My dog has deep red bruises after spay surgery. Is this normal?

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.

Ghese are subcutaneous hemorrhages (bleeding under the skin). Your dog may have a problem with blood coagulation, I suggest you take her back to your vet for a recheck. It is likely nothing to worry about provided these areas do not get bigger. If you feel that the dark areas are indeed increasing in number and size you will need to take Blue to your vet right away.

It does happen that some dogs will have a small amount of discharge from the vagina [after being spayed](https://www.petcoach.co/article/surgery-on-your-pet-what-to-expect-before-and-after-the-pro). If your dog is behaving otherwise, I would advise you to monitor her at home. However, if she is lethargic, weak, has pale gums or is passing a large amount of blood, you should take her back to your veterinarian or to the nearest veterinary ER immediately. [Rest her](https://www.petcoach.co/article/6-ways-to-rest-your-pet-after-surgery-or-injury) as mush as possible to aid in recovery.

It is certainly concerning that Momote has significant abdominal bruising after her spay and that it has been getting larger. Some anti-inflammatory pain medications can increase a bleeding risk, but generally not to this extent. Possible causes of Momote's bleeding could be related to surgical complications with a bleeding vessel in or just under the skin, clotting disorders, or liver failure (the liver makes our blood clotting factors). If it has not yet been done, consider discussing coagulation testing to determine if Momote has appropriate clotting factors and platelets. I'm assuming that your vet gave vitamin K (not vitamin C), because this can promote the development of more clotting factors. Momote should be rechecked by her vet to reassess the bruising and perform any necessary testing.

This is similar to a bruise and indicates bleeding under the skin. The fact that it's located around the incision is less concerning than if it was all over the abdomen. However, I am a little concerned by the extent of it. If I had first-hand knowledge of the techniques used during the surgery, then I may be less concerned. The biggest concern with the bleeding is that it may indicate a clotting problem and can lead to anemia. If Sadie has a decrease in activity, the red areas spread further and/or pale gums, then I'd recommend taking her to a vet right away. Otherwise, you are safe to wait until the vet who did the surgery is available to check this. I hope that helps and all is well with Sadie.

This is more bruising than normal. It can be caused by a blood vessel in the skin when they put the buried sutures in. It’s not from the abdomen. The incision is fine. The underlying stitches cause the incision to be jagged but it will heal fine and you will barely be able to see the incision in a month or so. So nothing to be overly concerned about. Keep her quiet with no running and jumping and she’ll be fine. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you get answers to your veterinary questions.

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.