Lumps, masses and tumors
Skin and fatty masses, mammary tumors, growths on the eyelid or body wall. We recommend sending every removed mass to a pathology lab, so you know what it was.
Pet surgery in Dunedin
Soft-tissue surgery for dogs and cats in our own surgical suite, with anesthesia monitored by our own team. You get a written, itemized estimate before any work begins, and you can talk to the veterinarian who will operate.
What surgery do you do here?
The procedures people ask about most. We perform most surgical procedures for pets, so if your vet has named one that isn’t here, call and ask.
Cherry eye and eyelid surgery
Cherry eye repair, and entropion surgery for eyelids that roll in against the eye.
Bladder stones and urinary surgery
Removing bladder stones in dogs and cats (cystotomy), and urethrostomy for male cats that block.
Swallowed objects and blockages
The sock, the toy, the corn cob. Stomach and intestinal surgery to remove what your pet swallowed.
C-sections and pyometra
Caesarean sections for dogs and cats, and spay surgery for pyometra, an infected uterus that can’t wait.
Gallbladder surgery
Removal of a diseased or blocked gallbladder.
Perineal hernia and prostate
Perineal hernia repair, and surgery for prostate abscesses.
Wounds and abscesses
Cleaned, repaired and closed.
Knee, hip and fracture surgery are on the orthopedic surgery page.
A bladder stone case, before and after
A real patient treated at one of our hospitals. Identifying details removed.
What will my pet’s surgery cost?
It depends on what is involved, which is why we don’t quote a number here or by phone. Two foreign-body surgeries can be very different operations, and the cost of removing a mass depends on its size, where it is, and whether it goes to the lab. You receive a written, itemized estimate for all proposed diagnostics and treatment before any work begins. If we find something unexpected during surgery, we call you before doing anything about it.
You can speak with the veterinarian doing the procedure beforehand, about what they expect and what recovery looks like. That is routine here, even when surgery is booked for the next day.
The veterinarians across our two hospitals include two former owners of 24-hour primary care and emergency hospitals, and doctors with more than 25 years in practice ownership.
How is anesthesia kept safe?
Bloodwork first, to see how the liver and kidneys will handle the drugs. An IV catheter and fluids for every patient. A technician assigned to your pet’s anesthesia who does nothing else for the whole procedure. Active warming through surgery and recovery, because a cold patient wakes slowly and hurts more.
Age alone is rarely the reason to say no. AAHA’s 2023 senior care guidelines put it plainly: “Advanced age alone is not a contraindication to general anesthesia.” What matters is your pet’s health, which is what the bloodwork and exam tell us.
Going home and rechecks
We don’t provide overnight care. Most pets go home the same day with written aftercare instructions. If your pet needs overnight monitoring, we say so and refer you to a 24-hour hospital; that’s a judgment made on the day. Rechecks are with the surgeon who operated whenever your schedule allows, and questions after you get home come to us, seven days a week.
Paying for it
Many of our clients find that financing part or all of the procedure through Cherry works best for them. According to Cherry, the application takes under 35 seconds from start to finish, and “Cherry performs a soft credit check which does not affect your credit score.”
We also accept CareCredit and Scratch Pay, and cash, cards and checks at the counter.
Questions we get a lot
Do I need a referral from my veterinarian?
No. You can contact us directly. If your veterinarian has x-rays or records, we can request them for you.
How much does tumor, bladder stone or foreign body surgery cost?
For a mass it depends on size and location; for bladder stones, how many and what kind; for a foreign body, where it is and whether the intestine is damaged. Once we’ve examined and imaged your pet, you get a written, itemized estimate before any work begins.
Do you do orthopedic surgery?
Yes. A veterinary orthopedic surgeon operates here. See the orthopedic surgery page.
Request a surgery consultation
Tell us about your pet and we’ll confirm a time the way you ask. Your date and window are a request, not a confirmed appointment.