# Spaying Female Rats....



## Twister (Dec 28, 2011)

Ok..so I'm worried about my girls now after all the posting that I just read about getting female rats spayed I decided to contact my vet to inquire about getting them spayed and now I'm really concerned. I hope this isn't sounding like I don't care about my girls because I really do....maybe I just have a different perspective on animals as I get older?

We paid 12 dollars for our three girls. Then we invested almost $500 in a cage and toys, hammocks, water and food dishes etc. And I just recieved a quote of $760.50 to spay three female rats!   Does this not seem a tad over the top?!? 

I love my animals but seriously the cost of vet care is completely insane. I hate to place a value on the life of my rats....and I'm sure I am going to regret it if they develop tumours...but there is no way I'm going to convince my husband to spend almost 800 dollars to spay an animal that A) may not survive the procedure and B) will only have a life-span of at most three to four years (if we are lucky...in most cases I'm still seeing average life span is two years??).

I understand the responsiblity of caring for my animals and if they are sick they will receive appropriate care....but this seems just a ridiculous fee to pay for spaying...no? The clinic that I called is one of the best but they are also the most expensive...I think I will have to call around...but I also assume that there are not that many vets that can spay a rat?


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## lilspaz68 (Feb 24, 2007)

Twister said:


> Ok..so I'm worried about my girls now after all the posting that I just read about getting female rats spayed I decided to contact my vet to inquire about getting them spayed and now I'm really concerned. I hope this isn't sounding like I don't care about my girls because I really do....maybe I just have a different perspective on animals as I get older?
> 
> We paid 12 dollars for our three girls. Then we invested almost $500 in a cage and toys, hammocks, water and food dishes etc. And I just recieved a quote of $760.50 to spay three female rats!   Does this not seem a tad over the top?!?
> 
> ...


Depends on your location, spays cost a lot more here than some places in the US...but call around, won't hurt at all. Say you find it for $150 per girl, get 1 done a month or something like that.  I have a Neuter List and try to get one done a month, barring any emergencies (had a LOT of those in the past month or 2, so the elective surgeries get pushed back).

How old are your girls?


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## AlexP (Oct 26, 2011)

That does seem pretty high, though I've never inquired about a spay before, only a neuter. That comes out to a little over $250 each, and I'm assuming that includes everything (surgery, anesthesia, pain meds, take home pain meds, etc). I definitely would call around though, and when you do, ask if they've done a lot of spays, if they have a good success rate (as far as few/no complications), etc. You've probably already thought of that judging by your comment about not many doing spays, but I thought I'd say it anyway just in case lol. Where do you live? We might be able to find you a couple vets to call if you don't have others.


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## Twister (Dec 28, 2011)

I'm in Canada...everything costs more here!  I will try and call around tonight and perhaps do what you indicate...one a month. It is ridiculous to me how my vet gouges...time for a new one I suppose. It's $140 to spay but then another $52 just for an "initial first time visit" which is just a money grab as far as I'm concerned...and then 20 to 50 dollars for "medication" after the procedure is done. I don't begrudge Vet's making a living at all...but seriously this clinic is just ridiculously expensive. 

I think my issue is going to be finding a decent, reasonably priced vet who can actually perform this procedure on a rat.


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## AlexP (Oct 26, 2011)

Ahh, I see. When I called my vet to get a price for a neuter, it was $102 but then there was another $41 exam fee (and the rat had been seen at the vet before; pretty recently actually, so it may have been waived; I don't know as I didn't end up getting him neutered). The medication cost was included in the $102 quote I think, although maybe not, but that vet isn't bad as far as medication prices go.

Shelagh (that's lilspaz68, Twister), do you know of any good, not outrageously priced vets in Twister's general area? I wish I could help more there Twister, but I'm in Kansas so I don't really know Canada and would probably end up finding a vet that looks decent only for you to say "Oh, that's clear on the other side of the province..." or something haha.


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## lilspaz68 (Feb 24, 2007)

I am in Toronto myself Twister, but 140 spay in Canada is pretty good. The meds for afterwards are likely baytril and metacam, and that should be a total for all 3, not $40 per rat.

They will need to examine the rats to make sure they are okay to spay (health, age, size) before they continue, so that too is a bit normal. 

Kitchener eh? You're lucky, you have Dr G at Mitchell Animal Hospital out there...where are you going right now? Please don't tell me its Rockwood?


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## Twister (Dec 28, 2011)

Funny you should mention Dr. G. He's the vet that I use and the clinic that quoted me the price. Honestly, I think $50 per rat for a first time "howdy-do" is a bit extravagant. I really like Dr. G. he is a great vet...likes to talk...but then bills you for his time talking....they have the highest prices around...and I've had enough "issues" that I can say that their prices are not indicative to the level of care. I also need to get my dog neutered...received a quote of just shy of $600. I found another clinic in the general area that will do it for less than $250. I know spay/neuter fees are the bread and butter of vet clinics, but if they charge prices like that there are going to be a LOT of unwanted litters happening. People just cannot afford those kinds of expensive procedures. I do not begrudge anyone making an honest living...but the cost of vet care, IMHO, needs to be better regulated. 10 years ago it was 99 dollars to neuter a male dog. A 500 percent increase in 10 years is, I think, extreme...I know MY salary sure as heck hasn't increased at that rate!


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## BigBen (Nov 22, 2011)

Just a thought, here. In the U.S., a lot of local SPCA's have low-cost spay/neuter programs that cover other pet animals (often including rats) in addition to cats and dogs. It might be worth calling round to your local or provincial SPCA and see what they can do.


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