First off I'm in South Korea, so please bear in mind that I have little English speaking help available to me. I took my puppy in and got her spayed last saturday. The first day she was okay, just sleeping and out of it. Had to take her back for the next three days for some kind of injections, maybe antibiotics, but I'm not sure. For the last four days she seems to have been in a lot of pain and the lower half of the incision is red and swollen. She has an Elizabethan collar but it doesn't stop her licking the area. She sleeps most of the day and rests but when I try to put the antibiotic cream on her, all hell breaks loose with her yelping and trying to bite me, she runs around the apartment yelping and whimpering. I'm supposed to put the cream on three times a day, but it's so painful for her that I've only done it once a day.The cream is called Fucidin and is 5g. Is all this fairly normal? How much longer will this go on? Should I be as worried as I am. Bear in mind that I live in a small town in South Korea, where hygene in general tends to be poor.
Thanks,
SB

Hi Sweetbear, she should be pretty much back to normal by now. I had a bitch spayed six weeks ago, and she had none of the after effects that yours is having. If the wound is red and swollen, it is likely to be infected, is it oozing anything?

I would take her back to the vet immediately, she needs to have this sorted out, the things you describe are not normal.

Let us know how it goes. :)

Dawn R.

could she be alergic to the stiches used? My friends dog was spayed a while back and it took 5 weeks to heal but it would of only been 1 week if they had realised that it was the stitches that caused the reaction. Can you put the cream in the fridge? it should cool the skin down so she wont struggle as much.

Thanks for your replies. I've found it next to impossible to put the cream on her. I'm taking her back to the vet every day and he is giving her antibiotics and I think some pain killers by injection. He doesn't speak much English at all and keeps apologizing ! I had read elsewhere about the stiches causing a reaction and I will try putting the cream in the fridge. The other concern is the methods of hygene in this country. A long story ( from another post) but we both thought she was a he, which would have been an easier and more common operation. I've since found out that Koreans don't spay their dogs as a rule, so the vet might not have had much experience in doing so.
I do have a recommendation of another vet who speaks better English, but he might not see her. People simply don't ask for second opinions here, it's the height of bad manners and a no- no. Anyway, if she doesn't improve soon, I'll take her there. Sb

Okay, just got her back from the vet. He tried to apply some ointment but it was real hard to do. I have a headache from her banging my head as we struggled. Anyway, I think he gave her some antibiotics and pain killers and now she is sleeping but her breathing is very rapid.I wonder if this is something to watch or worry about?

im no expert but i  sugggest you take your dog to another vet who knows what shes on about. Your dog sounds in extreme pain and is suffering.

Taking her back tomorrow to the original vet plus another new one. Although she seems to be much better the original vet is worried about the internal stiches from what I can gather through translation. Thinks maybe they have ripped or not healed. The fourth layer of the skin is what my translator said.