Dog spay incision lump.

Dr. Marie replied:

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.

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