Spay incision infection?

Question

My pup got spayed on Oct. 31st. Just this past Wednesday night (exactly two weeks post op), I noticed her incision was red and swollen on one end. It looked like there was a hard lump under it and I could tell it was bugging her. I brought her to the vet on Thursday morning and they put her on antibiotics and benadryl. Her incision looked absolutely perfect before this, you could barely even see where it was. When I asked what could have caused it, he said he wasn't sure and said "sometimes it just happens". Has this happened to anyone else?? I'm hoping when she heals this time, it's for good!

He prescribed the benadryl because she was itching. I'll stop it though and see how she does.

Answer 1

It is not uncommon for the internal sutures to cause an allergic reaction, then a fluid "bubble" (the hard lump) forms under the skin, and an infection can start. The round of antibiotics should do the trick and your vet put her on Benedryl to ease the reaction (she is most likely itchy at the incision site) to the stitches.

You should be seeing a great improvement as the day goes on today. The redness and swelling should subside quickly, the fluid sac can take a little longer. Sometimes the sac creates scar tissue (bodies defenses), so I would not be surprised it the lump takes a few more days.

ADD: I would advise you to not stop the Benedryl. If the area starts to itch again (reaction to those sutures) your girl will only aggrivate the incision site more, making the infection worse. Keep her on the Benedryl for at least 2 more days.

Answer 2

Infected Spay Incision

Answer 3

If she continues to lick at the suture line it will become infected. Do not allow her to do this. I'm sure the vet didn't say it was okay for her to lick at the incision. If you cannot keep her from doing so you need to get to the pet store and get her an elizabethan collar. It is also important that she isn't too active. Leash walk only no running, jumping etc. even though the Metacam makes her feel like she can do these things, she should not. The reaction you're describing could just be from the suture material but very well could be caused by her licking. Good luck.

Answer 4

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It can wait until tomorrow. The vet should do a suture check for free. Don't let her lick it at all. Her tongue is washing away all the beneficial, natural healing elements, and it's causing irritation. Because it's hard and red, I think it's either infection or suture reaction. Some animals are allergic to the material the sutures are made out of. It's harmless, and probably, the vet won't even remove them, but it's still scary looking. Hernias won't usually be hard. They'll feel squishy. At least at first. If they become constricted or infected, then they get hard. If that was the case the pup would be VERY sick, screaming in pain, and vomiting. You'd know if this was a problem. Note: DO NOT use peroxide!!! Peroxide kills growing cells that are trying to close the wound. Don't fuss with it at all.

Answer 5

It's not uncommon that surgical incisions become infected,despite all attempts to prevent this but you did the right thing in taking her back and having the vet prescribe her treatment for it.
So long as she leaves the area alone and doesn't over lick at the area or pick at her stitches,it should heal thoroughly this time although she may well be leaved with a little internal scar tissue which hardens over the time but is perfectly normal.
Just keep an eye on it and continue on the treatment until all completed,if you're still worried,go back to the vet.

Answer 6

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RE:
Spay incision infection?
My pup got spayed on Oct. 31st. Just this past Wednesday night (exactly two weeks post op), I noticed her incision was red and swollen on one end. It looked like there was a hard lump under it and I could tell it was bugging her. I brought her to the vet on Thursday morning and they put her on...

Answer 7

Vet Tech is absolutely correct. The antibiotic is for the infection, the Benedryl is for the itching. It is NOT a good idea to take her off the Benedryl unless you want to buy an e-collar and put her through that discomfort.

As long as the area in question does not get larger in size or more red, then just provide lots of TLC and monitor her progress.

Good luck!

Answer 8

Incisions can get infected from alot of things. It really isn't that rare to have this happen. Dogs like to lick their wounds, and if she was doing this constantly, she could have caused the infection. The antibiotic will take care of it just fine.

I have had two spayed females get this, one because of disgustingly dirty conditions in the shelter she was spayed in, and one from constant licking. Neither one even has a scar you can see.

Answer 9

It looked fine because the infection was on the inside. Now it's working its way to the outside. She should heal right up with the antibiotics. I've never heard of Benadryl for infection either unless it's to cut down on inflammation but there are better medications for that.
I'd think about a different vet next time or ask this one why he prescribed Benadryl.

Answer 10

Yep, sometimes this does 'just happen' but never for no reason. Could the dog have licked the wound at all? Has her exercise been suitably limited since she had the op? It's most commonly one of these two reasons, but it can also be due to poor sterile practices in theatre. I am NOT saying this is what happened, I'm just giving you some of the options. Just finish the course of antibiotics and do what the vet says.

Chalice