How much will a TPLO surgery for my dog cost?  How much should I expect to spend on a TPLO repair?

TPLO, also known as Tibial Plateau Leveling Osteotomy, is a CCL repair technique through which the veterinary surgeon alters the head of the tibia and plates it to create a new joint angle.  Simply put – your veterinarian will re-invent your dog’s injured knee joint to provide increased stability through changing the way the top and bottom of the leg meet at the knee joint.  This is the most invasive, and requires the most surgical skill, of all the surgical cranial cruciate ligament repair options; it is also the most expensive.  In this article we will break down an actual TPLO cost estimate and explore the cost of choosing this type of CCL repair surgery for your dog.

Below is the estimate I received for my dog to undergo TPLO surgery. 

A few things to note before going into the details of the invoice:

1)  My dog in an American Bulldog weighing roughly 90 pounds (normal weight), and is 5 years old.

2)  He is in good health with no pre-existing conditions that would complicate anesthesia or surgery.

3)  This estimate, although some of the information has been blacked out to protect privacy, is from a speciality veterinary clinic with veterinary surgeons who specialize in cranial cruciate ligament repair surgeries in dogs.

4)  I live in Southern California, and this estimate is from a veterinary office in that area.

Here is the estimate I received for a TPLO CCL repair.  The low end of the estimate was $3,892.79 and the high end of the estimate was $4,03.58 for TPLO surgery.

I will go line by line to go over the charges included in the cost of TPLO surgery.  For smaller animals some of the values will be less, and accordingly for larger dogs.  Hopefully this invoice will give you a basic picture of what you can expect to pay for a TPLO, and where all of the money goes.

EST TPLO Surgery Med/Large – $0 – Just tells us what type of estimate we are looking at.

CBC and Chemistry Profile – $163.80 – Basic blood panel the veterinarian will want to run prior to surgery to determine if you dog is fit to be put under anesthesia and to rule out any other complications.  One way we could have saved money here was to have our dog’s regular vet perform this blood panel at a lower price than to have it done at the speciality clinic.

Radiograph, 2 Views – $224.70 – This is the x-rays that need to be performed prior to the TPLO so the surgeon is able to properly manipulate the tibia during surgery to create the desired angles.  These will need to be performed somewhere prior to TPLO, and some veterinarians will want to do the xrays themselves.

Radiology Interpretation – $45.68 – Fee charged for processing and reading the x-ray.

Catheterization, Intravenous – $94.00 – This fee is for the placement and maintainence of an IV catheter while your dog is undergoing and recovering from TPLO surgery.  Your dog will be given IV fluids and possibly medications through this catheter during the duration of surgery and post operative hospitalization.

Epidural Injection – $86.52 – Local anesthetic (pain relieving medication) will be injected into the lumbosacral (in the spine) space of your dog prior to surgery.  Depending on what types of medication(s) your veterinarian uses this can help to alleviate pain after surgery, and desensitize the effected site during surgery.

Surgery Room Use – $113.82 – Fee for using the Operating Room space to perform the TPLO.

TPLO Inhalant Anesthesia – $306.34 – Cost of putting your dog under gas anesthesia for the time required to perform the TPLO procedure.  This is used in conjunction with the epidural anesthesia.

Surgical Anesthesia Level 1 – $294.00 – Fee for dog to be put under anesthesia and monitored during TPLO surgery.

Surgical Supplies, Orthopedic – $358.05 – Cost for instruments to be used during surgery; this does not include the cost of the actual TPLO implant.

TPLO Surgical Implants, Med/Large – $358.05 – Cost of TPLO implant plates to be placed on the bone during surgery.

TPLO Surgeons Fee – $974.40 – Price veterinary surgeon charges to perform TPLO operation.

Radiograph, Post Op – $192.52 – Cost of x-ray to be taken following surgery to check placement of implant and knee joint angles.

Elective Ortho Hospitalization, General – $138.92 – Cost of overnight hospital stay following TPLO repair surgery.

Fluids – IV, Inital 24 Hours – $0-$190.31 – This would depend on whether or not your dog was being cared for at the hospital post operatively, and how much fluids your pet required.

Misc. Medications, Orthopedic - $450 – This includes prescription medications given to your pet post operatively and those sent home with you during the post operative period.  They would include a sedative (Acepromazine), pain relief (Tramadol), anti inflammatory (Rimadyl), and an antibiotic(Cephalexin), and possibly other medications at your veterinarian’s discretion.

Fentanyl, 75 mcg patch – $65 – Pain relief patch that will be placed in your pet to control post operative discomfort.

Buster Collar, Clear – $25.26 – Collar to be placed on your dog during the post operative period to prevent them from ripping out their stitches or injuring the surgical site.

Included:  X-ray at 8 weeks to check the post operative recovery and  misc. sedative (not sure if this is sedative used during the surgery itself or the sedative medication to take home with you following TPLO surgery).

Also included are all of the post operative recheck visits, but be aware that if you pet develops any complications related to the surgery you will be required to pay for any additional expenses incurred.

What is the Actual Cost of TPLO Surgery? is a post from: Dog Knee Injury

Below is a list of financial help resources for dogs facing illness, disease, surgery or a life threatening emergency. Click on the underlined titles to be taken to the rescue and/or financial assistance website.

General

Care Credit – This is the most readily available and easiest to obtain of all the financing options for CCL repair surgery. They offer a full range of payment plans with low/no interest for a set period, which depends on the agreement CareCredit has with your veterinarian’s office.

Good Sam Fund – Good SAM (Special Assistance and Memorial Fund) was established to create financial aid for sick or injured animals who either are stray or client-owned animals in special circumstances. The fund is supported entirely by outside donations and your pet must meet one part of their criteria to be considered for financial assistance.

IMOM – IMOM is an all-volunteer, 501(c)3 charity that receives all its money used to help animals from outside donations. The organization was founded in 1998 and since then they have raised over $1,000,000 and saved the lives of over 1,470 companion animals.  This is for animals facing life threatening emergencies.

The Pet Fund – The Pet Fund is a registered 501(c) 3 nonprofit association that provides financial assistance to owners of domestic animals who need veterinary care. Their mission is to help companion animal owners to avoid the difficult decision to put an animal down or neglect medical needs because of the costs involved.

United Animal Nations – Founded in 1987, United Animal Nations (UAN) is North America’s leading provider of emergency animal sheltering and disaster relief services and a key advocate for the critical needs of animals. The LifeLine Grant Program offered by the UAN provides funding to Good Samaritans, animal rescuers, non-profit organizations and pet owners to help them care for animals in life-threatening situations.

AAHA – AAHA Helping Pets Fund works with selected veterinary practices to help owners facing financial hardship.  If your pet is a patient at an AAHA-affiliated location, your vet can recommend for you to be part of this program, and you may receive assistance from their emergency and non-elective fund programs if you qualify.

Help A Pet – HELP-A-PET is a nonprofit which provides financial aid to the following types of pet owners:  physically and mentally challenged individuals, senior citizens and children of the working poor.   They assist in paying for the medical care of pets for owners are unable to afford the expense.

Ashley’s Angel Fund – Pet assistance for North Carolina pet owners whose pets are facing a life-threatening condition, and demonstrate an inability to pay for their pet’s treatment.

NY Save – SAVE: Save Animals in Veterinary Emergency.  Program for New York City pet owners whose pets are facing a life threatening medical emergency.  The SAVE program allows owners to take their dog to receive emergency treatment, regardless of ability to pay.

The Mosby Foundation – Virginia based pet assistance program to assist in the care of sick, injured, abused, and neglected dogs through financial support and public education.

Brown Dog Foundation, Inc. – Assistance for pet owners facing financial crisis for their dog facing a life-threatening, but treatable, condition.

Breed Specific

Pit Bull Rescue Central – Financial aid resources for Pit Bull and Pitbull mix owners facing expensive veterinary treatments and evidence of hardship to pay.

Westie Med Inc. – Entirely volunteer run, non profit organization focusing on providing financial aid to injured or ill rescue Wesites.

Labrador Life Line - This assistance program is specifically for purebred labs, and their financial assistance includes, but is not limited to, covering various medical costs (surgery, treatment, medication) and help to cover rescue or transportation expenses.

Corgi Aid – Financial resource for Welsh Corgi owners facing financial difficulty paying for the treatment, surgery or care of their Corgi.

Special Needs Dobermans – Organization dedicated to assisting Doberman owners facing hardships and difficulty paying veterinary bills.

Dougal’s Fund – Westy and Corgi owners needing financial assistance and help to pay for their vet costs.  Their mission is to see to it that all Westies and Corgis get the medical care they need.

Labrador Harbor – To provide charitable funds to private citizens or non-profit rescue organizations that directly benefit the immediate physical well-being of Labrador Retrievers including medical intervention, surgery, after-care, hospitalization, rehabilitation, behavioral intervention, or other health related needs.

LABMED – Internet-based non-profit organization created to distribute financial aid and assistance to injured or ill rescues around the country, giving them a second chance at adoption and love from a permanent family.

Comprehensive

Detailed List of Resources Kept by the Humane Society – State by State listing of financial aid available for your pet.

Financial Assistance for Dogs Needing Surgery is a post from: Dog Knee Injury

Weight loss, arthritis medications and nutraceuticals (glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate) can have a significant, positive impact on your canine’s comfort level. Though in general this “conservative” approach is considered much less effective than surgical intervention, it does provide owners who can’t afford this surgery the opportunity to take responsible action. In fact, for most bigger patients, it seems that weight loss plays a major role in the recovery process for both dogs going through CM (conservative management) and those that have undergone traditional, extracapsular imbrication repairs.

Is there any way to finance my dog’s surgery?

Remember, there are many dogs that do well with just conservative management, and the smaller your dog, the more likely it is that they will have a successful recovery with CM in lieu of surgery. CM is not just a second resort for people unable to afford surgery, there are many owners that are unwilling or unable to put their dog through surgery, and they have recovered quite nicely with the use of CM alone. No surgical procedure will ever bring your dog’s leg function back to 100%, or pre-injury levels, so as long as your dog is healthy, happy and comfortable, you are making the right choice as an owner.

What If I Can Not Afford CCL Surgery? is a post from: Dog Knee Injury