My kitten has a lump after hernia surgery. Is it normal 4 days later?

This sounds like it is likely a seroma (a fluid pocket under the skin), or a tissue reaction to the suture material - both of these are quite common in cats after spay surgery, and should not cause any serious problems. Less commonly, the swelling could be caused by an infection or even a hernia. If Leia is acting normal (eating and drinking fine, playful, etc.), you can monitor the bump until it's time for her stitches to be removed. Applying a warm compress like a warm wet washcloth to the area 2-3 times a day can help the swelling to resolve faster, as well as restricting her activity as much as possible. If Leia is acting very lethargic or not eating, or if there is any bleeding or yellow-green discharge from the bump, these may be signs of infection - in that case, I would take her to the vet today for an exam and antibiotics or other medication if needed.

Hello. This incision looks normal for a week after surgery. Some swelling like you are seeing is normal especially if they are active and playing. It is normally just some inflammation of the muscle wall and subcutaneous tissue. It can take a few weeks for this to resolve and flatten out, but it will.

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Monitor for an redness, drainage, increase in swelling or pain along the incision. Not eating or lethargy are also signs to watch for. This may be a suture reaction, an inflammatory reaction to the sutures used. If concerned you may want to call the shelter to find out if their vet or technician offers rechecks of their surgical patients.

Hi there and thank you for using pet coach to address your concern. This lump could be scar tissue and maybe due to a suture reaction from the stitches. This may also be a hernia but it is hard to tell. If it is firm, it is likely not a hernia and likely to be scar tissue. This is not contagious so I would not be concerned about transmission to your other cat. It would be best if a veterinarian examined this to ensure it is not a hernia. If it is scar tissue, it may reduce over time but could remain there for a long period of time if not forever. I hope this helps guide you in the right direction. Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further.

Hello there! There are a couple of things that come to mind with a hardened area at the spay site. The first and most common issue I can think of may be inflammation from a localized suture reaction at the incision site. When Soy was spayed, the vet most likely used a layer of absorbable stitches in her abdominal muscles below the skin. These stitches are meant to absorb over time (anywhere from 90-220 days, depending on the type of suture) and don't usually cause any problem, but sometimes the body's immune system reacts against this foreign material and causes swelling. This is not usually a medical concern unless the swelling is hot, red, or appears to be bothering Soy. If you see any of these symptoms, you should bring her to the vet as this may indicate an infection. It may take many weeks to go away - if you are at all concerned about Soy's well-being, feel free to give the vet that spayed her a call. If Soy will let you, placing a warm compress against the area for 10 minutes a day can also help reduce the swelling. There is also the possibility that this lump is a cyst or tumor, but this is much less likely considering Soy's young age. Good luck, and I hope Soy's lump goes away soon!

It is not likely to be a retained kitten if she had [a normal delivery](https://www.petcoach.co/article/queening-giving-birth-in-cats) and is behaving normally otherwise (no [vomiting](https://www.petcoach.co/cat/condition/vomiting/), [diarrhea](https://www.petcoach.co/cat/condition/diarrhea/), [loss of appetite](https://www.petcoach.co/article/why-isnt-my-cat-eating), discharge, etc.). It may be a hernia, but your veterinarian will need to make the diagnosis after a physical exam. If it is a hernia, a repair may be done if you decide to have her spayed. [Spaying](https://www.petcoach.co/article/spaying-ovariohysterectomy-the-benefits-in-cats) would strongly be recommended if she is not breeding stock or a show cat. This would prevent accidental or unwanted litters in the future. Spaying also decreases the risk of mammary gland tumors (breast cancer) and eliminates the risk of a pyometra (uterine infection) later in life.

Coco may be having a suture reaction. A hernia repair has a three layer closure and the body must break down each layer of those sutures. Sometimes you can see swelling afterwards. Restricting Coco’s activity will help so that it does not pull so much on the tissue which causes additional inflammation. If you are noticing that it is still swelling and getting bigger, I recommend have Coco checked out again to make sure the hernia has not reoccurred. It never hurts to have the area palpated by the veterinarian. I hope this is helpful and please feel free to post any additional questions.