Lump at spay site?

I've heard that a lump at a spay site can be normal, but how BIG is normal? I've been checking Nora's incision every day, and it has always been flat and looked great. Just now I looked at it and it has a lump that is about the size of a fresh walnut (when it falls off a tree, not just the nut). She is acting normal and it doesn't seem to be causing her any discomfort. Should I be worried, or just keep an eye on it? Is it normal for it to have a lump this long afterward? It has been 9 days since her surgery. The actual incision looks clean and neat, not infected or red or anything.

You could ask her vet. Since the incision is fine it could be abnormal scaring on the abdominal muscle.

Ok, I realized it only lumps up when she tenses her abdominal muscles. When they are relaxed her stomach is flat. Maybe it has been there the whole time and I have just never noticed.

Can you post a picture of it?
Cleo has a small lump on the end of her scar.
I have seen lumps before on my other cats when they move a certain way.

When one of my females was spayed years ago she developed a hematoma (blood clot that forms internally) at the spay site.

I Know that in human medicine this could be a hematoma or maybe even a hernia.

The vet explained to me that as they stand and walk around gravity pulls everything down. That's how you can develop some problems.

I would have her checked by the vet to make sure. With something like that getting medical advice soon would be the best.

I hope it is something simple and gives her no trouble. Hope she's better soon.

I called the vet that spayed her, and they said it was completely normal and they see it all the time after their spays. I vaguely remember them saying something about a lump when I picked her up after her spay, but not exactly what they said. She said it will flatten out over time but it may take quite a while.

I feel better now, but I'll keep an eye on it and her to make sure it doesn't get worse or that it doesn't make her uncomfortable.

Originally Posted by kara_leigh

I vaguely remember them saying something about a lump when I picked her up after her spay, but not exactly what they said. She said it will flatten out over time but it may take quite a while.

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I suspected so - as I said, abdominal muscle scaring. I have it under my own incisions, though not huge lumps they're definitely not smooth.
Muscle takes longer than skin to heal.

I may be wrong, but I've heard before that a small bump may be noticable at the end of the incision because that is where the first stitch is made, thus pulling the skin tighter in that spot?

I'm not sure if this is correct?

Maybe it's fluid buildup from the trauma?