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Infection in neuter incision?

Species: Dog
Breed: Yorkshire Terrier
Age: 6-12 months
My dog got neutered 10 days ago (Aug 9th) and in a distracted moment he licked the incision and it now looks a little red and in the incision seems like a brown thing or dark red, not sure if it is blood in between it.

I have a picuture but I dont know how to send it.

Im worried and not sure wht to do.

Tks a lot
Lucy



Online vet, Dr. Marie

Dr. Marie replied:

Hi Lucy,

You can send a photo to photos@askavetquestion.com. I'll take a look and then respond after that.

Thanks!


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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.

Online vet, Dr. Marie

Dr. Marie replied:

Thanks for the photos!

I've zoomed in on the important issue here in this photo:

neuter incision

Now, I can't say for certain without seeing this in person but it looks to me like there is a little bit of the suture material knot sticking out of the incision.

This does happen from time to time and does not mean at all that Teddy was the victim of an inferior surgeon.

If this is a piece of suture material then it likely needs to be pulled out. It's often something that needs to be done by a vet though. If Teddy allows it, you can try picking at the knot material with a fingernail...sometimes if it is really loose it will come out easily. But, I have found that most of the time it takes some special equipment (like a tiny hemostat instrument) and also a trained assistant to keep the dog distracted in order to get a piece of knot out.

You explained to me in your email the situation about how Teddy was neutered at SPCA but your local vet is closer. If your vet had performed the surgery, there is a good chance that they would assess the incision and remove the suture material for no charge. But, as they did not do the surgery, there likely will be a charge for the visit.

Alternatively, you can decide if the trip back to the SPCA is worth it to have them take a look. Sometimes though, with low cost clinics they will not do followup care as they only have a vet in on certain days to do surgery and that vet does not see appointments. You'll have to give the SPCA a call to see what they recommend.

Now, there is a chance that this knot will fall out on its own. So, whether or not to take the dog in to the vet's depends on a few things:

-If the area seems bothersome to Teddy then I would have it looked at. It doesn't look infected from the photo, but it certainly can get infected.
-If you are seeing yellow or green thick discharge then he'll need some antibiotics, so yes, he'll need to see a vet.

Hope that helps!

Dr. Marie.



Customer reply:

Thanks a lot, I will give SPCA a call. He had only inside sutures and the outside tissues were closed with tissue glue so if the sutures are coming out that means the outside tissue opened, probably from his licking, is that right?

Tks
Lucy


Online vet, Dr. Marie

Dr. Marie replied:

Even though he only had inside sutures, he likely still had two layers of sutures inside. The glue is usually just used as a failsafe. Actually, I usually use glue on surgeries where the final knot just won't bury under the skin for me properly. If this was the case, then sometimes these are the ones where the knot surfaces like it looks like is happening in Teddy's case.

If Teddy has been licking, then this is probably the cause of this problem!

Hope things go well!

Dr. Marie.



Customer reply:

Tks a lot for your quick reply!


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Dr. MarieDr. 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.

Is an online vet visit just as good as a trip to your veterinarian? No! But, many times, asking an online veterinarian a question can help save you money. While Dr. Marie can't officially diagnose your pet or prescribe medications, she can often advise you on whether a vet visit is necessary. You can also ask Dr. Marie for a second opinion on your pet's condition.