CT scan cost for dogs: our prices, and what they include
If a scan has been raised for your dog, the next question is usually what it will cost, and that is a fair thing to want to know before anything else. So here are the prices, what each one covers, and the one thing that can add to them.
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The short answer
- CT is done here at Advanced Vet Care, seven days, and the prices below are ours.
- A CT scan starts at $2,500. That covers the general anaesthetic, the day with us, and a scan of one area of the body, including contrast.
- Each extra area is $500. Checking the chest and abdomen for the spread of cancer, for example, is $3,000 in total.
- Contrast is used in almost every scan, at no extra cost.
- The only extra is for flat-faced (brachycephalic) dogs, about $300 to $400 for the additional care they need around an anaesthetic.
What does a CT scan cost for a dog?
| What it is | What it covers | Price |
|---|---|---|
| First area | The general anaesthetic, the day with us, and a CT scan of one area, including contrast. | $2,500 |
| Each additional area | Another area scanned under the same anaesthetic. | $500 |
| Flat-faced dogs Brachycephalic breeds |
Oxygen before and after the anaesthetic, and medication to reduce the risk of vomiting and pneumonia afterwards. | About $300 to $400 extra |
What counts as an area?
There are four main areas: the chest, the abdomen, the head and the pelvis. Legs work slightly differently, because a whole leg counts as two areas while a single joint, such as an elbow or a shoulder, counts as one.
| Common scans | Areas | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Chest | 1 | $2,500 |
| A single joint, such as an elbow or a shoulder | 1 | $2,500 |
| Chest and abdomen, to check whether cancer has spread | 2 | $3,000 |
| Chest and head | 2 | $3,000 |
| A whole leg | 2 | $3,000 |
You decide on the day how many areas you want scanned, once we have talked through what each one would tell us.
Not sure which areas your dog needs?
An appointment is where we work that out. Any imaging and notes you already have are welcome, and we will go through them with you, so that you leave knowing whether a scan is needed and what it would cost.
Is there anything else on top?
Usually not. The anaesthetic is included in the price, and its cost doesn't really vary from dog to dog.
The one exception is flat-faced dogs, such as French bulldogs, pugs and British bulldogs. They have a higher risk of breathing problems under an anaesthetic, so we give them oxygen before and after it, plus medication to reduce the risk of vomiting and pneumonia afterwards. That adds about $300 to $400.
Why the anaesthetic is not optional
A CT scan is always done under a general anaesthetic, never just sedation. That is not a comfort question but an image-quality one, because scans taken on a moving animal are difficult to interpret and can be worth nothing at all.
Many of the dogs we see for a scan are older, or already unwell, and that is often the reason the scan came up in the first place. It is not in itself a reason to avoid an anaesthetic. Modern veterinary anaesthetics are very safe, and older pets, and pets with heart or kidney disease, can be anaesthetised safely with the right precautions.
Contrast is included
Contrast is a dye given through a drip. It makes soft tissue and blood vessels stand out, so that a lump and the normal tissue around it no longer look the same. We use it in 99% of scans, and it is part of the price rather than an extra.
How long does it take, and when do we get the results?
The scan itself takes minutes, although your dog will be with us for several hours on the day.
Every scan is sent to a specialist radiologist for a report. That takes anywhere from four hours to two business days, depending on how urgent the case is. Spinal scans are reported within four hours, because those cases are often racing the clock. Less urgent questions, such as checking whether cancer has spread, can take a couple of days.
Is a scan actually worth the money?
Sometimes it is not, and we will tell you so. A scan earns its cost when it changes what happens next, either by turning a maybe into a plan or by sparing your dog a treatment that was never going to work.
The clearest example is cancer, where the question before treatment is whether it has already spread to the lungs. A CT scan finds small lung deposits that a chest x-ray simply cannot see. Fewer than one in ten of them show up on an x-ray at all.
What that changes
Knowing that before committing to surgery or chemotherapy can change the decision entirely, and it can change what you choose to put your dog through. It is a hard conversation to have, and we would rather have it with you than let you have it alone.
The rest of the time the honest answer is that it depends on the case, and that is what the appointment is for. What a scan is and when it changes the answer is covered on our guide to CT and diagnostic imaging for pets.
CT imaging is on site here at Advanced Vet Care Lane Cove, so the assessment, the scan and, where it is needed, the treatment can be the same team in the same building.
Will pet insurance help with the cost?
Cover differs a great deal from policy to policy, and some policies treat investigation differently from treatment, so it is worth a call to your insurer before the scan is booked. We are happy to put together a written estimate for you to send them, with the details they will ask for.
Why we publish the price
A scan is a big decision, and not knowing what it costs makes it harder than it needs to be. So the figures are here, and the only thing we cannot tell you from a web page is whether your dog needs one.
That is what an appointment is for. If our answer is that a scan will not help, we will say so, and either way you will leave knowing what your dog needs, what it involves and what it costs before anything at all is booked.
Book an appointment →Common questions
How is the price worked out?
By the number of areas scanned: $2,500 for the first and $500 for each extra one, and you choose on the day how many areas that is. The only addition is about $300 to $400 for flat-faced dogs. Nothing beyond the agreed plan happens without us ringing you first.
Does my dog have to be anaesthetised, and does that cost extra?
Yes, a CT scan is always done under a general anaesthetic, because the images are unusable if a patient moves. The anaesthetic is included in the $2,500.
Does contrast cost extra?
No. We use contrast in almost every scan because it is usually what makes the difference between an image and an answer, and it is included in the price.
How quickly will we get the results?
A specialist radiologist reports every scan, within four hours to two business days depending on how urgent it is. Spinal scans are reported within four hours.
My dog is old. Should we just not put them through it?
That deserves a proper conversation rather than a web page. Veterinary anaesthesia is very safe, and older dogs, and dogs with heart or kidney disease, can be anaesthetised safely with the right precautions. Whether the scan is right for your dog is exactly what we work out together at the appointment.
So grateful and thankful to the team at AVC!! They make going to the vet a dream with my anxious dachshund, they know exactly how to keep him calm, and give him the best care - honestly have never seen him so relaxed in the arms of someone else! Thank you so much for the outstanding care of my boy, your high attention to detail and expertise in his treatment! Highly recommend going to AVC for your pet needs!
Phillippa Hockham, Google review · 5 stars
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We have CT and an orthopaedic surgical team here, we are open seven days, and you do not need a referral to see us.
References
Our approach to diagnostic imaging follows Australian and international veterinary guidance, including RSPCA Australia and the Merck Veterinary Manual.
- Merck Veterinary Manual: Computed Tomography in Animals. Reviewed August 2024, updated April 2025.
- RSPCA Australia Knowledgebase: How should I take care of my cat or dog's teeth? Quoted here for its statement on the safety of modern veterinary anaesthesia.
- Nemanic S, London CA, Wisner ER. Comparison of thoracic radiographs and single breath-hold helical CT for detection of pulmonary nodules in dogs with metastatic neoplasia. J Vet Intern Med. 2006.
Medically reviewed by Dr Matt Buchanan-Pascall, BVSc, GPCert, GPAdvCert Orthopaedic Surgery · updated October 2026. This guide is general information, not a quote and not a substitute for examining your individual dog.
Want to know whether your dog needs a scan?
An appointment is the place to start. Whatever imaging and notes you already have are welcome, and we will talk you through whether a scan would change anything for your dog, which areas it would cover and what it would cost.
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