There was an unsightly mole on Max’s nose, so his parents had it removed.

Having moles removed isn’t a rare occurrence for humans. But Max isn’t human.

“The dog probably didn’t even know it was there,” said Ryan Crawford, senior in mathematics.

This surgery on his family’s dog was solely cosmetic.

Going beyond the occasional dental care, grooming and regular veterinary visits, cosmetic surgery is a growing trend in the world of household pets.

With doggy day-spas, pet psychics, pet exercise centers, aquarium services, grooming salons and gourmet animal stores popping up all over the country, pet pampering is becoming more rampant, even though it often has a large price tag.

Not all animal procedures are purely cosmetic, however.

Iowa State Small Animal Hospital offers elective cataract surgery, mainly for dogs. After the cataract is removed, lenses are implanted to avoid severe farsightedness.

Vision returns gradually within a day or two of the surgery in patients with the implants. Cataract surgery at Iowa State costs more than $1,500.

Traditional declawing methods can damage nerve endings and blood vessels, but with an Iowa State procedure that uses lasers, nerve endings and blood vessels are sealed, cutting down on pain and severe bleeding.

At Iowa State Small Animal Hospital a traditional declawing costs $59 for two paws and $90 for four. The charge for a laser declawing is about $45 higher.

Michael Conzemius, associate professor of veterinary clinical sciences, developed the first total-elbow replacement joint for dogs.

Arthritis in the elbow joint of a dog is the main cause for elbow joint replacement surgery.

This technology is exclusive to Iowa State.

The average price tag for elbow joint replacement surgery – once it’s widely available – will run from $2,500 to $5,000.

The elbow replacement procedure, combined with aquatic rehabilitation therapy and massage, has been shown to minimize recovery time and allow the dog to return to a normal range of motion and function.

Aquatic rehabilitation is also unique to Iowa State.

The program involves a five-day session of therapeutic massage, stretching and twice-daily swims in a current pool.

“The duration of therapy depends on noticeable improvement of the dog’s range of motion and walking abilities,” said Stanley Wagner, associate professor of veterinary clinical sciences.

“Swimming is a passive, non-weight-bearing exercise for the dog that alleviates strain on the joints.”

Another rehabilitation methods is land-based therapy.

“The most rewarding aspect is being able to see a dog with partial paralysis come in and improve to the point of walking again.” said Joanna Hildreth, veterinary technician with the aquatherapy rehabilitation program.

Land therapy – using doggy treadmills, Physio-roll exercise balls and other land exercises – combined with aquatherapy can return the patient’s full-range motion.

“We were able to rehabilitate a Giant Schnauzer from a torn Achilles tendon, and the dog then went on to win a world dog championship.” Hildreth said. “His owner was ecstatic.”

The replacements combined with the luxuries of aesthetic surgery ensure that animals’ owners will continue to provide them with a happy, healthy life.