# Post surgery Lump



## Andiecat46 (Jan 17, 2004)

hey everyone
figured i would mke a separate post about this. i dicovered a lump on Andie's incision site... it's rather large, the size of a ping pong ball almost. it's not hard like a rock, it's kind of soft. it does not seem to hurt her.. but it's just not right.
waiting for call back from vet
And insight in the meantime??? I am SO worried. Her health has been EXCELLENT since her surgery... now this?


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## OsnobunnieO (Jun 28, 2004)

how long has it been since the surgery? Did she have internal stitches or did they have to be removed?

Its hard to say what it could be, but if it just popped up suddenly or seems red, swollen, liquidy or like it bothers her, there's a chance of infection.

If they used internal stitches, it could be her body breaking them down. Sometimes it takes a week, and sometimes it can take a few... some animals seem to get the "bulge" and others don't. I knew about it ahead of time but was so used to seeing animals a week after surgery and not again for months that I wasn't used to seeing it... when I had Brody spayed I completely freaked out about this big mass poking out of her belly!! I felt so stupid  

If it seems to be the entire length of her incison and firm (not really "hard" but still not fluidy or squishy) it sounds like it could be her body breaking down sutures... 

Pictures maybe?


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## Andiecat46 (Jan 17, 2004)

I will try to take a picture when i get home today. it's not the entire length of her incision. it's just one section of it. she did have both internal and external stitches. the internal ones were meant to dissolve on their own. the external ones were removed after 10 days. last week, i saw a stitch sticking out of her skin. i brought her in and it turned out to be an internal stitch that came through. they were able to snip out the part i could see, but had to leave the inside part inside b/c it was still attached to something. it seems as though this lump is in the same spot as that stitch. the area is not red or enflamed.... and it does not appear ro hurt her. i did think it looked like a lump a week or two, but did not think much of it til i felt it last night.... 
still waiting for the call from my vet. i wish i could bring her in tonight.... but i have grad class right after work. i was able to make an appt for 
11:30 tomorrow morning... but that means i have to take off from work. i dont know...


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## CataholicsAnonymous (Dec 4, 2006)

Or it could be a hematoma. A blood vessel ruptures and leaks some blood. The blood stays encapsulated under the skin. I had to have one removed after abdominal surgery.


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## HersheysKiss (Apr 12, 2007)

My Hershey girl was recently spayed and had an umbilical hernia repaired. She also had a lump, I thought maybe the hernia popped open again but it turned out to be just a reaction to the internal stitches...nothing to worry about.


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## queen of the nile (Aug 16, 2003)

I agree with the above posters, it sounds like a hematoma, or maybe a seroma. It may take awhile to resolve, but they usually get better on their own.


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