Dog Spay and Infection

As with most any surgery, dog spays have the potential for infection. During a dog spay, the abdomen is opened up, creating the opportunity for bacteria and other organism to enter the dog's body. Dogs with spay infections will typically exhibit similar symptoms and if you suspect your dog is suffering from an infection, contact its veterinarian as soon as possible.

  1. Symptoms

    • According to the InfoVets website, it is more common for a dog to experience an infection at the spay incision than in its body. Symptoms of a suture line infection include swelling, redness, discharge from the incision and extreme pain. If your dog is experiencing a generalized infection, in which the entire body is affected, not just the incision, it may vomit, have diarrhea or not want to eat. In addition, it might develop a fever, appear weak and listless and experience severe pain.

    Causes

    • Incision infections are often caused by the dog. Many dogs will lick at their incision sites in an effort to clean it, relieve pain or assist in the healing process. However, instead of helping the incision, they actually commonly cause an infection. Some canines will also try to chew the sutures out of their abdomens and can cause an infection in the process. Generalized infections are often caused by bacteria entering the body and getting into the dog's bloodstream. Generalized infections are typically more severe than incision infections.

    Diagnosis

    • Often, vets can determine if the incision is infected simply by looking at it. The veterinarian will perform a more in-depth examination if he suspects the dog is suffering from a generalized infection. The doctor will likely take the dog's temperature, check its vital signs and perform blood tests on the dog.

    Treatment

    • The Vet Info website states that incision infections are often treated with antibiotics. In addition, the dog should also be prevented from licking and further aggravating the suture line. If the infection is generalized, more aggressive treatment is often needed. The dog may need another surgery to clean up the infection and might need to stay in the hospital for further care.

    Prevention

    • Dog owners can sometimes prevent incision infections by keeping their dogs from licking at the sutures. In addition, cleaning the suture line with hydrogen peroxide once a day can also prevent some infections. Generalized infections are often prevented by practicing sanitary surgery procedures, according to the Long Beach Animal Hospital website.