Veterinary hospitals receive no government assistance. If you examine the true costs involved in human health care such as insurance, deductibles and prescriptions you will see that veterinary care is much less. It is unethical and illegal to prescribe for an animal unless a veterinarian has physically examined it. There could be many internal reasons for a pet's illness that require a complete physical examination and diagnostic tests. A prescription based only on the customer's observations could result in misdiagnosis and improper treatment or medical care.
Prevention is more cost effective than treatment of dangerous and potentially deadly diseases.
Veterinarians are committed to controlling overpopulation of unwanted pets and try to keep the fees as low as possible. It is difficult to lower the fees further without compromising your pet's safety. This is major surgery for your pet. The veterinarian's time and skill, his technicians, sterilized surgical instruments, supplies, anesthesia, hospitalization and post-operative care is needed. The procedure, equipment and doctor's skill are almost identical.