My dog was just spayed. What signs mean I need to call the vet?

It is impossible to completely keep them confined. Keep doing the best you can and keep the incision clean and dry. You may notice a little swelling around the incision called a Seroma from the activity, but it will resolve over the next week. Keep using her pain medicine as directed. If she was in pain she would it be as active either

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Panda's spay incision does appear to be red and a little swollen. Swelling at a spay site can be due to a variety of reasons, including infection, inflammation from a reaction to the suture material, or over-activity after her procedure, among others. I would recommend Panda be seen by her regular veterinarian to have the swelling evaluated, and start any medications (antibiotic, anti-inflammatory) that she may need. In the meantime, I would recommend icing the area as well. Good luck!

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Luna. I do recommend that she sees a veterinarian today. Her incision appears to be healing well. I do not see redness, swelling or discharge draining out. However, pictures can be deceiving. I am more worried that she is not eating. The diarrhea needs to be addressed as well. The veterinarian will examine her and take her temperature. A fever, for example, can indicate an infection. If you stopped her medications, which is reasonable given the diarrhea, she may be very painful now though. This too can affect appetite. The veterinarian will guide you on any testing or treatment options. In the meantime, keep her quiet, encourage her to drink so she doesn't become dehydrated and do not give any over-the-counter pain medications as these can be toxic to dogs. I hope this information helps!

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Lena needs to have an examination by a veterinarian as soon as you can to ensure the incision remains closed. In the picture, it appears there is some inflammation next to the incision. This is likely due to irritation to the area, and she may be licking at the incision and making the inflammation worst. If she is licking it, it could even cause infection or make an existing infection worse. I would recommend an Elizabethan collar to be fitted on Lena to make sure she is not able to lick the area until fully healed. The lack of appetite is very concerning which makes her case in more urgent need of attention by a veterinarian. It may be nothing serious yet, but it is better to get on top of these things early to keep them from becoming a larger issue. Hope this helps and that Lena gets better!

I'm sorry to hear that you are concerned about Dixi. It is normal for a dog to be quiet after anesthesia. A lot of time they have received IV fluids during surgery so won't need to drink for a while. She is such a small dog though you need to encourage her to eat. The incision site may ooze for a few hours immediately post-operatively, but otherwise should be clean and dry. When you look in her mouth her gums should be pink. Without more information about Dixi it is hard for me to give your further advice. If you are concerned though you will want to follow up with her veterinarian. Good luck!

It looks a little inflamed but nothing abnormal. Keep an eye on it, making sure it stays clean and dry, don't let your dog lick it and keep her quiet and don't let her run or jump up and down off furniture for about another week. As long s she is still behaving normally and eating, drinking and eliminating as she should, I don't think you have anything to worry about.

The incision is a bit too swollen and there appears to be pus oozing. It's likely a mild infection, but best to have your vet look at it, so they can advise the necessary treatment. It's not an emergency, but good to have her seen in the next day or two. I hope that helps and Gin gets better soon.