Dog Surgery: Estimating the Costs

Due in part to advances in veterinary medicine pet health care costs are on the rise. Everything from routine care to dog surgery costs pet owners more than $11 billion dollars each year. A simple tooth extraction can cost up to $1,000. There are many ways to combat the costs for dog surgery, treatment for chronic conditions, and routine care. There are also ways to avoid the shock of receiving an unexpected $5,000 vet bill. You can purchase dog insurance to help cover the costs of dog surgery and other pet related health care or you can create a list of common surgeries, treatments, and other procedures.

Common Dog Surgeries and Price

Some of the most common types of dog surgery include: spay/neuter, cataract surgery, hip dysplasia surgery, and gastroplexy.

Spay/Neuter

Spay/neuter is the process of removing all or part of an animals reproductive organs. Prices for this type of dog surgery depends on the age and weight of the animal. Typical costs are as follows:

  • Male Neuter or Female Spay 0-20 lbs. $149
  • Male Neuter or Female Spay 21-40 lbs. $154
  • Male Neuter or Female Spay 41-60 lbs. $159
  • Male Neuter or Female Spay 61-80 lbs. $164
  • Male Neuter or Female Spay 80+ lbs. $184

Cataract Surgery

Canine cataracts is a common condition that affects a large number of older dogs. However, it is not unheard of for a dog to be born with cataracts. This condition is either inherited or it can be caused by trauma, infection, or diabetes. Cataracts is caused by a loss of transparency in the eye. A cataract forms in the lens and it has a white appearance. In addition, your dog's eyes may have a foggy or hazy look to them. Fortunately, cataracts are easily treated through cataract surgery. During surgery the lens is removed and replaced with an artificial lens. The cost for dog cataracts surgery ranges from $1,500 up to $3,000. The cost typically includes several days stay at the veterinary hospital, but in some cases it may not.

Hip Dysplasia Surgery

Hip dysplasia is a common degenerative joint disease mostly seen in dogs. This can cause limping, running with a hopping gait, and stiffness and pain in the rear legs. If left untreated, hip dysplasia can even prevent the dog from walking at all. Depending on the severity of the dysplasia, your dog may have to undergo one of several surgical treatments. These include: Triple Pelvic Osteotomy (TPO), Femoral Head and Neck Excision, Juvenille Pubic Symphysiodesis (JPS), or Total Hip Replacement. Depending on type, the average cost for hip dysplasia surgery is $1,000-$2,400+. Total Hip Replacement is the most expensive. Maintenance medications can cost up to $50 each.

Gastroplexy

Bloat or "acute gastric dilation" is a common condition in dogs in which the stomach expands from an excessive amount of gas, fluid or expanding food. A common cause for this is exercising too quickly after eating a large meal. Bloat can quickly turn into a life-threatening condition if it is not treated immediately. An effective surgery for this condition is gastroplexy. Gastroplexy is a procedure in which the stomach is attached to the abdominal wall. For preventative gastroplexy, the cost is only $400 and surgery is performed on an outpatient basis. If gastroplexy has to be performed as the result of bloat, it can cost $1,200 without complications up to $5,000 with complications, stomach resection, or splenectomy.

What's Included in Dog Surgery?

Most costs for dog surgery include:

  • Pre-anesthetic Examination
  • Anesthesia
  • Surgery
  • Pulse Oximetry Monitoring
  • Post-op Pain and Antibiotic Injections

For more information about dog surgery and costs, see:

http://www.vetinfo.com/dhipsurgery.html http://www.vetinfo.com/dog-cataract-surgery.html

http://www.vetinfo.com/dencyclopedia/decataract.html The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) http://www.aspca.org/

 

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