BOAS surgery typically costs between $2,000 and $5,000 for full corrective surgery, with the average for Bulldogs and Pugs landing in the $3,000 to $5,000 range. The final price depends on how many corrections your dog needs, where you live, and whether the surgery is performed at a general practice or a specialty hospital.
What BOAS Surgery Includes
BOAS stands for brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome, the breathing condition common in flat-faced breeds like French Bulldogs, English Bulldogs, Pugs, and Boston Terriers. These dogs are born with shortened skulls, but the soft tissue inside their airways doesn’t shrink to match. The result is narrowed nostrils, an elongated soft palate that blocks airflow, and sometimes everted tissue sacs in the throat that make breathing even harder.
Surgery corrects one or more of these problems. A full procedure typically widens the nostrils, shortens the soft palate, and removes those obstructive tissue sacs if they’re present. Not every dog needs all three corrections, and that’s the single biggest factor in what you’ll pay.
Cost Breakdown by Procedure
If your dog only needs nostril correction (called stenotic nares surgery), costs can start as low as $800 and generally range from $800 to $2,500. This is the simplest fix and can sometimes be done at a general veterinary clinic.
When your dog needs the full combination of nostril widening, palate shortening, and saccule removal, the day-of-surgery cost typically falls between $2,500 and $3,500. That number usually covers the surgeon’s fee, anesthesia, and basic monitoring during recovery.
Complex cases that require advanced surgical techniques or extended hospitalization afterward can push the total close to $4,900. Dogs with severe airway collapse or those that need overnight oxygen monitoring will land on this higher end.
Additional Costs Beyond Surgery Day
The surgical fee isn’t the only expense. Before the procedure, most clinics require a pre-operative evaluation that includes bloodwork and a consultation, often starting around $100. Some cases also call for advanced imaging like a CT scan to map the airway anatomy before the surgeon goes in, which adds several hundred dollars depending on your clinic.
After surgery, flat-faced breeds need careful monitoring because their swollen airways can obstruct more easily under sedation. If your dog stays overnight for observation or needs supplemental oxygen, expect that to add to the bill. Post-operative medications, a follow-up visit, and a recovery cone are smaller but real line items. All told, pre- and post-operative costs can add $200 to $500 or more on top of the surgical fee itself.
Why Prices Vary So Much
Geography matters. Veterinary care in major metro areas like New York, Los Angeles, or San Francisco runs significantly higher than in smaller cities or rural areas. A board-certified veterinary surgeon at a specialty referral hospital will charge more than a general practitioner, but they also handle the most complex cases and have dedicated anesthesia teams experienced with brachycephalic breeds.
The severity of your dog’s condition is the other major variable. A young dog with mildly narrowed nostrils might need a single quick correction. An older Bulldog with a dramatically elongated palate, everted saccules, and years of secondary changes to the airway tissue is a longer, riskier surgery. Less severe cases managed at smaller clinics can fall in the $1,000 to $3,000 range, while the most involved procedures at specialty hospitals approach $5,000.
Is the Surgery Worth the Cost?
The outcomes are strong. In one study tracking dogs after BOAS surgery, 94% of owners reported that the procedure improved their dog’s quality of life. More than half said their dog no longer had breathing issues at all after surgery. And 97% of owners said they would recommend the procedure to other owners of dogs with the same condition.
The improvements also appear to last. Researchers found that the breathing gains measured shortly after surgery held steady over time, with only 1 out of 16 dogs showing any decline in airway function on long-term follow-up. That durability matters because it means the early results you see in your dog are a reliable preview of lasting benefit, not a temporary improvement.
Paying for BOAS Surgery
Pet insurance can cover BOAS surgery if you enrolled your dog before symptoms appeared and the condition wasn’t flagged as pre-existing. If you already have a policy, check whether it covers congenital or hereditary conditions, since many flat-faced breeds are diagnosed with BOAS based on anatomy they were born with. Some insurers exclude brachycephalic airway correction entirely.
If you’re paying out of pocket, veterinary financing options can help spread the cost. CareCredit offers promotional interest-free periods ranging from six to 24 months, though unpaid balances after the promotional window trigger deferred interest charges that can be steep. Scratchpay is another option that doesn’t require a credit check and doesn’t carry deferred interest, making it more predictable. Many veterinary clinics also offer their own in-house payment plans, so it’s worth asking before you schedule.
Some owners choose to address the most urgent correction first (usually the soft palate) and schedule nostril widening as a separate, less expensive procedure later. This can make the financial burden more manageable, though it does mean two rounds of anesthesia and recovery.