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What TPLO and cruciate surgery costs in Melbourne

EMReviewed by Eben Martin, Veterinary Surgeon · Updated August 2026

Melbourne is the national price floor. Fixed price TPLO clinics advertise from $2,950 to $3,500, suburban practices commonly sit between $3,200 and $4,000, and the referral tier runs to $7,000 and beyond. If your Melbourne quote is above $5,000, you are paying for the wrapper; make sure your case needs it.

Holding a quote or a diagnosis? It costs nothing to ask.

Tell a veterinary surgeon what you have been told. You will know what they can do and what it costs before you pay anything.

Next step: your name and email so the surgeon can reply. No charge to ask.

The price tiers that apply in Melbourne

OptionTypical Australian rangeNotes
Fixed price and high volume clinics$2,950 to $4,400Melbourne and Brisbane are the strongholds of this tier
General practice that does TPLO$3,200 to $5,000Inclusions vary; ask about after hours cover and rechecks
Specialist referral hospital$5,500 to $9,000Specialist surgeon, dedicated anaesthesia, ICU

Nationally, cruciate surgery runs from $2,950 at Melbourne's fixed price clinics to $9,000 at capital city referral hospitals.

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Get a surgeon's read on your Melbourne quote

Send what your vet said and quoted. A veterinary surgeon reads it and comes back to you with what they can do and what it would cost, before you pay anything. A written second opinion is from $250.

  • If the surgeon can't add anything useful to your case, they'll say so and there's no charge.
  • You hear back from a surgeon within 2 business days.
  • Cruciate surgery is quoted from $2,950 to $9,000 per knee in Australia. A surgeon's read on your quote is the cheapest line in this decision.
Read by a veterinary surgeon who does these operations, not a call centre. No charge to send. You know the price before you pay anything.
By sending this you agree to be contacted about your enquiry. Privacy policy. A written second opinion is from $250, confirmed before you pay.

The Melbourne market

Melbourne is the cheapest major market in Australia for orthopaedic surgery: several dedicated fixed price surgical clinics compete openly on published prices, alongside the full referral hospital tier. Owners travel from interstate to operate here, not the other way around.

Worth travelling?

If you are already in Melbourne, price shopping between the fixed price clinics and asking each what their quote includes usually beats travelling anywhere.

Still deciding? It costs nothing to ask.

Send the case, hear back from a surgeon with what they can do and what it costs, and only pay if you go ahead.

Send my case

Common questions

Why do quotes in Melbourne differ by thousands for the same knee?

The operation is broadly the same; the wrapper differs: who operates, what happens at 2am, and what is bundled. Ask each clinic the same four questions, who does the surgery, how often, what is excluded, and what a complication costs, then compare answers rather than totals.

Is it worth travelling from Melbourne for a cheaper TPLO?

Sometimes. The saving has to survive the travel costs, the follow up x-rays around week eight, and the question of who handles a complication once you are home. Ask the cheaper clinic who does their aftercare for out of town patients; good ones have a ready answer.

Other cities

Sydney · Brisbane · Perth · Adelaide · Canberra · Gold Coast · Hobart · Australia wide guide