Dog Bladder Stone Surgery (Cystotomy) Cost
Bladder stone surgery removes stones from the bladder through a procedure called cystotomy. Diagnostics, hospitalization, stone analysis, and follow-up diet can add to the headline surgical price.
- Written by:
- Pet Surgery Estimate
- Published:
- Jun 17, 2026
- Last updated:
- Nov 12, 2026
- Clinic prices checked:
- Nov 12, 2026
Cost guide, not veterinary advice. This page helps you budget and ask good questions. It cannot tell you whether your pet needs this procedure — only your veterinarian can. Disclaimer
Typical cost
Medium-sized dog, general practice, scheduled, no location adjustment.
Typical cost: Dog Bladder Stone Surgery (Cystotomy)
Dog Bladder Stone Surgery (Cystotomy)
Estimate confidence: Medium · Wide educational estimate
Low
$1,500
Average
$2,400
High
$4,000+
Estimate in U.S. dollars for U.S. clinics, not a quote. How it's calculated
Estimate confidence: Medium
- Location not provided — national average used
How we calculated this
- Base rangeBladder stone surgery
- UrgencyScheduled / planned (×1)
- Vet typeGeneral practice vet (×1)
- SizeMedium (×1)
- AgeAdult (×1)
- LocationNot specified (×1.00)
Figures are rounded broad ballparks, not a quote.
Understanding the cost of bladder stone surgery
Bladder stone surgery (cystotomy) removes stones through an incision in the bladder. Whether surgery is on the table at all depends on the stone type: ACVS explains that struvite stones can sometimes be dissolved with a prescription diet, while calcium oxalate, urate, cystine and silica stones cannot be dissolved and require removal.
The urgency changes the price. ACVS describes a stone lodged in the urethra as an urgent situation; vets may first flush stones back into the bladder or drain it, and very sick dogs may be stabilized with a urinary catheter before surgery. Stones lodged in the urethra may need a separate incision there.
Two follow-up costs are easy to miss: ACVS notes stones removed at surgery are sent for chemical analysis (and sometimes culture), and dogs that form stones often need ongoing diet and urine monitoring.
What is in a bladder stone surgery quote — and what is not
What moves the price
- Diagnostics to confirm and locate stones
- Whether a urinary blockage makes it urgent
- Hospitalization length and aftercare
- Stone analysis and follow-up diet
Usually included in the quote
- Surgery (cystotomy) and anesthesia
- Removal of stones from the bladder
Often billed separately
- Imaging, urinalysis, and bloodwork
- Hospitalization and IV fluids
- Stone analysis, prescription diet, and rechecks
Extra costs to ask about
- Urinalysis, X-rays, or ultrasound
- Bloodwork and IV fluids
- Stone analysis and prescription diet
- Antibiotics and pain medication
General practice, specialist or emergency hospital?
General practice
ACVS says many primary-care vets perform cystotomies. A scheduled cystotomy at a general practice is usually the lowest-cost route.
Specialist / referral hospital
ACVS notes many vets refer urethrotomy, urethrostomy and other complex urinary surgeries to a board-certified surgeon. ACVS also notes that minimally invasive laser lithotripsy needs advanced laser and endoscopic equipment, so it is not offered everywhere.
Emergency hospital
A dog that cannot urinate needs emergency care. Expect ER fees for unblocking and stabilization before the surgery itself.
Estimated cost by clinic type
Medium adult pet, no location adjustment.
| Scenario | Low | Average | High |
|---|---|---|---|
| General practice vet | $1,500 | $2,400 | $4,000+ |
| Specialty surgeon | $2,100 | $3,350 | $5,600+ |
| Emergency clinic | $3,850 | $6,150 | $10,200+ |
Estimated cost by urgency
Medium adult pet at a general practice.
| Scenario | Low | Average | High |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scheduled / planned | $1,500 | $2,400 | $4,000+ |
| Urgent (soon) | $1,900 | $3,000 | $5,000+ |
| Emergency | $2,400 | $3,850 | $6,400+ |
These are our model's estimates, not published prices. See how the multipliers work.
What clinics actually publish
These are prices U.S. clinics list on their own websites for dog bladder stone surgery (cystotomy) or a closely related service. Each one covers something different, so read the "Covers" note before comparing it with the range above or with your own quote.
Shore Pet Surgery · Grasonville, MD
$925
Canine cystotomy (blocked or emergency large dog: $1,375) · Surgery clinic
Covers: Includes the surgery, stone analysis, IV fluids and medications as needed; pre-op bloodwork required for pets over 7, and other costs may apply.
View the clinic's price page · accessed Nov 12, 2026
Holly Vet Clinic · Kenmore & Seattle, WA
$3,000
Cystotomy (bladder stone surgery) · General practice
Covers: Procedure only; X-rays, urinalysis and recovery medications are not included. Species not stated on the page.
View the clinic's price page · accessed Nov 12, 2026
Listed prices are shown for reference only. We are not affiliated with these clinics, prices may have changed since we checked, and many exclude the exam, diagnostics, hospitalization, or medications. See Sources for the full list.
Does location change the price?
The published prices above come from 2 places (Grasonville, MD; Kenmore & Seattle, WA). That is not enough to show a reliable regional pattern for bladder stone surgery, and the prices cover different things, so we do not adjust our range from them. The calculator's location step uses general price levels (BEA Regional Price Parities, all items, 2024). For bladder stone surgery, that moves our typical average of $2,400 to about $2,650 in California and $2,100 in Arkansas. Prices between clinics in the same city often differ by more than that.
Questions to ask your vet about bladder stone surgery
Bring these to the appointment or ask for the answers in writing with your estimate. They are about cost and what is included, not about whether your pet needs treatment.
- Has the stone type been identified, and is dissolving it with diet an option instead of surgery?
- Does the quote include stone analysis and urine culture?
- Are post-op X-rays included to confirm all stones were removed?
- What will the prescription diet and follow-up urine tests cost over the next year?
- If stones are also in the urethra, does that change the procedure and price?
Frequently asked questions
Is bladder stone surgery an emergency?
Will my dog need a special diet after surgery?
What we could not verify
- We found only two published U.S. cystotomy prices, and one does not state the species.
Have a published price or an itemized estimate that would help? Send it to us.
Sources and references
Medical background on this page is paraphrased from the sources below. Price ranges come from our cost model; the published clinic prices above link to each clinic's own page.
- Urinary Stones — American College of Veterinary Surgeons (ACVS). Accessed Nov 12, 2026.
- Urinary Obstruction in Dogs — American College of Veterinary Surgeons (ACVS). Accessed Nov 12, 2026.
Related procedures
Tell us about your pet
Estimating: Bladder stone surgery for a dog