# Incision Advice



## tst (Mar 3, 2016)

Hi,

Had our 8 mo old female spayed in mid December. Took her back for staple removal 10 days post op. About 10 days after, we noticed one staple had been left in, and the incision appeared slightly dehisced (small area of subcutaneous tissue exposed, about the size of a pea). We took her back 20 days ago to have the staple removed, the vet saw it and prescribed more Abx.

About 10 days ago, we took her back for a different reason, and had them recheck the spay incision, since there was still some subcutaneous tissue visible. They told us it wasn't fully healing because she (and our other two GSD) were licking the incision too much. They told us to cone her for 7-14 days and isolate to prevent the licking and allow healing.

Here's what it looks like today (photo attached).

Looking for recommendations/opinions. Thanks.


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## zetti (May 11, 2014)

Take her back to the vet for a proper examination and treatment, if required.


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## tst (Mar 3, 2016)

Thanks for the advice.

Anyone else ever have any issues with spays like this?


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## gsdsar (May 21, 2002)

It's a bit tough to evaluate with all the gunk around it. She is definitely licking it. But the incision line looks ok. I see at the caudal end some pink, which could just be some skin that flipped up during the suturing. The actual incision looks ok. But again tough to say. 

I am not seeing red surrounding it. So I don't see evidence of active infection. But you need to keep her away from it


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## newlie (Feb 12, 2013)

I won't offer any advice about the looks of the incision, but don't feel bad about putting a cone on her. My Newlie was in a cone for 8 weeks after surgery for his ACL tear, the longest 8 weeks of my life, I might add. (Normally, it probably wouldn't have taken that long, but there was a complication.) Anyway, you do what you have to do, and every time I would try taking the cone off, he would wait for one minute of inattention, sneak into another room, and when I found him he would be licking away.

He just had surgery again to have a mass removed from his leg. When they were going over his discharge instructions, they said "If he starts licking, you need to get him a cone." I said "It's not if, it's how soon, let's go ahead and put a cone on him." So, they did.


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## maxtmill (Dec 28, 2010)

The wound definitely needs cleaned up, and perhaps another visit to the vet. She might end up as a cone head for awhile


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## tst (Mar 3, 2016)

Thanks all.

It doesn't look infected to me either. There are one or two spots that are pink and moist ... I agree, it appears to be subQ tissue exposed due to flipped skin at the suture line.

They told us to keep her (and the other two dogs) from licking at it, which we've been doing for almost two weeks (combination of cone and isolation in her own kennel on concrete slab). They said the licking prevents it from scabbing over and fully healing, so we've avoided excessive scrubbing/cleaning for the same reason. It just doesn't appear any different than it did at the vets two weeks ago.

Thanks ... I guess we'll continue to monitor ... maybe send a picture to the vet and get their opinion today too.


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## newlie (Feb 12, 2013)

tst said:


> Thanks all.
> 
> It doesn't look infected to me either. There are one or two spots that are pink and moist ... I agree, it appears to be subQ tissue exposed due to flipped skin at the suture line.
> 
> ...


I may not be reading this right, but could it be that she is still licking herself when she is in her kennel?


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## LuvShepherds (May 27, 2012)

After the stitches are out, there may be tiny scabs from the stitches. Keep the cone on until those are fully healed. You can buy soft cones if you are using a hard plastic one. The vet said no bathing or washing until it was fully healed. You are doing everything right. Any incision can look bad until it heals and the fur grows back.


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## tst (Mar 3, 2016)

newlie said:


> I may not be reading this right, but could it be that she is still licking herself when she is in her kennel?


We've been coning her while she's in isolation as well, so she shouldn't be licking in there either.


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