When can my dog walk after umbilical hernia surgery if he pulls?

The stitches are usually removed 10-14 days after surgery. The vet that did the surgery should remove the sutures at no cost. I suggest you have them check the incision and remove the sutures if needed. The incision looks fine on the photo you provided but you need to stop him from chewing at it until you get them removed. You can purchase a cone collar at any local petstore to stop him from chewing. ( https://www.amazon.com/Total-Pet-Health-Elizabethan-Collars/dp/B00FXKSV3K )

If a hernia is repaired surgically, there is always a small chance that it will herniate again at some point of time in the life of the dog, obviously more care needs to be taken up to 10 days after the surgery to prevent from the wound and sutures to open.

Hi and thanks for posting! Umbilical hernias are recommended to be repaired at or around the time of neutering to prevent the hernia from becoming larger and also prevent the intestines from becoming trapped or strangulated in the hernia. Umbilical hernias can be genetic, so it is recommended dogs with these are not bred. I hope this helps and thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

Since Max had major abdominal surgery and has been confined I recommend gradually getting back to full activity after another week. You can let him free in the house and take him for longer leash walks, limiting fast running or jumping for another week. The intestinal incision should be fine but Max may become painful if he's too active to soon. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Max.

Thanks for visiting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I do see one little scabby area at the lower part of the incision, but otherwise it appears closed and healing well. Just to be on the safe side I would recommend waiting a full another 4-5 days before bathing to allow the scab to fall off. Continue to monitor this area for any discharge or separation of the skin. Also that swelling on the left side should be evaluated by your vet if it doesn’t resolve, just to make sure it isn’t another hernia. Mild suture reactions just below the skin can also cause swelling, which is usually firm and doesn’t depress when pushing down on it. I hope this helps and best wishes with your pet Aspen. Take care.

You should definitely give him some time off. Usually 7 days is recommended. Even though the incision is not in a high motion area ( like over a joint) the walking will delay healing by causing separation of the wound edges. Great question! Hope this helps. Best wishes.

Although not fully healed, the deeper layers look to be sealed and the skin should join over the next week or so. Monitor very closely for excessive licking, discharge or smell which would require a physical recheck with your vet to assess for infection