Why is my dog's incision bruising worse after cystotomy surgery?

Yes, bruising can be very normal as long as it is not severe or progressive. This amount of bruising is normal and usually caused by little vessels in the skin that bleed during surgery. I would monitor the area closely and the bruising should start to improve over the next few days. Contact your veterinarian if it is progressive or if your dog has any heat, swelling, or discharge from the incision.

I would get her back in to see your vet as soon as possible. Some bleeding is normal after a cystotomy, but this does sound concerning. If she is not making any progress in other ways, such as having a good appetite, feeling like moving around, if she is vomiting or has diarrhea, I would get her seen right away. If she seems to be recovering well otherwise, aside from the blood, then getting her rechecked isn't quite so urgent.

Unfortunately it's difficult to tell in your picture - there are multiple areas that appear discolored but I think it might just be the picture. If there are bruises that are not associated with an incision I'd recommend taking Jett to see a veterinarian - bruising can be a sign of a clotting disorder. If the bruising is right around the incision there might not be quite as much concern, although it would be quite delayed. If Jett is painful or the bruising around the incision is progressing I'd recommend seeing a vet.

That looks fine for soon after surgery. If he licks at his incision, you should get him a cone to keep him from paying too much attention to it and delaying healing or opening it back up. The bruising is not unusual and should fade over the next few days. Keep him from running, jumping, crate him or confine him in a small room if need be. He should go out on a leash only just to potty and then back inside. He can be out with you if you're home and able to keep an eye on him. After a week to ten days of restricted activity he should be ready to resume his normal routine.

For a urinalysis, we usually draw urine directly from the bladder by inserting a needle through the abdomen. It's difficult to see exactly where this bruising is, but it appears to be where the needle would have been inserted and is likely the reason for the bruising. The needle can cause some damage and leaking of local blood vessels, which will give this bruise appearance. If Wolfgang is otherwise acting normal, then I would not be concerned about this. If Wolfgang seems to be acting sick, or the bruising appears to be getting larger, then I would be more concerned and recommend a visit to the emergency vet. I hope that helps and Wolfgang gets better soon.

This sounds normal to me, bruising like colors are common after a surgery, as long as it doesn't look inflamed or infected there is nothing to worry about. The knot will go down eventually as well, it can take 4 to 6 weeks.

Hello and thank you for reaching out to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. The purple areas look like bruising that likely occurred due to trauma/pinching of the area during surgery. Bruising can worsen during the first 2-3 days following a procedure, so this is not abnormal to see at this time for Molly. This bruising should start to improve after another 1-2 days. I definitely recommend keeping Molly's Elizabethan collar (E-collar) on AT ALL TIMES until her sutures are removed by your veterinarian to prevent her from licking at the area and causing trauma/increasing the risk of an incisional infection. If the bruising worsens after day 3-4 post-op, and/or you notice yellow/thick, foul-smelling discharge, and/or if any of the sutures seem to have fallen out, I recommend having Molly seen by your veterinarian right away. Otherwise, I recommend monitoring the area and keeping her E-collar on. Best of luck with Molly - and THANK YOU for spaying your pet!