dog orthopedic surgery cost

If we are talking about orthopedic surgery in humans, it basically involves repair and restoration of bones and joints that fracture, break, or tear due to an accident, trauma, injury, or a medical condition. This is the same as with canine orthodontic surgery. Dogs frequently obtain injuries on the hips, elbows, knees, and legs because of their innate hyperactivity and contact with other dogs. Let us discover the estimated dog orthopedic surgery cost so as to help pet owners prepare themselves for the unknown possibility that it could happen to their pets.

Dog orthopedic surgery cost: What are the common injuries?

Before knowing how much the orthopedic surgery would cost pet owners should an accident happen to their furry pets, we should first discuss the different bone and joint problems they may sustain and experience in their lifetime.

Hip dysplasia

dog with orthopedic problemThis is an irregular development of the hip bones of dogs that affect their movement and posture. Canines who are prone to have this developmental problem are those breeds whose growth is faster than the others. This problem may already be developing earlier in life, but the symptoms only manifest when the dog develops other bone or joint problems like arthritis. Typical signs of dogs having hip dysplasia are similar to secondary arthritis, like lameness, movement limitation when standing up, whining when walking, jumping, or climbing the stairs.

Elbow dysplasia

This is the same genetic and growth developmental problem as hip dysplasia but the elbows are affected and the symptoms manifested by dogs having this problem are more pronounced. Limping is the number one symptom you can notice from the front leg of a dog with elbow dysplasia, but if both front legs are affected, you will notice that your pet may be shuffling when walking.

Cruciate ligament tear or rupture

Anterior or cranial cruciate ligaments tear is a common joint problem that can happen to any breed of dog. With a simple quick movement, a ligament can easily tear. It can happen when a dog is simply playing with a toy ball or fetching a stick, to having a degenerative ligament problem. The older the injury, the harder it is to treat. For earlier diagnosed tears, vets can prescribe pain medications, but if left untreated, the pain may lower at some point, but its effect on the dog’s movements stays.

x-ray of dog orthopedic procedureLuxating patellae

This happens when your pet’s kneecap becomes displaced or dislocated, especially common in small breeds of dogs. It can sometimes be treated with manual fixation of the small irregular bone, but if the injury recurs and pain from arthritis is very prominent, then surgery may be the answer.

Arthritis

This may be the primary or secondary problem of a dog with his movement, posture, and growth. Like humans, joints of the dogs degenerate and lose their elasticity, making them stiff and fragile, that a gentle movement hurts the dog. Sometimes a different orthopedic problem gets diagnosed while treating for arthritis, making this joint disease a secondary problem. Anti-inflammatory meds may be prescribed to lessen the swelling and pain, but if the symptoms are making it hard for the dog to perform his daily activities, then vets recommend surgery.

Dog orthopedic surgery cost

So, with this information about different canine bone and joint problems, how much would a typical dog orthopedic surgery cost? The answer lies in 3 different factors: the injury, the severity, and the expertise of the vet. Different orthopedic surgeries can be performed for a different injury, vets just make sure that the surgery would do more good than harm to your beloved pet. The severity of their condition would let the vet decide whether a simple surgery may suffice or a more complex surgical manipulation is needed to improve your dog’s movement and activity. The level of complexity of surgery would also dictate if your dog can go home after the surgery or if he needs to stay at least overnight in the vet facility. Finally, the experience and success of the vet who is going to perform your pet’s surgery enable him to charge significant amounts of professional fees, as well as the overhead costs of his services.