How much was your dog’s cranial ligament op?

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Ddog has ruptured her hind leg knee cranial ligament while having a big run on the beach. Vet has quoted £5k for surgery involving wedge osteotomy and after care. Our insurance isn’t that much. Is this a standard cost?

It's cruciate not cranial! Sounds a lot. Our orthopaedic vet only charges that for a hip replacement. I would ask for a second opinion and also a detailed breakdown of what you are paying for.

Thanks. Vet said cranial. Vet said that would include all post op care, follow ups etc. We are getting quotes elsewhere but just wondering what is usual. Thanks again.

5k is actually pretty good. My dog had a "cranial cruciate wedge" and the total cost was about 3k, and that was about 9 years ago, so 5k seems reasonable.

The outcome was fantastic, and we had many more happy years with her.

For a dog over 25kg it was £3,750.
That was as a referral at St David’s veterinary hospital Exeter. that covered everything.

Dog is 8.5kg
How long ago ?

Mines was £2700 with 1 video call & 1 face to face follow up 2 years ago. He was under 25kg. I paid £300 for hydrotherapy separately.

Looking at about £4-6k here (NE) but see more TPLOs than CCWO for cruciate ligaments. But the cost is often similar and CCWO is used more in smaller breeds I believe

So variable!

We’ve already paid £530 for consultation and x ray with sedation.

It was August last year.
I'm not a vet but I thought that they tend to try rest for small dogs under 15kg.
it might be worth talking to another vet.
sure someone will be along in a bit with experience of small dog treatment.

Was that a total rupture? Can that heal with rest? I’ve spoken to a couple of people who said they rested their dog and they healed. I mentioned this to vet and he said no that’s not recommended but they were told by vets to do so. I’m so confused. We will get her the right treatment but don’t want to put her through tough surgery if not needed or pay thousands if we can get it cheaper.

Our 10kg dog who was operated on had a partial tear, not full rupture. Then sadly some years later we had to PTS our senior much heavier dog (35kg) because of a full rupture and not fit for surgery (full rupture won't heal with rest...!)

Oh I’m sorry @Arcticlife .

Also any vets or veterinary nurses know how you can see ligaments( soft tissue ) on an x ray?

TPLO surgery for our cat was £5k. It would have been about a grand less at our vets or that price with an orthopaedic surgeon at the animal hospital.

A friend had this with her dog (Staffie cross). Insurance paid for the first leg to be done but not the second. Then they had to get the first leg done a second time. Was 5 to 6k each time. Now he is older and has arthritis so has a monthly injection to help with that which is almost 200 per month the insurance wouldn't pay for the injection either as apparently it's all linked and classed as pre existing conditions.

Ouch and ouch!!

You don't see the ligament, but you do see an effusion and usually the tibia is displaced cranial relative to the femur in cruciate ligament rupture. They would have also checked for cranial draw whilst he was sedated which is abnormal movement in the joint indicative of cruciate ligament rupture.

Thank you @Needanadultgapyear . Poor thing has had very loose bowels since the anaesthetic for x ray. Gave a small amount of rice and boiled chicken last night and there is less but it’s a struggle for her to keep getting up with the leg.

Just got a quote from another vet for £3k after seeing notes and X-ray . Going to see them tomorrow for examination.

Moses that's a lot.

Our dog (45kg Newfoundland) had a TTA for her completely ruptured cruciate, which was about £2,000.

When was that? @GrouchyKiwi ? I’m really pleased with £3k as it’s £2k cheaper than our first quote.

One of our dogs ruptured both her cruciate ligaments (I am sure your vet made the verbal equivalent of a typo because cranial is to do with the head), and needed surgery on both knees. She also had a dislocated kneecap (a rare complication of the surgery) which meant a third knee op, and had treatment for a gastric ulcer caused by the painkillers she was given for the dislocation.

She was treated at the Small Animal Hospital in Glasgow, and the final bill for all of her treatment, including follow up consultations and x-rays, came in at just over £10K.

No it’s cranial cruciate ligament(CCL) surgery.
https://www.ndsr.co.uk/information-sheets/cranial-cruciate-ligament-rupture-ccl/#:~:text=It%20involves%20changing%20the%20angle,lameness%20and%20stifle%20joint%20instability.

It was 3 years ago. I can well believe that prices have jumped that much in the time, though we're in Scotland, which might make a difference.