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My dog has pink drainage after surgery and running. Should I worry?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Mixed Breed | Male | neutered | 12 years and 5 months old | 28 lbs

Rosco had surgery on Friday to remove a perianal tumor. He's had some drainage since Friday, but tonight it's much more. Earlier tonight I had him in the front yard and he took off running full speed and I had to run fast after him to catch him. Now he's having a lot more drainage than the past 2 days. The drainage is pink & watery. It has a slight strange smell, but not necessarily unpleasant or bad smelling. Could this be caused by his excessive activity today & should I be overly concerned?

2 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Ricardo Fernandez, DVM

Veterinarian, Veterinary Oncology Resident

Published on September 3rd, 2017

Hi there! Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Yes, this drainage could be due to excessive activity which in turn it can cause a seroma which is essentially an accumulation of fluid at the incision site which can result in drainage. Another possibility is an infection. Even though his discharge does not have a smell to it, it can still be due to an infection. I recommend that you have him evaluated by your veterinarian when possible (for example next Tuesday when they open again). The reason is that that region is very prone to infections as it is so close to the anus and if an infection is present, you want to treat it appropriately. In the meantime, keep the area clean and keep him as quiet as possible to prevent any further issues. If the incision forms any scabs, avoid picking the scabs. Good luck! I will keep my fingers crossed that everything goes well! Have a good night!

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Other Answers

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    Answered By Dr. Massimo Orioles, DVM, Cert AVP, MRCVS

    Veterinarian

    Published on

    This could be from excess of activity as you described but at this stage, considering your description of it, it does not sound like infected or abnormal. I would recommend to restrict exercise as much as possible and if discharge become very cloudy or bloody to have it checked by your local vet. You can keep it clean with salt water bath or very diluted hibiscrub. Buster collar may be useful as well to avoid any licking/scratching. Please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further.

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