Pet surgery procedures, explained honestly

Plain language guides to the operations Australian pet owners get quoted for: what they are, what they cost here, when they are genuinely needed, and what recovery really looks like. Every guide is reviewed by a veterinary surgeon.

EMReviewed by Eben Martin, Veterinary Surgeon · Updated August 2026

Cruciate ligament

TPLO, TTA and lateral suture: costs, necessity and recovery for the most common dog knee surgery.

Luxating patella

The skipping kneecap: what the grades mean, what surgery costs and when it is actually needed.

IVDD and spinal

Slipped discs, wobbly back legs and the five digit MRI conversation, mapped honestly.

Fracture repair

From simple breaks to complex plating: repair options, realistic costs and the amputation question.

Lumps, masses and tumours

Which lumps need testing, what removal costs, and when watch and wait is genuinely safe.

BOAS airway surgery

Frenchies, pugs and bulldogs: when airway surgery is needed and what it honestly achieves.

Hip and elbow dysplasia

Management, FHO, arthroscopy or total hip replacement: sorting the spectrum honestly.

Abdominal emergencies

GDV bloat, swallowed objects and blocked cats: the 2am surgeries, explained before you need them.

Facing one of these operations?

Ask the surgeon about your pet's case. From $250.