My dog has fluid swelling after surgery. Is it normal or needs draining?

It could be that Dana has a seroma, which is a pocket of fluid that forms in empty space. This can be caused by too much activity after surgery. I would have her seen by a vet first thing in the morning. If it is a seroma, it may need to be sterilely drained.

Hopefully it is what is called a seroma, or pocket of draining fluid. This can happen with almost any type of surgery. However, the bigger concern would be if it is an abscess. It would be extremely dangerous to have an infection over the surgery site. I would highly encourage you to have her evaluated by your surgeon or regular veterinarian to make sure there is no sign of infection. Best of luck and I hope she improves soon.

Marley could have a seroma which is a fluid-filled pocket that goes away with time. However, since he recently had surgery, it is best to have your veterinarian look at it to make sure there is no further treatment needed.

FHO surgeries are very invasive and will cause a great deal of trauma and dead-space, so fluid swelling is a common complication. If it is clear fluid, I would not worry too much; but depending on the amount, I may want to take a sample of the fluid to make sure it's not infected. An exploratory surgery would usually not be indicated for this type of complication, unless there is a concern that something (like gauze) was left in the surgical site. I hope that helps.

Hello and thank you for reaching out to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. I'm sorry to hear about Duke's wound, but you did the right thing by seeking veterinary attention! The pocket of fluid may be what is called a seroma, which is a pocket of sterile (non-infected) fluid that can form under the skin where wounds are present. You can try applying a warm compress to the area for 5-10 minutes at a time, 3-4 times a day. I recommend wetting something like a washcloth with warm water (make sure it isn't too hot - ie it should feel comfortable on your own skin), and holding it gently on Duke's swelling. This warmth may help the fluid dissipate and the swelling go down. I would continue the Carprofen as prescribed, and recommend restricting Duke's activity (no jumping/running/playing) to allow his wound to heal properly. If it is in a location he can reach to lick or scratch, I recommend keeping an elizabethan collar (cone) on him at all times. I hope this is helpful!

Larger dogs or dogs that are playful after a procedure can develop a seroma at the incision site. These firm bumps under the skin at the incision and are not painful. Sometimes they can drain and be fluid-filled. They will go away completely as healing takes place, but it may take a little longer than the normal 10 days for healing. It is still there after 2 weeks, begins to ooze any fluid, or gets noticeably larger, then I would have it rechecked. It's unlikely to be a hernia, particularly if it resolves on it's own. For some dogs, warm (not hot) compresses applied a few times per day can be helpful.

Sometimes tumors can become cystic or fluid filled. In some cases we can drain these swellings but oftentimes they will refill. They may take just a day or two to refill, or months, and it is impossible to predict. If your dog is in otherwise good health I would talk to your vet about removing the growth or if they feel uncomfortable doing so, referring you to a veterinary surgeon with more experience removing large growths such as this. They may be willing to drain the swelling at your vet's office, just be warned that it can refill.