My rabbit ripped spay incision tape. How to prevent it opening?

Hello, and thank you for your question. It looks like the incision has opened up slightly at the bottom. This does require a re-assessment by a veterinarian, but if she is otherwise eating and acting normally, then I think you can wait until your regular vet opens tomorrow. In the meantime, keep the cone on, and keep her bedding as clean as possible to avoid getting the incision dirty. No need to clean the incision yourself until she gets assessed at the vets. If she is more lethargic or has a decreased appetite or stool production, then I would recommend taking her to the vet today if possible, as this may be a sign of pain from the surgery or a more serious infection. I hope this helps, and that Freya gets better soon!

So sorry about the problems after your dog's spay. If your dog is licking near or around the incision or at the clipper irritation, then you need to obtain an elizabethan collar or a Donut from your veterinarian or PetCo to help avoid further licking. I would keep in place until you have a chance to reach out to your veterinarian tomorrow, then you might want to drop by and have your dogs incision and skin double checked for any complications and advise as to treatment, if any, Normally animals receive some kind of pain management in the form of oral medication post op for spay operations, so double check that you are giving the medication prescribed or ask for medication when you see your veterinarian. This will help to cut down on licking or chewing. Lastly, there is no harm in applying a small amount of soothing ointment to the skin rash such as Neosporin or hydrocortisone cream a couple of times a day to help reduce the soreness and induce healing of the clipper rash until you can see your veterinarian. Despite you not being able to reach your veterinarian, please follow up with them as soon as you can Monday morning as most clinics want to be sure their animals receiving surgical get support and treatment whenever there is a complication. So e-collar to prevent licking and chewing, soothing ointment, and recheck at your vet clinic as soon as possible. Best of luck, Thanks for the question. Steve Popish, DVM

Yes! Usually the incision should be healed within two weeks. If the incision looks red, swollen, or has any discharge then it may not be healed and might actually be infected. I would let a vet take a look at it if that is the case. Otherwise, you should be good to handle her and not hurt her!

You just need to monitor them closely, check the suture area once a day and make sure they are eating properly after the procedure. it is also recommended to avoid conventional bedding for the first few days, i usually recommend paper shreds instead.

Thank you for using Pet Coach, and for posting the picture. From the picture it appears that the scrotal incision may have opened up and their may be a large blood clot there. I would highly encourage you to have a follow up appointment with your veterinarian to make sure that there is no infection and to See if the incision needs to be revised or not. I would encourage you to do this today if possible. Best of luck and I hope he improves soon. Thank you for using Pet Coach.

Sometimes skin incisions that were closed with glue will pucker at the very ends and open slightly. However, the middle pucker appears a little swollen. I would recommend that you take Chloe to a vet to check the incision. Usually the vet that performed the surgery will do brief incision checks at no charge. Sometimes another spot of glue is all that is needed to get it to heal properly. Sometimes the puckers are left open to heal on their own. If the vet finds signs of infection, oral antibiotics can be prescribed. Make sure that Chloe is not licking the incision. If you see her lick even once she needs to wear an e-collar or cone to prevent further opening of the incision. Also, she needs to still be on moderate activity restriction - even though this can be difficult in young puppies, encourage her to stay flat and not jump around too much. And no bathing for at least 1 week after surgery.

Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! It is definitely a great decision to have Bubba spayed. It’s also great that she has been eating and having regular bowel movements. It maybe a bit awkward for her to lay down at first, especially if she has a cone. I recommend monitoring her incision site closely for any redness, swelling, or discharge as these can be signs of an infection. Unfortunately, rabbits have notoriously small veins, so it is difficult to place an IV catheter, but Bubba’s ear and paw should heal quickly. The hair regrowth may be patchy, so do not be alarmed. I hope all is well and am happy to answer any other questions you have!