My new puppy was spayed. Is a swollen belly normal after surgery?

Usually there is no air in the abdomen, but when we open the abdomen in order to remove the ovaries and uterus, air gets into it. Sometimes, after closing up, some air is retained. Over the next week or so the air will be absorbed and disappears. It is not dangerous, maybe a little bit uncomfortable.

Thank you contacting Pet Coach about Sophie! An ovariohysterectomy means her uterus, both ovaries, and uterine horns were removed. Veterinarians are able to perform spays using much smaller incisions, which is why hers is so small. You don't need a large incision to spay a dog. Each dog reacts differently to the procedure, and some are more active than others. It's very important that you keep her as quiet as possible to ensure correct healing and avoid post-surgical complications like wound breakdown or a sermoa. Best of luck, I hope this helps!

Thank you for submitting your question regarding the Georgia. That is a very large swelling for her to have. I recommend that she is re-evaluated by her veterinarian tomorrow. If her veterinarian still does not want to see her, you may consider seeking a second opinion. You want to ensure her incision is still holding together, that she is not running a fever and that she does not require additional medications. In the meantime, be sure to keep her from licking the area. I hope this information helps!

Hi and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. It is hard to see exactly what Pomi's abdomen looks like in those photos. To be safe, I would recommend you take her into your vet to make sure that her abdomen palpated (feels) normal, she does not have a temperature and that she is otherwise normal. Sometimes non-spayed females can get something called a pyometra (pus in the uterus) that can cause a tense stomach, vaginal swelling and discharge, lethargy, vomiting, diarrhea etc. This can become a surgical emergency therefore, if Pomi is showing any of these signs, I would take her in sooner rather than later.

It's not normal that Luna's belly is swollen a week after breeding, and i would be concerned that the swelling could be due to a medical illness such as a pyometra (infection of the uterus). She could also be suffering from intestinal worms, bloat, or have a build up of fluid in the abdomen from a disease process. I would have Luna seen by a vet immediately for this, as there can be some very serious causes behind a suddenly swollen belly. The vet can do a physical exam, blood tests, urinalysis, and x-rays to diagnose what is causing her swollen belly. Once the cause is found, the vet can discuss treatment with you. Please take her into a vet now.

Larger dogs or dogs that are playful after a procedure can develop a seroma at the incision site. These firm bumps under the skin at the incision and are not painful. Sometimes they can drain and be fluid-filled. They will go away completely as healing takes place, but it may take a little longer than the normal 10 days for healing. It is still there after 2 weeks, begins to ooze any fluid, or gets noticeably larger, then I would have it rechecked. It's unlikely to be a hernia, particularly if it resolves on it's own. For some dogs, warm (not hot) compresses applied a few times per day can be helpful.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Giselle. If she is eating, drinking and acting normal, then it is likely not an emergency. However, she should have it evaluated by her veterinarian. She may have developed a mammary mass. This is more common in dogs that have not been spayed. Her veterinarian will perform an examination and then possibly collect a sample from the swelling to analyze. I hope this information helps!