My dog has a lump after stitches, looks like a hernia. Avoid surgery?

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! It is possible that he has developed a hernia again and the concern would be that it could be causing him pain and discomfort, especially if he did not like it touched. The other possibility is a seroma which is an accumulation of fluid at the incision site though that seems less likely. I recommend that you have Columbus evaluated by a veterinarian perhaps tomorrow when your veterinarian opens again. If at some point he develops loss of appetite, vomiting or lethargy, have him evaluated sooner. Good luck with your boy!

Hello. There is probably a small piece of suture material that was used to close the tissue under the skin, trying to poke out. Oft times, this will eventually close up on its own, & there is no danger that Max will totally open things up, but it is probably a good idea to show this to the vet that did the surgery just in case an antibiotic is called for. No emergency, just have this looked at in the next few days. Until then, just clean the area gently with a skin antiseptic containing chlorhexidine ( we have Hibiclens here in the US ) 2-3 times a day. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Hi there and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to address your concern. She may have developed a umbilical cyst and not necessarily a hernia. These are typically benign and cause no harm. If you want to be sure of what this is, I would recommend having your veterinarian examine Roxy and this area to help better determine what this could be. Additional testing such as a fine needle aspirate, where the vet inserts a small needle into the lump and looks at the cells under the microscope, can easily be done. I hope this helps! Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further!

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! No, non-dissolving stitches aren’t used UNDER the skin and always dissolve. What is likely happening is that Rocky is reacting to the suture as it breaks down. It happens somewhat often. It takes several months for the suture to dissolve completely. I would warm compress the area and give it time. Watch for secondary infection and any protruding suture. You can always send us a picture as well in another post. Good luck!

Hello, my name is Dr. Shines and I’m happy to help. Yes, I would call the veterinarian and ask about getting Minnie back in for an exam to check the site. This could be a suture reaction, a reoccurrence of the hernia or an infection. Gently press around on the sides of the incision. If it seems painful, you identify any discharge coming out of the incision, or if there are sutures missing from the incision, have Minnie examined today. If Minnie is acting normal, eating well and the incision seems ok, it’s probably fine to wait until Monday unless something worsens. Make sure Minnie is wearing an Elizabethan collar at all times to prevent any licking. Make sure to significantly restrictor activity. No running, jumping, walks or playtime. She needs to be as still as possible. If she moves excessively, she will cause the sutures to tear at the tissue and this will delay healing, cause more swelling and sometimes cause pain. I hope this helps and please feel free to reach out with any additional questions.

Unfortunately i cannot see the picture of it, which would be ideal to give you a specific answer, but I can guess that is a small herniation of muscle/subcutaneous tissue coming through surgical incision (which i guess is healed now) or the result of a chronic inflammation (possibly due to licking the area). In both cases a check up would be required to confirm clinical suspicons and treat appropriately. Hope this answer was helpful, but please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further.

Thanks for visiting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I do see one little scabby area at the lower part of the incision, but otherwise it appears closed and healing well. Just to be on the safe side I would recommend waiting a full another 4-5 days before bathing to allow the scab to fall off. Continue to monitor this area for any discharge or separation of the skin. Also that swelling on the left side should be evaluated by your vet if it doesn’t resolve, just to make sure it isn’t another hernia. Mild suture reactions just below the skin can also cause swelling, which is usually firm and doesn’t depress when pushing down on it. I hope this helps and best wishes with your pet Aspen. Take care.