My bitch was spayed last Thursday (one week ago today). A couple of days after the procedure we noticed a growth to the side of the wound. Took her to the vets (Monday) who thought it was a seroma (which apparently is normally under the wound). The vet wanted to see her again on Wednesday to check on it and possibly drain it but it had gone down in size and was far softer so she thinks it will sort itself out in time, rather than stick a needle in it and risk infection, irritating it etc. Now today (Thursday) we have noticed that she is bleeding from her vulva, quite a dark red colour. There is a couple of spots on my white bedding where she was napping but it's not a lot of blood. She is normally very clean during seasons but still has a cone on from her op which is stopping her from cleaning herself properly. Have just rang the out of hours vet which is affiliated with our vets but isn't her normal practice. They want £150.00 to bring her in now, and this cost goes up at 11pm. So, after doing some googling, it seems it could wait until tomorrow, but I want to know if anyone on here has any experience of this? I will, of course, take her in if it is deemed necessary but apart from this she is fine in herself, eating well, drinking well, tail wagging and going to the toilet as normal? Any thoughts?

Yes I have had this. One week Post spaying a bloody discharge from vulva. There was talk of possibly opening her up again but I refused and she had more antibiotic cover ( which with hindsight I think was unneccesary). She bled for a couple of weeks but always a good colour,bright and not smelly and she was completely fine. If I had another one do this again I would not worry so long as bitch was bright,eating and the discharge was not smelly. I think she's fine:)

Took her to the vets this morning. At first she seemed unconcerned but after having a feel around said that she could feel a hard lump resting on Frankie's bladder that she thinks may be an abscess formed on the 'stump'? Frankie didn't like it when she put pressure on it. Said to keep a close eye on her this weekend for any bad smell, change in urination patterns, not eating etc. She wants to see her again on Monday to see what it's like then. She is worried that if it is an abscess that it may pop and infect the rest of the area and that if there were no improvements that she may have to be scanned.

They said the same to me. I got a second opinion and very glad I did otherwise I think they would have rushed into opening her up again. If you are worried, I would get a second vets opinion and maybe a scan but don't let them pressure you into going back in.... I researched it a lot when my bitch had it and it is not that uncommon.

I don't want to worry you too much but there is such a thing as stump pyometra.  The stump is part of the womb that hasn't been removed.

I would definitely question everything your vet says.
Also look at the Facebook group - ovary sparing spay.

She is booked in for Monday at the vets. Starting to get worried. My vet seems to think the antibiotics and anti inflamitories will help.

@debbo... I've just been doing some research, but I still don't really understand 'stump pyometra'. Could you expand a little more for me? It seems to be the result of left over uterus and ovary tissue? Should this be present? My vet did tell me that Frankie's spay was one of the more difficult ones they had done. She said in a dog that has had puppies the complications tend to be near the ovaries, not the uterus?

Please don't be rushed into anything if your bitch has no temperature, is bright and happy. Mine bled for a good couple of weeks,stump pyo was mentioned along with opening her up again. I went for a scan and more antibiotics as a precaution. Scan showed no pyo so we sat it out and the bleeding stopped. One of the more senior vets told me this can be quite normal..... Try not to worry:)

I'll try. Will let you know how it goes on Monday. X

Hi, I believe Stump pyo is only possible if the uterus was not removed, usually this type of spay is done with Keyhole (I did some research years ago before having a bitch spayed with keyhole) if your bitch had a normal spay i would think they would have removed the uterus as well.

It is possible.with any spay if all contents are not removed and infection has arisen.  There is also a connection with progesterone which I am not clear about

Yes she had a normal spay. In the vets now with her.

Vet said the lump had gone down a bit, and Frankie didn't seem bothered with her touching it. She recommended to carry on with the anti biotics for another week and then go back on Monday to check it is still improving now getting worse. Interestingly, on my walk the other day another dog was acting like she was in season? Bizarre.