Changes to city veterinarians’ prices at the start of 2026
The revised Veterinary Care Act will enter into force on 1 January 2026, which will also lead to changes in the services provided by the City of Espoo veterinarians. The content of services will mostly remain the same, but the prices of some services will rise.
The aim of the new Veterinary Care Act is to ensure the availability of basic veterinary services across the country. The law also ensures that service prices stay reasonable, competition neutrality is maintained, and the municipal veterinary care system remains operational.
Prices of supplementary services will rise
As a result of the revised legislation, the prices of basic veterinary services considered necessary for the public interest will remain unchanged. Supplementary services, however, must be offered at market prices to ensure that the provision of services does not distort the market from the perspective of private service providers.
Basic veterinary services include vaccinations, general health examinations, collection of routine samples, animal microchipping, dental scaling (tartar removal), castration of cats and dogs, cat spaying, basic emergency care, and euthanasia.
Supplementary services include:
- dog spaying and various tumour removal surgeries
- dog caesarean section, operation for a dog’s or cat’s uterine infection, and other similar procedures if considered necessary to save the animal’s life.
- Ultrasound scans when used to determine the cause of an animal’s illness, assess the need for treatment, or check pregnancy.
- certain basic procedures performed by a veterinary nurse, such as nail trimming or shaving the animal’s fur under sedation.
Some appointment slots will be reserved for urgent cases
The services of Espoo's city veterinarians will increasingly focus on the care of urgent cases. Online booking will be limited, and urgent appointments can be made by phone during the veterinarians’ appointment booking hours, Monday to Friday 8:30–10:00.