# Seroma after spaying operation



## Loisbobcat (Mar 17, 2014)

Hi 

I just wondered whether anyone else had experienced this complication after having their cat spayed? My siamese, Ava, had her op last Friday and I took her for post op check up on Monday and all was fine. She's been ok all this week and I got home last night and she had developed what I can only describe as a soft feeling lump the size of a golf ball at the site of her op. Took her to emergency vet late last night who did an ultrasound etc. we decided to leave her overnight as she wasn't in any discomfort and emergency vet advised me to take her to my vet today. My vet admitted her early this morning and late this evening after re opening the surgical site tells me it's a seroma and that he has drained the area but she's still quite swollen as there's obviously some fluid still there?? 

I've got to take her back for a follow up on Tuesday. 

Sorry for the long winded story but was just wondered if this has happened to anyone else ? 

I'm obviously worried and concerned about my girl and keeping a close eye on her. 

Many thanks for reading my post. Lou


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## Ceiling Kitty (Mar 7, 2010)

Poor Ava, hugs for her. xxx

Was her spay flank or midline?


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## Loisbobcat (Mar 17, 2014)

Hi shosh

They did give me an option of either but I was advised that flank was a faster recovery and also I don't plan on showing her so I opted for flank. She's such a sweet thing I feel terrible that this has happened to her.


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## Ceiling Kitty (Mar 7, 2010)

They do happen occasionally. Seromas are just a pocket of normal tissue fluid under the skin, and usually occur if there is a potential space created under a wound or when not much pressure is exerted on a wound.

During a flank spay a small amount of subcutaneous fat is often removed to reach the underlying muscle, which could leave a little space that could fill with fluid. In most cases, during the healing process, the tissue layers knit together.

However, feline skin can be quite mobile and if the kitties are bouncing around all over the place it can stop the tissue from settling and fluid can accumulate. A seroma is much less serious than a haematoma (pocket of blood) or an abscess (pocket of pus, indicating wound infection).

They tend to go away on their own as the body gradually resorbs the fluid. This can take a few weeks. Keeping her rested and as quiet as possible is a good idea to help everything settle down.

Sometimes antibiotics are given to make sure no secondary infection sets in, but these are not always necessary. In seromas that don't disappear on their own or seem to be getting bigger, sometimes a belly wrap can help to exert a bit of pressure - don't try to apply one yourself, though, leave it to the vet. Worst case scenario for seromas is needing a little drain placed to stop them filling up while the tissue heals - these usually only have to stay in for a few days.

I hope everything goes well for her on Tuesday.  xxx


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## Loisbobcat (Mar 17, 2014)

Hi shosh
Thank you so much for explaining that to me - That does make total sense now. Aves is very active and I also have her brother too, Loki, so they had their ops on the same day. They do play quite a lot of 'rough and tumble' so this could explain the resulting seroma then? I've tried caging her but she got so distressed she was hurting herself (she was literally throwing herself around the cage) so I've separated them and have Aves in one lounge and Lokes in the other. She is though very very playful and active and I'm doing my best to try and keep her calm and quiet but that's proving to be rather a big challenge and a very tall order and I'm not sure what else I can do to keep a 4 month old kitten still?! I confess that I am struggling to. The vet did give her a slow release 14 day antibiotic earlier today so I'm hoping that should help prevent any possible infection??


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## carly87 (Feb 11, 2011)

I wouldn't worry too muchy about this. I had a 12 week old girly spayed who developed the same complication. It was left alone and simply healed on its own as the body resorbed the fluid.


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## Loisbobcat (Mar 17, 2014)

Thanks for your reply hun. That does make me feel a lot better. I'll just keep am eye on it to make sure she doesn't get any infection etc. thanks again x


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## Reichert (Aug 31, 2018)

Hi we have a 5 month old Hemi (Faith) who had surgery. She also has a seroma after surgery and she broke open a stitch day one! We bought her a Suitical and that allows a kitten to go to the bathroom and they can’t lick their structures or belly. The seroma is going growing smaller that sometimes happens in surgery. She also had a bladder infection some kittens do not like the suture material that doctors use internally but she is on the mend.


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