How much does an X-ray cost?

Typically £337. That is the middle price across 264 UK practices that publish one, so half charge less and half charge more. Independent vets typically charge £430 and the big chains £299. The cheapest town with three or more priced vets is Leeds, where the typical price is £236.

Yes. Most practices price x-ray by weight. Typical published prices: all pets £337; cats £474.48; dogs (all sizes) £440; medium dogs £485.92; small dogs £474.48; extra-large dogs £505.98; large dogs £632.61; giant dogs £270. 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. If you are near Leeds 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: Production of up to three images for a non-complex case. Price to include third-party fees if used in part. 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 x-ray, 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.