8 BILLS TRACKED
X-ray & imaging
£45 at a charity clinic; £371+ as a national average. Imaging is a top driver of bill shock.
Every price we track (hover a dot)
The gap: advertised vs actually paid (medians)
People reported paying 968% more than the advertised list price for x-ray / imaging.
List prices are advertised prices; paid figures are what people reported, often for different cases and from a small sample so far. Treat the gap as a signal, not a quote.
| Year | Region | Practice | What it was | List | Paid | Src |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | National (charity clinics) | Independent / charity | X-ray£45 or £75 by time | £45 | — | source |
| 2025 | UK unspecified | Independent / charity | X-ray (small dog, 2 plates)Hill Park Vets; large dog 4 plates £214.20, cat 2 plates £75.60; undated list | £107 | — | source |
| 2025 | South West | Independent / charity | X-rays (from)Edhen Vets, Truro and Newquay; stated 'from £185'; undated list | £185 | — | source |
| 2026 | UK | Unknown | X-ray (survey, starting average)'Starts at around £371 on average' | £371survey avg | — | source |
| 2026 | North West England / Wales | Independent / charity | X-ray | £419 | — | source |
| 2026 | UK unspecified | Corporate / chain | X-rayAnimal Trust (not-for-profit CIC, national); flat imaging price, ultrasound also £419; list valid to Jul 2026 | £419 | — | source |
| 2024 | UK unspecified | Unknown | Shoulder X-rays (with dental visit), older dogcombined dental + X-rays | — | £750 | source |
| 2022 | UK unspecified | Unknown | MRI scan (herniated disc) before spinal surgeryMRI alone; total incl spinal surgery £8250; insurer refused | — | £3,200 | source |
Common questions
How much does x-ray / imaging cost in the UK?
Across 8 real UK prices, the median is £395, with bills running from £45 to £3,200. These are real prices people paid or that practices published, not estimates.
Why do x-ray / imaging prices vary so much?
It depends on where you are, who owns the practice, and exactly what is included. The Competition and Markets Authority found corporate-owned practices charged 18.3% more on average than independents, and vet prices rose 63% between 2016 and 2023.
Is x-ray / imaging cheaper at an independent vet?
Often, yes. The CMA's 2026 review found independent practices averaged 18.3% less than the six large corporate groups for comparable work. From September 2026 every practice must publish a price list, so comparing a few nearby is worth it.
Related free guides
- Vet x-ray cost in the UK: what you actually pay →
- Dog MRI cost in the UK: why it is so expensive →
- Dachshund vet costs in the UK: back problems and imaging explained →
- German shepherd vet costs in the UK: hips, joints and imaging →
- Dog broken leg cost in the UK: fracture diagnosis and repair explained →
- Dog ultrasound cost in the UK: what to expect and when it is needed →
Methodology: prices here are published list prices, bills people reported in public posts or submitted directly, and survey averages. Each row says which it is, with a link to the source where one exists. We never estimate and no sponsor can touch a number. Spot an error? Tell us and we'll fix or remove it fast.