Diagnostics and laboratory tests
How much does a pre-anaesthetic blood test cost?
A pre-anaesthetic blood test typically costs £72 at a UK vet. That is the middle price across 281 practices that publish one: independent vets typically charge £79 and the big chains £66. Below: how much it varies, where it costs least, and what the price usually includes.
What this covers: Chem10 blood test, or equivalent.
Size of pet:
How much it varies
How many vets charge each amount for a pre-anaesthetic blood test, in £10 steps. The dark bar holds the typical price.
By region
Typical price in each part of the UK, cheapest first.
| Region | Typical | Vets |
|---|---|---|
| East of England | £45 | 27 |
| Wales | £54 | 10 |
| South West | £57 | 32 |
| East Midlands | £66 | 28 |
| North West | £70 | 40 |
| Scotland | £75 | 17 |
| West Midlands | £79 | 26 |
| Yorkshire and The Humber | £82 | 20 |
| South East | £88 | 50 |
| North East | £95 | 5 |
| London | £100 | 23 |
Where it costs least
Typical price in the town, where three or more vets publish it.
| Gloucester 4 vets | £35 |
| Northampton 3 vets | £45 |
| Minehead 3 vets | £49 |
| Medway 3 vets | £50 |
| Wirral 5 vets | £60 |
| Glasgow 3 vets | £65 |
| Bolton 3 vets | £65 |
| Guildford 3 vets | £65 |
| Leicester 5 vets | £66 |
| Exeter 5 vets | £70 |
| Fife 4 vets | £75 |
| Birmingham 5 vets | £75 |
Where it costs most
| Colchester 3 vets | £105 |
| Grimsby 4 vets | £103 |
| Dudley 3 vets | £102 |
| Leeds 5 vets | £100 |
| Huntingdonshire 4 vets | £92 |
| Wandsworth 3 vets | £90 |
| Stoke-on-Trent 3 vets | £78 |
| Fife 4 vets | £75 |
| Birmingham 5 vets | £75 |
| Exeter 5 vets | £70 |
| Leicester 5 vets | £66 |
| Glasgow 3 vets | £65 |
The cheapest vets in the UK for a pre-anaesthetic blood test
Check what each price includes before you compare.
| Practice | Town | Owner | Price | Included |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lida Vets | Newmarket | Linnaeus | £15 | |
| Wagtails Veterinary Centre | Harrogate | Independent | £15 | |
| AAS Veterinary Services Abbeydale | Gloucester | Linnaeus | £35 | |
| AAS Veterinary Services Hucclecote | Gloucester | Linnaeus | £35 | |
| AAS Veterinary Services Quedgeley | Gloucester | Linnaeus | £35 | |
| AAS Veterinary Services Stroud | Stroud | Linnaeus | £35 | |
| Copper Beech Vets | Southport | Independent | £35 | |
| Greenside Veterinary Practice Jedburgh | Scottish Borders | Linnaeus | £40.50 | |
| Greenside Veterinary Practice St Boswells | Melrose | Linnaeus | £40.50 | |
| Hawick Veterinary Practice | Scottish Borders | Linnaeus | £40.50 | |
| Rutland & Kings Veterinary Centre Market Harborough | Market Harborough | Linnaeus | £41.50 | |
| Rutland & Kings Veterinary Centre Melton | Melton Mowbray | Linnaeus | £41.50 | |
| Rutland & Kings Veterinary Centre Oakham | Barleythorpe | Linnaeus | £41.50 | |
| Rutland & Kings Veterinary Centre Priors Hall | Weldon | Linnaeus | £41.50 | |
| Rutland & Kings Veterinary Centre Syston | Leicester | Linnaeus | £41.50 |
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: Pre-surgical/pre-anaesthetic blood test
Other prices in the same group: X-ray, Ultrasound (abdominal), Echocardiogram, Ear swab cytology, Fine needle aspiration cytology, Basic urine screen, CT scan (per body part), MRI scan (per body part). All 36 treatments.
Common questions
How much does pre-anaesthetic blood test cost at the vet in the UK?
Typically £72. That is the middle price across 281 UK practices that publish one, so half charge less and half charge more. Independent vets typically charge £79 and the big chains £65.50. The cheapest town with three or more priced vets is Gloucester, where the typical price is £35.
Does the price of pre-anaesthetic blood test depend on the size of my pet?
Yes. Most practices price pre-anaesthetic blood test by weight. Typical published prices: all pets £72; dogs (all sizes) £114. 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.
How can I pay less for pre-anaesthetic blood test?
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 Gloucester 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 pre-anaesthetic blood test price include?
The standard list defines it as: Chem10 blood test, or equivalent. Published prices include VAT and are for a typical case. Complications cost more.
Why do vets publish the price of pre-anaesthetic blood test?
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 pre-anaesthetic blood test, 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.