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Is my dog's incision site supposed to be red a week after surgery?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

My dog got done a week ago should it look like this

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1 Answer

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Kevin Sanada, DVM

Veterinarian

Published on March 2nd, 2018

It's difficult to tell from just a picture. The skin is definitely discolored, but this could be from the surgical prep (iodine), or from dried blood. If the skin is not stained, then this would be abnormal and would indicate bruising or an infection. You can test for stained skin by gently wiping the skin with a little hydrogen peroxide. Avoid wiping the incision (the middle) and just wipe the edges. If it's staining, then the redness will start to be lifted with just a couple of wipes. If the wiping is unsuccessful at removing the discoloration, then it's likely bruising or infection and I'd recommend he get checked by the vet in the next 24 hours. I hope that helps and all is well with your dog.

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