Everett Said:

Does my puppy have seroma or is his hernia opening back up after surgery?

We Answered:

You can't really tell. A seroma is a fluid filled space, so it should be soft and squishy. If you are worried thought run him to the vet, if he is in trouble then he'll be ok and if not at least you'll have some peace of mind!

Debra Said:

I had by-pass surgery on my leg in 2008, a seroma developed, the surgeon needle drained it twice, each time i?

We Answered:

We almost never "needle" a seroma. We always open them & drain them.

The surgery is much less (usually) than the initial bypass.

Brandon Said:

seroma weeks after breast cancer op?

We Answered:

A friend of mine had a lumpectomy to deal with her breast cancer and some swelling can occur for several months after surgery (including for mastectomy-my mom had this done for her breast cancer). I would recommend getting back in touch with your doctor to let them know that you are very concerned about this and want to see what additional suggestions they may have.

Pauline Said:

What can be done about swelling after hernia surgery?

We Answered:

putting ice on it

Connie Said:

What can I do for my puppy's seroma?

We Answered:

By all means, don't get it drained again. The fluid in the seroma is sterile and you don't want to contaminate it as it is the best growth media for bacteria. Keep him from licking at it by using an e-collar. You can apply warm compresses to the area to help it reabsorb. Keep the area clean and dry. If you can and he won't eat it, you can try a compress like a belly band, but since he's a boy, he might pee on it and just get it dirty. It will eventually go away with time. Just keep it clean, dry and closed. IF if becomes painful - that is when it is infected.

Nancy Said:

my cat has a "seroma" after being spayed?

We Answered:

Been there done that. Seromas can form for a few reasons the most common is the animal being too active after surgery and not kept confined or quiet, while it is possible it could be the sutures (if the secondary layer of sutures is too loose); that isn't the cause I normally see. It is fairly common as far as minor complications go and usually not a big deal unless the seroma pocket is large then it can be drained easily with a needle, becomes infected or pulls the sutures open. Keep an eye on it for any changes, but your kitty should be fine. They are more common when the incision is on a low part of the body, gravity can help them form. A seroma is essentially a little pocket of serum seperated out of the blood that has collected there.
My pitbull Brujah had one form on his lower shoulder a couple days after he had surgery to remove a cancerous tumor (grade II Mast cell). I assisted in the surgery and everything looked great with sutures etc then, and I confined him and (tried to) kept him quiet and he still got one. But it all healed up just fine. There's not much you can do, you can keep the area clean, just with plain warm water is fine and keep an eye on it. Oh, and an e-collar if she is licking at the area!
Good luck, I'm sure she'll be doing better soon!

Darrell Said:

How do I help reduce the size of a seroma on my dog?

We Answered:

As long as your vet has seen it and is not worried about having to drain it, you can apply a warm compress to the seroma 2-3 times a day for about 10-15 minutes. The warmth will help the body to reabsorb the fluid that is being held in that pocket. A cold compress is usually apply during the first few days post surgery and will not be affective at all. In fact it is likely to slow the healing process since the warmth is what helps to absorb the fluid.