Cat fixed, now has belly swelling and trouble walking. Is it serious?

There are a few things that could be causing Chunnu's belly to be larger than normal. First, if she is having heart or liver problems, this can cause fluid to backup into the belly. This fluid can usually be diagnosed with x-rays or ultrasound, and if there is a large amount of fluid it can easily be removed. However, the fluid will usually come back in a matter of days or weeks unless we cure the underlying cause. Another potential cause for a large belly is intestinal parasites. I recommend that Chunnu have a good dewormer or have her stool tested by a veterinarian. The other potential cause is that she is gaining weight in fat. As cats age, they started to shift more weight to the belly and can appear bigger there than when they were younger. If she is eating well and her activity is normal, you could just continue to monitor her belly from home, or see your vet for re-evaluation.

There are many different issues that could be causing her abdomen to swell, ranging from fluid build up to organ enlargement or tumours. Unfortunately there is no way to shed any light on what is causing it without taking her to a vet for a thorough examination. They may need to run some tests also.

I think there's enough going on here that it would be worthwhile to take her for a recheck by your vet. It's not terrible looking, but there is some swelling along the incision margins and a small defect in the top of the incision. I would expect her incision to look better than this after a week. For now, I don't recommend you do any sort of treatment at home, because this may make things worse. As long as you get her to the vet in the next day or two, she should be fine to wait. I hope that helps and your kitty gets better soon.

Mabel is such a cute kitty!! A small amount of bruising around the incision can be normal, but swelling can indicate a possible breakdown in the stitches holding the muscle together and should be checked out sooner rather than later, especially if Mabel seems painful. If the sutures Di breakdown it is possible for intestines to then become trapped beneath the skin and this can be very serious. I would recommend placing an ecollar on Mabel and confining her to a kennel or large box until you are able to have her seen. Excessive activity following surgery is not recommended and can exacerbate any complications that may develop. I hope Mabel feels better soon!

It's possible Chse may have an abscess if the area is swelling and painful on touch. Abscesses, or infections under the skin can happen if she recently got into a fight or had another wound occur. Other possible causes can include growths, skin infections, potential muscular hernias, allergies or even parasite bites. Having it checked out by your vet is best to find the underlying cause and start on treatment. Until you can get to the vet, keeping her from licking or chewing at it with the use of an Elizabethan (cone) collar is best to prevent further irritation.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This is indeed most likely due to the abscess. I would be suspicious that some of that pus and inflammation has migrated to the leg and is causing pain as well. At this point I think this may be require more investigation into the underlying cause of the abscess. I would be suspicious of foreign material that has migrated and is underneath the skin. If that is the case, surgery and possibly further diagnostics like a CT scan as well as long courses of antibiotics may be needed to treat this appropriately. A culture of this wound should be obtained if that has not been done to make sure that the correct antibiotic is used. I recommend that you have Spock reevaluated by your veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. Good luck and have a good night!

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Salem. The swelling is large so I am glad that you contacted her veterinarian. I would give the newly prescribed medications as directed. It is good news that she is eating and acting normal. I agree that she should be rechecked if that swelling has not significantly decreased in the time frame given to you. It is really best if you can find a way to confine her. A large dog crate may work if it is big enough for food, water and a litter box. If she starts to act ill or the swelling increases, then she will need to see an emergency veterinarian. I hope this information helps!