My cat's incision is puffy. Are his stitches okay? When to call vet?

Thanks for visiting Boop by Petco. The incision appears to be closed, although it isn't a pretty incision, it is functional. : )There is one area that has a pustule (infected pocket) there, but it should heal with the antibiotics that he is on. This is a common thing that occurs in pets that have a mild reaction to the sutures or staples placed, nothing serious to be concerned about at this time. So far, this looks to be healing appropriately. : ) Keep an eye on the pustule there, it may rupture, and if it does just wipe it with a clean dry towel and make sure the incision does not get wet in any way. Also ensure that Waffles keeps his e-collar on at all times to avoid him getting to the incision and potentially taking out staples, which could cause this to open up. With the antibiotics on board, the incision and pustule should heal completely by day 10. Keep an eye out also for any profuse drainage, separation of the incision line, or increased redness, and get this rechecke

Then incision is more red than I would expect it to at this time. It could be just because he has been too active, or it could be early signs of an infection. If it is more red tomorrow then it is probably an infection. I would confine him to a small bathroom where he can’t jump around and keep his mouth away from the incision. Either a onsie or the e-collar needs to be on at all times to protect him from opening the incision. I would encourage you to have a follow up appointment with your veterinarian tomorrow to examine the incision and see if he needs antibiotics. I don’t see any need for an emergency clinic appointment today. Best of luck and I hope he heals soon. Thank you for using Pet Coach.

The incision looks a little "puffier" than I'd like. If there hasn't been any drainage from the incision, you can just put an E-collar on him (if he's not already wearing one ) and clean it 1-2 times a day with a plain saline wound wash (available at most pharmacies, usually in a pressurized can to spray). Do not use peroxide or alcohol. If there is any drainage from the incision, please take him to your vet. The area with the tattoo is quite inflamed; again, make sure he's not licking at it. You can apply something like this to the area to help reduce the inflammation: https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/product/zymox-hydrocortison-cream. If it is painful to him when you touch it, please take him in for a recheck. Thank you for asking Boop by Petco!

I think there's enough going on here that it would be worthwhile to take her for a recheck by your vet. It's not terrible looking, but there is some swelling along the incision margins and a small defect in the top of the incision. I would expect her incision to look better than this after a week. For now, I don't recommend you do any sort of treatment at home, because this may make things worse. As long as you get her to the vet in the next day or two, she should be fine to wait. I hope that helps and your kitty gets better soon.

If they are very active they may get swelling like this along the incision. I would get your vet to have a look to make sure everything is okay and try to restrict their activity in the meantime so they don't further inflame the incision. Don't let them groom the incision too much either.

The photo didn't come through. A small amount of spotting can be normal and generally the incisions on cats heal quickly even if they open up a little. As long as he's eating and acting normal I'm not overly concerned about this. Keeping the cone on will prevent his licking the area and it will heal more quickly. Should the incision look very red or have a bad odor then I would take him back to have it checked. I expect though that it will improve every day. Thanks for using Boop by Petco to help you care for Lucas.

Thanks for using Boop by Petco! While he may not need more stitches, he does need further evaluation of the incision as there is likely an infection. More stitches may be needed based on a closer examination. I do recommend you have him evaluated by a veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. At the very least, antibiotics are likely going to be prescribed. I highly recommend you use an e-collar to prevent him from getting to his incision. You may find that at your local pet store or online. Good luck and have a great day!

Hi, thanks for using Boop by Petco. Monitor for an redness, drainage, increase in swelling or pain along the incision. Not eating or lethargy are also signs to watch for. This may be a suture reaction, an inflammatory reaction to the sutures used. If concerned you may want to call the shelter to find out if their vet or technician offers rechecks of their surgical patients.

When we close an incision with absorbable sutures, sometimes the incision rolls in a bit (which it appears that Pookie's incision is doing). That is no reason for concern. My only concern would be that the right side of the incision may be a little red when compared to the left. I would make sure that Pookie has an e-collar in place and cannot lick at this incision to make it irritated. If the incision is getting swollen, more red or has any discharge, I would recommend having your veterinarian examine it. Good luck! I hope that was helpful and that Pookie is fine. Thanks for using Boop by Petco.

The incision has a bit of glue on it and some debris but otherwise looks normal. Also another key to know if it is infected is if there moist discharge coming from the incision, which I don’t see here. Continue to monitor the incision daily and definitely keep the e-collar on. Best wishes and take care of Ratatouille!