Diagnostics and laboratory tests
How much does a lump sample test cost?
A lump sample test typically costs £45 at a UK vet. That is the middle price across 157 practices that publish one: independent vets typically charge £50 and the big chains £45. Below: how much it varies, where it costs least, and what the price usually includes.
How much it varies
How many vets charge each amount for a lump sample test, in £5 steps. The dark bar holds the typical price.
By region
Typical price in each part of the UK, cheapest first.
| Region | Typical | Vets |
|---|---|---|
| Scotland | £30 | 14 |
| South West | £35 | 26 |
| East Midlands | £36 | 11 |
| South East | £36 | 28 |
| Wales | £38 | 9 |
| East of England | £45 | 26 |
| London | £45 | 9 |
| North West | £45 | 9 |
| Yorkshire and The Humber | £53 | 9 |
| West Midlands | £160 | 14 |
Where it costs least
Typical price in the town, where three or more vets publish it.
| Fife 4 vets | £25 |
| Exeter 5 vets | £25 |
| Wirral 3 vets | £36 |
| Medway 3 vets | £45 |
| Colchester 3 vets | £45 |
| Leeds 5 vets | £53 |
| Gloucester 4 vets | £53 |
| Birmingham 3 vets | £160 |
| Dudley 3 vets | £162 |
Where it costs most
| Dudley 3 vets | £162 |
| Birmingham 3 vets | £160 |
| Leeds 5 vets | £53 |
| Gloucester 4 vets | £53 |
| Medway 3 vets | £45 |
| Colchester 3 vets | £45 |
| Wirral 3 vets | £36 |
| Fife 4 vets | £25 |
| Exeter 5 vets | £25 |
The cheapest vets in the UK for a lump sample test
Check what each price includes before you compare.
| Practice | Town | Owner | Price | Included |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Coquet Vets | Morpeth | Independent | £12.50 | |
| Regency Vets | Cheltenham | Independent | from £15 | |
| Tarka Vets | Barnstaple | Independent | £20 | |
| Alder Veterinary Practice | Guildford | Linnaeus | £25 | |
| Chapel House Veterinary Practice Chesterfield | Chesterfield | Linnaeus | £25 | |
| Chapel House Veterinary Practice Staveley | Staveley | Linnaeus | £25 | |
| City Vets Alphington | Exeter | Linnaeus | £25 | |
| City Vets Heavitree | Exeter | Linnaeus | £25 | |
| City Vets St Thomas | Exeter | Linnaeus | £25 | |
| City Vets Whipton | Exeter | Linnaeus | £25 | |
| Crofts Veterinary Practice | Haslemere | Linnaeus | £25 | |
| Folly Gardens Veterinary Clinic Barton Road Clinic | Tewkesbury | Linnaeus | £25 | |
| Folly Gardens Veterinary Clinic Bishop's Cleeve | Bishop's Cleeve | Linnaeus | £25 | |
| Folly Gardens Veterinary Clinic Cheltenham | Cheltenham | Linnaeus | £25 | |
| Folly Gardens Veterinary Clinic Walton Cardiff | Wheatpieces | Linnaeus | £25 |
A low price with nothing in the "included" column may mean the vet has not said, not that nothing is included. Open the practice for the detail.
What the price covers, and why it varies
The standard definition: Cytology (fine needle aspiration)
Other prices in the same group: X-ray, Ultrasound (abdominal), Echocardiogram, Ear swab cytology, Basic urine screen, CT scan (per body part), MRI scan (per body part), Pre-anaesthetic blood test. All 36 treatments.
Common questions
How much does fine needle aspiration cytology cost at the vet in the UK?
Typically £45. That is the middle price across 157 UK practices that publish one, so half charge less and half charge more. Independent vets typically charge £50 and the big chains £45. The cheapest town with three or more priced vets is Fife, where the typical price is £25.
How can I pay less for fine needle aspiration cytology?
Compare the vets in your own town first: the gap between the cheapest and dearest is often larger than the gap between towns. If you are near Fife 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.
What does the fine needle aspiration cytology price include?
On the standard list it appears as "Cytology (fine needle aspiration)". Published prices include VAT and are for a typical case. Complications cost more.
Why do vets publish the price of fine needle aspiration cytology?
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 fine needle aspiration cytology, 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.
Not veterinary advice. This page compares what practices charge. It does not say whether a treatment or a medicine is right for your animal, and nothing here should be used to start, stop or change any treatment. Only your own vet, who can examine your animal, can advise you. If your animal is unwell, ring a vet. In an emergency, use an out-of-hours vet.
How this is ordered. By price, lowest first, unless you sort it yourself by clicking a heading. Nobody pays to appear here, to appear higher, or to be left out, and no practice has any say in the order. How we collect prices.
About these prices: each figure is as published on the practice's own website on the date shown, VAT included where the practice says so, for the size of pet and the inclusions stated. Practices now have to publish a standard price list and keep it current (the rules), but the price you pay depends on your pet, so confirm with the practice before you book. Spotted a mistake? Tell us and we will re-check the source within two working days.