Hi my bitch was spayed two weeks ago and I noticed last Frdiay that she was spotting with blood on the floor. She had her stiches out on Monday and I said to the vet that she is spotting with blood as if she is about to come into season. The vet said that, that was impossible and keep and eye on her. Since then the blood is getting more regular as if she is having a period. She is going back to the Vets tonight at 6.00pm. I just wanted your help first. Is this normally after being spayed or not??

Thanks Sarah xxx

Take her to your vet NOW. Do not wait until tonight, go as an emergency. If they will not see you, go to someone who will. She could be bleeding internally, this really needs to be checked. If Im wrong, you have egg on your face and a big bill, but if Im right.......please act now

I wouldn't want to leave it either if she's losing that much especially quite a few days after.

Good luck.

Last post was quick, as I saw it as it came up. I am talking from personal experience here, I know someone who lost a bitch because she bled after, internal bleeding, and a friend very nearly did. She did the wait and see, and although I'm usually in favour of wait and see, she did, the bleeding got worse over days, despite repeated visits where she was treated as an over anxious owner. I went with her in the end, when the bitch was now losing clots as well as blood, and had a huge stand up where i insisted the senior vet see the dog. Turned out she was bleeding internally, major blood vessle leaking, not making assumptions on why but it is a risk of spaying. The bitch was operated on again, situation sorted, and all was well. Could have been not though. if you cant get to a vet (not everyone is as pushy as me) I would say stay with her till the appt, keep her as calm as you possibly can by whatever means, if possible have someone sit with you when you take her, so you can keep her quiet in the car.

Something similar happened to a bitch owned by one of my male pup owners,  It seemed that she was coming up for her next season early and due to increased blood supply was bleeding internally, and luckily it was noticed quick enough to save her.

Gosh cannot believe the vet said wait and gave an appointment I know for certain my vet would insist she was rushed in immediately even if it was a false alarm.

I hope everything goes alright for you and your girl.

Roni

I know what you mean, it just shouldnt happen. But it does :(

How is she Sarah?

Hi all sorry not been able to get to a computer for a few days.
Well took her straight to the vet, and they said it looks like she is having a seasons, as her vulva is swollown and the blood is not fresh. They said that they might not have got all her overies out and she needs to be opened up again.  I said to the vet that this is disscusting, to have to put my dog through this. I have to wait until Friday when she has a check up to found out.
I'll keep you all posted. Thanks for all your help. x

Sarah
I think this is one of thoses cases where you have to insist on a second opinion and a specialist one at that, it's disgusting that you have to wain until Friday it's 4 days away!

Maria

Would that be a veterinary gynaecologist?

It does happen sometimes that a part of the ovary is missed, they can be very small mid cycle with no follicles which is why the spay is usually done at that time.  Sometimes they can adher to other organs too.  However with no uterus I am not sure where the "season" would come from .  Has he ruled out infection, which would occur 14 days post op quite classically, or has he prescribed antibiotics and waiting to see if there is improvement next visit?

Yep. Phoebe came into season right after being spayed - no blood or discharge but very attractive to Willis (who had to have 16 valium to take the edge off him till it all calmed down 2 days later).

I would agree with Isable. without a uterus there is no lining to shed which is what the bleeding should be about. 

If ovarian tissue is missed during a spay what usually happens is that at the time the bitch would have been in seasons eh still produces the pheromones that make her attractive to males and you get the problem of male followers who are attracted to her as an in season bitch.

Bleeding post operatively is something else in my opinion.

If she is still bleeding Sarah, I would insist on more speedy action - wouldn't wait till Friday.  How can it be a season?

Oh Sarah, please think again. I can see no reason to wait untill Friday, its such a long way off when the vet has absolutly no idea of whats going on inside her. Why hes waiting I dont know, unless its convience for them. If its not fresh blood, is it an infection, or worse building up inside. The bitch of my friends didnt look like 'fresh blood' to start, then there were so many clots. She was leaking blood inside, building up till it seeped out. I think their prognosis is disgusting. If they need to operate again it should be done as soon as possible, otherwise why are they saying she needs one at all. You have done the 'wait and see' and shes only got worse. Until shes opened up again, no one can say for certain if they have messed up with the op, or if there is one of the usual complications. This goes to show that even a 'simple' 'routien' spay can have problems, but I bet no one told you that before they spayed her.

sarah, whatever anyone tells you to the contrary, get a second opinion. if you can talk now to the senior vet at the practice, do so, and tell him/her you want this dog operated on NOW. If it is the senior vet you are dealing with, get a second opinion from another practice. This is potentially far to serious to mess around with any more, and thats what the vets are doing, messing you around.

Good Luck, got everything crossed for you. if you want to PM me please do.

>and tell him/her you want this dog operated on NOW

Wouldn't it be more appropriate to ask an opinion of them?
You have not examined the dog, do not know if she has a temperature, do not know if the discharge is indicative of a draining haematoma and do not know if antibiotics have been prescribed so on what basis are you saying a second opinion needs to be sought?  Antibiotics do not work instantly.

Im not getting this blocked arguing with you isobel.

To the OP, take the advice of myself (who has had experience of this) and the others here, get action now. better to be wrong and have egg on your face, that a dead dog.

Experience of what?  As you say a discharge after an operation can be anything.  Your dogs experience may have no baring whatsover on what is going on here nor have you had the benefit of examining the dog or even being at the consultation so you have no idea of what the prognosis (sic) is.  By all means say that if it was you you would want to know more but you cannot assume from the information we have that this dog must be operated on again or that the wait and see option is not an entirely reasonable one.  Demanding another operation when there is infection present could also lead to a dead dog.

>If they need to operate again it should be done as soon as possible, otherwise why are they saying she needs one at all.<

The suggestion was that the bitch had come into season because some ovarian tissue had not been removed.   The vet's reason for suggesting that the dog might need another op would be to remove the ovarian tissue which had caused the "season", wouldn't it?

>tell him/her you want this dog operated on NOW<

Which emergency surgical procedure do you think is required?

>thats what the vets are doing, messing you around.<

We can only speak from our own experiences.  Mine is that vets would not "mess around" in this situation, but would proceed with great care, feel a considerable burden of responsibility and make every effort to ensure the best possible outcome for their patient.

By all means, Sarah, if you are still worried, go back and talk further with the vet.  Or ask for a second opinion.  You must be very worried about your girl.

Please keep us posted and best wishes.

Hi All, took Sydney to see vet last night and I happend to get the owner. So I told him all about Stella he is not worried but has asked me to bring her in today. Keep you posted.

Thanks again for all your advice.

Sarah,

Years ago a GSD I had spayed practically poured blood from her vagina about a week after the surgery.  The vet was not alarmed, he said sometimes bitches will bleed from the "stump" - stump of what, I never did ask.  In any event, the bleeding stopped with no intervention needed of any kind.

Stacey

Hi Sarah. Lovely to hear back from you, and that things seem to be ok :) Looking forward to hearing how Stella gets on!

Keeping my fingers crossed for your girl,sarah :)

I dont really know if dogs and cats are similar in these cases,but 5 days after i got my cat spayed she came into heat and absolutely called the house down,no-one got any sleep!! I'm sure everyone is familiar with that chilling yowl, in season cats make :rolleyes: I went back to the vet who spayed her and he said give her hormones time to calm down,"she'll be right"! After another night of caterwarling i could stand it no more and sought a second opinion,the new vet opened her up again(i had to wait a week  ) as she was obviously in season,and discovered the other vet had left the right hand side horn in her So i had to pay for 2 spaying ops,but i did end up getting a full refund from the first vet after signing a "hush" contract.Apparantly this wasnt the first time a problem had occured out of his surgery...pffft!

Anyway my point is,it is always prudent to seek a second opinion if you're unsure of something,for your pets sake(better safe than sorry) and your own piece of mind :)

Any news yet Sarah?

Hi all, well took her to the top vet in the practice the owner. He gave her a full examination and looked at the blood, (which actullay stopped yesterday).  He said that where they tie the tubes togther they use disolvable stiches and that the blood is leaking from there. He said by the coulour of it that the tubes are healing together and it will just stop, which it has done. He said there is nothing to worry about and this can happen.  He said just watch her and anything else to come staright back to him.  I feel allot better now.  Stella is fine in her self, she is so active.
Thanks for all your help and support.   xxx

I'm so glad that they have been able to reassure you and that Stella has continued to improve. 

Fantastic news :D Hope she continues to do well, and pleased that you have had a satisfactory explanation of the problem. it always helps :)

I'm pleased to hear that she is on the mend.  Hope you and Stella both continue to feel better! :-)

Brilliant news Sarah, thanks for letting us all know!
Maria

Phew, glad to hear she's on the mend!