Sorry, we couldn't find any results matching
Please:
Sorry, we couldn't find any results matching
Please:
Emergency vet charges are likely more expensive than those charged by regular-practice veterinarians. The emergency exam itself could cost $200 or more, emergency surgery might cost $5,000 or more, and overnight animal hospitalization may cost up to $1,500 per night.1
“Emergency costs can range from as little as a few hundred to easily a few thousand dollars, depending on the severity of the case,” says veterinarian Dr. Hunter Finn. “I have seen cases where pet insurance allowed an owner to confidently spend thousands of dollars and received 90% of the money back within 2 weeks after treatment.”2
Let’s dig into different emergency vet costs, ways you could pay for the cost of care, and how pet insurance can help you manage emergency vet bills.
From the exam itself to more intensive care, emergency vet fees could range from $200 – $8,000 or more.1
Emergency vet costs can be expensive due to high operating expenses, the rising cost of medications, and specialized labor. The variety of services offered at emergency vet clinics, the animals they treat, and the specific emergency may also impact the final cost, as well as the location of the clinic.3
Bottom line, emergency vet visits often require more extensive diagnostics, treatments, and consultations than regular vet visits to address urgent medical issues, leading to higher costs.3
While the specific numbers can vary, here’s what dog parents might expect to pay for various dog emergency expenses.1
Type of Service | Cost* |
Exams | $200+ |
General blood work | $150 – $3703 |
X-ray | $200 – $400 |
Ultrasound | $350 – $600 |
MRI | $1,500 – $2,500+ |
Hospitalization (per night) | $800 – $1,500 |
Wound treatment | $800 – $2,500 |
Emergency surgery | $1,800 – $5,000 |
Oxygen therapy | $800 – $3,000 |
Medications | $50 – $1003 |
IV fluids | $60 – $1003 |
Vehicular trauma | $250 – $8,000 |
*Cost depends on your dog’s size, where you live, and the severity of their case.
Cat parents may be well aware that their curious kitties can get into sticky situations. Here are some estimates for common cat emergency expenses.1
Type of Service | Cost* |
Exams | $200+ |
General blood work | $150 – $3703 |
X-ray | $200 – $400 |
Ultrasound | $350 – $600 |
MRI | $1,500 – $2,500+ |
Hospitalization (per night) | $800 – $1,500 |
Wound treatment | $800 – $1,500 |
Emergency surgery | $1,500 – $3,000 |
Oxygen therapy | $500 – $2,500 |
Medications | $50 – $1003 |
IV fluids | $60 – $1003 |
Vehicular trauma | $250 – $8,000 |
*Cost depends on your cat’s size, where you live, and the severity of their case.
Generally, most vets require you to pay for services upfront. This means you’ll typically have to cover the entirety of the bill — whether it be $100 or $1,000 — before you can take your pet home.
Even pet parents who have pet insurance can’t always get around this process, but they could be reimbursed. Once you’ve hit your deductible, you can get qualifying expenses reimbursed, at your chosen reimbursement rate option, often up to 90%.4 MetLife Pet provides coverage for emergency vet visits, so regardless of how you paid — cash or credit — you can expect a portion of any covered expenses to be returned to you.
Let’s consider a scenario to see how pet insurance works: A young dog, Muffin, ingests a sock, causing severe constipation. Muffin needs surgery to remove the sock from her gastrointestinal (GI) tract immediately at a 24-hour emergency vet clinic near San Jose, California. The bill Muffin’s pet parents pay could include:5
Muffin’s family paid over $10,000 for her treatment. And with their MetLife Pet dog insurance policy, they were reimbursed more than $8,800.5
“Pet insurance allowed an owner to confidently spend thousands of dollars and [receive] 90% of the money back.”2
If your pet needs a trip to the emergency vet, the unexpected cost can put a strain on your wallet. The good news is you have a few options to help you pay for your pet’s medical care.
Preparedness is key in shielding your finances from unexpected vet bills, which is why pet insurance may be a great option. Most pet insurance policies don’t cover pre-existing conditions, but if you get the policy when your pet is still healthy, pet insurance can help you put money back in your pocket on covered expenses. Additionally, MetLife Pet Insurance offers a 0-day waiting period for accidents and optional Preventive Care coverage.
You may have a “rainy day” fund for yourself. But does your pet have one? It can be a good idea to put aside some money in a high-yield or regular savings account to pull from when you need to pay for expensive vet bills. This could soften the financial blow when pet emergencies happen. Opting for a high-yield savings account ensures your pet’s emergency fund grows faster, providing better financial security for the future.
You might find these other options could be helpful in an emergency when timeliness is important:
Have a plan in place for how you might pay for high-cost, unexpected vet bills so if the time comes, you’re prepared.
If you’re uncertain whether your pet requires emergency care, consulting your vet is highly recommended. There may be alternatives to bringing your pet to the animal emergency room in non-life-threatening situations.
In case of a pet emergency, know where the nearest clinics are, what phone numbers you might need, have vet records easily accessible, and come up with transportation plans. Being prepared with various plans can help you take necessary steps and focus on supporting your beloved companion.
MetLife Pet Insurance is committed to helping you keep your pets happy and healthy — our accident and illness policy provides coverage for many common emergency vet visit costs. Just ask the pet parents of Riley, a 5-year-old dog from the Phoenix, AZ, area. Riley was rushed to the emergency vet after her stomach became distended and she was lethargic. The exam and treatment cost over $5,800, and thanks to their MetLife Pet policy, Riley’s parents were reimbursed around $5,200 of their vet bill.5
See how an award-winning10 MetLife Pet policy can help you save money on covered pet emergencies and make it easier to say yes to crucial care. Get started today with a free quote.
Michelle Saunches is a certified veterinary technician and has over three decades of experience as a vet tech and practice manager working in emergency and specialty veterinary hospitals. She has worked with a variety of animals and spent several years fostering kittens — with more than a few ending up as foster fails. Now, Michelle works at MetLife Pet as a Sr. Products Claims Assistant.
Michelle has a bachelor's in Business Administration and Management from Indian River State College, as well as a master’s in Human Resource Management and an MBA from Western Governors University.
