# A lump behind the sutures - after sterilisation



## CyberPet (May 12, 2004)

I haven't written in this section for a long time - guess it means my kitties are healthy and behaving well. But now it's time again.

I had Suzy sterilised just little under 2 weeks ago and she's been doing great. Been a real trooper. I had to go to hospital on tuesday, so I hadn't seen her in two days until I got home on thursday night. Hubby was home with the cats, and didn't tell me anything until I notice a big lump behind the sutures of the operated area. I asked him if he'd notice this during the two days I've been gone and he said he had notice a small lump on wednesday night, but it had grown since, when I had discovered it.

Well, I freaked! So I called a friend who breed's Siamese and asked her if she had ever seen this and if she had any suggestions. Especially since this was after hours and it would cost an arm and a leg to call the Vet at night. She said that if Suzy was eating properly, didn't look or act sick, I could wait till the morning - the morning when I had booked time to remove the sutures. She also said that she had have two cats which had something similar after sterilisation, but no vet did know what it really was and it went away by itself.

Suzy was acting very good, so I decided to keep cool a head and wait until we went in for the suture removal. When I came to the vet I asked to have a vet look at the belly, and see what they thought about it. The vet said that the wound looked fine (no redness or real swelling of the area that had been cut open) and she said that some cats seem to react to the suture threads and that could be the reason for this lump. It's very hard too, the size of a golf ball and is strecthing more or less the whole way under the sutures. 

The vet said that if it's that kind of reaction the swelling will go down by itself and she'll be just fine, but we should keep an eye on her. If it doesn't go down and if Suzy starts acting sick it could be a hernia and then she would need surgery. But since Suzy wasn't tender when we pushed and squeezed on the lump, she though it proably was not a hernia. She also said that active and mischievies cats often gets this reaction to the sutures.

Anyone can comfirm this and seen the same reaction??


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## jonsgirl (Nov 7, 2003)

When Kota got spayed she did have a lump underneath the stitches, but not as big as you described. It was probably the size of a marble, hard, and it poked out quite a bit. It was at the very end of the suture line. I called the vet and he said that it was normal and would go away. It did eventually but it seemed like a long time, probably five weeks or so. She had managed to pull the stitches out herself so I dont know if that made her healing time longer. Bad little monkey.


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## Lisa 216 (Oct 25, 2004)

Yes, Pepper developed a lump after her spaying just like what Suzy has. The lump was about the size of a golf ball. She's tiny so it looked huge!! 8O 

I called the vet and he said since there were no signs of infection (redness, oozing, tenderness, illness) that he would check her when she came for her suture removal. I received the same advice -- keep an eye on it for infection. There were no problems, and the lump gradually disappeared on its own.


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## AllergyCat (Aug 7, 2005)

I have been told that it is a type of hernia that is common after this type of procedure.

Nothing that needs treatment......but still there. Whether that is what it is or not, I'm not sure.


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## CyberPet (May 12, 2004)

Well, it sounds like it's not unusual then. Suzy did try to remove the stitches - but they were metal, so she had no luck with that. The wound itself looks very healthy, and have been all the time, no puss, nothing. Since I've had surgery myself I know how a bad and infected wound can look like and she's healing perfectly - just according to the book. Beside that lump.

I might be seeing things, but it looks like the lump is just a tad smaller today and just a tad softer. But I think it'll take a good while before it goes down. Suzy is very happy that the stitches are gone, that's for sure... no more itchy things on her bare tummy (it looks soo cute all that pink!)


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