Most dogs who have spay surgery go through the spay incision healing process without problems. It takes time for the incision to heal, which means the dog is on restricted activity for 10 to 14 days after the surgery.
You may notice a small amount of clear serum, or even some blood leaking from the incision post op. This should stop after a day or so. You need to gently clean this from around the incision and watch for any skin irritation.
Some dogs experience “clipper burn” from their hair being shaved and may appreciate some lotion on the red areas. Problems like an infected (red, inflamed) or swollen spay incision should be reported to your veterinarian immediately. As a guideline, consider that:
Minor concerns require observation and reporting to your veterinarian if they worsen. These include:
- Small amount of swelling with no or minimal clear discharge (might be pink tinged)
- Slight red irritation around incision (like clipper burn)
More serious concerns should be reported to your veterinarian. These include:
- Swelling, discharge that might look like pus
- Swelling is red and/or painful
- Fever, not eating well
- Continued bleeding (small amount) from the incision
Emergency concerns mean get to the vet now. Call the veterinarian or emergency clinic immediately to say you’re on your way if you notice:
- Swelling that is painful with an opening to the abdomen palpable
- Gastrointestinal signs such as vomiting or diarrhea
- Incision is open to the abdomen, possibly intestines outside the abdomen
- Non-stop bleeding from the incision
Most dogs come through spay surgery just fine and are back to normal activity and a flat belly in no time. Healing tissues are fragile, however. It is your responsibility to make sure your dog stays quiet. Overexertion can cause a post spay hernia.
Pay attention to the instructions you receive post-surgery, which may include very short leash walks and no running or romping with other dogs. The less movement in the area, the faster the tissues can heal.
Stop Licking or Chewing at the Incision
It is vital to prevent your dog from licking or chewing at the incision. She might remove sutures well before the outer layer is healed, which then allows her access to inner layers too. Your dog’s mouth and saliva are not sterile so she could introduce bacteria into the damaged tissues and cause an abscess.
If licking and chewing lead to infection, your dog will need to go on some antibiotics. She may also need warm compresses to help any abscessed area drain.
Licking and chewing can be stopped in many ways:
- The infamous Elizabethan collar. This is the inexpensive a wide, hard plastic collar we’re all familiar with. It is effective, but dogs tend to not adapt well to them.
- A soft donut-shaped collar. Kind of like a wide pillow around her neck that she can’t reach around.
- A neck brace. Be very careful with fit to be sure your dog sure your dog can’t reach around and still lick or chew.
- A post-surgical suit. These suits look like close-fitting pajamas that protect the incision site from licking and chewing. An inexpensive option is to try a human baby onesie, which will cover the incision and fit closely enough to protect it.
If you choose to use a surgical suit or a onesie, be sure your dog can eliminate without getting the suit soiled, which may entail you unbuttoning it. Most importantly, it should be comfortable for your dog to lie down in, walk around in, and sleep with it on.
Understanding Spay Incision Healing
A spay incision has a multilayer closure. After removing the uterus and ovaries, your veterinarian sutured the abdominal wall, the subcutaneous tissues, and the skin. The skin closure may have obvious sutures or may be closed with subcuticular stitches (you can’t see any sutures with this method). Other options are wound glue, which is not used very often, and skin staples.
Incisions heal side to side and not end to end, so a long incision heals as fast as a short one. Older dogs, chubby dogs, and deep-bodied dogs often require slightly longer incisions for your veterinarian to safely tie off all blood vessels and remove both ovaries and the uterus. Don’t go comparing incision lengths with your friends! It will be different for each dog.
With a perfect recovery, your dog will basically have a flat abdomen. If she gets swelling at the incision site it could be a couple of causes:
A seroma. In this case, the body puts some fluid in the area due to irritation or a mild allergic reaction to the suture materials. In this case, there is no redness, minimal heat or pain associated with the swelling. With time, the fluid will resorb, and your dog will be svelte once more. Warm compresses may be recommended to speed up resorption times.
A post-surgery hernia. This is an uncommon event but requires a veterinary visit ASAP. In this case, the inner suture lines have broken down. That leaves an opening from the abdomen to under the skin. Unfortunately, intestines could be trapped there with serious consequences, especially if they twist and the blood supply is cut off, which can lead to necrotic, dead tissue. Most dogs with a hernia will show pain, many have gastrointestinal upsets, and an opening may be palpable. If the incision totally opens, it is an immediate emergency!
Most Spays Are Simple
If your dog is young with a good weight, and healthy, her recovery will go quickly and smoothly. Even so, I would wait for three to four weeks before doing things like herding sheep or running agility, especially if the dog is older. Remember that your dog has lost some muscle and fitness with the time for surgery recovery, so plan to build her back up a bit.
If your dog’s spay was in conjunction with a C-section, pyometra (infected uterus), or cancer surgery, expect her recovery to be a bit slower. She will most likely be put on antibiotics and may have more extensive restrictions on activity. If she was producing milk, you will need to watch for signs of mastitits: a red, swollen, painful gland; fever; unusual discharge (not normal milk).
