Lump on Skya - from spay?

[wolf_Q]

Skya was spayed around the beginning of January. After she had healed up she had a little bit of a lump at the top of the incision which I was wondering about. I called the vet and talked to them and they acted like it was normal, it wasn't really red or swollen. It did go away with time.

A couple weeks ago I pulled a stitch out of her which I thought was a little odd but I wasn't concerned. The stitches were supposed to disolve I figured one just took a bit longer.

Well tonight I was petting her belly and I felt another lump, in the same place as the first lump. It was about the size of a pea. I rolled her over and was just feeling it and it burst. Really gross - the thing I noticed the most was the smell was very strong so obviously it was infected. Now she has a little hole there. I can't see anything inside the hole but I'm wondering if it could maybe be a stitch was still there from her spay and it became infected? Has anyone heard of something like this happening so long after the spay? I can't think of anything else I could be and it is right on the incision site. I have work or school every day this week as usual but I'm going to take her with me to work tomorrow and see if maybe I can fit her in at the vet after and have them take a look at it.

[Cinder & Smoke]

Really gross -
the thing I noticed the most was the smell was very strong so obviously it was infected.

I'm going to take her with me to work tomorrow and see if maybe I can fit her in
at the vet after and have them take a look at it.

I hope there's NO problem getting her in to see the White Coat!

We'll send a Prayer UpStairs that you get seen promptly and
that it's a Quick Fix with no side effects.

{{{Hugs}}} to You and Skya.

[lizbud]

That sounds very odd. Maybe it was a leftover stitch that became
infected. I hope you are able to get your Vet to look at it
today. Does the spot seem to bother Skya at all?

[4 Dog Mother]

Oh, Amy, I have never heard of that. Sounds like an infection of some sort or possibly a cyst? I hope you find out what it is - let us know when you do.

[ramanth]

Kind of sounds like the stitch infected the area.... kind of like an ingrown hair. Did you flush the area?

Sounds like you helped it along. If Skya is still eating, drinking, and playing and it doesn't look like the infection has spread, she'll most likely be okay.

[Grace]

The same thing happens to humans.

Many years ago I had back surgery. Within 4 months I had an infected suture come to the surface. Time goes by, and another one came up and one day I just flicked it off. Then a few years later another one surfaced. This one was also infected. It's now been over 10 years since that last one, so I guess I'm safe.

These were all nylon sutures that were supposed to stay inside. Some of us, dogs and gals, just don't like them I guess.

[Vela]

Kind of sounds like the stitch infected the area.... kind of like an ingrown hair. Did you flush the area?

Sounds like you helped it along. If Skya is still eating, drinking, and playing and it doesn't look like the infection has spread, she'll most likely be okay.

I agree with this, it's probably fine now. Sometimes the stitches just don't dissolve. LOts of hugs to the pretty girl that she will be just fine now.

[luvofallhorses]

I agree it could be an stitch that infected the area. I hope she'll be okay. Let us know how she is and give Skya and your other pups a hug for me.

[pomtzu]

It probably was an infected stitch, and as Grace said, it happens in humans also. I had one from abdominal surgery show up as an abscess over a year after the surgery, so ended up having more surgery to clean it up.
I would definitely take her back to the vet and have it cleaned up, and she could probably use an antibiotic too.

[Kater]

My guess is that she didn't dissolve the dissolving suture material well. Some dogs don't. So her body probably had some level of reaction to it. If it was a bad reaction, you would have noticed it before now. It's not really worth going back in and getting it unless she's reacting more severely. However, no harm in asking your vet his opinion.

Either way, I would suggest having it noted on her record so that they do not use this type of suture material with her again.

Feel better, sweetie!!

[wolf_Q]

The vet was booked up today but I did talk to them and they thought thats what it was too. It looks better now, she doesn't seem affected by it at all. She's running around and playing as usual, I haven't even seen her lick it. If it looks like its getting worse I'll see if I can get some antibiotics for her even if they can't fit her in to look at it. I'll remember this for future reference if she needs stitches again, I'd rather just get the regular stitches and have to bring her back in to have them taken out then have this problem.

[4 Dog Mother]

I am so glad that the vets agree that it sounds like a infected suture. Better than other things that it could be. I hope Skye's wound heals quickly so his mama doesn't have to worry anymore. I know I worry about every little lump, bump or scratch I find wondering where it came from. Being a dog mommy is just as hard as being a mommy to skin kids. (well, almost anyway!)