Species: Dog Breed: miniature pinscher Age: 2-5 years
My dog has a lump under her spay incision. I adopted Tiaa from a rescue group a couple of months ago and when I picked her up she still had her stitches in from her spay.
A couple of weeks later I brought her to my vet to have her stitches removed and at that time everything was normal and she had healed well with almost no scarring at all.
A few days ago, while rubbing her belly, I noticed an odd shaped lump directly underneath her spay scar. The lump is hard and feels like something foreign to her body. It is not a smooth lump and almost feels like a knot under her skin near her stitches. It moves slightly when I touch it and it doesn't bother her at all when I do, although I avoid moving it around too much as I'm not quite sure what it is.
She is eating, drinking, and playing like normal so it is not affecting her behaviour in any way.
Any idea of what this could be would be very much appreciated. Thank you, Dr. Marie.
Dr. Marie replied:
There are several possible causes for a lump under a spay incision. One possibility for a lump under a dog's spay incision is a seroma, which is a collection of fluid. Other reasons include a hernia, scar tissue or infection. In most cases, though, it is nothing to worry about.
Most common reasons for a spay incision lump:
Stitches. You may be feeling one of the layers of stitches that are under the skin.
Scar tissue. It's not uncommon to feel fibrous scar tissue near a spay incision.
A knot of suture material. Vets will usually use stitches that should dissolve under the skin. However, in some cases the lower layer of stitches can have a knot that pokes out a little bit. If this is the case, the knot should eventually just fall off on its own.
Infection. An infection can cause a lump to form at the end of a dog's spay scar. If there is an infection, you will find that the incision is red and irritated and also painful. You should also see a thick yellow or green discharge. If you think that your dog's spay incision is infected, then you should make an appointment to have your vet take another look at the incision.
Seroma - A seroma is a collection of fluid that can appear under an incision. It is usually not painful and is generally nothing to worry about and should go away within a week.
Hernia In some cases, if a layer of stitches below the skin breaks down, we can get a hernia. Here is an example of a case where the skin stitches are intact, but the most important layer of stitches that holds the abdominal wall together has come apart:
If you are able to push the lump back into her body, then this could be a hernia. If this is the case, she should see the vet right away.
In most cases though, a dog spay incision lump is nothing to worry about.
Disclaimer: Although Dr. Marie is a qualified veterinarian, the information found on this site is not meant to replace the advice of your own veterinarian. AskAVetQuestion.com and Dr. Marie do not accept any responsibility for any loss, damage, injury, death, or disease which may arise from reliance on information contained on this site. Do not use information found on this site for diagnosing or treating your pet. Anything you read here is for information only.
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Veterinarian, Dr. Marie created this site to be able to provide quick, accurate veterinary advice online. She would love to help with your pet's problem!
Dr. Marie is a veterinarian who practices in a busy animal hospital in Ottawa, Ontario. She created Ask A Vet Question as a resource for good, accurate veterinary advice online. Dr. Marie treats dogs, cats, hamsters, guinea pigs, and rats. She has been a vet since 1999.
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