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What are signs of infection after puppy neuter surgery 3 days ago?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Old English Sheepdog | Male | neutered | 9 months and 29 days old | 60 lbs

Hi, Hope all is well! Just wondering .. my puppy got neutered three days ago.. just want to make sure this is not infected ! Thank you.

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2 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Dr. B. DVM, DACVIM (Oncology)

Veterinarian

Published on May 3rd, 2019

There appears to be some bruising there but if the incision is not warm, swollen, opening, nor have any discharge these are good signs. Given the bruising, activity restriction and an e collar will remain important. I hope this helps and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

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8Pet Parents found this answer helpful

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    Answered By Dr. Melanie, BVSc MS

    Veterinarian

    Published on December 6th, 2019

    I'm concerned about this redness and swelling. After three weeks, it should be completely healed, not look like this. Like you, I am worried about infection as well. I'd take him into a vet immediately.

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    1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

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My 1 yr old chihuahua Bowie just got neutered yesterday, I'm not sure if it's bruised or infected....
That looks like bruising but I would keep a close eye on it. Follow the post operative instructions you were given; no running or jumping for 10-14 days, don't let him lick it, outside only to go potty on a leash then back inside, keep him confined to a crate if you need to to keep him quiet. If it starts oozing serum, pus, if it swells, gets red and/or hot, if he starts acting sick, get him back in to see your vet right away.
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My dog has a rash that seems to have developed from his e-collar next to his neuter incision. Should this be of concern?
Hello and thank you for reaching out to Boop by Petco. The red area next to his incision looks like some bruising that likely occurred due to trauma/pinching of the area during surgery. Bruising can worsen during the first 2-3 days following a procedure, but should start to improve after that time. The dried blood/crusting around his incision is not abnormal either. If Charlie Brown will tolerate it, you can gently wipe the crusting away using a damp wash cloth once daily, but not any more frequent than this. I definitely recommend keeping Charlie Brown's Elizabethan collar on AT ALL TIMES until his sutures are removed by your veterinarian to prevent him from licking at the area and causing trauma/increasing the risk of an incisional infection. If the bruising worsens after day 3-4 post-op, and/or you notice yellow/thick, foul-smelling discharge, and/or if any of the sutures seem to have fallen out, I recommend having Charlie Brown seen by your veterinarian right away. Otherwise, I rec
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Thanks for using Boop by Petco! While this may represent an infection, this is not definitive just based on inflammation. This may just be part of the healing process and may mean that he was able to lick at his surgical incision. I would encourage you to prevent him from licking at his incision at least until 14 days post-surgery to ensure healing. If it worsens, does not improve or you see any discharge, I would recommend you check in with your veterinarian to ensure at that point that there is no infection going on. At this point however, I think it would be fine to monitor it. Have a great day! I hope this improves and he is fine!
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Hello and thank you for reaching out to Boop by Petco. The photo looks like there is a little crusted discharge around the incision, which is OK. As long as the swelling continues to stay down, and you don't see yellow, thick, purulent liquid coming from the incision site, he will likely be OK. Winston should absolutely be wearing an Elizabethan collar (cone collar) AT ALL TIMES until his sutures are removed. It is best to restrict his activity too so that he is not stretching or pulling at his stitches. I hope this is helpful!
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That appears to be a small scab and likely no cause for concern. The post op swelling is minimal and the bruising should be decreasing as well. Keep the e-collar (cone) on him and monitor for redness, swelling, bleeding or lethargy.
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My male golden doodle got neutered on Friday, September 15th. He just finished his pain meds yesterday and has been acting like himself and eating normally. He has had diarrhea and thrown up once since surgery, but out vet said his pain meds could ca
Hello, thank you for using Boop by Petco. I think the incision looks fine. Just continue to monitor it by checking it daily definitely keep him from licking it. Licking is the the number one cause of incisional infection. Don't apply anything to the incision and don't remove the scabs. Just leave it to heal on its own. Things to be worried about: swelling, actual discharge (pus or blood-tinged fluid) coming from the incision, lots of redness around the incision or a portion of the incision is open. To me, this looks just fine right now. Hope this helps. Best wishes.
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Hi, my dog was neutered last Sunday and I wonder if his insicion is healing properly. I have him wear a post surgery suit and an inflatable collar so he can’t lick or chew. The first photo was from yesterday and the other two are from today. The redn
Hello. There is a small amount of bruising on the testicle, which is perfectly normal. The discoloration is normal, too, The actual incision looks very good. Good job protecting the surgical site. Fabio will thank you in the end. Thanks for using Boop by Petco.
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My 4 month old puppy was neutered last week (7 days ago), is his wound heeling properly? it looks like it's opened & there's a line of papery looking stuff (or maybe glue?) in the middle. The area looks clean and isn't red or swollen (the yellow tint
Hello. Everything looks great right now. I think you are just seeing the different stages of healing. I would keep the collar on throughout the weekend, then everything should be well healed & he can get back to being a normal puppy. Thanks for contacting Boop by Petco.
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Our dog just got neutered 3 days ago, we were wondering if it's normal for bruising around the area which appeared just today. Also he's been in a very low mood, very somber and unexcited, opposite of what he used to be. He also seems restless and un
The bruising is quite common, it's nothing to worry about, the surgical area also looks very clean. you must keep an e-collar around his neck to prevent him from licking the area though. the mood change might be due to some pain or discomfort in the area, that should get better within a few days.
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