It can be expensive. Of COURSE it's gone up, just like everything else has. Costs increase every time we order supplies, but we've held off increasing prices for customers until just recently (2-3 years of no increases). Keep in mind that vet clinic aren't non-profits and they HAVE to make money to stay open. As a veterinary assistant, I really do like getting paid.
Also, of course where you live will have an effect. Someone living where a studio apartment is upwards of $1000 can't make a living on $7 an hour, so prices have to be higher to pay staff, and everything else is generally more expensive too.
Most of the time quality of care and cost of care go hand in hand too. Maybe not for things like annual exams and stuff, but for surgeries? Yeah. Our spays are $400 but we do EVERYTHING - bloodwork, safe gas anesthesia, premeds, post-sx pain control, sterile environment, several types of monitoring, buried sutures (no suture removal after healing required) etc. There is another place around here that does a spay for $30. They knock the dog out with injectables, spay it, close up with non-absorbable sutures, and leave it on the floor to recover.
Also, of course where you live will have an effect. Someone living where a studio apartment is upwards of $1000 can't make a living on $7 an hour, so prices have to be higher to pay staff, and everything else is generally more expensive too.
Most of the time quality of care and cost of care go hand in hand too. Maybe not for things like annual exams and stuff, but for surgeries? Yeah. Our spays are $400 but we do EVERYTHING - bloodwork, safe gas anesthesia, premeds, post-sx pain control, sterile environment, several types of monitoring, buried sutures (no suture removal after healing required) etc. There is another place around here that does a spay for $30. They knock the dog out with injectables, spay it, close up with non-absorbable sutures, and leave it on the floor to recover.