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My puppy ran after spay surgery. Should I worry about her stitches?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Doberman Pinscher | Female | unspayed | 36 lbs

My 7 month old doberman puppy was spayed 5 days ago, and of course she has stitches, which will come out after 10 days. Anyway, all has been going well, and she has been on restricted activity, no running or stairs, but today when I took her out on the leash, she gave it a sudden tug I wasn't ready for and caused me to drop it and she ran for about, it couldn't have been more than 30 seconds, before I got her inside. She seems fine, but I'm kind of scared. Again, it's been 5 days since surgery.

2 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Dr. Melanie, BVSc MS

Veterinarian

Published on October 1st, 2017

It can happen sometimes that puppies can get a little overexcited after surgery! One concern about too much activity is that it can cause a seroma to form at the incision site. A seroma is a collection of fluid in the dead space under the skin, and can be a common complication post-surgery. They aren't very serious, they typically resolve on their own, but sometimes the vet may need to drain them. The other concern is that too much activity can interrupt the healing process and cause the internal and external sutures to fail. I would keep an eye on the incision, checking it twice daily. If you notice any swelling in the area, have Roxie seen by your vet for an ultrasound on the swelling to check what it causing it. Also have her seen by the vet if you notice the sutures coming out, or if the incision becomes red, hot, and/or has pus coming from it. Otherwise, one little run shouldn't cause a problem. I hope this helps!

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    Answered By Anna M., DVM

    Veterinarian

    Published on

    Hello, and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. It sounds like you're doing a great job keeping Roxie quiet while she's healing! I wouldn't worry too much about this one instance if she continues acting normal. We do recommend restricted activity and rest, but a brief bout of activity like Roxy's little escapade should be fine, especially when she's been as restricted as she has for 5 days after surgery. She may get a little swollen around her incision if she was really running hard, and might be a little tender in that area for the next day or two, but I expect she's just fine. If you do see any signs that she's not feeling well, such as lethargy or decreased appetite, then I'd touch base with your vet so they can get a good feel of her incision line and make sure everything still feels intact in those deeper layers. Hope this helps! Feel free to request a consultation if you'd like to discuss Roxie in more detail, but odds are you should be just fine!

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