Orthopaedic surgery for dogs: what to expect, and what happens first
Bones, joints and ligaments. Most of the dogs we operate on are not accident cases. They are dogs who started limping or slowing down, and whose owners were told a joint was the problem. Here is what we can do about that at Macquarie Veterinary Hospital, what the first visit involves, and how we talk about cost.
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The short answer
The assessment comes first and the quote comes after it, so you know what you would be paying for and why.
Orthopaedic surgery treats bones, joints and ligaments. In dogs the common reasons are a torn cruciate, a bad elbow, a kneecap that slips, or a fracture. It starts with an assessment rather than a quote, because an examination and imaging tell us what is actually wrong, and several very different problems all look like a limp from across the room. The earlier we can look, the more of the joint there is to protect, so we would rather see your dog sooner than later.
What does orthopaedic surgery mean for a dog?
It means surgery on bones and the soft tissue that holds them together. A cruciate ligament, a fractured femur, a loose kneecap, a fragment of cartilage floating in an elbow. What those problems share is that they change how a joint is loaded, and a joint that is loaded wrongly wears out.
That is the part owners are rarely told at the start. Most arthritis in dogs starts with a joint problem: a torn cruciate, a cartilage fault, or an injury. So orthopaedic surgery is not only about repairing the thing that broke. It is about slowing down what happens next.
The most common single reason a dog goes lame behind is the cruciate ligament, and if that is the word your vet used, we are glad to talk you through what it means for your dog.
What orthopaedic work is done at Macquarie Veterinary Hospital?
This is what we can look after here, at this site, and any of it is something we are happy to talk through with you before you commit to anything.
Bone, joint and ligament surgery on site. Cruciate repair, including TPLO
The most common orthopaedic operation we do in dogs. Luxating patella surgery
For dislocating kneecaps that slip out of their groove. Hip dysplasia surgery
Surgical options for hips that have not formed properly. Greyhound corn treatment
A lameness that is missed constantly in sighthounds. X-ray and ultrasound
Imaging on site, so the pictures happen at the same visit.
CT scans are done at our sister practice, Advanced Vet Care in Lane Cove, and we refer your pet there when one is needed.
How do we work out what is actually wrong?
A limp is a symptom, not a diagnosis, and several unrelated problems produce the same limp. The order is the same every time.
- We watch your dog move before anybody touches anything, so that we can see which leg it is, when in the stride it shows, and whether rest makes it better or worse.
- We examine every joint gently, not just the sore one, because dogs are very good at hiding a second problem behind a first one.
- We image the joint where it is warranted, and an examination plus x-rays answers most of it. Where we need more detail, cross-sectional imaging or a look inside the joint with a camera can follow.
- Then we talk about treatment together, which is not always surgery, and we will answer any questions you have before anything is decided.
Macquarie Veterinary Hospital has x-ray and ultrasound on site. CT scans are done at our sister practice, Advanced Vet Care in Lane Cove, and we refer your pet there when one is needed.
There is a good reason not to shortcut this. Several conditions look exactly like arthritis from across the room. That cuts both ways: a dog written off as old may have a fixable joint, and a dog booked for surgery may not need one.
What we recommend is worked out for your dog, from the examination, the images, and how they actually live from day to day. Two dogs with the same x-ray do not always get the same plan, and that is deliberate: we are treating your dog and your family rather than a picture.
Why do we assess before we quote?
Plenty of people arrive here having already been told what is wrong, often with a number attached. That is a sensible thing to do, and a price only means something once somebody has examined the dog it is for.
So we examine your dog ourselves, and we are glad to read any imaging you already have, so do bring it along. If x-rays exist we would far rather read them than repeat them, which saves your dog another sedation and saves you the cost.
Then we talk you through what we would do and why, in plain terms, and the decision stays yours. If we think surgery is not the right call for your dog, you will hear that from us just as plainly.
Sooner is simpler, for your dog and for you
We would rather look early than wait to see whether the limp settles. Joint pain that goes untreated tends to get worse, and the milder the disease when we start, the better dogs generally do in the long run, so there is nothing to be gained from another fortnight of watching.
Arthritis still progresses, even with treatment. Starting earlier simply means less of it, and more good years. We do orthopaedic surgery here at Macquarie Park, and we see emergencies during our opening hours. We will take the time to explain what we find and what each option would cost, so there are no surprises.
Book an appointment →Macquarie Vet took great care of my dog including next day availability for consultation. Vet Dr Sonia was great. All staff were very helpful and the care of my dog was great before during and after surgery. Thank you to Amy and Lauren for your help as well.
Claire Miller, Google review · 5 stars
A real review, quoted as written. Read our Google reviews →
Which guide should I read next?
Whichever of these sounds most like your dog is a good place to begin. We wrote them for owners rather than for vets, and there is no need to read them all.
My dog is limping or moving oddly
The condition my vet named
Deciding, and afterwards
Common questions
Do I need a referral?
Not at all, you can book an appointment with us directly. If your dog has been seen elsewhere, the notes and any x-rays are very welcome, because having them saves repeating tests and saves you money.
Will my dog definitely need surgery?
Not necessarily. Plenty of joint problems can be managed without an operation, and the assessment exists partly so that we can work out which those are. If we think surgery is the wrong call for your dog, we will say so.
Can you look at x-rays taken by another vet?
Yes, and we would much prefer to. Your other vet can send the images across, or you are welcome to bring them with you on the day.
My dog is old. Is surgery still worth it?
Age on its own is not the deciding factor. What matters is the dog in front of us and how much comfortable life the operation buys. That is a conversation to have at the assessment, with the examination done.
What is the recovery after joint surgery?
Recovery varies from dog to dog, but most dogs recover from surgery very quickly and are walking again within a week. Where implants are holding bones together, we need to limit their activity until the bones have healed. We are happy to talk through recovery in more detail at your consultation, and we will give you a handout to refer to after the procedure.
What will the first appointment cost?
If you give us a ring on 02 9888 1833, we can talk you through what happens at that first appointment and what it costs before you book anything.
References
Our orthopaedic work follows the standards of the American College of Veterinary Surgeons, alongside RSPCA Australia guidance.
- American College of Veterinary Surgeons: Osteoarthritis in Dogs Where canine arthritis comes from, and the joints it affects.
- American College of Veterinary Surgeons: Cranial Cruciate Ligament Disease Cruciate rupture as a leading cause of hind-limb lameness.
- American College of Veterinary Surgeons: Canine Elbow Dysplasia The diagnostic sequence, and why earlier treatment does better.
- RSPCA Australia Knowledgebase: I think my dog has arthritis, what can I do? That untreated joint pain worsens, and that other conditions mimic arthritis.
Drafted July 2026. This page is general information and cannot replace someone examining your dog. If your dog cannot bear weight at all, or the leg looks wrong, ring us on 02 9888 1833 rather than reading on.
Medically reviewed by Dr Michael Stephen, BVSc, MVSc.
Start with an unhurried assessment
Whatever you have is enough to start with: the limp, the history and any x-rays already taken. We will examine your dog, explain plainly what we think is driving it and what each option would cost, and nothing is booked until you have decided. On-street parking on Jarvis Circuit, or the multi-storey car park underneath Coles, accessed from Halifax Street. We are on 02 9888 1833 if you would rather talk first.
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