Home › Procedures › Chemotherapy
How much does chemotherapy for dogs cost?
Chemotherapy is bought one visit at a time, so two numbers matter: the session and the course. VetReceipt, working from 54 real vet bills (October 2026), puts a chemotherapy session at $150–$600 and a typical full course at $3,000–$10,000 — often around $6,500 — spread over 4 to 6 months of visits. For the most common protocol, CHOP for lymphoma, a second source publishes $400–$500 per treatment and $4,500–$5,500 for the full 15-week course.
| Chemotherapy — published figures (VetReceipt, from 54 real invoices) | Figure |
|---|---|
| Chemotherapy session | $150–$600 each |
| Typical full course | $3,000–$10,000 (often around $6,500) |
| Cancer specialist (oncology) visit | $200–$500 |
| Blood work before each session | $75–$200 |
| Anti-nausea medication, per visit | $35–$75 |
| CHOP protocol for lymphoma (published protocol pricing) | Figure |
|---|---|
| Per treatment | $400–$500 |
| Full 15-week course | $4,500–$5,500 |
What drives the price
The protocol is the biggest driver — which drugs, how many sessions (VetReceipt’s invoices ran 8 to 20 or more), and whether treatment is at a specialty oncology center or a general practice. Dog size matters because drugs are dosed by weight. Around the drug bills sit the staging workup before treatment starts (biopsy, imaging — see the imaging guide), blood work before each session, and supportive medication. Surgery or radiation, where they are part of the same cancer plan, are priced separately — tumor surgery is on the tumor removal guide.
Whether to treat a cancer with chemotherapy, which protocol to use, and when to stop are veterinary oncology decisions that turn on the cancer type, stage, and the dog’s quality of life. This page prices treatment; it does not recommend it. If cost is the barrier, the paying for vet care guide covers financing and assistance options.
Cancer bills start with imaging and biopsy — see the published scan ranges.
Read the imaging cost guideSources: VetReceipt — Dog Cancer Treatment Costs, itemized from 54 real invoices (October 2026) · Nasdaq / Motley Fool — Lymphoma in Dogs: CHOP protocol costs. Researched October 2026 — prices change; confirm with your clinic.