My dog's incision is red and swollen. Is this normal after surgery?

Hello and welcome to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. The incision looks inflammed, but this could be part of the normal healing process. If there is any discharge, OR if the wound looked better than this previously and is now looking MORE red than say Friday or Saturday, I would take her back to the vet right away. If it is steadily looking better, and she is eating, drinking, pooping and peeing normally, then you can continue to monitor it. Best of luck with Lilo.

The incision appears closed in the pictures and the blood around the incision appears dried, so that is all good news. However, the incision is much redder and more swollen than I would expect it to be the day after surgery, so I would be concerned that she has been licking at the incision. If you don't have one, I would recommend getting an e-collar to prevent her from licking at the incision and keep her in a kennel to make sure that she cannot run and jump and risk opening the incision. If the incision starts to ooze or continues to be red and swollen, you may need to have your veterinarian examine it to make sure that it isn't infected. Good luck! I hope that was helpful and that Maggy heals quickly. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

It's difficult to tell from just a picture. The skin is definitely discolored, but this could be from the surgical prep (iodine), or from dried blood. If the skin is not stained, then this would be abnormal and would indicate bruising or an infection. You can test for stained skin by gently wiping the skin with a little hydrogen peroxide. Avoid wiping the incision (the middle) and just wipe the edges. If it's staining, then the redness will start to be lifted with just a couple of wipes. If the wiping is unsuccessful at removing the discoloration, then it's likely bruising or infection and I'd recommend he get checked by the vet in the next 24 hours. I hope that helps and all is well with your dog.

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!

This does look quite swollen and would be worthwhile having it rechecked and a small sample drawing to rule out infection and to determine if any additional treatment is required. It can occasionally require revision and restitching to close the pocket of swelling if persistent as the skin becomes stretched

Hello. I am so sorry for your worries with Eris's surgery incision. While it does look a little red, I think it is just irritated by the stitches. Follow your veterinarians recommendations & most likely, once the stitches come out, the skin will heal very nicely. Thanks for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

It's hard to tell from the photo, but some redness and swelling can occur as the body brings cells to repair the wound and surrounding tissue. You can use a clean warm washcloth compress a few times a day to help keep the area free of debris and reduce swelling of the area. An Elizabethan (cone) collar is also a good idea to keep it from being licked or chewed on. If it does begin to weep, the swelling or redness spreads, the incision opens up, or it is painful or bothersome to Delilah, then a checkup with your vet ASAP is best to rule out more serious issues.