Pet Vaccinations Cost: Average Vet Prices & Ways to Save

Vaccines are one of the few pet expenses you can shrink with a little planning. The same shot can cost a small fraction at a county or humane society clinic compared with a full-service practice, because the clinic sells the dose on its own with no exam attached.

This page focuses on dogs, with a separate guide for cats. The prices below come from cost guides and clinic price lists, last checked Oct 11, 2026. Which vaccines your pet needs, and when, is a decision for your veterinarian.

Search for your county animal services page, your local humane society, or a vaccine clinic chain. These organizations hold clinics on set dates, and prices are posted on their sites. Here are published rabies prices at several of them:

Orange County Animal Services in North Carolina charges $10 each, and Low Cost Pet Vax in Texas also lists $10 each. Mission Viejo Animal Services in California charges $12 each, while the Humane Society of Sonoma County and Washoe County Regional Animal Services each list $15 each. Vetco in Philadelphia, a vaccine clinic chain, lists $39 each.

The distemper-parvo combination vaccine, known as DHPP, shows a similar pattern:

Sonoma County lists $15 each, Mission Viejo $25 each, Low Cost Pet Vax $28 each, and Vetco $46 each.

Low-cost clinics work best for a healthy pet that already has a veterinarian. They generally do not include a full exam, and appointments are often held on specific days. Check eligibility, accepted payment, and which vaccines are offered before you go.

At a regular veterinary practice, individual vaccines are priced per dose. The numbers below come from Petful and Lemonade:

DHPP, a combination vaccine, runs $20 – $40 each. Leptospirosis costs $20 – $40 each. Rabies is $15 – $30 each in Petful's figures, though Lemonade reports a higher range of $40 – $100 each. The difference likely reflects what each source counted. A practice that bills an exam fee with the shot will quote a higher total than one that lists the vaccine alone.

Ask whether the price you are given is for the vaccine or for the whole visit. Many full-service clinics require an exam before they vaccinate, and the exam fee can exceed the cost of the shot.

• Type of clinic. Private practices, humane society clinics, and retail vaccine chains price the same dose differently.
• Exam fee. Some practices add an exam charge to every vaccination visit.
• Which vaccine. Rabies, DHPP, and leptospirosis have different prices, and a combination shot costs more than a single-disease one.
• Puppy series. Puppies typically get a series of visits, which multiplies the number of doses and exams.
• Region. Local costs and county rules change the price.
• Extra fees. Licensing, tags, and rabies certificates may be separate.

Total vaccine spending for a year depends on your pet's age. A puppy needs a series of visits, so the first year costs more than later ones. Cost guides give these overall ranges:

Petful gives $75 – $300 for puppy shots, and Webvet gives $100 – $350 for a vet visit that includes vaccines. These are broader than the per-dose prices because they include the exam, multiple doses, and any extras. Ask your veterinarian for a written schedule and a cost estimate for each visit.

• County animal services. Many hold regular vaccine clinics with posted prices.
• Humane societies and SPCAs. Their clinics post prices for individual vaccines.
• Vaccine clinic chains such as Vetco, which list per-shot prices.
• Your regular veterinarian. Ask whether the clinic has a vaccine-only appointment that skips the full exam, or whether it runs periodic discount days.
• Pet wellness plans. Some practices offer yearly plans that bundle visits and vaccines.

If your pet has a health condition or takes medication, speak to your veterinarian before using a high-volume clinic. They can tell you whether a full exam is advisable first.

• Compare at least two clinics. The posted prices above show that the same rabies shot can differ widely between providers.
• Pair vaccines with a visit you already need so you pay one exam fee.
• Ask for the cost of each item in writing.
• Keep your pet's vaccine records. A new clinic can use them and avoid repeating doses unnecessarily.
• Check dates for upcoming clinic events, since many only run once or twice a month.