There will be slight redness and swelling, slight bruising, and perhaps light pink or clear discharge as the wound heals. A healthy incision should not have a smell at all. Her pupils may also be in a slightly dilated state. Her pupils may also be in a slightly dilated state. In the second picture, the incision is beginning to open up. Thank you, Denise! This dog will need another surgical procedure to debride the wound, and it will need to heal by second intention: The most common cause of infection is self-trauma of the incision by licking and chewing. In most cases, the little ones recover a lot faster than adults. If you decide to spay your cat, it is important that you monitor your cats spay incision to make sure it is not infected. These are the most common signs of infection: 1. Inflammation is totally normal, of course, since its the bodys response to trauma, and it is working to heal it. Look for a 2- to 4-inch straight cut with edges raised and closed in addition to some redness. The incision should normally be clean and the edges should be touching each other. But as the days went by they're surgeries were healing very nicely. 1. Are these things related. A seroma is a large lump which forms at a surgical site such as the middle of a cat's tummy when there is a gap left in the subcutaneous fat layer. Spot clean and/or dry bathe the wound, then cover with bandage and tape. A healing wound should be dry, with no seepage of fluid from the incision. It is not harmful, and most of the fluid will become absorbed by the body without intervention. The short answer is yes. For a routine dog neuter, a single incision is made directly in front of the testicles and scrotum. Initially, the skin swells and reddens and may even show signs of bruising. *. During the first 24 to 48 hours, it can be normal for the incision to be slightly inflamed or swollen. If you notice redness or swelling, it could be a sign of infection. Although spay incisions can look a bit lumpy during healing, a single, prominent lump can also indicate infection. The Healing Process E-collars may only be removed when directly supervised with eyes on your dog at all times. Spaying at a young age prevents mammary cancer and spaying at any age prevents unwanted kittens, noisy heat cycles, and possibly even urine marking in the house. First time having your female cat spayed? . - but once they hit adulthood they age at around four-times as fast as humans. The Adorable Adventures of a 3 Week Old French Bulldog, Is Dawn Dish Soap Safe For Dogs? As any concerned pet parent, youll want to ensure that your dogs spay surgery incision is healing properly, right? So, prepare a quiet isolation room or fenced-off area for your spayed cat to recover from her surgery. Buying a horse is no simple feat. Absolutely loved your Avatar reference! There are five common symptoms of inflammation: Swelling Pain Redness Heat Immobility or loss of function Inflammation is the body's equivalent of calling for backup. Severe infections may need to be surgically addressed and cleaned. If your cats spay scar looks like one of these pictures below, you should consult your vet immediately. Infected incisions will take a prolonged time to heal as bacterial contamination will prevent normal healing. Its essential to know the signs of infection or ripped stitches, however, for proper care! Cones and E-Collars. While there will be some swelling and heat in the first 24-48 hours, of course, it should be going down and reducing, not the other way, as time goes on. You can see the skin is mildly swollen, which is normal. The wound may look bruised and may have minor blood-tinged fluid seepage. Chronic corticosteroid use: Animals that are on corticosteroids long-term may have delayed wound healing and be more at risk for wound healing failure and infection. Incisions can also be closed with the sutures buried under the skin so that they are not visible. I joined the Council to be able to reach and educate more people on the joy of having a pet dog. By decreasing the hormone, your dog. Its been hard to keep her as quiet as she should be. Keep a cone or e-collar on at all times to prevent chewing, scratching, or licking. Benefits vs. Risks. When this is done, the skin may be closed with tissue glue. Your vet may prescribe anti-itching cream or aloe vera to aid with healing. Protein in Pet Food: How Important is It? 159 reviews of Simi Valley Non-Profit Spay & Neuter Clinic "Everyone was super nice. Dr. Simons is an Emergency and Critical Care resident veterinarian at 'Cornell University Veterinary Specialists', a 24/7 Emergency and Critical Care Facility in Connecticut. A dogs spay incision will look slightly different from one dog to another, but it should look like a straight line on her shaved tummy with slight swelling. DIY and store-bought alternatives, if the plastic pet cone doesnt work for your cat. The fur will have regrown after a couple of months, and, at this point, the scar will no longer be visible. RF2F7GBD7 - Sad looking cat wearing cone after operation, lying on a blanket at the veterinary clinic, surgery wound healing process,recovering pet. Do continue to put your rabbit on cage rest for a few more days and monitor for any incision licking though. While this could be from licking the wound, the most common cause is being too active. What a difference, Im not alone! Discharge, red streaks, and malodor can occur with infection, complicating the dog spay incision healing process. Scratching presents a problem through the potential creation of cuts and abrasions; it may cause infection or broken stitches. The information on this website is meant for general education only, and is not a substitute for veterinary care. Dog Tail Docking: 5 Dangers of This Procedure (Based on Science). Avoid bathing and swimming for at least a month after the spay, if not longer. Pet Insurance Waiting Periods All You Need To Know. You may see scabbing or crusting develop, which is how the body heals wounds in a normal fashion. The lump takes longer to go away if your cat jumps and zooms around the house. As a responsible horse owner, its key to understand the common vital signs of your equine companion, especially throughout the taxing summer months. 2 Look for signs of infection. As time passes you have to keep supervision on the healing process for any kind of discharge, redness, or swelling. I had Mirage spayed on the 31st last month at one of those "low cost" clinics - I could NOT afford the $350 USD that every other place was asking for, so we didn't have a choice - and I knew that the care would be close to sub-standard. If your cat has a special marking on her abdomen area, dont worry itll grow back at the exact same spot, too! (original graphic by marvistavet.com) SECONDARY INTENTION If the wound cannot be closed with sutures (it is too big, there is too much tension on the wound margins pulling them apart, the wound is too infected etc. If you have multiple cats, its best to separate the spayed cat from the group during her recovery. As Amazon Associates, we may earn from qualifying purchases. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. In a blink of an eye, a dog can chew open its incision or introduce bacteria. Your vet will provide more details about your dog's specific procedure and how it affects incision healing. EmilyF421. The brown on the skin is iodine: The picture below shows a healing incision. It is not a good idea to put anything on your dogs spay incision unless directed to do so by your vet. Please remember you will be responsible for any costs incurred if your pet is treated at one of . What Is the Typical Postoperative Care? Some incisions will need to be re-opened and left to heal by the formation of granulation tissue. here aremany benefitsto spaying your dog. Check the incision site daily for the next seven (7) days. An easy way to tell if a dog is female is to look for a spay scar. Day 1 to Day 3 - Freshly stitched, the incision looks like a wrinkly line. To help you provide the best recovery care for your cat, this article covers: So, youve made a vet appointment and sent your cat for her spay. Pain medication and antibiotics will likely decrease the potential for some of the spay above surgery complications. Your email address will not be published. A condition will make the incision site red and hot to the touch. Some amount of swelling during the dog spay healing process is normal. Read more about us. Chronic antibiotic use: Animals that are on long-term antibiotics or multiple types of antibiotics are at risk for developing multi-drug resistant bacteria. A seroma appears as swelling at the surgical site, and this can occur during the recuperation period that follows any surgical procedure. Thanks for the reassurance. It is always best to be overly cautious because incisional infections can become disastrous if left unattended. If the incision does become wet or dirty, lightly dab it clean with a moist, clean paper towel. See disclosure in sidebar. And its a spot on description! In the picture below, you can see the difference between inflamed skin and normal healing areas. Also, try to prevent activity as much as you canproper rest can fend off seromas. The incision heals from the sides, not the ends. They will perform a thorough examination of your dog and ensure they are not feeling unwell. Youre welcome, Crystal! Skin that has a light red or pink hue near your cat's incision is normal early in the healing process. Poorly healing wounds are at a greater risk of infection. This includes sponge baths unless otherwise directed by your vet. Licking the surgical site traumatizes the skin and introduces oral bacteria into the wound. Seven common questions related to the spay healing process (and answers thereto). It is now up to you to make sure the incision heals properly. If your cat slips out of the pet cone, or is in distress from wearing it, the later section also covers store-bought alternatives and DIY recovery suits to use during your cats spay recovery. Following spay/neuter surgery, your pet will require time and a little extra attention to ensure their body properly heals. Restrict your dog's activity for a period of 7-14 days, to allow the incision to begin healing. Your vet will give you some great information on doing that, but here are some general tips to help you do even more at home! As always, seek veterinary advice before applying aloe. Are you planning on a new journey to become a pet sitter? Yes, modern-day spay procedures have sutures and stitches that will dissolve after about one week. 2. 6: Do not touch the incision: Touching the incision with your fingers can also introduce bacteria, so try to limit contact as much as possible. After we got back home, Little Sister wriggled her way out of it within 10 minutes. Denise Lim is a freelance writer. I made this website with the purpose of writing everything I know about cats in order to answer all of your cat questions. Licking her spay incision can have many complications, including tearing out sutures or stitches and introducing bacteria right to the incision site. Once the wound has closed and nearly healed, bandages may no longer be necessary. PetPlace may be compensated when you click on or make a purchase using the links in this article. Do Not Let Your Cat Lick the Incision This post-spay complication does not show up immediately after your dog's surgery. You can see to the left, the other half of the incision is pretty healed up. Typically, a spay will heal in 10-14 days. Spaying is, after all, an invasive surgery. The information on this website is intended for entertainment purposes only and does not constitute professional, medical, veterinary, or healthcare advice or diagnosis, and may not be used as such. Im glad to hear that the soft collars work for your cat. Talk to your vet before starting surgery if you're worried about an adverse reaction or if you know your dog has reacted to anaesthesia previously. Many incisions can take several weeks to heal.