My dog's surgical incision is swollen and bruised. Is it infected?

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

The ends of the incision look infected and very painful. She should be rechecked right away for medication for pain and swelling and further antibiotics. She may need some parts opened and drained and flushed to help minimize the infection. If the tumor was cancerous and it was not completely removed, then there is a change the cells are angry and irritated and growing again from inflammation. Try to apply a warm compress and keep the area clean until you can get her in.

This swelling is likely edema from the inflammation or infection, You should finish giving the antibiotics prescribed by your vet. If the swelling is still there when you have finished the course of antibiotics, you should take your dog back to the vet for a recheck. This actually does not look very bad, as it is neither red, nor painful nor looks abnormal other than the edema/swelling.

It looks like there could be some inflammation at the site of the incision. That could be due to her body breaking down the sutures, or she caused some sort of trauma to the area. If she is acting normal and you don't feel any swelling around that area I would wait and see if it improves. But if there is swelling, drainage, or pain I would worry about a dehiscence (opening of the incision) which would be an emergency and she should see a vet immediately.

Thank you for contacting Pet Coach with your question about IIsie. The top half of the incision looks like it's healing beautifully. You can see some redness and if the staples are tighter at the bottom of the incision, it could account for the swelling. I agree there are no signs of infection from the picture, so continue to monitor the incision for now. If the area gets redder, more swollen, and/or you see other signs of infection, then I would be concerned and have her seen by a vet. I hope this helps!

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.

This doesn't look perfect but definitely does not look too bad either, there is some bulging as you mentioned, probably because the stitches have been put on a little too tight, as long as the stitches hold though i would not be too worried, you need to make sure she does not lick the area (i assume she has an E-collar on) and make sure the incision does not open up, the swelling should start resolving within a couple days from now. as long as it does not look worse than this i would be ok keeping her at home, you can still take her for short walks without any issues and your vet needs to see her at some point but it is not urgent (usually post opps are done 3 days and 10 days after the surgery).