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My spayed puppy has a bump on her tummy after surgery. What is it?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Australian Shepherd | Female | spayed | 6 months and 4 days old | 17 lbs

My puppy just got spayed on Friday. Been watching her, making sure she is mellow which is hard because she is a puppy. I check her incision twice a day. I got home from work and her incision looks fine but I noticed a bump on her tummy. At first I thought it was her nipple. But I don’t think it is. It looks like a bite or maybe an ingrown hair? She did get shaved before she got spayed. Just very worried and will get it looked at As I can just curious and it doesn’t seem to bother her.

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3 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Dr. Strydom, DVM

Veterinarian

Published on June 11th, 2019

That has nothing to do with the surgery or shaving. It is kind of like a pimple; a minor skin infection. It should go away on it's own but if you want to put something on it I would suggest these medicated pads. These are great to have around for all kinds of skin issues anyway! ( https://www.allivet.com/p-5393-douxo-chlorhexidine-3-ps-pads-for-dogs-and-cats-30.aspx?SearchTerm=duoxo%20pad+Auto ) Hope this helps. Best wishes!

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    Answered By Dr. Strydom, DVM

    Veterinarian

    Published on February 6th, 2020

    Yes, it looks normal. That bump is a pustule (like a pimple). You can use these medicated pads on the bump for a week or so and if it doesn't go away you should have your vet check her out. ( https://www.allivet.com/p-5393-douxo-chlorhexidine-3-ps-pads-for-dogs-and-cats-30.aspx?SearchTerm=duoxo%20pad+Auto )

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    Answered By Dr. Strydom, DVM

    Veterinarian

    Published on October 14th, 2019

    It looks like a scab or a spot of infection (bacterial/fungal). I suggest you try using these medicated pads on the affected area 1-2 times per day. If you treat it for about a 7 days and there is no improvement or only minimal improvement then he should see a vet. ( https://www.allivet.com/p-5393-douxo-chlorhexidine-3-ps-pads-for-dogs-and-cats-30.aspx?SearchTerm=duoxo%20pad+Auto )

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Related Questions

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Is this red bump normal after spay surgery 17 days ago? It's soft to the touch.
Yes, it looks normal. That bump is a pustule (like a pimple). You can use these medicated pads on the bump for a week or so and if it doesn't go away you should have your vet check her out. ( https://www.allivet.com/p-5393-douxo-chlorhexidine-3-ps-pads-for-dogs-and-cats-30.aspx?SearchTerm=duoxo%20pad+Auto )
Updated on September 24th, 2025
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Hi, My puppy just got spayed 4 days ago, and about 3 days ago this bump appeared around the incision, I’m sure it is swelling but i am concerned that it has not gone away. She is only a puppy so I can’t really keep her from running and playing as mu
Thanks for using Boop by Petco! This can in fact be something to be concerned about. This could be inflammation secondary to the surgery if she has been having too much activity though even then it is a bit too much based on this picture. However, this could be due to something else like an infection for example. I would recommend that you have her evaluated by a veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. They would be able to check what may be causing this bump so that it can be treated appropriately. Best of luck!
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My dog got spayed a few weeks ago and she is fine right now but there a bump on her stomach. It's not red and it's not bothering her. Is this normal l? Should I take her to the vet?
No worries. The internal sutures that are used during a pet spay can take as long as 2-3 months to completely dissolve. So the bumps you are feeling are likely a minor suture reaction occurring just underneath the skin. As long as there is no opening of the skin, redness or oozing at the site, Dixie is likely just fine. Just continue to monitor the area for any changes and report them to your vet if seen, but in most cases the bumpy area will resolve on its own over time.
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Hello my dog got spayed five weeks ago and her scar has been fine but all of a sudden this week she is starting to develop what looks like a pimple and another small bump. Is this OK? Thank you!
Overall, Darla's incision certainly looks as though it has healed well. The suture material used under the skin can take several months to fully dissolve. In that time, some dogs may develop mild inflammatory responses. There is also a chance that Darla has developed a skin infection from other causes (most commonly underlying allergies). At this point, you can continue to monitor these bumps at home for changes. However, if they worsen or seem to cause irritation with licking or itching, Darla should go to her vet for further evaluation. If she is licking, keep an e-collar (cone) on Darla until you can take her to the vet to prevent further skin irritation. I hope this helps and that all goes well!
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My dog has developed a whitehead looking bump on her stomach; it is at her spay site. It looks full of fluid or pus. Will It go away or should I bring her in to the vet?
This is a pustule probably from a buried suture knot. The suture is absorbable but it takes several months to dissolve and sometimes the knot can cause irritation and a small infected pustule. I recommend taking Patti to your veterinarian and they can feel if there is suture left in the incision. It can be removed now that the incision is healed. Generally when the pustule is opened the knot is exposed and can be cut off and removed with suture scissors. Then the skin will be cleaned and it should heal up quickly once the knot is gone. Thanks for using Boop by Petco to help you care for Patti Mayonnaise.
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It's a little difficult to tell in your picture - it doesn't appear to be raised. If it is a flat area of redness and hair loss it could be a hot spot or superficial bacterial infection. If it is raised it could be a skin growth like a histiocytoma. I would recommend having your vet examine this lesion to determine for certain what it is.
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Just adopted 2 months ago. Don't have health history but vet says she's healthy. Was spayed mid-May. I noticed lumps around her incision. I treated with antibacterial ointment. They seem to be going away. She has been itching a lot and dragging her b
She may be having an allergic reaction to some of the sutures breaking down or another allergic reaction from an environmental cause on her abdomen. Since she is scratching so much, she has potential to create an infection. It is best to let your vet look at the area and see if she needs antibiotics or something stronger for the scratching and find out what caused it.
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Thank you for submitting your question regarding Harper. The bump appears to be a small area a long her incision site that has not healed as well as the rest of it. She may have an infection or could have licked that area. If the area enlarges or does not heal, she will need to see her veterinarian again. She may require antibiotics. In the meantime, do not allow her to lick and do not bathe her. I hope this information helps!
Updated on September 24th, 2025
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Long story short we had our high strung shepherd spayed in early May. We had issues with the vet and with our dog being so active it was hard to keep her calm. The incision swelled a little we saw a new vet who got us on antibiotics and she's been fi
It looks like there could be some inflammation at the site of the incision. That could be due to her body breaking down the sutures, or she caused some sort of trauma to the area. If she is acting normal and you don't feel any swelling around that area I would wait and see if it improves. But if there is swelling, drainage, or pain I would worry about a dehiscence (opening of the incision) which would be an emergency and she should see a vet immediately.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
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8 month old puppy spayed 3 1/2 weeks ago. Incision looked great. Today this showed up. Infection?
When we close a spay incision, we leave sutures under the skin that will dissolve on their own once the incision has finished healing. In some dogs, the process of dissolving the sutures under the skin will be very dramatic and the body will create swellings around the sutures as it breaks down the sutures. We call this a suture reaction. If they are continuing to look larger, any of the areas break open, there is any redness or discharge or if Scarlet seems irritated by the bumps, then your veterinarian should certainly evaluate her. Sometimes these suture reactions need to be treated, but often they will resolve on their own as the body finishes breaking down the suture. Good luck! I hope that was helpful. Thanks for using Boop by Petco.
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