# Why are veterinary procedures significantly cheaper than their human counterparts?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-veterinary-procedures-significantly-cheaper-than-their-human-counterparts/792867>\
**Category:** Great Debates\
**Created:** [August 5, 2017, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-veterinary-procedures-significantly-cheaper-than-their-human-counterparts/792867 "2017-08-05T21:35:07Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 3

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**Author:** ![Salvor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Salvor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Salvor)\
**Post date:** [August 13, 2017, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-veterinary-procedures-significantly-cheaper-than-their-human-counterparts/792867/41 "2017-08-13T00:20:58Z")

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> [@Gestalt](#):
>
> A human hysterectomy costs [about](https://amino.com/blog/abdominal-hysterectomy-cost/)$10-15K, whereas the high end for spaying a dog is [$300](http://pets.costhelper.com/spay-neuter-dog.html).
> 
> Similarly, a total hip for a human is [around $40K](http://health.costhelper.com/hip-replacement.html), while a dog hip replacement is [around $5500](https://vet.osu.edu/vmc/companion/our-services/orthopedic-surgery/faq-total-hip-replacement).
> 
> Some theories:  
> Costs of medical liability insurance are built into the costs of the procedures, which I imagine are not that high for vets.  
> Human procedures require way more personnel and equipment . . . but are those personnel and equipment really necessary? Do human surgeons have better outcomes than vets? Granted, the methods and tools of human surgery and human anesthesia are much more diverse and numerous than the veterinary correlates, but are humans more complicated enough to necessitate such specialization?  
> In other words, why is it that humans require separate doctors to be the surgeon and the anesthesiologist, when animals make do with one doctor for both (I assume)?  
> And if the answer is because, “human medicine is much more complex than non-human medicine” . . . well, does it need to be?
> 
> I guess humans do live a lot longer and through medicine survive diseases that tend to kill animals, like lymphoma and ESRD and so forth, so maybe the specialization in human medicine is necessary.
> 
> Anyways, any other thoughts?
> 
> Oh, interestingly, cataract surgery for [humans](http://www.allaboutvision.com/conditions/cataract-surgery-cost.htm)and [dogs](https://www.cuteness.com/article/much-cataract-surgery-dogs)costs about the same.

What is the market value of a human life?

How does that compare to the market value of a dog’s life?

What people are willing to pay to live and minimize suffering is immense, this is why a pure market approach is not enough to lower costs because what the market will bare in a wealthy nation is quite high.

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**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\
**Post date:** [August 13, 2017, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-veterinary-procedures-significantly-cheaper-than-their-human-counterparts/792867/42 "2017-08-13T17:13:37Z")

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There was a Big Bang Theory rerun on last night, involving Sheldon getting a haircut from a service that sent a van around to pet owners’ homes (he was also due to receive a shampoo and nail clipping).

I’d be happy to get medical care from a vet, if the office required children to be confined [in appropriate carriers](https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/f1/78/4c/f1784c4eed439e8feb0ce40ffc083557--adams-family-the-addams-family.jpg).

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