My dog's surgery site is oozing. Is this normal after growth removal?

Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! It can be normal to see a small amount of blood-tinged/clear fluid (what we term serosanguinous discharge) from an incision within the first 24-48 hours following a surgical procedure. This discharge will typically decrease in amount and should have resolved within 48 hours following surgery. Clinical signs that could indicate a problem with the incision (such as dehiscence or infection) or abdomen would include a swelling that was not previously noted that is painful and may be firm or fluid-filled, discharge that looks purulent (pus) or has a foul odor, extreme reddening of the incision, or if Ashleigh is exhibiting lethargy, fever, inappetance, vomiting, or diarrhea.

The wound looks dry and not swollen. A small amount of discharge (not pus) even clear blood, would be normal. If your dog is otherwise normal, eating and drinking ok and normal activity level and not painful, I would just monitor her at this stage and make sure she does not lick the wound and rest her as much as possible. A buster collar would be helpful in case of any licking.

A little bit of blood/tinged fluid is not uncommon but I would schedule a post surgery recheck with the operating vet as soon as possible just to be sure, especially as one end of the wound has loosened a little. An emergency visit would be recommended if any swelling develops behind the wound, it starts to gape open more than 0.5cm or if it is persistently dropping blood.

This does look very moist and like an infection is starting. If your veterinarian sent home any pain medication, make sure to continue using it as directed. If you didn’t get any, make sure to get some tomorrow morning along with some antibiotics. You can use hydrogen peroxide or warm soapy water to gently dab on the area and then gently pat it dry. Apply some topical antibiotic ointment or cream such as Neodporin or Neosporin Plus which has topical lidocaine. Make sure the cone stays on as he will want to lick or bite at this. Try to get in to your vet first thing in the morning for a recheck.

Hello. Thanks for the picture. Things look pretty good. It is a little irritated at the top, but the majority of the incision looks perfect. I would just clean away any discharge with a little warm water & not fuss too much with things. Once the staples are out, everything will calm down & heal well. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Some drainage after drain removal is often expected as the volume is increasing I recommend you get her rechecked at your vets office in the morning, it may be necessary to replace the drain until the wound has further healed. It is positive that the fluid is not foul smelling and pinkish-brown indicates no current, active bleeding so unless anything changes waiting for regular office hours would be appropriate

The site itself looks good. No swelling, redness or bruising and it appears closed. The slight discharge does not appear to be frank blood. It looks like it may be fluid from a seroma. Seromas can occur after surgery. Continue to monitor the site, If the discharge increases or has a bad odor then see your veterinarian. Monitor Delilah for lethargy, fever, loss of appetite, vomiting or diarrhea. These are symptoms that should also be addressed by your vet. Keep an e-collar (cone) on her to prevent licking or chewing of the site. You can use a diluted betadine or Hibiclens solution around the site to keep the area clean.