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My dog's neuter incision looks infected. Should I go to the vet now?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Chihuahua | Male | neutered | 6 years and 7 months old

Is my dog's neuter incision infected? If so, is it okay to wait until tomorrow to take him to the vet?

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4 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Daniel Fonza, DVM

Veterinarian

Published on September 10th, 2017

Hi there and thank you for using pet coach to address your concern. From your photo I can tell you that this looks seriously infected and does not look very good post-neuter. I would get him in as soon as you can for treatment before this affects healthy surrounding tissue. He will likely need to be sedated and have the dead tissue removed for treatment and placed on a course of oral antibiotics and pain medications to reduce inflammation. If he has been chewing at the area, he must wear a plastic cone at all times to prevent him from getting to the incision. I hope this helps! Please feel free to contact me with any further questions or concerns you may have. I am also available via consultation if needed.

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Other Answers

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    Answered By Cara, DVM, cVMA

    Veterinarian

    Published on

    Yes, it looks like Shiloh's incision is infected and starting to dehisce (open up). He needs to see a vet as soon as possible to get the incision cleaned and get him started on antibiotics. He will definitely need an e-collar as well. Good luck!

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    Answered By Jennifer Summerfield, DVM CPDT-KA

    Veterinarian, Certified Dog Trainer

    Published on April 7th, 2019

    Hi there. It looks like there is a small amount of green discharge in the center of the incision, which can be a sign of infection. The surrounding skin is also a little red and swollen. So yes, I would recommend having this rechecked by your vet. It looks like Milo may need an antibiotic to treat the infection while the incision is healing.

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    Answered By Penelope Graben, DVM

    Veterinarian

    Published on September 22nd, 2019

    Hello, Unfortunately, this incision doesn't look great. This incision appears very inflamed and possibly infected. It looks like he has licked it open fairly deep. Please place a cone on his head to prevent this. I recommend taking him to his vet for a recheck to have them better look at the sutures and make sure it's closed enough. I hope this helps. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

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