7 BILLS TRACKED
Cruciate ligament surgery (TPLO/TTA)
One of the priciest routine operations in UK vet care. The CMA notes it can run to £5,000, and the same dog can be quoted thousands apart by different practices.
Every price we track (hover a dot)
The gap: advertised vs actually paid (medians)
People reported paying 5% less than the advertised list price for cruciate / tplo.
List prices are advertised prices; paid figures are what people reported, often for different cases and from a small sample so far. Treat the gap as a signal, not a quote.
| Year | Region | Practice | What it was | List | Paid | Src |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Scotland | Unknown | TTA cruciate surgery (45kg dog)Approximate | — | £2,000 | source |
| 2022 | UK unspecified | Unknown | Cruciate surgery (dog under 25kg)Incl. follow-ups | — | £2,700 | source |
| 2024 | UK unspecified | Unknown | Cruciate surgery (owner took payment plan)insured initially | — | £3,500 | source |
| 2023 | South West England (Exeter) | Independent / charity | Cruciate surgery (dog over 25kg)Referral hospital | — | £3,750 | source |
| 2023 | South West England | Independent / charity | Dog TPLO (over 25kg)Dog over 25kg treated at St David's Veterinary Hospital, Exeter; owner says the price covered everything. | — | £3,750 | source |
| 2025 | Yorkshire and the Humber | Independent / charity | TPLO cruciate surgery (dog under 50kg)Chantry Vets; TPLO 50kg+ £4000, TTA £3600, lateral suture repair £2400-2850; undated list | £3,800 | — | source |
| 2024 | UK unspecified | Unknown | Cat TPLO cruciate surgeryCruciate/TPLO surgery in a cat (unusual), reported on a thread about dog cruciate ops. | — | £5,000 | source |
Common questions
How much does cruciate / tplo cost in the UK?
Across 7 real UK prices, the median is £3,750, with bills running from £2,000 to £5,000. These are real prices people paid or that practices published, not estimates.
Why do cruciate / tplo prices vary so much?
It depends on where you are, who owns the practice, and exactly what is included. The Competition and Markets Authority found corporate-owned practices charged 18.3% more on average than independents, and vet prices rose 63% between 2016 and 2023.
Is cruciate / tplo cheaper at an independent vet?
Often, yes. The CMA's 2026 review found independent practices averaged 18.3% less than the six large corporate groups for comparable work. From September 2026 every practice must publish a price list, so comparing a few nearby is worth it.
Related free guides
- Dog cruciate ligament (TPLO/TTA) surgery cost in the UK →
- What does pet insurance actually cover in the UK? →
- TTA vs TPLO: the cost difference for cruciate surgery in the UK →
- Cruciate surgery recovery and cost UK: budgeting for the aftercare →
- Dog limping vet cost in the UK: what investigating and treating a limp can cost →
- Lifetime vs annual pet insurance in the UK, compared →
Methodology: prices here are published list prices, bills people reported in public posts or submitted directly, and survey averages. Each row says which it is, with a link to the source where one exists. We never estimate and no sponsor can touch a number. Spot an error? Tell us and we'll fix or remove it fast.