DATA-BACKED GUIDE · UPDATED JULY 2026
Dog cruciate ligament (TPLO/TTA) surgery cost in the UK
A ruptured cruciate ligament is one of the most common serious operations a dog will need, and one of the most expensive routine surgeries in UK vet care. The competition regulator noted it can cost up to £5,000, and occasionally more. What surprises people most is how far apart two quotes for the same operation can be.
The quick version
- TPLO and TTA are the two main surgical techniques, and both are major orthopaedic operations.
- Bigger dogs generally cost more, because the implants and surgery scale with size.
- The same operation is quoted thousands of pounds apart between practices and referral centres.
- The quote usually needs to include imaging, the implant, hospitalisation and follow-ups. Check what is in yours.
What people actually paid
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.
Real prices, in people's own words
- £2,000“Our dog (45kg Newfoundland) had a TTA for her completely ruptured cruciate, which was about £2,000”
- £2,700“Mines was £2700 with 1 video call & 1 face to face follow up”
- £3,500“the surgery was £3.5k, vet carried out the surgery and we took out a payment plan”
- £3,750“For a dog over 25kg it was £3,750”
- £3,750“For a dog over 25kg it was £3,750... covered everything”
- £5,000“TPLO surgery for our cat was £5k”
Genuine amounts posted publicly. We publish the price and the quote, never the person.
Why the price varies so much
Cruciate surgery is priced by complexity and by who does it. A specialist orthopaedic referral centre with advanced kit will usually charge more than a first-opinion practice that does the operation in-house. Your dog's size matters, because larger dogs need larger implants and longer surgery. And what the quote includes varies a lot: some cover pre-op imaging, the implant, the overnight stay and every follow-up, while others price those separately. In our data, owners who got a second quote for the same dog were sometimes quoted around £2,000 less, which is why it pays to ask exactly what is included before you commit.
How to pay less
- Get more than one quote. Our data shows the same operation quoted thousands apart, and a second opinion is standard for non-emergency orthopaedic surgery.
- Ask what the quote includes: imaging, the implant, hospitalisation, medication and all follow-up appointments and x-rays.
- Ask whether your first-opinion vet can do it in-house, which is sometimes cheaper than a referral centre.
- If insured, confirm your policy limit covers the whole treatment including rehab, and watch for per-condition caps.
Common questions
How much is cruciate surgery for a dog in the UK?
It is one of the priciest routine operations, and the competition regulator noted it can reach up to £5,000. The real bills in our data span a wide range depending on the dog's size, the technique, and whether it is done at a referral centre or in-house.
Why are two quotes for the same operation so different?
Because the price reflects who does it and what is included. A specialist referral centre charges more than a first-opinion practice, and quotes differ on whether imaging, the implant, hospitalisation and follow-ups are bundled in or charged separately.
Does dog size affect the cost?
Yes. Larger dogs generally cost more because they need bigger implants and longer, more demanding surgery.