My dog had neck tumor surgery: post-op care, collar, and walks?

Thank you for the picture. The incision looks like it has healed really well. Yes it is normal to see some scabbing and from the picture, I don't see any obvious signs of infection (redness, swelling, pus). It takes 10-14 days to fully heal an incision so to be safe, I would keep it on for 14 days, then you can remove it. Frequently, vets who do the surgery like a recheck to be safe, so I'd give his vet a call just to check if you need to bring him in or not. I hope this helps!

Hello, thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. If you can keep the E-collar or onesie on him to prevent him from licking it should heal up just fine. Leave the E-collar/onesie on for at least 7-10 days. You do not need to apply anything to the incision; just leave it be. Hope this helps. Best wishes.

I would recommend you check the scrotal area first and make sure it is dry with no discharge or swelling. If none are seen then you can remove it. A week's time should be plenty. If you look at the scrotum and are unsure, feel free to post a photo here and we can try to help you assess it. Hope this helps. Best wishes!

Give pain medication as prescribed by your veterinarian. It is important to make sure that you restrict his activity to short leash walks only (for the purpose of going to the bathroom) for the first week after surgery. Excessive activity such as running jumping or playing will increase the likelihood of complications. Lastly, but most importantly, he must wear an E collar (cone of shame) to prevent him from looking at or biting at the incision. Licking or biting the incision could lead to the incision coming apart and a need for further surgery. It could also lead to the incision becoming infected which could even make him systemically ill. He will need to wear the color for about 7 to 10 days. Thanks for asking Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach !

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Poor Panda! This is a tough situation! With out seeing the extend of the neck wound it is hard to give advice. I would go the pet store and find the bitter apple spray or lick guard and apply in on the skin (not the stitches) near the testicle area to discourage licking. Then I would consider a donut or softer E-collar to prevent rubbing and licking that hopefully won't continue to irritate the neck. But since the throat wound hasn't improved in 4 days you should have Panda rechecked sooner than Thursday. Maybe if it has been 10 days since the surgeries the stitches can be removed then. I hope this helps and feel free to repost with a picture of the neck wound.

I usually suggest leaving the e-collar on for at least 2 weeks to avoid issues with licking. However, depending on the type of surgery Hei Hei had or if there are any complications with healing this time frame could be slightly shorter or longer. It would be best to call the veterinarian who performed the surgery to ask how long they suggest for whatever surgery Hei Hei had. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach and I'm wishing Hei Hei a speedy recovery from surgery!

E-collars are not always necessary post-neuter, but if the vets put it on him, then they may have been particularly worried about him bothering the incision. You can always take the e-collar off and observe him for a while. If he's really attacking the incision, then the e-collar may be best, but you can also try your ideas of keeping it covered. You can also try to spray some anti-licking solution (can find this at the pet store) over the cover for the incision if he is still trying to lick that. Essentially, the point is to keep him from breaking open the incision, so whatever works for preventing this should be fine. I hope that helps and all is well with Rexxy.