Neuter estimation cost from vet - does this look right?

My dog was done almost a year ago, also in an affluent area.  It cost about $250, including full blood work and overnight observation.  She's a small working type Aussie and, at the time, she weighed about 24 pounds.    If your dog is extremely large, the anesthesia cost may be higher, but it still sounds like quite a lot.  My vet is very experienced, and has practiced for more than 25 years.
Whether you should look for another vet should really be based on whether you can find one that is just as good for less money.  If so, I would not hesitate to ask around.  But, money would never be my only consideration.

I got a "special" price on the neuter for Max because he was a shelter rescue - I wrote a check to the vet for $60 and was told that this was a 75% break.  I  figure that if he hadn't come from the shelter it would have  been around $240.  I think prices really vary from state to state and city to city within a state.  If you're not having some sort of emergency, you could call around.
 
Joyce

Two years ago we paid  US$ 212 for a laser spay for a 45 lbs dog. That included a pre-anesthetic profile (that was optional), a stay of one night under hospital care, an ECG monitoring during the procedure and a $160 discount from pet population control. Without the discount the grand total would have been a whopping $ 372.
For the first dog, we had paid about one hundred less two years earlier but it was conventional surgery, not laser.
 

Whether you should look for another vet should really be based on whether you can find one that is just as good for less money.  If so, I would not hesitate to ask around.  But, money would never be my only consideration.

Same here.
 

Leroi,
 
Alot of vets are super careful with sighthounds due to the difficulties and complications associated with anesthesia.  Sighthounds have very little fat which means that there's no room for error. 
 
Ensure that your vet is using an anesthesia protocol for sighthounds, I don't remember the names of the chemicals-but I do know that their effects are reversible in a very short time frame.
 
Also some vets include an overnight, or two overnights in their estimate.  Ask your vet if this was included. 
 
I think the price is a bit steep, however if you shop around other vets in the area, you may find your vet is right in line with his/her pricing.

Neuters at my vet were 180 dollars WITH pre-surgical bloodwork and an IV catheter. 300 sounds like a bit much for a neuter... 

Alot of vets are super careful with sighthounds due to the difficulties and complications associated with anesthesia. Sighthounds have very little fat which means that there's no room for error.

 
Leroi- there are lots of articles out there on anesthesia sensetivity in sighthounds... here is one that is shorter and more to the point than most and will expand on what Ed mentioned above:
 
  https://home.comcast.net/~rantinawhippets/new_page_6.htm#Anesthesia%20in%20Sighthounds!
 
My greyhound rescue that also has iggy's ALWAYS uses isoflorane as their anesthesia of choice so you may want to consider having your vet use it.
 
 
 
      

Before I brought Leroi to his first appointment I asked the tech if they cared for any whippets or had sighthound experience and they said yes, and they recognized that whippets require special care in some circumstances.  I didn't want to come off as a new owner that thought my dog was some super rare and unique breed, because he's not, but it was just nice to know they knew whippets were sensitive little creatures!
So jjsmom06, isoflorane is the anesthetic of choice used on your greyhound?  When it comes time to neuter (Leroi's only 4 months and we'll probably wait up to a year), then I'll discuss what chemicals will be used.  I'll get the neuter estimation out of my file and break it down for you so you find out where the costs are coming from. 
Thing is, after 2 appointments, I'm already attached to my vet.  She's kind and Leroi is such a good boy for her.  Did I mention the vet is right across the street?  $441 is gonna hurt, but I don't think we want to take our business elsewhere...who knows, we have plenty of time to think about it.  Like I said, I'll get back to you with a complete breakdown re: cost.

So jjsmom06, isoflorane is the anesthetic of choice used on your greyhound?

 
 
Yes, that is what is commonly used in my area for sighthounds and I have never had a problem with it. In the 15 years my greyhound rescue has been doing spays and neuters, I think they have only had a couple of deaths. The dogs all come home the same day and while they are a little groggy... it is NOT bad at all and I never see to much vomiting. By the next morning they are pretty peppy!
 
I would have to say that if you feel comfortable with this vet and they seem to be aware of the need for precautions with these breeds, then stay with him if you can afford it.  Gosh, having it right across the street sure is nice too!
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Ok, I'm back with the sheet so I can give you the detailed breakdown.  Here it is:
 
Remember, all prices in CAD...
 
Pre-anesthetic blood work (in house)   48.75
IV surgical fluids   64.00
Canine Castration (10-20kg)   246.70
Microchip Implant   60.00
Tax   25.16
 

The surgery itself looks a bit pricey to me, but other than that everything seems in line.  Did Leroi's breeder not chip the litter herself?

Wow, chips here are $34[&:]

Wow, chips here are $34

 
We got ours from the local human society for $20 with proof of dog license. 
 
Leroi- Mayeb check around and see about getting this done seperately for a bit cheaper...???

Leroi.
 
If you are dealing with the Ottawa Veterinary Hospital on Boyd Ave., they are known to be seriously over-priced.
 
Shop around in the outskirts, there must be others... even Gatineau vets are less expensive than Ottawa vets! 
 
Even if you were to drive closer to Kingston, the prices are lower.  Or even going towards Montreal.
 
$60 for a chip implant is way, way too expensive. A micro-chip purchased from the Canadian Kennel Club costs approx.$15., and there is no charge to register it if your dog is a registered purebred.
 
A chip from 24Hour Petwatch costs under $10... again, no cost to register it. 
 
To implant a chip takes less than 5 seconds... the same as giving a needle.
 
Do you have an SPCA nearby ? 
 
Often, you can get them to chip with an ISO chip,( internationally recognized chip- except in the USA , where a chip with a different frequency is used), your dog for you for approx. $20., and register it with 24HR Petwatch.

sheltiemom, we're dealing with the Pretoria Pet Hospital on the edge of the Glebe and when my breeder heard about this she laughed and said it was one of the most expensive vets in town.  Now that I know $60 is really expensive for the chip, I'll shop around.  I'm going to call the Kanata Animal Hospital, where we took our family cat when I lived in the west end.  They were always kind and I heard they are cheaper. 
 
Xerxes, Leroi came with purebred registration CKC and tattoo, no microchip.  I heard something about the chip and the city registration (and tags) going hand in hand so maybe he was too young at 8 wks? I dunno...
 
Anyway, definitely shopping around.  We have tons of time, so there's no rush to make a hasty decision.  Thanks for the input guys, good to have something to compare it to!