In case your dog has some brain or spinal issues, your vet will suggest having an MRI to determine the cause behind it. Though MRI is effective and safe, it is expensive. Unlike inexpensive diagnostic imaging techniques like CT scan or X-rays, MRI gives images of high resolution with more helpful details. But how much does an MRI cost for a dog? In a thousand or what? Let’s have a look at the cost and other things you should know about dog’s MRI.
A quick answer for dog MRI cost
- On an average MRI costs about $2500 to $5000 for dogs.
- MRIs help your vet to diagnose brain and spinal cord problems, meningitis, herniated disks, broken bones and tumors etc.
- Overall cost varies according to living area, provider and procedure.
What is MRI?
Magnetic resonance imaging MRI is a scanning technique. To show us the cross sections of the interior body, a combo of radio that captures the image and a high powered magnet is used in the MRI machine. To monitor the internal body conditions of your dog, MRI is a noninvasive technology which gives your vet a high resolution diagnostic picture. The concerned areas which cannot fully be seen by computed tomography CT or X-ray can be captured byMRI . MRI is mainly used for the brain and spinal cord. MRI helps to diagnose different health conditions like
- Decaying tissues.
- Stroke.
- Tiny tumors.
- Meningitis.
- Infection.
- Encephalitis.
Kinds of MRI for dogs
For dogs, MRIs can either be high field or low field. High field MRIs use higher magnetic field strength than the low field MRIs, due to which low field MRIs are convenient to house and also inexpensive to install and sustain. But as low field MRIs require more time to perform so they use more anesthesia.
High field MRIs can capture an image with high resolution and more details, also it is faster and requires very less time to perform, so anesthesia use becomes less. While this can give you more accurate and detailed outcomes, the equipment is expensive because of its size.
Do your dog need an MRI
A dog having preceding concerns, an active dog or a senior dog_probably needs MRIs. If tests like blood tests can’t tell why your canine is ill, your dog might need an MRI. MRI gives the details of ligaments, tendons and soft tissues but it’s major use is for brain and spinal cord problems. MRI helps to diagnose different health conditions like
- Decaying tissues.
- Stroke.
- Tiny tumors.
- Meningitis.
- Infection.
- Encephalitis.
How much does an MRI cost for a dog?
On an average MRI costs about $2500 to $5000 for dogs. MRI scan is expensive as its machine is too pricey to buy. Mostly the small vet labs don’t have an MRI machine. So they might suggest you go to a vet hospital which has a diagnostic imaging sector and a radiologist staff.
Why such a variant in costs? Which vet facility you are using makes the difference in MRI cost. Asking from different places will help you to get the wise deal. Or your vet may also be capable of suggesting a right facility which doesn’t break your banks.
What factors can change MRI cost?
Dogs need anesthesia for the MRI scan as they cannot hold perfectly still for the entire time or scan which can go for more than an hour. As per the size of your dog, the cost of anesthesia can vary. Additionally, the vet who is controlling the process will also order some blood work to see the health conditions for anesthesia.
You will get an MRI quote before the canine appointment_from the facility. This quote includes items like anesthesia fess, MRI cost, staff monitoring, IV fluids, catheters and hospital stay. As the procedure is complex and also needs anesthesia, MRI is more difficult than X-ray or other diagnostics. Your canine partner will be keenly monitored and have a hospital stay for complete recovery from anesthesia.
Is MRI safe for our dogs?
Unlike CT scans or X-rays which use radiation, MRIs use radio waves and magnetic fields. Major concern for canines is anesthesia particularly in older canines and for breeds including boston terriers, pugs, greyhounds and toy breeds etc_which are more sensitive to complications. You can discuss anesthesia risk with your vet to decide if MRI benefits are worth it or not.
Do pet insurance policies also cover blood tests for dogs?
In most cases_they do!
I hope your dog doesn’t need an MRI . But if you are the owner of an old canine, the best you can do with him is to associate with the exams to detect any problem while the concerns are remediable. Every dog owner has a goal of maintaining the overall health and sustainability of his dog.
“Your dog needs an MRI ” how does it sound? Painful!
A part or total cost of diagnostic imaging like MRIs are covered by numerous pet insurance firms. But as the coverage can vary according to policies, it’s better to have a review or provider’s consultation. Remember! Most policies don’t cover the preceding health concerns and may require a waiting interval, so the best thing is to get the pet insurance before the actual need.
