Cat Chat Feline Forum

My sweet 8 month old kitten, Yuna, was spayed just over 3 weeks ago. When we took her in to have her external stitches removed two weeks ago the vet noted that she had some swelling from the internal stitches and a very small infection in the incision which we were to clean three times a day. She told us to bring her in again the following week. We did so. There was still swelling but the infection was healing. We were told to keep cleaning and if there were no other problems and it looked good the following Tuesday then we could remove her cone.

He incision looked clean and healthy over the weekend but on the Sunday evening a purple swelling appeared to the upper left of the incision site. It was about the size of a pinkie nail. I gently washed it and it popped, yellow-ish stuff came out and then it bled. As it was a Sunday night and she seemed in high spirits we decided to wait until the Monday to see if she needed a vet. On the Monday morning it seemed to be healing over quickly, but when we got home that evening another one (smaller) was appearing to the upper right of the incision, opposite the first one. We managed to get an appointment that evening. We didn't have our usual vet, who is fluent in English, and had to make to with my husband's German and the vet's limited English (we are living in Germany) so we found it hard to understand what was happening.

The new vet had Yuna held down and attempted to remove what seemed to be an internal stitch through the first wound that had appeared. Yuna wasn't having it so they gave her a jab to put her to sleep for 15 minutes. When we got back into the room they had removed a fairly long piece of blue thread and said it had been irritating the skin. The vet told us to keep the cone on for another two days, not to wash the wounds, and that Yuna should be fine.

So, that was Monday. On Wednesday when we took the cone off and Yuna was able to wash away the stained part of her fur we saw that she had another dark swelling, but this time right in the incision site We took her in AGAIN and another German vet said that she was reacting badly to the stitches. he gave us meds (syntax antibiotic and metacam pain killer) and said if it gets worse they may need to open her up again to remove them.

I am so so so worried. Today it does look like it is getting bigger. I will post the pictures I was able to take half an hour ago. Does anyone have any experience with this? What are the risks if she gets put under again for the third time in as many weeks? She seems perfectly happy and wants to play, but this wound is just refusing to heal.

On top of this, we are running out of money. We also got her her pet passport recently so in the last month she had cost us close to 500 euros in spay charges, follow up visits and meds and her vaccinations. I don't know if we could afford another surgery. Could we wait it out and remove the stitches as they appear? Although, at 50 euros a visit (as it was the last time they took out a stitch because she wouldn't let them do it while she was awake) this would quickly add up.

I just want her better

Poor baby! We have had a similar problem with Bobby.
Long story short - he was born with nerve damage to his front left leg, advised by our local (farm) vet to have it removed. As he used it - to a fashion - and it did not bother him we said no. At 1 year the joint became infected through a tiny wound. Another vet (small animal practice) tried to save it with AB's. It kept returning. A blood test showed he was FIV. The leg was removed, leaving the shoulder blade as it was deemed too invasive for his compromised body to cope. Everything went well. But the wound has taken an AGE to heal. It started to become infected. Just like Yuna, there was a swelling then 'pop', yellow goo everywhere!
He has healed - the last place to close properly was over the shoulder blade. He was on Synulux twice a day. Also the vet gave him an injection of long term AB. That seemed to kick start the healing.
Looking at the photo's, the wound looks quite clean - Bobby's was very yucky for a while. Because of the nature of the op, he had to have a pressure bandage on. Not sure whether that was a good or bad thing?
I know what you mean about costs. We paid in Euro too. €380.00 for the op and €20 -€30 per visit after. They can mount up. But I know some English vets who would charge far more! I think it's worth it.
I have not experienced this problem with a spaying before. But I did have a dog who was so active she popped her stitches.
Best wishes and I hope she is on the mend soon

Well, the wound got bigger and popped last night. Lots of pus and blood. She's being operated on just now

What a horrid time your puss is having, there's obviously something very wrong with the op they did originally, hopefully they will share the cost of putting it right with you. Paws crossed, let us know how she gets on.

Yes, if these are complications from THEIR operation then you shouldn't be charged.
Good luck - i hope she is home soon xx

You're right there! Lets hope they get it right this time - poor Yuna.
best wishes

Thanks for the well wishes Yuna is home with us now. The vet said she's never seen a reaction to stitches like that before; she said she had reacted on all three layers so her incision is now an inch longer. We have a follow up appointment for Monday. Because it's Yuna's allergy and not their fault we can't really demand they reduce the costs, but I suspect they did so with this operation since it cost us 120 euros when we were told to expect 150-170.

Now I just have to wait and hope that she doesn't react to these new ones. Any idea what the options would be if she does?

PS. Here is my Yuna before the operation. I can't wait for her to be back to her old self.

Glad she's home again and hopefully on the mend now.

They sometimes use surgical glue not sure whether that would be an option.

I asked about surgical glue when Bob's stitches pulled. But they said if there was any risk of infection sealing the wound would make matters worse.
I really hope it doesn't come to that and that she is on the mend very soon - she is a sweetie

Fingers crossed - I have to say in 10 years of rescue work I've never had a reaction like this to a spay, and never heard of a reaction to stitches, so I do wonder how the vet did the op.

I know this is an old post but my gami cat got spayed 8 days ago and I noticed some swelling, I thought it was due to the surgery but now the vet is telling me that she might be allergic to the internal suture, she asked to wait 3 more days to see if she improves but I’m getting scared, I wonder if I should get a second opinion, how was Yuna after the 3rd intervention?

The kind of swelling you mention is common and can last for weeks due to internal stitches and the cats reaction its generally no problem UNLESS infection develops when a course of antibiotics should quickly clear it the trouble is many vets leave it too late to start antibiotics.....ANY infection of an operation wound should be treated promptly with antibiotics if your vet does not do so they're negligent go elsewhere don't be strung along by talk of allergy to stitches and end up with a long drawn out process another op a big bill and even worse suffering for your dear friend

As a rescuer of over 30:years who uses several different vets I would advise anyone having their cat spayed to ask at time of booking do the vets give a long acting antibiotics injection before sending the cat home and if the answer is no then find a practice that does as post op spay problems are more common now as a lot of vets try to minimalise antibiotic use and its simply not working in many cases

You should be able to smell any infection - get down close and check for any oozing and smell - if neither are present I doubt there is any immediate emergency, which is probably why you were told you should give it a few more days

She has some yellowish discharge and the area smells bad (not terribly stinky) but if i get close to her belly there’s a bad smell the cat is still active and eats normally

she needs to see a vet right away, I think - it sounds as if the wound is infected, and she will need abs

Hi Susie, this happened to one of mine, the discharge and smell - I was terrified, but a course of antibiotics put her right in no time; as Kay says she does need the vet.

Good luck and all the very best with her

Thanks for your comments, the Vet finally gave her an antibiotic (a $75 USD shot) + consultation and other fees it’d better be good!

Hi Susie-N hope your little un is on the improve. Keep us posted & fusses to the little un.

Any infection of an operation wound?