CBX Pet Care coordinates orthopedic surgery for dogs in Tijuana at 65–80% below San Diego specialty prices. TPLO from $800. FHO from $600. Luxating patella correction from $500. Same-day service — drop off in National City or Chula Vista in the morning, pick up the same afternoon. You never cross the border.
A torn cranial cruciate ligament. A hip that needs the femoral head removed. A kneecap that keeps slipping out of position. Orthopedic diagnoses in dogs are some of the most common — and some of the most expensive — conditions that San Diego pet owners face.
The San Diego average for TPLO surgery runs $4,000 to $7,000. FHO runs $2,500 to $4,500. Luxating patella correction runs $2,000 to $4,000. For a medium-sized dog that needs bilateral TPLO — both knees, common in Labs, golden retrievers, and rottweilers — you are looking at $8,000 to $14,000 in San Diego specialty fees alone, before physical therapy or follow-up imaging.
CBX Pet Care exists for exactly this situation. Our partner surgical clinics in Tijuana perform TPLO, FHO, fracture repair, and luxating patella correction using the same surgical hardware and techniques as board-certified orthopedic surgeons in the US — at 65–80% less. The same-day service model means your dog leaves your hands in the morning and comes home the same afternoon.
TPLO is the most common and most effective repair for cranial cruciate ligament (CCL) rupture in dogs — the canine equivalent of an ACL tear. The procedure changes the biomechanics of the stifle (knee) joint by cutting and repositioning the tibial plateau, eliminating the need for the CCL entirely. TPLO is preferred over lateral suture repair for most medium and large breed dogs because it restores near-normal joint function with lower long-term complication rates.
The TPLO procedure involves general anesthesia, a bone cut (osteotomy) with specialized instrumentation, repositioning of the tibial plateau to the target angle (typically 5–6 degrees), and stabilization with a bone plate and screws. Recovery involves strict controlled exercise for the first 8–10 weeks, with gradual return to activity over 3–4 months.
CBX pricing for TPLO: $800–$1,500, compared to $4,000–$7,000 in San Diego.
FHO removes the femoral head — the ball portion of the ball-and-socket hip joint — to eliminate the painful bone-on-bone contact caused by conditions like Legg-Calve-Perthes disease, severe hip dysplasia, or hip fractures that cannot be repaired. The body responds by forming a fibrous false joint (pseudarthrosis) over time, which provides comfortable range of motion in most dogs.
FHO is particularly effective in cats and small to medium breed dogs, and is an alternative for large breeds when the cost or complexity of total hip replacement is not feasible. Recovery typically involves physical therapy-style exercises starting at 2–3 weeks post-surgery, with full functional recovery expected at 3–6 months.
CBX pricing for FHO: $600–$1,000, compared to $2,500–$4,500 in San Diego.
Patellar luxation — a kneecap that repeatedly slides out of its groove — is common in small and toy breeds (Chihuahuas, Pomeranians, Yorkshire Terriers, Maltese) but occurs in larger breeds too. Grade III and Grade IV luxation, where the patella rarely or never sits correctly, typically requires surgical correction to prevent chronic pain and secondary joint damage.
Surgical correction may involve deepening the trochlear groove (trochleoplasty), repositioning the tibial tuberosity attachment, and/or tightening the joint capsule on the appropriate side. The specific technique depends on the grade and direction of luxation and your dog’s anatomy. Recovery is similar to TPLO — strict exercise restriction for 6–8 weeks followed by gradual return to normal activity.
CBX pricing for luxating patella correction: $500–$900, compared to $2,000–$4,000 in San Diego.
Traumatic fractures — from car accidents, falls, or dog-fight injuries — often require surgical stabilization with plates, pins, screws, or external fixators. The specific hardware and technique depends on the fracture location, type, and your dog’s size and age. Our surgical partners have experience with long bone fractures (radius, ulna, femur, tibia) and joint-involving fractures.
CBX pricing for fracture repair varies significantly based on complexity. Your coordinator will obtain a specific estimate from the clinic based on your dog’s X-rays before you book.
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CBX orthopedic surgeries follow the same-day appointment model. Your dog is dropped off at one of our meeting points in National City or Chula Vista between 7:00 and 9:00 AM. The coordinator transports them to the surgical clinic in Tijuana — approximately 30–45 minutes from the meeting point.
On arrival, the surgical team performs a physical examination and reviews any existing records or imaging you have sent. Pre-anesthetic bloodwork is drawn and assessed before induction. Once the results confirm your dog is a safe anesthesia candidate, induction begins.
Before the first incision, you receive the check-in call. The veterinary surgeon explains the planned procedure, confirms what the pre-surgical exam found, and answers your questions. You approve the surgery before it starts.
After surgery, your dog is monitored in the recovery area until fully awake with stable vitals. Multi-parameter monitoring continues through recovery — heart rate, blood pressure, oxygen saturation, and temperature are tracked until the veterinarian clears your dog for transport.
The return crossing into the US requires a microchip (ISO 11784/11785) and CDC Dog Import Form — both handled by your coordinator. Your dog is back at the meeting point, typically between 1:00 and 4:00 PM.
A TPLO bone plate implanted at a Tijuana clinic operates exactly like a TPLO bone plate implanted at a San Diego specialty hospital — because it is the same product. Our surgical partners use titanium implants and orthopedic hardware manufactured to the same ASTM standards as implants used in US veterinary hospitals. The mechanical properties of titanium do not change based on the country of surgery.
Anesthesia at our partner clinics uses isoflurane or sevoflurane with multi-parameter monitoring: electrocardiogram, pulse oximetry, blood pressure, capnography (CO2), and temperature. These are the same parameters monitored at UCSD Veterinary Care, VCA, or any San Diego specialty hospital. Emergency drugs and reversal agents are on hand.
All surgical procedures are performed in dedicated surgical suites, not general treatment rooms. Post-operative X-rays confirm implant placement before the patient leaves the surgical suite.
Orthopedic recovery takes months, not days. CBX handles the surgical day — post-surgical recovery management is a collaboration between you and your San Diego veterinarian. Before your dog comes home, the checkout call covers:
X-ray images are returned on USB. Your San Diego veterinarian can use these to monitor healing at follow-up appointments without needing to take new films immediately. The surgical report from our partner clinic is in English and details implant type, size, tibial plateau angle achieved (for TPLO), and intraoperative findings.
Your coordinator confirms pre-surgery instructions when you book, but standard preparation includes:
Yes. The cost difference is not about cutting corners on equipment, hardware, or surgical technique — it is about the cost of operating a veterinary practice in Tijuana versus San Diego. Rent, staff salaries, insurance, and overhead are a fraction of what San Diego specialty clinics carry. Those savings pass directly to you. The titanium plate, the bone saw, the isoflurane, and the monitoring equipment are the same. See our full pricing breakdown for more detail.
For TPLO and complex fractures, yes — ideally. Pre-existing X-rays allow the surgeon to plan the procedure precisely before the appointment, which reduces operating time and improves accuracy. If you do not have X-rays yet, our partner clinic can take them on the day of the appointment, but sharing them in advance is strongly preferred for orthopedic cases. Email them to [email protected] when you request your estimate.
Bilateral TPLO — both knees in one surgery — is possible but depends on your dog’s size, age, overall health, and the surgeon’s assessment. Some veterinarians prefer to stage bilateral procedures 6–8 weeks apart to allow partial recovery on the first leg before operating on the second. Our coordinators can discuss this during your estimate call. Bilateral in a single day is sometimes appropriate; it is not a one-size-fits-all decision.
Yes, and we recommend it. The surgical report from the Tijuana clinic is in English. We can email it directly to your San Diego veterinarian if you provide their contact information at the checkout call. Your San Diego vet can then monitor recovery, adjust medications, and order follow-up X-rays with full knowledge of what was done.
Post-surgical physical therapy is available through many San Diego veterinary rehabilitation clinics. CBX Pet Care handles the surgical day; your San Diego vet and any rehabilitation therapist you work with handle the recovery phase. The checkout call and discharge paperwork give your rehabilitation team everything they need to design an appropriate recovery program.
Complications during orthopedic surgery are uncommon but possible, as they are in any surgical setting. Our partner clinics are equipped to manage intraoperative complications — anesthesia events, unexpected bleeding, implant fit issues — on-site. You are contacted immediately if any complication changes the scope of the procedure. See our safety and complication protocols for a detailed explanation of how we handle complications.
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Last updated: April 2026
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