PDSA Price List 2026: What Treatments Cost at PDSA Pet Hospitals

PetCoverHQ is an independent website and is not affiliated with PDSA. PDSA sets prices at each Pet Hospital, so confirm the cost with your local Pet Hospital before treatment.

PDSA (People’s Dispensary for Sick Animals) is a UK veterinary charity that treats the pets of owners on qualifying benefits at more than 40 Pet Hospitals and Pet Clinics. PDSA does not publish a fixed national price list. Eligible owners receive free treatment for one pet and are asked for a contribution. Additional pets, and owners on other qualifying benefits, use a low-cost service that PDSA prices 20% to 30% below private vets. The PDSA Pet Care scheme, run through partner practices, costs £4.50 a month or £54 a year.

This guide covers what each PDSA service level costs and gives estimated low-cost prices for common dog and cat treatments. It also explains who qualifies for free care and compares PDSA with Blue Cross, Animal Trust, and private vets.

Key takeaways

• PDSA has three service levels: a free service for one pet, a low-cost service for other pets and other benefits, and the Pet Care scheme at partner vets.
• Free-service owners pay no fixed fee. PDSA asks them to contribute what they can afford.
• Low-cost prices sit 20% to 30% below private-vet prices, and the discount varies by treatment.
• Based on 2026 private-vet averages, a low-cost dog spay at PDSA works out at an estimated £339 to £387, and a dog castration at £252 to £288.
• PDSA only treats pets of eligible owners. You cannot pay to use PDSA if you are not on a qualifying benefit.

How much does PDSA charge in 2026?

PDSA charges no fixed fee for its free service and prices its low-cost service 20% to 30% below private vets. The exact amount depends on the treatment and on your local Pet Hospital, because PDSA does not publish a single national price list (PDSA).

PDSA runs three service levels. Your benefit, your postcode, and the number of pets you register decide which level you use.

Sources: PDSA services, PDSA eligibility FAQs, PDSA Pet Care.

Prices vary between Pet Hospitals because PDSA sets low-cost fees against private-vet prices in each area. PDSA receives no Government or National Lottery funding and relies on public donations and owner contributions (PDSA eligibility FAQs).

What does a “contribution” mean at PDSA?

A contribution is a payment you choose to make towards your pet’s free treatment. PDSA asks owners to give “whatever they can afford” (PDSA). PDSA does not publish a minimum contribution. [EDITOR: add what the phoned Pet Hospitals said about suggested contributions, e.g. “2 of the 3 Pet Hospitals I called suggested a contribution but did not set an amount.”]

PDSA price list for dogs

PDSA does not publish dog treatment prices. The table below estimates low-cost prices for common dog treatments. Each estimate applies PDSA’s stated 20% to 30% discount to a named 2026 private-vet average.

Estimates are PetCoverHQ calculations (private average × 0.70 to × 0.80), not PDSA prices. Your Pet Hospital’s fee can be higher or lower.

Neutering costs more for larger dogs. ManyPets recorded an average spay price of £420.38 for a small dog and £554.03 for a large dog in January 2026 (ManyPets). Using the same 20% to 30% discount, a PDSA low-cost spay comes to about £294 to £336 for a small dog and £388 to £443 for a large dog.

PDSA does not fund breeding or breeding-related problems, so it does not help with costs such as a planned caesarean for a litter (PDSA services).

PDSA price list for cats

PDSA does not publish cat treatment prices either, and it applies the same 20% to 30% low-cost discount. No named 2026 national average exists for private-vet cat treatments, so the table shows published prices from two other not-for-profit vet providers as reference points.

Sources: Blue Cross, Animal Trust. [EDITOR: re-check Blue Cross prices; the figures shown were published in May 2024.]

Cat spays cost more than cat castrations because a spay is abdominal surgery and needs a longer anaesthetic. The same pricing gap applies at PDSA, at charities, and at private practices.

Does PDSA treat rabbits and other small pets?

Yes. On the free service, PDSA treats 2 rabbits or small furries instead of 1 pet (PDSA services). Guinea pigs and hamsters count as small furries. Any additional rabbits or small pets use the low-cost service.

Who gets free treatment and who pays low-cost prices at PDSA?

Owners on Housing Benefit, Council Tax support, or Universal Credit with the housing element qualify for free treatment. Owners on other qualifying benefits, such as Pension Credit, PIP, and income-based ESA, pay low-cost prices. In both cases you must also live in a PDSA postcode catchment area and be aged 16 or over (PDSA eligibility).

Sources: PDSA eligibility, PDSA eligibility FAQs.

You register in person with proof of benefits dated within the last 12 months and photo ID, such as a passport, driving licence, or bank card. Registration lasts 12 months, and you re-register when it ends. Full step-by-step instructions are in the guide to PDSA eligibility and registration.

How much does PDSA charge for a second pet?

PDSA treats a second pet on the low-cost service, not for free. The free service covers 1 pet per eligible owner, or 2 rabbits or small furries. PDSA sets no limit on the number of pets you register for the low-cost service (PDSA eligibility FAQs). A second dog therefore costs roughly 70% to 80% of the private-vet price for each treatment.

How much does the PDSA Pet Care scheme cost?

The PDSA Pet Care scheme costs £4.50 a month by Direct Debit or £54 a year paid upfront (PDSA Pet Care FAQs). It is for owners who live near a participating private practice rather than a PDSA Pet Hospital. It covers 1 cat or dog per household.

The fee includes:

• 1 vet health consultation a year
• 1 vaccination or booster a year, excluding rabies and travel vaccines
• 20% off the practice’s full price for treating illness and injury
• 15% off PDSA pet insurance in the first year
• the PDSA 24/7 helpline, staffed by qualified vet nurses

The scheme excludes out-of-hours care, preventive neutering (charged at full price), extra vaccines, food, and breeding-related treatment (PDSA partner FAQs).

Is it worth £54 a year? For a dog, the included booster (£65 private average) and consultation (£40 to £60) are worth £105 to £125 at private prices. That is about double the £54 annual fee, before counting the 20% treatment discount. To join, you need Housing Benefit, means-tested Council Tax support, Universal Credit with the housing element, or Rate Relief in Northern Ireland.

How do PDSA prices compare with Blue Cross, Animal Trust, and private vets?

For neutering, PDSA’s estimated low-cost prices sit below private-vet averages but above the fixed prices that Blue Cross and Animal Trust publish. The difference comes from how each organisation prices. PDSA discounts local private prices, while Blue Cross and Animal Trust set one published fee.

Each provider has its own access rules. PDSA only treats eligible owners inside its catchments. [EDITOR: confirm and state Blue Cross and Animal Trust eligibility rules and locations.] The cheapest published price only helps if you can register with that provider and reach its clinic.

What can you do if you don’t qualify for PDSA?

If PDSA cannot help, other charities, not-for-profit vets, payment plans, and insurance can lower or spread vet costs. Pick the option that matches your situation:

• If you live near a Blue Cross animal hospital: check its published price list and eligibility rules.
• If you are homeless or in a housing crisis: the Dogs Trust Hope Project helps with vet care for dogs, and PDSA supports it (PDSA eligibility FAQs).
• If you need to neuter a cat on a low income: ask Cats Protection about local neutering support.
• If you face one large bill: ask your vet about paying in instalments. See the guide to vet payment plans in the UK.
• If your pet needs ongoing medicine: ask for a written prescription and compare online pharmacy prices. The Competition and Markets Authority’s 2026 remedies cap written prescription fees at £21 for the first medicine (BBC News, Mar 2026).
• If you want to avoid future bills: compare low-cost cover in the guide to the cheapest pet insurance in the UK.

For a full price list of private-vet treatments, see vet costs in the UK.

PDSA prices FAQs

Is PDSA completely free?

No. PDSA is free for 1 pet, or 2 rabbits or small furries, when the owner receives Housing Benefit, Council Tax support, or Universal Credit with the housing element. PDSA asks these owners for a contribution. All other eligible pets use the low-cost service.

Does PDSA ask for a donation or minimum contribution?

Yes, PDSA asks for a contribution, but it does not publish a minimum amount. Owners on the free service give what they can afford towards treatment. Low-cost service owners pay the price for each treatment.

Does PDSA charge for puppy vaccinations?

Yes, on the low-cost service, where a puppy course costs an estimated £66.50 to £76 against a £95 private average. On the Pet Care scheme, 1 vaccination or booster a year is included in the £4.50 monthly fee. [EDITOR: confirm with PDSA whether free-service pets pay for vaccinations.]

Can I use PDSA if I’m not on benefits?

No. PDSA only treats pets of owners who receive a qualifying benefit and live in a PDSA catchment area, and it does not accept paying clients who are not eligible (PDSA eligibility FAQs).

Does PDSA offer payment plans?

PDSA does not publish a payment plan, and it does not provide financial aid (PDSA services). Ask your Pet Hospital directly about paying a larger low-cost bill. For private-vet options, see vet payment plans.

This guide is for information only and is not veterinary or financial advice. PDSA prices vary by Pet Hospital and change over time. Contact PDSA on 0300 3737 223 or your local Pet Hospital to confirm current costs.