fees from 26 practices
What an emergency vet visit costs
An urgent or emergency exam costs a median of $125 at the practices that publish the fee, against $75 for a regular visit. Tests, treatment and a stay in the hospital are priced for your pet with an estimate.
Updated October 15, 2026 from 30 urgent and emergency exam fees that 26 practices posted on their own websites. Low-cost clinics are counted on their own.
- Median
- $125
- Middle half of prices
- $100 to $183
- Seen from
- $85 to $393
At the 9 practices that publish both, it is $53 more than their regular exam.
The exam fee, at a glance
- Urgent or emergency exam26 practices · before tests or treatment$125$100 to $183
- Regular vet visit591 practices$75$65 to $88
on top of the exam fee
Fees beyond the exam
After hours
At the 8 emergency and urgent care hospitals that publish a separate after-hours, overnight or holiday exam fee, it is a median of $169, and most charge $120 to $200.
A deposit
13 hospitals publish a deposit policy for admitted pets, and 7 of them set it as a share of the treatment estimate rather than a fixed amount. Ask what the deposit is when you get the estimate.
What comes after the exam fee
The exam fee pays for being seen and examined. Anything that follows is priced for your pet on the day, usually as an estimate with a low and a high figure.
- Tests, such as bloodwork or X-rays
- Treatment and medicines
- Surgery
- A stay in the hospital
- Ask for the low and the high figure
Pet insurance generally covers what happens after a policy starts.
Opens a quote form on the partner's site in a new tab. Whether to buy anything there is up to you.
PawsRx may be paid if you buy a plan through this link. We don't compare or recommend plans. The quotes and the choice are on the partner's site.
Ask the practice to split it first. If it can't, you can apply to pay over time.
PawsRx may be paid when you apply. Approval and terms are the lender's, we never see your application, and we don't choose one for you.
when the bill is the hard part
How people pay an emergency bill
Ask whether the practice can split the bill
Some will, so it is worth asking.
Most practices accept at least one payment plan for vet bills, and applying takes a few minutes.
Pet insurance pays back part of a covered bill after the deductible, but only for what happens after the policy starts.
Some charities pay part of a bill once a vet has given you a diagnosis and a written estimate.
Emergency and urgent care vets, by state
Practices that describe urgent or emergency work on their own websites. That is not the same as being open right now, so phone before you drive.
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- Florida
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
And by city
- San Diego, CA
- Los Angeles, CA
- Houston, TX
- San Jose, CA
- Jacksonville, FL
- Phoenix, AZ
- Colorado Springs, CO
- Las Vegas, NV
- Portland, OR
- San Antonio, TX
- Austin, TX
- New York, NY
- Orlando, FL
- San Francisco, CA
- Tampa, FL
- Tucson, AZ
- Tulsa, OK
- Vancouver, WA
- Cincinnati, OH
- Frisco, TX
- Long Beach, CA
- Oklahoma City, OK
- Omaha, NE
- Atlanta, GA
Vet prices in every state we hold them for
Every service practices and low-cost clinics publish, state by state, on the US vet prices page and the state pages below.
if it can't wait
Call the nearest emergency hospital first
If your pet may be in danger right now, call the nearest emergency veterinary hospital. Describe what you are seeing, and ask for an estimate before treatment when there is time to. If the money is the hard part, the guide to what to do when you can’t afford a vet goes through it.
Pet insurance generally covers what happens after a policy starts.
Opens a quote form on the partner's site in a new tab. Whether to buy anything there is up to you.
PawsRx may be paid if you buy a plan through this link. We don't compare or recommend plans. The quotes and the choice are on the partner's site.
Ask the practice to split it first. If it can't, you can apply to pay over time.
PawsRx may be paid when you apply. Approval and terms are the lender's, we never see your application, and we don't choose one for you.
Common questions
How much does an emergency vet visit cost?
The urgent or emergency exam fee is a median of $125 at the 26 practices that publish one, and $100 to $183 at most of them (October 2026). That is the fee before any tests or treatment, which are priced with an estimate for your pet.
Why does an emergency vet cost more than a regular visit?
You are seen without a booked appointment. At the 9 practices that publish both fees, the urgent or emergency exam costs a median of $53 more than the regular one, which is a median of $75 across all practices that publish it.
How much is an emergency vet visit without insurance?
The exam fee alone is a median of $125 at practices that publish it. Everything after it is priced with an estimate, so ask for one before treatment when there is time. Insurance pays back part of a covered bill after the deductible.
Is there an extra fee for an emergency vet visit at night or on a holiday?
At some hospitals. 8 emergency and urgent care hospitals publish a separate after-hours, overnight or holiday exam fee, a median of $169 (October 2026), against a median of $125 for an urgent or emergency exam. Ask when you call.
Can I get a payment plan at an emergency vet?
Ask. Some practices split a bill, and most accept at least one payment plan for vet bills. Ask before treatment starts when there is time.
What can I do if I can't afford the emergency vet?
Call, describe what you are seeing and ask for an estimate. Ask about splitting the bill or a payment plan, and ask the vet whether it can wait for a low-cost clinic. Some charities pay part of a bill once you have a diagnosis and a written estimate.
PawsRx is a platform, not a clinic or an emergency service. Fees are set by independent practices and change. If your pet may be in danger right now, contact the nearest emergency veterinary hospital. Nothing here is veterinary advice.