My dog's spay incision looks open after surgical glue. Is this normal?

Hi there! No picture came through with your question. If you re-submit with an in-focus picture of her incision, I will be more than happy to take a look. If the discharge is a translucent red color and in small amounts, it could be a normal part of the healing process. If the discharge is thick, green/yellow, or milky, that may indicate an infection that would require a course of oral antibiotics to treat. In the mean time, please do not put anything on the incision. Creams and ointments will trap bacteria underneath them and it is better to leave the area open to the air. If she is licking or bothering the incision, please restrain her from doing so by using a cone collar, inflatable tube collar, or shirt. I hope this helps! Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

Sometimes skin incisions that were closed with glue will pucker at the very ends and open slightly. However, the middle pucker appears a little swollen. I would recommend that you take Chloe to a vet to check the incision. Usually the vet that performed the surgery will do brief incision checks at no charge. Sometimes another spot of glue is all that is needed to get it to heal properly. Sometimes the puckers are left open to heal on their own. If the vet finds signs of infection, oral antibiotics can be prescribed. Make sure that Chloe is not licking the incision. If you see her lick even once she needs to wear an e-collar or cone to prevent further opening of the incision. Also, she needs to still be on moderate activity restriction - even though this can be difficult in young puppies, encourage her to stay flat and not jump around too much. And no bathing for at least 1 week after surgery.

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! The only thing I can't tell from the picture is if the skin is together at the red area. If it is then I think it is fine. The red area appears to be a scab or dried blood that will likely heal. Just be sure she isn't licking the incision (use an E-collar or T-shirt) and that you are keeping her exercise restricted (no running, jumping, stairs and leash walks outside only). Good luck!

Hello, thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. The incision, based on this one photo, looks normal to me for one day post-op. It is not uncommon for dogs to be lethargic a day after surgery. If she is wearing a cone collar, many dogs will not walk or move around much due to the cone. That being said, I do not recommend you take the cone off. Eventually they will figure out how to move around with the cone. If she is not wearing a cone, she should be. Ultimately, you know her best. If she does not seem right to you then call your vet or take her to an urgent care vet. Hope this helps. Best wishes.

Thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach with your question about Lina. Unfortunately only one picture is attached, and I think it may be the earliest picture given your description in the question. If the incision looks more red and scabby, that suggests infection. I would have her seen by a vet first thing in the morning to get it checked out to be safe. I hope this helps!

This looks like a typical post spay incision site. The skin can pucker a bit as the pet reacts to the sutures used, but this is normal. As long as you are not seeing any discharge or open areas, then this looks just fine. Thanks for visiting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Take care!

Hello. I can assure you that there are internal sutures holding the incision closed, but I assume you are worried about the small opening visible at the base of the incision. Two things you can do, the first is to make sure Rhett can not get to the incision to lick or chew at it. He may need to wear a collar or cone of shame to protect the incision. Then you can put a dab of Neosporin on the raw area, but if Rhett is leaving the incision alone, this is probably not necessary. Everything looks good to me based on your pictures. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.