Affordable Tucson Vet
Low cost spay & neuter in Tucson.
Weight-based pricing, performed in our own surgical suite by Dr. Nelson's veterinary team — never outsourced to a mobile partner. The base price includes the surgery and standard monitoring; take-home pain medication and an e-collar are optional add-ons, priced upfront.
What's promised
Transparent pricing
Weight-based pricing is posted on this page — see the table below for what your pet would cost.
Add-ons priced upfront
Take-home pain meds and an e-collar are optional add-ons. Prices are posted, not surprise line items at pickup.
Locally owned
Independent Tucson clinic. No franchise fees passed to you.
Overview
How we keep spay/neuter genuinely affordable.
Most Tucson clinics charge well above what we do for a routine spay or neuter. We can offer lower prices because we run lean: low overhead, no franchise fees, and a small in-house surgical team that knows our patients well.
Every surgery is performed in our own surgical suite, by our own veterinarians. We don't hand off your pet to a traveling mobile-clinic partner the way many "low cost" providers do. That means consistent technique, the same anesthesia protocol every time, and a familiar team you can call directly if anything looks off during recovery.
Your base price covers the pre-op exam, the surgery itself, anesthesia, and standard monitoring. Optional add-ons — take-home pain medication and an e-collar — are listed on the pricing card below with prices posted, so you can decide what you want and there are no surprise line items at pickup.
Pricing
Weight-based pricing, add-ons priced separately.
The base price below covers the surgery and standard monitoring for healthy pets in the listed weight ranges. Optional add-ons (pain meds, e-collar) are posted right below — pick what you want.
Optional add-ons
Take-home pain medication
E-collar (recovery cone)
Pets over 100 lb, brachycephalic breeds, and pets with known health conditions may need a custom quote — call us and we'll talk it through.
What's included
What the base price actually covers.
These are part of the surgery itself, not separate line items. Take-home pain medication and an e-collar are optional add-ons priced on the pricing card.
Pre-op exam
A focused exam the morning of surgery to confirm your pet is healthy enough for anesthesia that day.
Anesthesia & monitoring
General anesthesia with continuous monitoring of heart rate, oxygen, blood pressure, and temperature during the procedure.
Injectable pain relief
An injection for pain control given during surgery so your pet is comfortable when they wake up.
The surgery itself
Spay (ovariohysterectomy) or neuter (castration) performed by Dr. Nelson in our own surgical suite.
In-house surgical team
Performed by our vets, never outsourced to a mobile partner.
Same-day discharge
Recovery in a warm, monitored kennel and home with you the same afternoon in almost every case.
How it works
One day, start to finish.
Most pets are home and napping by dinner. Here's the rhythm of the day.
7:30 – 9:00 AM
Drop off the morning of surgery
A short admit exam and we walk you through the day. Pets fast from midnight (water is fine until you leave the house).
10:00 AM – Noon
Surgery by Dr. Nelson's team
Performed in our suite with continuous anesthesia monitoring. We call you with an update once your pet is safely in recovery.
3:00 – 5:30 PM
Same-day pickup after recovery
A tech walks you through home care, hands you any add-ons you opted into (pain meds, e-collar), and answers every question.
10–14 days later
Recheck if needed
If the incision looks normal at home, no follow-up visit is needed. If something looks off — redness, swelling, discharge, or your pet bothering the site — call us and we'll see them.
FAQ
Common questions, straight answers.
If you'd rather just talk to a human, give us a call.
What's in the base price, and what costs extra?
The base price covers the pre-op exam, anesthesia, continuous monitoring, an injection for pain relief during surgery, and the procedure itself. Optional add-ons — take-home pain medication and an e-collar — are listed on the pricing card with prices posted. If pre-anesthetic bloodwork is recommended for your pet (especially seniors or pets with known conditions), we'll discuss that at the consult and price it before the day of surgery.
What if my pet needs additional care during surgery?
If we discover something during the pre-op exam or surgery — for example, retained baby teeth, an undescended testicle, or pyometra — we pause, call you with our exact recommendation and the exact dollar cost, and only proceed with your verbal okay. You always know what you're paying before we do it.
How old does my pet need to be?
For cats and small dogs, 4–6 months is typical. For larger and giant breeds, current evidence supports waiting until growth plates close — usually 12–18 months, sometimes longer. We'll talk through the right timing for your specific pet at the consultation; there's no rush, and there's no judgment for waiting.
Will my pet stay overnight?
No — these are same-day procedures. Pets recover with us for a few hours after surgery and go home in the late afternoon, where they'll be much more comfortable than in a kennel. We do not staff the building overnight, so anything that requires 24-hour monitoring would be referred to an emergency hospital (this is rare for routine spay/neuter).
Do you take Care Credit?
Yes — we accept Care Credit, Scratchpay, all major credit cards, debit, and cash.
Recovery
The first two weeks home.
A short, honest breakdown of what to expect — most pets feel almost normal by day two.
Day 1
Quiet & sleepy
Pet may be groggy from anesthesia. Offer small amounts of water, a light meal in the evening, and a calm space.
Days 2–7
Mostly normal
Appetite and energy back. Keep an e-collar on, leash walks only, no baths, no zoomies, no jumping on furniture.
Days 10–14
Back to normal life
If the incision looks healed and your pet has been comfortable, you're clear to return to normal activity, dog parks, and baths. If anything has looked off along the way, call and we'll check it.
Ready when you are
Walk in or book ahead.
Either way, we're excited to meet your furry family. We'll walk you through what's recommended and what it costs before doing anything.