Beyond Pets Animal Hospital · Marietta, GA
Cystotomy: bladder stone surgery
Typical cost at Beyond Pets: Cystotomy (bladder-stone removal): $2,194.66–$2,528.32.
Understand when bladder stone surgery may help, what the procedure involves, and how to plan for your pet’s recovery.
Appointment-only. Same-day appointments are usually available — call to confirm today’s openings.
What it is
A cystotomy is surgery to open the bladder and remove stones that cannot be dissolved or passed. Bladder stones form when minerals in urine crystallise and clump. Some types can be dissolved with a prescription diet; others cannot, and some cause a blockage that is an emergency.
When it is recommended
Your veterinarian may recommend a cystotomy when:
- Stones are visible on X-ray or ultrasound and are too large to pass
- The stone type is one that diet cannot dissolve
- Your pet is straining, passing blood, urinating frequently in small amounts, or cannot urinate
- Repeated urinary infections keep returning because stones are harbouring bacteria
Straining with no urine produced is an emergency. Difficulty breathing, severe bleeding, most pets hit by a car, or straining with no urine produced need emergency care. Contact an emergency hospital directly. Do not wait for an appointment at Beyond Pets or a callback. Emergency hospitals: calls & directions.
What happens
Your pet is anaesthetised. We open the abdomen, open the bladder, remove every stone we can find, flush the bladder and urethra to clear fragments, then close in layers. Stones are sent for analysis, because the type determines what prevents the next one.
Bloodwork before anaesthesia, and imaging after surgery to confirm nothing was left behind, are part of how we do this — a stone left in the urethra causes the same problem again within weeks.
Recovery
Discharge timing depends on your pet’s condition. Our team will explain the home-care plan and whether referral is needed.
- First 24–48 hours. Some blood in the urine is expected and fades over a few days. Straining or frequent small attempts to urinate are common early and should ease, not worsen.
- Days 1–14. Leash walks only for bathroom trips. No running, jumping, stairs where avoidable, off-lead exercise, baths or swimming. An e-collar stays on until the incision is checked.
- Recheck at 10–14 days to assess the incision and remove sutures or staples if they are not buried.
- Back to normal activity at around two weeks, once the incision has been checked.
If your pet cannot pass urine, contact an emergency hospital directly. For other recovery concerns, call the treating team. Emergency hospitals: calls & directions.
If a stone was removed, its laboratory analysis usually returns within one to two weeks and often changes the diet or preventive plan — that follow-up matters as much as the surgery, because stone type drives whether they come back.
Preventing the next one
Stone analysis drives prevention, and it is the part owners most often skip. Depending on the type, that may mean a prescription diet, increased water intake, treating an underlying infection, or periodic imaging to catch a new stone while it is small.
Frequently asked
Will the stones come back? Some types recur readily, others rarely. The analysis result is what tells us which, and prevention is built around that answer rather than around a general rule.
Can diet dissolve them instead? Sometimes. It depends entirely on the stone type, and it is not an option when a stone is causing an obstruction — that needs surgery without delay.
Is my pet too old for this? Age is not a disease. What matters is organ function and anaesthetic risk, which is what the pre-anaesthetic bloodwork assesses.
What this page does not cover
Referral-level and specialist procedures are assessed case by case. If your pet's situation needs capability we do not have in-house, we will tell you and refer.
Plan for the cost of care.
Prices are subject to change; the final estimate is provided at the exam. We’ll discuss the recommended care and your estimate before treatment.
Cystotomy (bladder-stone removal)
$2,194.66–$2,528.32
standard bladder-stone-removal case. Includes: preoperative testing, anesthesia and monitoring, routine medications, procedure-appropriate routine pathology, routine rechecks. Please note: the final client estimate is examination-dependent.
Patient needs, case complexity, additional diagnostics or treatment, and complications can change the estimate. A typical range is not a complication ceiling.
Explore all veterinary prices · Payment options
How is the final cost determined?
Cystotomy (bladder-stone removal): $2,194.66–$2,528.32. Prices are subject to change; the final estimate is provided at the exam. Patient needs, case complexity, additional diagnostics or treatment, and complications can change the estimate. Review payment options before treatment.
How will my pet’s recovery be planned?
Recovery timing depends on your pet and the procedure. Your veterinarian will explain the home-care, activity and recheck plan for your pet; follow that individual plan rather than a fixed return-to-activity date.
Let’s talk about your pet.
We’ll help you choose the right appointment and explain the next step.
Assessment, estimate and preparation
The team will assess whether the procedure is appropriate here or whether referral is needed. Call 770-971-1556 to discuss an assessment. Bring relevant records and medication details.
Review the condition, procedure and recovery guidance below. The treating veterinarian will provide your individual preparation, activity and recheck instructions. Recovery ranges are guidance, not a promised outcome. View veterinary prices.