by-the-Sea or another of the cheaper towns listed above, it may be worth the drive for a planned procedure. Ask for a written estimate before you agree to anything, which practices must give for treatment over £500.

The standard list defines it as: Scrotal testicles castration. The practice has to say how it charges for it, usually by weight, and can state what is included: the general anaesthetic, sedation, pain relief, a stay in hospital, a blood test before the anaesthetic and a check afterwards. Published prices include VAT and are for a typical case. Complications cost more.

Because the competition regulator told them to. It found in 2026 that owners could not compare vet prices and that prices had risen faster than inflation, so every practice now has to publish the same 36 prices, including castration, on its website one click from the home page. The big chains must do it by 23 December 2026 and everyone else by 23 March 2027.