[btracy116]

I adopted a 1-2 yr old Miniature Australian Shepherd over the weekend from a shelter (as a stray, no one can be completely sure of his age). He was neutered last Tuesday, and I adopted him five days later on Saturday. I think in the immediate post-op days in the shelter he wasn't in a cone and was fussing with his neutered area because when we went to get him, he was bleeding a little and had to be coned. He was doing OK for a day, but being an Aussie, he has a LOT of energy and can't help but run around, plus we made the mistake of taking him on a couple walks. By Sunday night, he was bleeding and we took him to an emergency care vet. His scrotum and prescrotal regions were bruised, and blood was oozing from the place of incision. The scrotum is extremely ulcerated and abraided from self-trauma. The vet prescribed some antibiotics and painkillers for the next week and recommended we severely limit his activity. We have done so, but he still seems to be spotting -- he'll sit down on the carpet and then there will be a little bloody splotch left behind. This seems to happen when he is active at all -- even just walking up and down the hall at his usual Aussie speed. We've been vigilant about making him wear the cone and applying warm compresses to his scrotum region, plus trying to cut any hair that is matted and tugging when he walks.

Anyway, after that long explanation, my question is -- while not common, is this post-op complication normal? Do we just need to let the bleeding run its course for a few days while his scrotum heals? He doesn't seem to be in pain -- he is happy as can be except for when we force him down to tend to his infected area.

This is our first dog and we don't even have a normal vet yet, so we're pretty novice when it comes to knowing when to take a dog in and when to let things heal slowly. Has anyone else experienced this with their own dog?

 

[JessCowgirl88]

glad you adopted sounds like a cutie! i know with every dog we have had spayed or nuetered if it started bleeding the vet said to call a.s.a.p, so i would say call your vet or a vet asap

 

[spotted nikes]

Did the vet tell you to do warm compresses? That is the opposite of what you would normally do to reduce swelling and encourage healing. Every time you apply the compress it is softening the scab and allowing the incision to stay moist and open up. If the vet specifically told you to do it, how long were you supposed to do it for? If the vet didn't tell you to do it, stop. Leave the incision alone.

 

[btracy116]

The vet did recommend the warm compress and keep the area clean with warm water. Your explanation though makes sense. Perhaps I'll call again....

 

[Amaryllis]

Call the vet as often as you want. I know you feel silly constantly calling, but that's what you pay the vet for. If your vet gets irritated, get a new vet.