Is it normal for a dog to have stitches on his testicles after neuter?

Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I'm not able to see the incision, but what looks like the scrotum. When a dog, especially an older dog who's testicles have developed, is neutered, the scrotum (or the sack that the testicle is in) can have some empty space in it. This is completely normal and can get smaller with time, or stay the same. Unfortunately, Pokey absolutely must keep his collar on at all times, even when he is sleeping. The collar prevents him from biting or licking the area. Not only can he pull out his stitches and hurt himself, but he can actually cause the area to become infected. If he is not comfortable with the cone, you can get him a donut-shaped version that some dogs find more comfortable. It is very important that the collar stays on to avoid complications. I hope this helps!

That depends on your surgeon whether there were internal sutures or not. You can always call them on tomorrow to be sure. But typically for dog neuters we do use internal sutures and skin glue on the outside. As long as the incision doesn't appear to be infected or skin separation at the incision site, then Scooby is likely healing just fine. Thanks for visiting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach and best of luck with your pet Scooby moving forward. Take care!

The testicles are always removed from the scrotum, usually through an incision cranial to (towards the dog’s head) the scrotum. Some vets ligate (tie off) the testicular cord prior to cutting off the testicles without opening the tunic (outer covering) of the spermatic cord and others open it before ligating. The testicles themselves are typically not cut during a neuter.

If his sac looks like it has testicles in it, this is most likely due to swelling from the surgery. This is called a scrotal hematoma, and is fairly common after a [neuter surgery](https://www.petcoach.co/article/benefits-of-neutering-castrating-male-dogs-puppies). The swelling can definitely look like testicles, but it's just fluid and blood clots from the procedure. It should resolve on its own within the next 7-10 days as long as you [keep him calm and quiet](https://www.petcoach.co/article/6-ways-to-rest-your-pet-after-surgery-or-injury) and prevent him from licking at the surgical site by using an [Elizabethan collar (e-collar)](https://www.petcoach.co/article/e-collars-for-cats-dogs-types-of-collars-and-diy-options/). The testicles themselves are removed during the neuter, so they're definitely not still there. If you have any concerns about how it looks, you can always have him rechecked next week with the vet who did his surgery to make sure everything is healing as expected.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Teddy. I suspect that he has been too active and has some post-surgical swelling as a result. When an adult dog is neutered, there is a very high rate of swelling in the scrotum unless the dog is kept very quiet. If he is just too energetic, you may need to request a sedative from his veterinarian. The incision site has mild swelling, but appears to be healing. Be sure to keep him from licking. I hope this information helps!

Since retrieving the retained testicle is a little more invasive than a regular neuter, it's not unusual for there to be some puffiness and a little oozing, especially if he's feeling good and is moving around. If he seems fine otherwise and the site continues to improve, I would keep an eye on it. You may want to call your vet and maybe send them this pic to get their opinion, but I don't see anything to be alarmed about. If he loses his appetite, acts like he's not feeling well, if the site gets red, hot, oozes blood or pus, get him in to see your vet right away.

Scrotal ablation is an elegant way or leaving no extra skin dangling. That way the scrotum also cannot fill with blood or serum which causes prolonged healing. If your dog is already neutered, removing the scrotum now would be an extra surgery. If your vet has removed the scrotum when neutering your dog, it was likely the best decision as healing will be sped up.