# Post spaying wound healing - advice please..?



## Laser Beams (27 May 2012)

Hello guys,

Please can I ask for some advice on post spaying wound healing? Our dog was spayed a week ago. She became very uncomfortable on Thursday evening so we decided to take her back to the vets on Friday. However, before we'd had chance and within the only half an hour that she was left unsupervised she managed to remove her dressing and all of the stiches. It didnt look (to me!) as though there had been much healing at all as the skin layer of her wound was gaping open. Took her straight to the vets who closed the wound using staples. The vet stated that some of the stiches were very big which may have been causing her some irritation. He trimmed the last stich, removed some skin that wasnt healing very well and put her on antibiotics for a week. She seemed so much happier until this morning when I noticed that one end of her wound appeared to have opened again and was a bit damp. I cleaned it and there was some slightly yellow discharge and that end of her wound looks a bit angry. I've attached some pics below. So, do I ring the emergency vet or do I try to clean it up again using a weak hibiscrub solution, non adhesive dressing and a bandage and leave it until tomorrow when she has a check up booked? She is on antibiotics and the vet had said that it is very unlikely that an infection would develop but it is looking like it is getting a bit infected.....!


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## Laser Beams (27 May 2012)

....ooooppps, posted that thread before I'd finished it. She is not wearing a buster collar as she went mad when it was attached to her and she wouldnt calm down. The dressing that the vet applied was meant to last a week.

Was going to say any opinions/advice gratefully received!


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## CAYLA (27 May 2012)

It has nipped together nicely apart from the bit at the end and it looks clean, there is a little fluid pooling but nothing to worry about at all, I would bathe in boiled cooled water and if you need to place anything over to stop her licking (thats what causes the damage) without licking that would just dry up and scab over! place a loose covering over the wound (womans sanitary towel with some tape) as in dressing tape if you have any provides a very nice padded loose covering.
I would not be worried and certainly would just keep the normal check up tomorrow.


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## Laser Beams (27 May 2012)

Oh, thank you so much for your reply Cayla! That's really put my mind to rest. She has had a baby gro on all the time apart from a few hours this morning which is when she has probably licked it. Phew, right will clean it up again and keep it covered all the time! Thank you v.much again!


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## cremedemonthe (27 May 2012)

My bitch was done on Monday, she is back to her mad self and trying to keep her quiet is hard! 
I have found this site which is quite useful and some good pics, scroll down to see them

http://www.pet-informed-veterinary-advice-online.com/dog-spaying.html#post-spay


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## Ranyhyn (28 May 2012)

My bitches wound went swollen and angry for a few days-and weepy. I let her clean it (but not worry it) and hey presto she was fine. Similar story with a friends boxer bitch.  X


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## Laser Beams (28 May 2012)

Thanks again for your replies - that was a very useful website, wish I'd read some of the stuff on there before!

Her check up went well this morning although it did have a surprising outcome - the staples had come out as well! I wish I'd had a look after the vet put them in at the surgery as I didnt know what they were meant to look like and when I took her bandage off later that afternoon I couldnt see the staples so just assumed that they were beneath the skin (completely illogical in retrospect I admit...!) but her wound seemed to be holding together nicely so there seemed to be no reason to believe that things were not going to plan. I've just had a really good look inside her bed which lives in the car, I've found 3 staples which must have come out during the 5 minute trip home even with the bandage on!

I've learnt a lot from this process - the main thing being to ask the vets to outline every detail of what they are doing and why as what might seem obvious and everyday to them is not obvious to others!

Can I just say again that I really appreciate the advice I have got on this forum! Priceless!


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## EAST KENT (28 May 2012)

What a mess! WHY was`nt she done mid-line as is normal? All you can do now is saline solution the wound to dry it and keep her quiet,often problems are due to too much activity.


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## Laser Beams (28 May 2012)

Oh no, do you think so?? I havent that much experience with spaying wounds so I dont know what it should look like. Or do you mean that the whole process has been a bit of a mess? 

Can't comment on why they didnt operate down the mid line - do you think this could cause her any problems with healing (due to the action of walking pulling unevenly on different sides of the wound?).

I have been following Cayla's advice on cleaning the wound with boiled cooled water and it's looking a lot better today - it's completely dry and scabbed over. Given the fact that it is dry should I be cleaning it at all for fear of it opening up again?

In terms of her activity levels she's normally a very fit and active dog but all she has wanted to do is sleep on the rug in front of the fan. This heat has probably been a blessing in disguise in that sense! We have penned off the armchair that she normally jumps on so she can lay along the back and look out the window and her walks have only been short ones around our local streets.


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## The Original Kao (28 May 2012)

Ouch OP that looks sore  Hope she's healing and feeling better now  
I think I've been quite lucky with Storm's wound. She's 6 days post-op now, only managed 1 day after her op to keep her quiet and the rest of the time she's been running and jumping about like her usual nutty self  Trying to keep Storm quiet would need tranquilisers I think  She's been quite good at not licking the wound which has been great as she'd go mad left with the cone of shame on :/


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## little MJ (28 May 2012)

I can't see the picture ....so advice purely on what you have said. Put the buster collar on and she will learn to get used to it. She MUST not lick the wound! Dogs have lots and lots of bacteria in there mouths. When this is introduced to a wound makes it infected! 
I would not cover the would as this stops it healing.
She should be on antibiotics and pain killers. Only clean the wound twice a day with hibiscrub. Keep it dry the rest of the time.
Most of all ring your vets they will be able to sort it out!!!!


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## CAYLA (28 May 2012)

Laser Beams said:



			Thanks again for your replies - that was a very useful website, wish I'd read some of the stuff on there before!

Her check up went well this morning although it did have a surprising outcome - the staples had come out as well! I wish I'd had a look after the vet put them in at the surgery as I didnt know what they were meant to look like and when I took her bandage off later that afternoon I couldnt see the staples so just assumed that they were beneath the skin (completely illogical in retrospect I admit...!) but her wound seemed to be holding together nicely so there seemed to be no reason to believe that things were not going to plan. I've just had a really good look inside her bed which lives in the car, I've found 3 staples which must have come out during the 5 minute trip home even with the bandage on!

I've learnt a lot from this process - the main thing being to ask the vets to outline every detail of what they are doing and why as what might seem obvious and everyday to them is not obvious to others!

Can I just say again that I really appreciate the advice I have got on this forum! Priceless!
		
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It does dry up very well hen not being licked at, I personally would never have worried about it, im sure your vet was ppleased considering, it looks clean and is nipping well considering the its been a week and the staples where out. Glad it's dried up.
Ps, as you suggest don't bathe to much only when looking grotty otherwise let it dry over.


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## EAST KENT (28 May 2012)

Laser Beams said:



			Oh no, do you think so?? I havent that much experience with spaying wounds so I dont know what it should look like. Or do you mean that the whole process has been a bit of a mess? 

Can't comment on why they didnt operate down the mid line - do you think this could cause her any problems with healing (due to the action of walking pulling unevenly on different sides of the wound?).

I have been following Cayla's advice on cleaning the wound with boiled cooled water and it's looking a lot better today - it's completely dry and scabbed over. Given the fact that it is dry should I be cleaning it at all for fear of it opening up again?

In terms of her activity levels she's normally a very fit and active dog but all she has wanted to do is sleep on the rug in front of the fan. This heat has probably been a blessing in disguise in that sense! We have penned off the armchair that she normally jumps on so she can lay along the back and look out the window and her walks have only been short ones around our local streets.
		
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She has been "slashed",only word appropriate accross her body and it looks like straight over her umbilical;the incision should be neat and small on her midline ..you can clearly see where in your pic.Read the article again ..and just why the linear alba is the way in.I would be having serious words with your vet,in fact it may even be an RVC complaint if she heals badly,say with a hernia.In the meantime ,keep quiet,NO licking and use saline to dry it. That is a very awkward site and may be difficult or slower to heal..good luck,and change your vet.


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## LittleWildOne (29 May 2012)

When I had my bitch spayed, the problem wasn't so much with her licking the wound but scratching at it with her hind paws.
I put a dog t-shirt on her, which loosely covered her body but still let air circulate. That might be a problem though in this heat.
I also went out and bought a few pairs of baby socks, (newborn size for a Staffie ), and put them on her hind paws. The idea with that was to cover her claws so that when she tried to scratch, the wound was slightly protected from damage by the socks.
To stop the socks from slipping off, I first put some vetwrap around her lower leg with a strip of micropore tape around it to secure it. Then, the sock over the top of the vetwrap, fitting it over her paw snugly (as you would wear your own socks - not loose at the toes.), pull the sock up her leg and secure it with more micropore tape. 
She only needed her socks on while the wound was healing and itchy. I also gently rubbed sudocrem on the skin around her wound, to stop it from getting tight and uncomfortable while healing.
Photos of my doggie socks 

















Her stitches





wearing her dog t-shirt





or her dog hoodie





I don't normally "dress her up ", but this was to protect her wound. She did have a buster collar too, but hated it and lay looking thoroughly miserable while she had it on. I didn't need the buster collar at all after I started using the socks and t-shirt to protect her wound while it healed .


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## EAST KENT (29 May 2012)

Most spays today have interior stitches with a tiny line of super glue stuff over the top;that  last one is in the midline..so different to the OP`s girl.Hope all goes better fron now on.


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## The Original Kao (29 May 2012)

Storm has interior stitches. Here's a pic of her 6 days post-op


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## BigRed (29 May 2012)

I am surprised no-one has mentioned the keyhole version of the spey op, where they make tiny incisions on each side of the dog.  They only remove the ovaries.  My vet offers this and it is only slightly more expensive than the conventional op.


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## MurphysMinder (29 May 2012)

The main reason I would have a bitch spayed would be to avoid pyometra.  I may be wrong but if the uterus is left in and only the ovaries removed wouldn't the risk of pyo still remain?

Nice neat scar Kao


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## EAST KENT (29 May 2012)

MurphysMinder said:



			The main reason I would have a bitch spayed would be to avoid pyometra.  I may be wrong but if the uterus is left in and only the ovaries removed wouldn't the risk of pyo still remain?

Nice neat scar Kao 

Click to expand...

 Indeed it would leave the pyo danger,for me the reason for spaying older ladies is to avoid that. Nice and neat Kao,just as it should be.


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## little MJ (29 May 2012)

Pyometra is a big risk. I didn't think vets on this country just removed the ovaries. Any way pyometra is a very large infection of the uterus. The uterus becomes filled with puss. It causes the dog it be off colour and to drink more. Some stop eating as well. There are 2 different types open pyo where the puss drains from the uterus and closed. If not treated within a few days the dog will die. Some have to be speyed and some if caught earlie can be treated with hormones. But the pyo normally returned with the next season. 
Speying also reduces the risks of mammary tumours (cancer) considerably. 
There are many other good reasons to spey / castrate your dogs look it up or ask your vet!!


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## twiglet84 (29 May 2012)

Removing just the ovaries is a pointless procedure IMO. The idea of spaying is to reduce the risks of pyo, mammary tumours as well as to prevent unwanted pregnancy. 

I find the wound looks rather bizare and not sure why they didnt go midline? But if on antibiotics then i wouldnt be too worried at that wound. 

We use nylon skin sutures rather than intradermals and have since the practice has been open, ive been there 10 years and we rarely see any post op wound complications providing owners are vigilant and ensure there dogs dont interfere with the wound.

Never used staples but can see the benefits of using them (wonder if they are more painful to remove than nylon?). xxx


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## Laser Beams (31 May 2012)

Hi Everyone - thanks once again for all the advice you've given!

Feel a bit grumped that all the other spaying wounds look much better and appear to have healed much better than our dog is doing. But I suppose that in the circumstances she's not doing too badly.

She's started to feel much more like herself and her wound has scabbed over. I've posted some update pictures below. 

I will ask the vet about the location of the incision when she goes for her check up on Monday. It appears that the vet has followed the line of lighter skin rather than making a straight incision - maybe there is a clinical reason for this (like if the wound colour is uniform). I will give the vets the benefit of the doubt until I have had chance to get their explanation.

Another thing that is apparent is that there is a hard lump beneath the sking at the thinner end of her wound - is this likely to be one of the internal sutures? Would be good to have some info before I go to the vets on Monday so any ideas would be appreciated.

Showing the location of the incision:








Close up pic:


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## EAST KENT (31 May 2012)

Quite honestly I wonder if the perpetrator was qualified! Several friends who have had spays done properly before i have just gasped at your original pics. Wait to see if a hernia developes before taking action if you intend to.


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## Murphy88 (31 May 2012)

I think that's a bit harsh EK, the wound curves a little at the end but I hardly think it is a matter for the RCVS. What you have to remember is that the vet doesn't make the incision with the whole dog to look at, we drape first so there is maybe an inch width of skin exposed, you can't see nipples for reference, so all it takes is the dog to tilt very slightly and it is very easy for the incision to drift too. I am sure that the vet once through the skin will have ensured they went through linea alba. We are not born with impeccable surgical skills - my wounds are larger than those of experienced colleagues, but I would rather a larger wound than risk not tying a ligature properly because I can't exteriorise the cervix or ovaries properly.

OP, it is probably an internal suture you can feel, but just mention to your vet and they will check. When pickle was castrated his internal sutures actually poked out of the wound and I had to trim them - the vet who did him was perfectly able, it is just one of those things.

And what you have to remember is that your dog removed sutures and then staples, so it is impossible to compare the wound with those whose dogs had the sutures in for 10-14 days and then removed without the aid of teeth and doggy saliva ;-)


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## Laser Beams (31 May 2012)

Hello,

Again, useful info and thanks very much for it. It's good to get a vet's point of view too but I will have a chat with my vet when I go for the check up on Monday and update on what they say.

Just to clarify - I do take some responsibility for the stiches having come out and dont fully blame the vets. What I will say, though, is that it was on the vets advice that she didnt have the buster collar fitted and had a dressing instead because she really did go mad when it was attached to her and she might have ended up hurting herself more. Also, the staples must have come out of their own accord as I found three in her car bed which must have come out on the five minute drive home even though she had a bandage on. I am just a bit concerned that the staples were not inserted correctly. However, I can understand how this can happen as she was not sedated and did not have any pain relief before they inserted the staples so she was moving around a lot. 

I'm unhappy about my dog being in pain and the fact that I messed up through lack of knowledge but I also think that the vets needed to make certain things a bit clearer to someone who doesnt deal with these issues all the time. One thing is for sure - I've learnt and this wont happen again!


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## little MJ (31 May 2012)

Have never seen a spey done like that they are normally dead on mid line and about 1 to 2 cm long! May be the vet needed to go to specsavers!


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## MurphysMinder (31 May 2012)

1 - 2 cms, wow!  Our cats had around a 1cm scar, done by our very experienced vet, but I would be pretty impressed if he could do the same on a GSD.


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## blackcob (31 May 2012)

D's wound was very tiny - about 2.5cm, with dissolvable stitches and a line of glue. 

Shame their equine vets aren't up to standard eh MM.  If it weren't for this one excellent guy for the dogs I'd have told them where to shove it by now...


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## MurphysMinder (31 May 2012)

Yeh it is a shame about the equine side.  Thats pretty good for Dax, but if I recall she was done before she had a season.  I think my sheps generally have scars around 4 cms, but they have all been mature bitches who have had seasons if not litters.  I would far rather a slightly larger incision than have a vet nicking something vital whilst operating.


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## blackcob (31 May 2012)

Yes, sorry, I should have mentioned that she was something like six and a half months at the time and pre first season. She also has no nipples whatsover.


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## ChesnutsRoasting (1 June 2012)

EAST KENT said:



			She has been "slashed",only word appropriate accross her body and it looks like straight over her umbilical;the incision should be neat and small on her midline ..you can clearly see where in your pic.Read the article again ..and just why the linear alba is the way in.I would be having serious words with your vet,in fact it may even be an RVC complaint if she heals badly,say with a hernia.In the meantime ,keep quiet,NO licking and use saline to dry it. That is a very awkward site and may be difficult or slower to heal..good luck,and change your vet.
		
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I agree. 

Are you sure your vet was sober when he/she performed the operation?


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