Removing one adrenal gland in a cat runs $1,800 to $4,500 in the US, GBP 1,400 to 3,200 in the UK and CNY 8,000 to 20,000 in China for the surgery alone. The workup in front of it adds $350 to $800, and 2 to 4 nights in hospital add $400 to $1,200 more. Every figure below is a 2026 quote from private small-animal practice, and each one moves 1.5 to 3 times with city and hospital tier.
This is a low-volume operation. Most general practices see 1 or 2 adrenal cases a year, so price is set less by the tumour than by who is standing at the table: a boarded surgeon working with a dedicated anaesthesia nurse charges 2 to 3 times what a general practitioner charges for the same 90 to 150 minute procedure.
Workup, surgery, aftercare: 3 lines in 3 regions
| Line | What it covers | US (USD) | UK (GBP) | China (CNY) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Workup | Blood count, 18-panel chemistry, urine, blood pressure, 1 to 2 hormone tests, abdominal ultrasound | 350-800 | 280-650 | 1,200-3,500 |
| 2. Adrenalectomy | 90 to 150 minutes, one gland, anaesthesia, surgical pack, 1 to 2 nights included | 1,800-4,500 | 1,400-3,200 | 8,000-20,000 |
| 3. Extra hospital nights | ICU or day ward, 2 to 4 nights, fluids and electrolyte checks every 6 to 8 hours | 400-1,200 | 320-950 | 1,500-5,000 |
| 4. Histopathology | Tissue sent to an outside lab, report in 5 to 10 working days | 120-280 | 95-220 | 300-900 |
Read the 4 rows as 4 separate bills. Owners who budget only row 2 are short by 25 to 50 percent, and the shortfall lands in the week after surgery, when the cat is already home and the card is already used.
The workup is 15 to 30 percent of the total, and it is not optional
A cat with a functional adrenal tumour rarely shows a single clean sign. Blood work usually covers a full count, an 18 to 24 item chemistry panel, urine specific gravity and blood pressure taken twice, 5 minutes apart. Hormone testing decides the operation: an aldosterone to renin ratio is $90 to $220, a low-dose suppression test $120 to $260, and a catecholamine panel $180 to $400, which is why most clinics order 1 or 2 of the 3 rather than all of them.
Imaging is the second half. Abdominal ultrasound at $120 to $250 shows a mass over 1 cm and tells the surgeon which side to approach; a CT at $450 to $900 with 2 to 3 mm slices shows whether the mass is invading the vena cava, and that single answer changes the surgery from 90 minutes to 3 hours and from $1,800 to $6,000. Skipping the CT to save $450 is the most expensive shortcut in this article.
One gland or two: a 2 to 3 times difference
Unilateral removal is the standard for a single mass and leaves the other gland to carry hormone production. Bilateral removal costs 2 to 3 times more, needs 2 surgical approaches or a midline incision, and commits the cat to lifelong hormone replacement at $25 to $70 per month plus 2 blood tests a year at $90 to $180 each. A partial or cortical-sparing removal sits between the two at 1.3 to 1.8 times the unilateral price, and it is offered only where the surgeon has done enough of them to quote a plan.
Ask which of the 3 the estimate is written for. Quotes that say only adrenalectomy without a side or a technique cannot be compared, and a 40 percent gap between 2 hospitals is often just 2 different operations.
The 2 to 4 nights that set the middle of the bill
Adrenal surgery is where blood pressure swings. Most hospitals keep the cat 2 to 4 nights, check electrolytes every 6 to 8 hours for the first 24, and keep a venous line in place. A night in an ICU bed is $150 to $400 in the US, GBP 120 to 320 in the UK and CNY 400 to 1,200 in China, so 1 extra night is 8 to 15 percent of the total. A cat that goes home on day 1 instead of day 3 saves $300 to $800 and needs a practice that will see it back within 24 hours.
Why the same operation quotes 1.5 to 3 times apart
4 things, not 1, sit between 2 quotes for the same code. Who operates: a boarded surgeon with a dedicated anaesthesia nurse runs 2 to 3 times a general practice fee, and part of that gap is real. Where: a capital-city clinic charges 40 to 90 percent more than one 30 km outside it. Which tier: a referral centre adds 50 to 120 percent. What tax line the number carries: UK quotes include 20 percent VAT, Chinese quotes usually include 6 percent service VAT, US quotes exclude 0 to 9 percent sales tax, so a $1,800 estimate reaches $1,962 at the desk in some states.
What the estimate usually leaves out
4 items appear after the fact. Histopathology is often billed separately. A recheck at 10 to 14 days runs $80 to $160, and 2 more at 4 and 8 weeks another $160 to $320. Post-operative medication for 30 to 90 days costs $20 to $60 per month. A cone, a recovery pen and 4 to 6 weeks of restricted jumping add $40 to $120 in equipment. Ask for all 4 in writing before the deposit, which is usually 30 to 50 percent of the estimate.
Signs that mean a visit this week, not a quote
A cat that stops eating for 24 hours, drinks more than 100 mL per kg per day, has a heart rate over 220 at rest, or cannot use the back legs needs to be seen now. Weakness in the hind legs in an older cat with high blood pressure is an emergency, not a scheduling question. Surgery is planned on a stable cat; it is not the first step for one that is crashing.
5 steps before you book
- Get the workup priced as a list, not a package: 6 to 8 items, $350 to $800.
- Ask whether a CT is included, and what the surgery costs if the mass reaches the vena cava.
- Confirm how many nights are in the surgical fee and what night 3 costs.
- Ask whether histopathology is in the quote; if not, add $120 to $280.
- Book the 10 to 14 day recheck at the same time, so it is priced and dated.
A written estimate that lists all 4 rows plus the 4 extras is the only way to compare 2 hospitals. The visit itself, before any surgery, is priced in the visit frequency guide; how 3 payment structures spread a bill of this size is set out in the payment plans guide; and 3 totals can be modelled side by side in the cost calculator.
Terms mentioned in this article
Frequently asked
Does the cat need a CT before adrenal surgery?
In most referral centres, yes. An ultrasound at $120 to $250 finds a mass over 1 cm and shows which side to approach, but only a CT at $450 to $900 shows whether the mass has grown into the vena cava. That answer decides between a 90 minute flank approach and a 3 hour abdominal operation, and between roughly $1,800 and $6,000, so the scan is usually the cheapest line in the estimate.
Why do 2 hospitals quote 40 percent apart for the same operation?
Usually they are quoting different operations. One estimate may cover a unilateral flank removal with 1 night included, the other a midline approach with 3 nights of ICU care, histopathology and a recheck. Ask each hospital to list the 4 lines separately, then compare the totals, not the headline number, and check whether sales tax or VAT is already inside the figure.
How long is recovery, and what does aftercare cost?
Most cats stay 2 to 4 nights and are kept quiet for 4 to 6 weeks, with sutures out at 10 to 14 days. Aftercare usually runs $80 to $160 for the first recheck, $160 to $320 for 2 more at weeks 4 and 8, and $20 to $60 per month for medication over 30 to 90 days. A cat that stops eating, or cannot use the back legs, needs to be seen the same day.