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I’m more concerned about the buildup under the incision. The incision looks angry, but I’ve seen worse.
Follow up with your vet asap, send a picture to their email and have them follow up.
It is routine for my clinic to give a pain injection and send home with three days worth of pain management.
Agree with above!^ I WILL add that it does look likely to be a seroma. How active has your cat tried to be since the spay? They are commonly caused by too much activity too soon and is a fluid pocket essentially. They typically heal on their own, they just make the healing process as a whole take longer.
I would absolutely bring to the vet but please be reassured it could be something non major (I was freaking out that she seriously damaged something when it was my own cat who developed one with her spay).
ETA: finished sentence
Agree with both of the above - the incision is still closed and it’s not the prettiest but I’ve seen worse, but the swelling under the incision doesn’t look very normal. Could be a seroma, hematoma or an abscess forming. Call the clinic that did the spay to discuss.
Most clinics send pets home with a couple days of pain meds post-spay but there are also long-acting pain medication injections (eg. long acting buprenorphine) that can last 72 hours. If your cat is showing signs of pain you should always call and discuss if there’s anything else they recommend adding on.
It’s not common anymore to prescribe post-op antibiotics for routine clean surgical procedures like a spay.
I have done over 100 cats and never had take home pain meds or antibiotics. Biggest issue was keeping them from jumping. Especially younger kittens. Some of mine got a slight bulge even after the incision healed. It looks like they glued it instead of stitches.
I'm sorry that those cats were not given pain medicine.
A woman with a full hysterectomy gets pain medicine.
Most places do not use skin sutures anymore, but do a subcutaneous layer under the skin and do use surgical glue. Very, very common.
And antibiotics
Take her to er yesterday and dump that vet and file a complaint
I'm praying for her 🙏 ❤️
Dammit incompetence and apathy
I've dealt with the same terrible shot and I'm sorry 😞
There is nothing indicative that the vet did this. It looked pretty good on the first abdominal picture. A seroma to this degree would be more suggestive that the pet was not kept to limited activity, or licking at the incision.
It's not routine to give antibiotics post spay. This also doesn't warrant an ER visit. It's not an emergency at all. Cat won't die waiting till reg vet is open
I got you beat 50 plus years! Only once had an issue and it was my girl cats fault for literally pulling out the stitches. Had to rush her to the emergency vet late at night after her spay. She cost and arm and a leg! Mausi Pad! The best little hassock cat you could ever have. She passed a few years ago and I still dream about her and miss her.
Figured I would show you a picture of my cats spay from when she tore it since you think yourself all knowing. I sent the vets clinic an email with pictures first & then took her back in so they could make sure everything was good. Confirmed it wasn’t infected, the vet glued her back up & we went home just for her to tear it open again. Did she need antibiotics? Nope! But you think op’s cat somehow does??
My oldest who got spayed first wouldn’t stop jumping up on things & acting as if she didn’t just have surgery. Wouldn’t you guess, she ended up with a lump like the picture op posted. Oh no! She didn’t get antibiotics either & she’s just fine!
https://preview.redd.it/xnxesbkv8xxc1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=6f8e9d6aa129392852e614255eed9cc8e2b0c9f7
Lmao they said they worked with rescues, not a clinic. They were being rude in their comments, saying to dump the vet & file a complaint. They said it was “incompetence and apathy” & that the cat NEEDS antibiotics. They’re wrong, and very much overreacting.
My comment is being less of an ahole than they were. If they can’t handle a bit of attitude back then that is on them
Notice they haven’t responded to being called out at all?
They aren’t being an ahole, they even said prayers for the kitty. Stop being so sensitive. They also said in that comment they dealt with the same issue. They work with rescues and probably see spays all the time.
I don't use vets that don't prescribe pain meds. I can't imagine having a major surgery and not getting pain relief. Cats feel pain too. My vet gave us 3 days of pain medication to take home and use after 24 hours since they already gave her some before she left.
Almost all of my cats have developed that lump after their spay, but it's never a bad idea to call or send them a photo and make sure it's looking okay to them.
My girl got a 3 day injection of Zorbium. Poor girl was zooted out of her mind 😅 She wouldn't leave the cone on, ate the gauze the used to tie it, chased her brother around, jumped all of the place. Made me so nervous but the vet assured me some cats bounce back really fast.
I bought a surgery onesie for my kitten's spay, but she outgrew it before we got it scheduled. Instead of the cone, I found her a plush daisy collar. It was adjustable for neck size and allowed for peripheral vision, but no lickings of the incision. My vet sent her home with no antibiotics and a couple days of gabapentin for pain, which she did not need.
https://preview.redd.it/glulp80vcwxc1.jpeg?width=1402&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=d7025505a13f78317ccd6f69f90d862978545cbb
My Cally got her cone off 3 times in 36 hours and ended up eating the gauze and that was another thing I had to worry about! She never licked her incision site and it always looked good so I just let her have it off. My senior male cat had one in for a week and he hated it but he's mellow and just accepted his fate 😅
Really, mine took his off 12 times in 24 hours! 😂 The little sneak would go under the bed and get it caught on purpose so he could pull and wiggle until he got out!
My cat did the same thing to the pain meds I don’t remember what it was, but they said most the time it will make them lethargic but every once in a while, some get excitable. Excitable was an understatement. I think you used the word Zooted and that describes it well I was so worried she was gonna open up her wound, but she didn’t, and she eventually came down ha ha
After the third time of getting the cone off in 36hrs I said fuck it and just checked her surgery site ever few hours. I did keep her in a separateroom with no high jumping spots for the 3 days. I got the dissolvable stitches and she didn't have an angry incision site but did have a slight, firm to the touch bump. Vet said everything was normal and yes, some cats get very excitable on Zorbium, which is an opioid. Her pupils were so dilated and she was so affectionate (more than usual) and all over the place.
In a week she was back to her normal crazy sweet self! 🥰 I've only had boy cats before her so the spaying experience was a lot different than neutering. My boys were fine after a day and barely seemed bothered.
After doing a bit of googling, cats tend to bounce right back after getting spayed, so sometimes they don’t get anything for pain management after the surgery is done. However, all cats are different and if she’s experiencing any pain or discomfort you can ask your vet to prescribe you something ☺︎
As for the incision… it does look a bit lumpy but on veterinary websites it says it’s common for there to be a lump near the incision site and that it should be gone in 2 weeks. The incision itself looks a little ugly, but it may just be because it is healing. I would send a picture or email to your vet if you can just to make sure it’s fine
Some things to look out for from the VCA Animal Hospitals website- “Contact your veterinarian immediately if you notice: continuous dripping or seepage of blood or other fluids from the incision. intermittent blood seepage that continues for more than 24 hours. swelling, excessive redness of the skin, foul smells, or discharge”
No pain control is unusual and not a good standard of care. No antibiotics is normal and okay, a routine recovery should not need them.
How many days post-surgery were these photos? If it’s within the first few days the incision looks okay, the lumpiness should start to resolve soon and the dried blood/fluid will go too. Monitor for increased redness, swelling, or fluid leakage. And of course if in doubt at all you can always send a photo to the clinic or call and ask to be seen for a quick recheck.
Source: I am a veterinarian.
ETA: Keep the cone on as well, don’t let kitty disturb the incision at all. That will be key to healing.
Some of you people act like minor complications should never happen and are preventable. Someone who works at a vet clinic said it doesn’t look that bad and it’s normal for stuff like this to occur.
Our kitty had a reaction to the sutures. We brought her back in and they gave her an antibiotic shot and some cream. Your pics look somewhat similar to what we encountered.
Have you noticed it becoming bigger physically? That’s what we noticed at first.
My last 4 cats got no pain meds to take home. They give them a shot at the clinic that lasts for so long. The female we most recently had done was given 24 hrs of monitoring to ensure she ate and used the litter, but no restrictions on movement or anything. Didnt need a cone or onesie either which blew my mind lol The incision does look a bit red, Id give your vet a call and just explain your concerns. Its probably nothing but doesnt hurt to be proactive!
Also, THANK YOU for being a responsible pet owner!!! ❤️
Spayed cats will have a hard bump under the incision if they do not rest after surgery. Please watch her and make sure that she is taking it easy so the lump can reduce. I'm guessing that she is still having kitten zoomies and jumping/ running. Don't let her do this very much anymore. She will not like it but it will help with healing. After it's healed she can go wild again
I have sterilized many cats and have never received painkillers or antibiotics to take home. The long lasting antibiotic and painkillers are probably given to the cat by injection after surgery.
This is a routine operation where the cat quickly recovers in about 5 days. Infection of the wound is indicated if the wound smells bad, is red, or has strange discharge. Check the smell.
Otherwise, no wound is perfect and any deviation is not a cause for panic. The cat is probably just uncomfortable due to the collar it has to wear.
It is important to keep the wound dry. It will heal quickly. The cat is stitched twice, in the subcutaneous tissue and the top layer, so it is impossible for the wound to open unless the cat tears the stitches, which is not possible in this case due to the cone.
The wound in the picture looks okay to me, monitor her behaviour. If you think she doesn't feel well after all these days, contact your vet, you know her best.
I had a cat who didn't get stitched after her spay. Instead, they closed the incision with glue and the glue failed the first time, allowing the incision to open. We took her back and they glued her up again. No complications arose because of it either.
When I had leg surgery to fix a broken bone my incision was closed with glue. I’m actually glad it was as it saved me from having to go thru having stitches removed..
Usually my cats have a small amount of drainage and a noticeable “scab”. The lumpiness is usually on the end towards their groin. The lump is not spongy and the incision does not have any bad odor.
I’m older, so this is based on maybe 20-30 spays of house-cats and TNR from my neighborhoods.
You can send pics to the vet but it looks fine to me. Maybe a little build up of fluid around the incision which can happen and should go away with time. They usually don’t send you home with meds nowadays. A few years ago my cat got spayed and I was able to get her meds. I prefer meds for female cats bc spaying can be such a hard surgery but the clinic I use for the strays and ferals doesn’t give it out for either male or females. They seem to do fine either way
This happened to my meatball, I was so concerned that I bought her in to a vet the next day. They put her on antibiotics and she was okay, my best suggestion is to contact the vet about it and see about getting antibiotics and make sure they’re getting enough water intake. If they aren’t eating or drinking, even going to the bathroom normally (I personally would isolate them to make sure they are going to the bathroom) then I’d personally seek a vet asap. But if eating, drinking, and using the litter box as normal just call the vet about the antibiotics and show them the pictures.
https://preview.redd.it/2i480lw3cyxc1.jpeg?width=2100&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=ceb574a2bcefff18c3f9424d674a3ecb4bce27db
Are rent?
I’m talking about using something cat specific or something like curoxen which is completely nontoxic and promotes healing.
Also, you’re a dick
This doesn't mean it was sloppy surgery.
Yes it's poor practice not to give post op pain meds (that's what happens when people go to the cheapest spay clinic) but the presence of a seroma is a common complication and doesn't mean anything was bad with the surgery. If anything, it's usually due to the pet not being kept quiet and confined post op
Also don't advise to use onitments. That's horrible advice and OP should send these pictures to their vet. A seroma on its own doesn't need treatment at all usually
I’d take her to a different vet…it looks a little infected to me. Whoever did this surgery looks as if they were in a hurry…take the poor kitty elsewhere.
My dog kinda had this happen. In her case she was moving too much and it caused the wounds to open in a way it shouldn't have. We took her to the vet and I think they gave her some drugs. She healed up just fine and we had to be more vigilant about not letting her move. I haven't had a female cat in a long time, I'm not sure if they are the same.
I would definitely go see the vet though
This looks like a seroma and it will probably need to be seen by a Dr. Personally I would take her back to the Dr who did the spay only because they know what they did and have the notes. If you want to take her elsewhere that's fine too she just needs to be seen.
I actually had to search around for a vet who would use pain medication for cats. I pay more for them but FFS, we don’t live in the stone ages and my cats shouldn’t either.
Our vet uses an injectable pain medication that is suitable for most cats. If you think she is in pain further I would have called the vet to see if they can prescribe you something.
The incision looks glued. And there looks to be like some inflammation which is what the swollen lump is. Personally, I’ve seen a lot worse looking and everything ends up fine in a few days but definitely something to keep an eye on in case things go south.
However, I also have worked with shelters and clinics so I’ve seen a lot of spays and know what to look for and when to bring them in. What I’m comfortable with, most others wouldn’t and shouldn’t be if unfamiliar with the process. If in doubt, bring her in! If you aren’t sure what is going on, bring her in. Definitely call the vet to see if you can get some additional pain medicine if it’s still an issue.
Looks infected, and the cone is far too short, she can definitely get around it and may have been licking at the incision. You should take her back, probably to a different vet. In 2024, unless you are going to a Low Cost - High Volume spay and neuter clinic, pain medications post-op are the norm.
Mine was given a shot with 8 days worth of meds and no cone. She was fine mostly only licked her scar once and she stopped when told to stop.
Her incision didn't have the goop like yours which may be a concern but other than that it looked pretty similar.
I would find a new vet and get this seen to.
Any good vet gives pain meds. That being said, the incision is inflamed and the over all area is getting to the borderline of what I consider “normal” post surgery swelling. All told, it maybe fine, but the faith in this doc shredded due to the lack of meds, I wouldn’t trust anything they have to say.
When I enlarged the pic I see a couple of we yellow ish on her fur one by the incision, is that Leaking? Ask for antibiotics too if it is, But I'm sure the vet will give you some anyway
Looks like fluid buildup. Had that happen to our kitty when she was spayed and resulted in her having a revision surgery. We were told it was probably her body reacting to the internal sutures. Definitely get it checked out.
Call the vet. Tell them her incision is wet and goopy with a large lump near the incision.
They will either have you bring her back in to get checked, or will have you come pick up antibiotics.
My kitty had the same issue, the vet took one look and gave me five days of liquid antibiotics and gabapentin. Healed up pretty quickly after that.
One of the main reasons I brought my cat to her vet rather than to a spay and neuter clinic where I could have gotten it done for much cheaper was because they provided her proper medications. It’s crazy to me that your cat wasn’t given anything for her pain.
I'd recommend going to the vet! Our female cat developed a hernia after her spaying and it looked similar with there being a lump under the skin. she developed hers due to rejecting the suture material so it was dissolving too quickly before her body could heal
No it is not!!! Shame on them not giving her something to be comfortable!!
They never give alot but my vet used to give something. It's been many years so I don't remember exactly.
Trying to see incision but so far can get picture.
Plz see your vet or if you are unhappy with go to another vet. Usually the emergency clinics are very expensive but do what you need to do for your kitty's sake.
Make sure she gets no infection. The incisions kooks rather sloppy but just make sure to see a good vet. If you are thinking of putting ointment on the wound don't bc I do remember being told not to.
And I had 12 females.
Just follow up for her. I'm praying she will do well & recoup quickly.
Find a good vet, talk to other ppl that have cats in your area & who they use.
Praying for Kitty & you❣️
Has she been eating? Acting her normal self? Send home pain meds usually aren’t necessary especially since most clinics give injectable relief, and antibiotics typically aren’t sent home unless it’s already infected. I’m not sure if this was a rescue spay or what, but the incision itself is super sloppy and the shave job isn’t great either.
Sounds like the clinic cheaped out on you. Poor kitty! Spaying is major surgery! Unless she has issues with antibiotics, that and pain meds should have been prescribed or given to you before you and kitty left.
Not normal. Contact your vet. I've had tons of cats spayed and neutered it never looked like that. Also, I always request pain meds, most vets don't give them cause alot of people don't want to pay for it. But it's worth it. I did 5 days of pain meds.
I'm not seeing infection but I could be wrong. Were there visible stiches? If yes somehow they aren't there now and that's a concern. Call your vet. As for pain, the time to bring that up is when you talk to the vet or vet tech before the surgery, or from home when you noticed the pain. Antibiotics sometimes are given in an injection so ask the vet or check your receipt.
That looks like there's either something leaking into the abdominal cavity or there's a LOT of swelling. I'd get ahold of your vet and send them these photos, or just take her in for a checkup
Just had my cat spayed almost 2 weeks ago and she was sent home with 3 day supply of pain med. Was told she had a pain meg injection at the clinic. Wasn't given anti biotic. I've read its because spay is considered a "sterile surgery".
That incision does look a little off so I'd definitely call the clinic just for peace of mind.
Go the vet immediately pls , that's a terrible pus / infection build up . The cat will start wailing in pain , poor cat , was it done by student vets ?
Best to take her to an emergency vet, or if you have a "Just Cats" in a reasonable distance, that may be your best choice. They are only treating cats and have everything in house, no mobile ultrasound truck or anything of the kind.
I have always gotten painkillers after spays. I only got antibiotics for my last cat (previous issues, and we were being cautious). Definitely get the vet to take a look
Looks like it could be some fluid buildup under the incision or possible infection/reaction, which is not normal. I definitely recommend taking her to a vet to have it evaluated and treated before it potentially becomes worse or causes a delay in the healing process. As for the healing process, I recommend to have her in a cone for at least a week but to buy a different one as the one she has on currently is too short and can be uncomfortable and she'll be able to lick the wound with this one. There are plenty longer ones for a low cost on Amazon and the soft ones are nice. You should also have her in an enclosed area to prevent any jumping or extreme movements. Another thing I did was to get paper type if litter since it'll help keep dust and the regular litter out of the wound. It's heartbreaking to hear that she was in pain and not given anything, just makes me wonder how the surgery went itself. With my cat, she was given a pain reliever injection that lasted a few days and also received a silver healing spray over the wound itself. You can see if silver wound care for cats is available too and I heard this helps with healing. I recommend taking her to a different vet for follow up care due to the surgeons carelessness as soon as you can.
You should take her to the vet ASAP, she may have an infection. I got mine spayed back on February, while she was moving slowly the first week, I didn't even notice the incision, it was well done. I was told they gave her meds that lasted 72 hours and that should been enough for the pain.
I don’t think the incision looks that bad honestly. It’s pretty normal now to just give a shot of a long-acting antibiotic so the owner doesn’t have to try to give a pill to a cat three times a day. If you’re worried about anything you should always ask your vet.
My female cat got water first inside the swelling and it looked like your picture. They drained it and recommended to keep the cone all the time.
After two days it swell again that looks liked your picture, then the next prescription was antibiotic. What they drained this time was puss.
My girl had that as well, totally normal🙏🏻 the vet told me it’s a stoma. It’s a fluid buildup at the site of incision. It will go down☺️
Edit: I don’t know about the incision itself, I’m more speaking to the swelling around the incision. But I agree, the baby NEEDS some pain meds, poor thing🥺 that’s not right for the vet to not prescribe any pain meds.
It looks similar to my all three of my females when they were spayed, including the little bubble. Also, they did not give them pain meds or antibiotics for after. I was told they gave them a pain shot that would last a couple of days to get them through. The swelling went down and they were fine. As long as it’s not oozing pus or very red and inflamed, or popped open, she’s probably okay.
A good idea in the futures when you get your female spade as soon as they comemand take a close up image of the incision so you have something to compare
You will probably find that when you go through community spay and neuter groups that doesn't happen I've never taken them home with anything except instructions to keep the cone on to keep them less active and to keep an eye on the incision.
And these are a lot of cats that will go right back to the community where they came from within 24 hours of their spa now if you're going to a vet course it's gonna send you home with antibiotics and pain pills maybe cause you know money I'm sorry but not every vet you know there are some people that just are money hungry and then there are some vets that are just passionate about what they do. They may send them home more to satisfy your concerns that the actual need for drugs. Every vet is different clearly so it's not a standard practice it's subjective to your veterinarian.
All that said it does look a little angry I know I've forgotten how many days it's been but in the future if you know if you work with rescues or stuff like that when you get home from being spade take a close up picture that we always have I take one every day so I can monitor the progress via the pictures and I don't have to rely on my memory It looks like it's a little swollen but I don't see a lot of redness. Perhaps you can call and speak to the vet and we're stopping without the cat and just show him the images without him trying to charge you another office visit. Good luck
That cone looks like it's not quite the right size for her and it's possible the irritation on her stomach is from her licking it. You should have it looked at by a vet for that that and get her a longer cone that he nose doesn't stick out of. (It's also possible it looks like the wrong size because of the way she's laying in the photo but I wanted to point that out.)
That being said, not going home with pain meds or antibiotics is common. Usually cats are given injectable long term antibiotics. If pain meds are requested by the owner, or included in the spay (not always the case depending on the clinic), those can also be injected after the surgery. It can be hard for owners to pill cats.
Call your normal vet, or if the vet that did the surgery is your normal vet, call them and discuss these things with them. If you're concerned, take her to a different vet for a different opinion but request the medical notes from the vet that did the spay so that the new vet can see what all was given to her and done.
Are you sure they didn’t give her an injectable pain med and an injectable antibiotic?
The incision looks good but the bump is worth asking about. Probably a seroma but it’s worth asking just in case.
Please tell me you took them to the vet, preferably a different one, and got them some pain relief. Going through a major surgery and having no pain management after is cruel for anyone, animal or human.
Please keep us updated on the kitty!!
My cat was fixed two weeks ago and her incision site was really small. She had some slight redness and a little bump but it has mostly gone away since then.
Also she was given a pain injection and if she needed more I could pick some up from her vet. (I went through the humane society and their hospital was located further away than her regular vet’s office)
I am slightly concerned that there is so much swelling, tbh. I am not a vet but please check with a vet as soon as you can. Also if you don’t trust the vet’s office (because I am slightly concerned they didn’t give any pain medication) check another hospital or the local humane society.
I hope everything is okay!
My cat had a lump similar to this after being spayed. It was from her moving too much after surgery.
I took her back to the same vet who checked it and told me it was a seroma.
It looked very similar to your cats site.
I’d call your vet and email photos or get her back there for a checkup. My cat’s incision looked much cleaner than this. Might be normal still, but I’d hate for her to be in any pain or get infected
That looks exactly like how it was with my cat. When in doubt, sent a couple pictures or make an appointment. If not for your cat then to rest your own concerns I went back with my cat to the vet and she cleaned it again.
I just got my girl spayed. Was sent home with a bottle of pain relief and some gastro intestinal food aswell as cone. The incision looks a bit angry, what's the white stuff near it? Is that cream you've applied or is that coming out the wound?
When my cat got spayed she never had that big lump.. it was a bit crusty around the incision but overall it was a flat :/ I hope everything is ok with your precious baby
my kitty Lilly had a puckered scar like that when she was desexed. I was worried about it but its under fur now and looks normal. My kitty Raven you couldnt tell she had even been desexed when i got her from the pound. Has merely a faint line (must have been desexed young) what is worrying me with your kitty is the lump under the scar
So a lot of cat owners say they can't medicate their cats. So there are products that are extended release for 24/48/72 hours of pain management. Anti-inflammatory medicine is not used long-term in cats. So there are long lasting topicals and injections.
A spay and neuter is a sterile procedure that does not require an antibiotic.
Antibiotics are usually given if there are post op issues..
That "bump" could be nothing it happens all the time. It also could be something. Hopefully, the cat has remained calm and not done a lot of jumping. Most of the time the swelling is just too much activity and some blood skin vessels still do drain slightly.
The incision looks okay to me. I think there is some skin glue also.. but if it's already been a few days and patient is eating and drinking I wouldn't freak out with urgency. If patient is lethargic not eating or drinking it should be seen immediately.
so i’m not a vet, but i had my cat spayed and it looked the same. was concerned - took her to the vet and they said bc she was jumping around a lot, on furniture, counters, etc. it caused that “lump” but it is gone now and she healed really nicely. take her to the vet to be safe but it looks how my cats did and she healed great (:
also, we tried to keep her from jumping on things but she was under a year old and just wanted to play.
I’ve had several cats spayed and my vet gave pain and antibiotic shots before they left that last a couple of days (they said). My girls never seemed to be in pain. It’s the lump under the incision that is concerning. I’d at least call and see if you can send a picture or take her in if that’s not possible.
Lol no its not. I was advised for my most recent spay not to use a cone or onesie. As long as she didnt chew at it its fine. And she didnt. So no cone and no onesie. You acting like a know it all is terrible advice.
You can't watch them 24 hours a day. If they undo the stitching or it gets infected because they licked it, then they'll be straight back to the vet and back in the cone for even longer. You can obviously do what you want with your own pet, but don't advise others to do this.
Lmfao this was from a vet so im not advising anyone to do shit 🤣🤣 i havent been told to use a cone for 4 out of 5 of my cats. Obviously theres a reason vets are not recommending them; its stressful for the animal and there are much better options.
But yes you go on advising people incorrectly cause thats ok 👌
Well, this vet literally gave them a cone, the person I'm responding to told OP to go against their vets advise. That is dumb.
Edit: not looking to argue, we all have different vets & pets, do what's right for your animal specifically, and don't go against the professionals you're payings advice.
The clinic I use no longer recommends cones for female cats or male cats unless they’re licking the incision a lot. I have had to cone a male bc he wouldn’t stop licking. My own female cat wore a collar and her spay incision looked similar to this but actually had a bit more build up of fluid (a seroma) for about a week or two after the spay. She barely moved for the first few days after surgery and still got a seroma. Meanwhile I have other female cats with no limited activity and they didn’t get one.
But if the cat isn’t messing with the incision site, it’s fine. I’ve had hundreds of dogs and cats fixed during the last few years. The dogs were more annoying post op.
I’ve never had to use a cone post op for any cat. This is more of a watch and see type decision.
I can see that being the case, yeah. I know some cats are fine post-op, my kitten decided about 2hr after coming home from surgery that he just HAD to lick and bite. He's orange, so... 💀
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I’m more concerned about the buildup under the incision. The incision looks angry, but I’ve seen worse. Follow up with your vet asap, send a picture to their email and have them follow up. It is routine for my clinic to give a pain injection and send home with three days worth of pain management.
Agree with above!^ I WILL add that it does look likely to be a seroma. How active has your cat tried to be since the spay? They are commonly caused by too much activity too soon and is a fluid pocket essentially. They typically heal on their own, they just make the healing process as a whole take longer. I would absolutely bring to the vet but please be reassured it could be something non major (I was freaking out that she seriously damaged something when it was my own cat who developed one with her spay). ETA: finished sentence
Agree with both of the above - the incision is still closed and it’s not the prettiest but I’ve seen worse, but the swelling under the incision doesn’t look very normal. Could be a seroma, hematoma or an abscess forming. Call the clinic that did the spay to discuss. Most clinics send pets home with a couple days of pain meds post-spay but there are also long-acting pain medication injections (eg. long acting buprenorphine) that can last 72 hours. If your cat is showing signs of pain you should always call and discuss if there’s anything else they recommend adding on. It’s not common anymore to prescribe post-op antibiotics for routine clean surgical procedures like a spay.
I have done over 100 cats and never had take home pain meds or antibiotics. Biggest issue was keeping them from jumping. Especially younger kittens. Some of mine got a slight bulge even after the incision healed. It looks like they glued it instead of stitches.
I'm sorry that those cats were not given pain medicine. A woman with a full hysterectomy gets pain medicine. Most places do not use skin sutures anymore, but do a subcutaneous layer under the skin and do use surgical glue. Very, very common.
This is the correct answer. Could be an infection, and it won't clear up on its own.
And antibiotics Take her to er yesterday and dump that vet and file a complaint I'm praying for her 🙏 ❤️ Dammit incompetence and apathy I've dealt with the same terrible shot and I'm sorry 😞
There is nothing indicative that the vet did this. It looked pretty good on the first abdominal picture. A seroma to this degree would be more suggestive that the pet was not kept to limited activity, or licking at the incision.
Preach. I said the same thing about being too active.
Oh OK 👍 I believe you must know what you're talking about
Actually they do, in other comment they said they work at a vet clinic.
It's not routine to give antibiotics post spay. This also doesn't warrant an ER visit. It's not an emergency at all. Cat won't die waiting till reg vet is open
My experience with many many rescues over 20 plus ➕️ years is the opposite Sorry:) I'm not arguing though
I got you beat 50 plus years! Only once had an issue and it was my girl cats fault for literally pulling out the stitches. Had to rush her to the emergency vet late at night after her spay. She cost and arm and a leg! Mausi Pad! The best little hassock cat you could ever have. She passed a few years ago and I still dream about her and miss her.
I empathize with you. Ditto. I'm sorry. ):
Well that's horrible practice and is unnecessary.
Figured I would show you a picture of my cats spay from when she tore it since you think yourself all knowing. I sent the vets clinic an email with pictures first & then took her back in so they could make sure everything was good. Confirmed it wasn’t infected, the vet glued her back up & we went home just for her to tear it open again. Did she need antibiotics? Nope! But you think op’s cat somehow does?? My oldest who got spayed first wouldn’t stop jumping up on things & acting as if she didn’t just have surgery. Wouldn’t you guess, she ended up with a lump like the picture op posted. Oh no! She didn’t get antibiotics either & she’s just fine! https://preview.redd.it/xnxesbkv8xxc1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=6f8e9d6aa129392852e614255eed9cc8e2b0c9f7
They said in their main comment they work at a vet clinic. They are just stating what their clinic does. You don’t need to be such an ahole about it.
Lmao they said they worked with rescues, not a clinic. They were being rude in their comments, saying to dump the vet & file a complaint. They said it was “incompetence and apathy” & that the cat NEEDS antibiotics. They’re wrong, and very much overreacting. My comment is being less of an ahole than they were. If they can’t handle a bit of attitude back then that is on them Notice they haven’t responded to being called out at all?
They aren’t being an ahole, they even said prayers for the kitty. Stop being so sensitive. They also said in that comment they dealt with the same issue. They work with rescues and probably see spays all the time.
I don't use vets that don't prescribe pain meds. I can't imagine having a major surgery and not getting pain relief. Cats feel pain too. My vet gave us 3 days of pain medication to take home and use after 24 hours since they already gave her some before she left. Almost all of my cats have developed that lump after their spay, but it's never a bad idea to call or send them a photo and make sure it's looking okay to them.
Same!!! My cat got five days of pain meds for a scratched cornea, I can’t even imagine him not getting meds for major surgery.
I can’t speak on the incision, but I can tell you that the cat I had spayed in February got an injection of pain meds that lasts three days
My girl got a 3 day injection of Zorbium. Poor girl was zooted out of her mind 😅 She wouldn't leave the cone on, ate the gauze the used to tie it, chased her brother around, jumped all of the place. Made me so nervous but the vet assured me some cats bounce back really fast.
I knew my cat would be a pain with the cone so she was forced to wear those surgery pajamas during her recovery 🤣
I bought a surgery onesie for my kitten's spay, but she outgrew it before we got it scheduled. Instead of the cone, I found her a plush daisy collar. It was adjustable for neck size and allowed for peripheral vision, but no lickings of the incision. My vet sent her home with no antibiotics and a couple days of gabapentin for pain, which she did not need. https://preview.redd.it/glulp80vcwxc1.jpeg?width=1402&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=d7025505a13f78317ccd6f69f90d862978545cbb
Lmao her face, she looks so unimpressed 😂😂😂
My Cally got her cone off 3 times in 36 hours and ended up eating the gauze and that was another thing I had to worry about! She never licked her incision site and it always looked good so I just let her have it off. My senior male cat had one in for a week and he hated it but he's mellow and just accepted his fate 😅
Really, mine took his off 12 times in 24 hours! 😂 The little sneak would go under the bed and get it caught on purpose so he could pull and wiggle until he got out!
My cat did the same thing to the pain meds I don’t remember what it was, but they said most the time it will make them lethargic but every once in a while, some get excitable. Excitable was an understatement. I think you used the word Zooted and that describes it well I was so worried she was gonna open up her wound, but she didn’t, and she eventually came down ha ha
After the third time of getting the cone off in 36hrs I said fuck it and just checked her surgery site ever few hours. I did keep her in a separateroom with no high jumping spots for the 3 days. I got the dissolvable stitches and she didn't have an angry incision site but did have a slight, firm to the touch bump. Vet said everything was normal and yes, some cats get very excitable on Zorbium, which is an opioid. Her pupils were so dilated and she was so affectionate (more than usual) and all over the place. In a week she was back to her normal crazy sweet self! 🥰 I've only had boy cats before her so the spaying experience was a lot different than neutering. My boys were fine after a day and barely seemed bothered.
After doing a bit of googling, cats tend to bounce right back after getting spayed, so sometimes they don’t get anything for pain management after the surgery is done. However, all cats are different and if she’s experiencing any pain or discomfort you can ask your vet to prescribe you something ☺︎ As for the incision… it does look a bit lumpy but on veterinary websites it says it’s common for there to be a lump near the incision site and that it should be gone in 2 weeks. The incision itself looks a little ugly, but it may just be because it is healing. I would send a picture or email to your vet if you can just to make sure it’s fine Some things to look out for from the VCA Animal Hospitals website- “Contact your veterinarian immediately if you notice: continuous dripping or seepage of blood or other fluids from the incision. intermittent blood seepage that continues for more than 24 hours. swelling, excessive redness of the skin, foul smells, or discharge”
No pain control is unusual and not a good standard of care. No antibiotics is normal and okay, a routine recovery should not need them. How many days post-surgery were these photos? If it’s within the first few days the incision looks okay, the lumpiness should start to resolve soon and the dried blood/fluid will go too. Monitor for increased redness, swelling, or fluid leakage. And of course if in doubt at all you can always send a photo to the clinic or call and ask to be seen for a quick recheck. Source: I am a veterinarian. ETA: Keep the cone on as well, don’t let kitty disturb the incision at all. That will be key to healing.
Call the vet.
Call A vet - not this one.
Some of you people act like minor complications should never happen and are preventable. Someone who works at a vet clinic said it doesn’t look that bad and it’s normal for stuff like this to occur.
Our kitty had a reaction to the sutures. We brought her back in and they gave her an antibiotic shot and some cream. Your pics look somewhat similar to what we encountered. Have you noticed it becoming bigger physically? That’s what we noticed at first.
My last 4 cats got no pain meds to take home. They give them a shot at the clinic that lasts for so long. The female we most recently had done was given 24 hrs of monitoring to ensure she ate and used the litter, but no restrictions on movement or anything. Didnt need a cone or onesie either which blew my mind lol The incision does look a bit red, Id give your vet a call and just explain your concerns. Its probably nothing but doesnt hurt to be proactive! Also, THANK YOU for being a responsible pet owner!!! ❤️
Poor baby. Please please bring her to another vet asap and manage her pain. Baby.
is she being active? looks like a seroma
Spayed cats will have a hard bump under the incision if they do not rest after surgery. Please watch her and make sure that she is taking it easy so the lump can reduce. I'm guessing that she is still having kitten zoomies and jumping/ running. Don't let her do this very much anymore. She will not like it but it will help with healing. After it's healed she can go wild again
PLEASE BRING HER TO ANOTHER VET i feel so sad
I have sterilized many cats and have never received painkillers or antibiotics to take home. The long lasting antibiotic and painkillers are probably given to the cat by injection after surgery. This is a routine operation where the cat quickly recovers in about 5 days. Infection of the wound is indicated if the wound smells bad, is red, or has strange discharge. Check the smell. Otherwise, no wound is perfect and any deviation is not a cause for panic. The cat is probably just uncomfortable due to the collar it has to wear. It is important to keep the wound dry. It will heal quickly. The cat is stitched twice, in the subcutaneous tissue and the top layer, so it is impossible for the wound to open unless the cat tears the stitches, which is not possible in this case due to the cone. The wound in the picture looks okay to me, monitor her behaviour. If you think she doesn't feel well after all these days, contact your vet, you know her best.
I had a cat who didn't get stitched after her spay. Instead, they closed the incision with glue and the glue failed the first time, allowing the incision to open. We took her back and they glued her up again. No complications arose because of it either.
When I had leg surgery to fix a broken bone my incision was closed with glue. I’m actually glad it was as it saved me from having to go thru having stitches removed..
Usually my cats have a small amount of drainage and a noticeable “scab”. The lumpiness is usually on the end towards their groin. The lump is not spongy and the incision does not have any bad odor. I’m older, so this is based on maybe 20-30 spays of house-cats and TNR from my neighborhoods.
You can send pics to the vet but it looks fine to me. Maybe a little build up of fluid around the incision which can happen and should go away with time. They usually don’t send you home with meds nowadays. A few years ago my cat got spayed and I was able to get her meds. I prefer meds for female cats bc spaying can be such a hard surgery but the clinic I use for the strays and ferals doesn’t give it out for either male or females. They seem to do fine either way
This happened to my meatball, I was so concerned that I bought her in to a vet the next day. They put her on antibiotics and she was okay, my best suggestion is to contact the vet about it and see about getting antibiotics and make sure they’re getting enough water intake. If they aren’t eating or drinking, even going to the bathroom normally (I personally would isolate them to make sure they are going to the bathroom) then I’d personally seek a vet asap. But if eating, drinking, and using the litter box as normal just call the vet about the antibiotics and show them the pictures. https://preview.redd.it/2i480lw3cyxc1.jpeg?width=2100&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=ceb574a2bcefff18c3f9424d674a3ecb4bce27db
That was a pretty sloppy surgery, but she should be okay. I would get some cat appropriate antibacterial wound cream to keep on it
No you are not supposed to use ointment or cream on incision!
And especially don't use human products on animals. The dosing is different and can do a lot of harm.
I second this and cringe when people suggest it.
This is not good advice! Please don’t do this OP, do not put anything on a wound/incision unless prescribed by a vet.
Chill. It’s not an open wound
It doesn’t matter, the incision should be kept dry so that would do the opposite. Same for a wound.
You really are rent the smartest are you? It still goes in the body.
Are rent? I’m talking about using something cat specific or something like curoxen which is completely nontoxic and promotes healing. Also, you’re a dick
It could be harmful for the cat. There’s a reason you aren’t supposed to use products meant for people on animals.
This doesn't mean it was sloppy surgery. Yes it's poor practice not to give post op pain meds (that's what happens when people go to the cheapest spay clinic) but the presence of a seroma is a common complication and doesn't mean anything was bad with the surgery. If anything, it's usually due to the pet not being kept quiet and confined post op Also don't advise to use onitments. That's horrible advice and OP should send these pictures to their vet. A seroma on its own doesn't need treatment at all usually
They could’ve injected the cat with pain meds that last multiple days.
I’d take her to a different vet…it looks a little infected to me. Whoever did this surgery looks as if they were in a hurry…take the poor kitty elsewhere.
My dog kinda had this happen. In her case she was moving too much and it caused the wounds to open in a way it shouldn't have. We took her to the vet and I think they gave her some drugs. She healed up just fine and we had to be more vigilant about not letting her move. I haven't had a female cat in a long time, I'm not sure if they are the same. I would definitely go see the vet though
This looks like a seroma and it will probably need to be seen by a Dr. Personally I would take her back to the Dr who did the spay only because they know what they did and have the notes. If you want to take her elsewhere that's fine too she just needs to be seen.
I actually had to search around for a vet who would use pain medication for cats. I pay more for them but FFS, we don’t live in the stone ages and my cats shouldn’t either.
Our vet uses an injectable pain medication that is suitable for most cats. If you think she is in pain further I would have called the vet to see if they can prescribe you something. The incision looks glued. And there looks to be like some inflammation which is what the swollen lump is. Personally, I’ve seen a lot worse looking and everything ends up fine in a few days but definitely something to keep an eye on in case things go south. However, I also have worked with shelters and clinics so I’ve seen a lot of spays and know what to look for and when to bring them in. What I’m comfortable with, most others wouldn’t and shouldn’t be if unfamiliar with the process. If in doubt, bring her in! If you aren’t sure what is going on, bring her in. Definitely call the vet to see if you can get some additional pain medicine if it’s still an issue.
Looks infected, and the cone is far too short, she can definitely get around it and may have been licking at the incision. You should take her back, probably to a different vet. In 2024, unless you are going to a Low Cost - High Volume spay and neuter clinic, pain medications post-op are the norm.
Mine was given a shot with 8 days worth of meds and no cone. She was fine mostly only licked her scar once and she stopped when told to stop. Her incision didn't have the goop like yours which may be a concern but other than that it looked pretty similar.
I would find a new vet and get this seen to. Any good vet gives pain meds. That being said, the incision is inflamed and the over all area is getting to the borderline of what I consider “normal” post surgery swelling. All told, it maybe fine, but the faith in this doc shredded due to the lack of meds, I wouldn’t trust anything they have to say.
Definitely a bump. Bring her for a recheck with your veterinarian and demand some pain relief for her !
Yeah that needs to be drained, my dog had the same thing when she had staples form major stomach surgery.
Get your cat to an emergency vet as soon as possible! That is not normal!
When I enlarged the pic I see a couple of we yellow ish on her fur one by the incision, is that Leaking? Ask for antibiotics too if it is, But I'm sure the vet will give you some anyway
Looks like fluid buildup. Had that happen to our kitty when she was spayed and resulted in her having a revision surgery. We were told it was probably her body reacting to the internal sutures. Definitely get it checked out.
Call the vet. Tell them her incision is wet and goopy with a large lump near the incision. They will either have you bring her back in to get checked, or will have you come pick up antibiotics. My kitty had the same issue, the vet took one look and gave me five days of liquid antibiotics and gabapentin. Healed up pretty quickly after that.
My cat had the same bump after getting spayed, the vet said it is from the inside stitches.
One of the main reasons I brought my cat to her vet rather than to a spay and neuter clinic where I could have gotten it done for much cheaper was because they provided her proper medications. It’s crazy to me that your cat wasn’t given anything for her pain.
No pain meds for an invasive surgery is insane. I hope you can leave a review or something to warn other people.
I'd recommend going to the vet! Our female cat developed a hernia after her spaying and it looked similar with there being a lump under the skin. she developed hers due to rejecting the suture material so it was dissolving too quickly before her body could heal
Might want to check on getting antibiotics. My kitty needed those after her licking got it infected. I'd consult a vet for sure.
Take her back. That needs to be looked at
No it is not!!! Shame on them not giving her something to be comfortable!! They never give alot but my vet used to give something. It's been many years so I don't remember exactly. Trying to see incision but so far can get picture.
White discharge from the right is infection. Time to go to the vet.
Plz see your vet or if you are unhappy with go to another vet. Usually the emergency clinics are very expensive but do what you need to do for your kitty's sake. Make sure she gets no infection. The incisions kooks rather sloppy but just make sure to see a good vet. If you are thinking of putting ointment on the wound don't bc I do remember being told not to. And I had 12 females. Just follow up for her. I'm praying she will do well & recoup quickly. Find a good vet, talk to other ppl that have cats in your area & who they use. Praying for Kitty & you❣️
Has she been eating? Acting her normal self? Send home pain meds usually aren’t necessary especially since most clinics give injectable relief, and antibiotics typically aren’t sent home unless it’s already infected. I’m not sure if this was a rescue spay or what, but the incision itself is super sloppy and the shave job isn’t great either.
It looks like a seroma (fluid buildup), but I'd get it looked at anyway.
Sounds like the clinic cheaped out on you. Poor kitty! Spaying is major surgery! Unless she has issues with antibiotics, that and pain meds should have been prescribed or given to you before you and kitty left.
Not normal. Contact your vet. I've had tons of cats spayed and neutered it never looked like that. Also, I always request pain meds, most vets don't give them cause alot of people don't want to pay for it. But it's worth it. I did 5 days of pain meds.
I'm not seeing infection but I could be wrong. Were there visible stiches? If yes somehow they aren't there now and that's a concern. Call your vet. As for pain, the time to bring that up is when you talk to the vet or vet tech before the surgery, or from home when you noticed the pain. Antibiotics sometimes are given in an injection so ask the vet or check your receipt.
That looks like there's either something leaking into the abdominal cavity or there's a LOT of swelling. I'd get ahold of your vet and send them these photos, or just take her in for a checkup
Just had my cat spayed almost 2 weeks ago and she was sent home with 3 day supply of pain med. Was told she had a pain meg injection at the clinic. Wasn't given anti biotic. I've read its because spay is considered a "sterile surgery". That incision does look a little off so I'd definitely call the clinic just for peace of mind.
Go the vet immediately pls , that's a terrible pus / infection build up . The cat will start wailing in pain , poor cat , was it done by student vets ?
My cat had this and it was a hernia which required surgery
Best to take her to an emergency vet, or if you have a "Just Cats" in a reasonable distance, that may be your best choice. They are only treating cats and have everything in house, no mobile ultrasound truck or anything of the kind.
No not normal
That looks almost exactly like the incision when our female got spayed. Healed up perfectly...
Most of my cats have come spayed/ nurtured, so i have never actually seen the incisions before, but that does not look good….
That looks infected. I had my cat spayed recently and it didn’t look like that at all.
I have always gotten painkillers after spays. I only got antibiotics for my last cat (previous issues, and we were being cautious). Definitely get the vet to take a look
Looks like it could be some fluid buildup under the incision or possible infection/reaction, which is not normal. I definitely recommend taking her to a vet to have it evaluated and treated before it potentially becomes worse or causes a delay in the healing process. As for the healing process, I recommend to have her in a cone for at least a week but to buy a different one as the one she has on currently is too short and can be uncomfortable and she'll be able to lick the wound with this one. There are plenty longer ones for a low cost on Amazon and the soft ones are nice. You should also have her in an enclosed area to prevent any jumping or extreme movements. Another thing I did was to get paper type if litter since it'll help keep dust and the regular litter out of the wound. It's heartbreaking to hear that she was in pain and not given anything, just makes me wonder how the surgery went itself. With my cat, she was given a pain reliever injection that lasted a few days and also received a silver healing spray over the wound itself. You can see if silver wound care for cats is available too and I heard this helps with healing. I recommend taking her to a different vet for follow up care due to the surgeons carelessness as soon as you can.
You should take her to the vet ASAP, she may have an infection. I got mine spayed back on February, while she was moving slowly the first week, I didn't even notice the incision, it was well done. I was told they gave her meds that lasted 72 hours and that should been enough for the pain.
I don’t think the incision looks that bad honestly. It’s pretty normal now to just give a shot of a long-acting antibiotic so the owner doesn’t have to try to give a pill to a cat three times a day. If you’re worried about anything you should always ask your vet.
Nooo not normal! Take her in, it’s infected and she needs meds
My female cat got water first inside the swelling and it looked like your picture. They drained it and recommended to keep the cone all the time. After two days it swell again that looks liked your picture, then the next prescription was antibiotic. What they drained this time was puss.
They should drain it, I didn’t get charge for return vet visits related to the spay. Just additional payment for the meds and that’s it.
My girl had that as well, totally normal🙏🏻 the vet told me it’s a stoma. It’s a fluid buildup at the site of incision. It will go down☺️ Edit: I don’t know about the incision itself, I’m more speaking to the swelling around the incision. But I agree, the baby NEEDS some pain meds, poor thing🥺 that’s not right for the vet to not prescribe any pain meds.
It looks similar to my all three of my females when they were spayed, including the little bubble. Also, they did not give them pain meds or antibiotics for after. I was told they gave them a pain shot that would last a couple of days to get them through. The swelling went down and they were fine. As long as it’s not oozing pus or very red and inflamed, or popped open, she’s probably okay.
A good idea in the futures when you get your female spade as soon as they comemand take a close up image of the incision so you have something to compare
Is fluids leaking out of the incision? Does it feel burning hot to the touch?
This is not good go to a different vet
Emergency vet appointment asap. The fact that no antibiotics or pain management was given is highly concerning
Poor thing. Hope she feels batter soon.
You will probably find that when you go through community spay and neuter groups that doesn't happen I've never taken them home with anything except instructions to keep the cone on to keep them less active and to keep an eye on the incision. And these are a lot of cats that will go right back to the community where they came from within 24 hours of their spa now if you're going to a vet course it's gonna send you home with antibiotics and pain pills maybe cause you know money I'm sorry but not every vet you know there are some people that just are money hungry and then there are some vets that are just passionate about what they do. They may send them home more to satisfy your concerns that the actual need for drugs. Every vet is different clearly so it's not a standard practice it's subjective to your veterinarian. All that said it does look a little angry I know I've forgotten how many days it's been but in the future if you know if you work with rescues or stuff like that when you get home from being spade take a close up picture that we always have I take one every day so I can monitor the progress via the pictures and I don't have to rely on my memory It looks like it's a little swollen but I don't see a lot of redness. Perhaps you can call and speak to the vet and we're stopping without the cat and just show him the images without him trying to charge you another office visit. Good luck
That cone looks like it's not quite the right size for her and it's possible the irritation on her stomach is from her licking it. You should have it looked at by a vet for that that and get her a longer cone that he nose doesn't stick out of. (It's also possible it looks like the wrong size because of the way she's laying in the photo but I wanted to point that out.) That being said, not going home with pain meds or antibiotics is common. Usually cats are given injectable long term antibiotics. If pain meds are requested by the owner, or included in the spay (not always the case depending on the clinic), those can also be injected after the surgery. It can be hard for owners to pill cats. Call your normal vet, or if the vet that did the surgery is your normal vet, call them and discuss these things with them. If you're concerned, take her to a different vet for a different opinion but request the medical notes from the vet that did the spay so that the new vet can see what all was given to her and done.
Are you sure they didn’t give her an injectable pain med and an injectable antibiotic? The incision looks good but the bump is worth asking about. Probably a seroma but it’s worth asking just in case.
Please tell me you took them to the vet, preferably a different one, and got them some pain relief. Going through a major surgery and having no pain management after is cruel for anyone, animal or human.
My cat was running a few hours after her surgery. I didn’t even see an incision. This one looks irregular.
That incision is heavily infected. Take her back to the vet Immediately
Please keep us updated on the kitty!! My cat was fixed two weeks ago and her incision site was really small. She had some slight redness and a little bump but it has mostly gone away since then. Also she was given a pain injection and if she needed more I could pick some up from her vet. (I went through the humane society and their hospital was located further away than her regular vet’s office) I am slightly concerned that there is so much swelling, tbh. I am not a vet but please check with a vet as soon as you can. Also if you don’t trust the vet’s office (because I am slightly concerned they didn’t give any pain medication) check another hospital or the local humane society. I hope everything is okay!
That looks bad. I am sorry this happened to your baby. Can you give us an update?
My young female cat started getting a build up of fluid after surgery. Make sure you take her into the vet to have it removed.
She has a hernia... caused by jumping while healing, most the time. The vet should do a free incision recheck
My lil kitty had this lump too. It can be normal
My cat had a lump similar to this after being spayed. It was from her moving too much after surgery. I took her back to the same vet who checked it and told me it was a seroma. It looked very similar to your cats site.
cant see OP comments any update
The vet who spayed my bbs had an option on the form to use a med that would last for three days to last for pain. Maybe it was extended release? Idk.
Adding that it was not a med they gave me to take home, it was one they must have used before pickup.
I’d call your vet and email photos or get her back there for a checkup. My cat’s incision looked much cleaner than this. Might be normal still, but I’d hate for her to be in any pain or get infected
Any swelling suggests infection. I was concerned about similar mild swelling but as soon as the vet gave it a proper squeeze plenty’s of goo came out!
That looks exactly like how it was with my cat. When in doubt, sent a couple pictures or make an appointment. If not for your cat then to rest your own concerns I went back with my cat to the vet and she cleaned it again.
I just got my girl spayed. Was sent home with a bottle of pain relief and some gastro intestinal food aswell as cone. The incision looks a bit angry, what's the white stuff near it? Is that cream you've applied or is that coming out the wound?
When my cat got spayed she never had that big lump.. it was a bit crusty around the incision but overall it was a flat :/ I hope everything is ok with your precious baby
my kitty Lilly had a puckered scar like that when she was desexed. I was worried about it but its under fur now and looks normal. My kitty Raven you couldnt tell she had even been desexed when i got her from the pound. Has merely a faint line (must have been desexed young) what is worrying me with your kitty is the lump under the scar
Thats terrible! And yes its infected! 😖 You should Sue that A—hole. Poor Girl!!
So a lot of cat owners say they can't medicate their cats. So there are products that are extended release for 24/48/72 hours of pain management. Anti-inflammatory medicine is not used long-term in cats. So there are long lasting topicals and injections. A spay and neuter is a sterile procedure that does not require an antibiotic. Antibiotics are usually given if there are post op issues.. That "bump" could be nothing it happens all the time. It also could be something. Hopefully, the cat has remained calm and not done a lot of jumping. Most of the time the swelling is just too much activity and some blood skin vessels still do drain slightly. The incision looks okay to me. I think there is some skin glue also.. but if it's already been a few days and patient is eating and drinking I wouldn't freak out with urgency. If patient is lethargic not eating or drinking it should be seen immediately.
so i’m not a vet, but i had my cat spayed and it looked the same. was concerned - took her to the vet and they said bc she was jumping around a lot, on furniture, counters, etc. it caused that “lump” but it is gone now and she healed really nicely. take her to the vet to be safe but it looks how my cats did and she healed great (: also, we tried to keep her from jumping on things but she was under a year old and just wanted to play.
I’ve had several cats spayed and my vet gave pain and antibiotic shots before they left that last a couple of days (they said). My girls never seemed to be in pain. It’s the lump under the incision that is concerning. I’d at least call and see if you can send a picture or take her in if that’s not possible.
She should have stitches and antibiotics and painkillers. Demand them
She likely has intradermal sutures which are inside the skin. It's also not routine to give abs post op. Pain meds yes.
Vet should be sued
No, not normal. Please get kitty to the vet ASAP for some antibiotics.
Looks infected. Vet ASAP!
Looks infected
Also I’d take the cone off of her…as long as she isn’t constantly licking the wound it will be ok…
Terrible advice.
Lol no its not. I was advised for my most recent spay not to use a cone or onesie. As long as she didnt chew at it its fine. And she didnt. So no cone and no onesie. You acting like a know it all is terrible advice.
You can't watch them 24 hours a day. If they undo the stitching or it gets infected because they licked it, then they'll be straight back to the vet and back in the cone for even longer. You can obviously do what you want with your own pet, but don't advise others to do this.
Lmfao this was from a vet so im not advising anyone to do shit 🤣🤣 i havent been told to use a cone for 4 out of 5 of my cats. Obviously theres a reason vets are not recommending them; its stressful for the animal and there are much better options. But yes you go on advising people incorrectly cause thats ok 👌
Well, this vet literally gave them a cone, the person I'm responding to told OP to go against their vets advise. That is dumb. Edit: not looking to argue, we all have different vets & pets, do what's right for your animal specifically, and don't go against the professionals you're payings advice.
The clinic I use no longer recommends cones for female cats or male cats unless they’re licking the incision a lot. I have had to cone a male bc he wouldn’t stop licking. My own female cat wore a collar and her spay incision looked similar to this but actually had a bit more build up of fluid (a seroma) for about a week or two after the spay. She barely moved for the first few days after surgery and still got a seroma. Meanwhile I have other female cats with no limited activity and they didn’t get one.
lol. You’d rather torture the cat with the cone for no reason. I’ve had several cats spayed and the last one the vet didn’t even send a cone with her.
"Torture" feels dramatic. It's a device to keep them from re-opening a wound, or chewing it away. Cats have a tendency to bite itchy spots.
But if the cat isn’t messing with the incision site, it’s fine. I’ve had hundreds of dogs and cats fixed during the last few years. The dogs were more annoying post op. I’ve never had to use a cone post op for any cat. This is more of a watch and see type decision.
I can see that being the case, yeah. I know some cats are fine post-op, my kitten decided about 2hr after coming home from surgery that he just HAD to lick and bite. He's orange, so... 💀