stitches opened after lump removal

My staffie had two lumps removed. I had a follow up four days later, the stitches weren't healing properly and I was given a granulated gel to put on them, at seven days we had another check, they said it was improved and they no longer needed to see…

    stitches opened after lump removal

    My staffie had two lumps removed. I had a follow up four days later, the stitches weren't healing properly and I was given a granulated gel to put on them, at seven days we had another check, they said it was improved and they no longer needed to see…...
    General Dog Discussions : stitches opened after lump removal...

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    • stitches opened after lump removal

      stitches opened after lump removal General Dog Discussions
      My staffie had two lumps removed. I had a follow up four days later, the stitches weren't healing properly and I was given a granulated gel to put on them, at seven days we had another check, they said it was improved and they no longer needed to see him. His activity was reduced severely and he was unable to lick the area due to it's position and being continually monitored. Twenty minutes at home in my living room and all the stitches had burst open, I believe he had internal and external stitches. I rushed back to the vets and he had to have the stitches redone under sedation. I was charged for this and wondered if this was common or if the stitches had not been done correctly in the first place? Thanks for reading x.

      stitches opened after lump removal

      stitches opened after lump removal General Dog Discussions
    • Dear Holliday,

      I am really sorry to hear about this issue.

      First let me provide you some general details regarding stitches which are usually used after surgeries:

      In general there are two different types of stitches : absorbable or non-absorbable.

      In the case of absorbable stitches, the dog's body will naturally break down and absorb the suture material over time. Depending on the material, absorption time frames vary. The stitches last long enough to promote healing of the tissue. Absorbable stitches are commonly used to close up the dog's muscle and subcutaneous layers and organs, like the intestine. An advantage of these stitches is that your dog will be less likely to remove them by licking or scratching. Your dog likely got absorbable stitches if your vet told you that you don't need to come back to have them removed. However, if you are in doubt, it's good to give your vet a call to double check. In some cases, the dog's body may reject the stitches rather than absorb them, causing inflammation.


      Non-absorbable stitches, as the name implies, aren't absorbed by the dog's body and therefore will need to be removed. These strong stitches are often made of nylon, steel, or synthetic materials. If your dog has non-absorbable stitches, most likely your vet told you to come back in about 10 to 14 days to have them removed. Generally, less scarring takes place with non-absorbable stitches since the immune system is less involved.

      After Care (main and important tasks):
      • Avoid Licking
      • Avoid Scratching
      • Limit Activity
      • Keep the Area Dry
      • Know What is Normal


      Now, I believe it might not be your veterinarian's mistake or it was not done correctly. I assume he (your dog) has rubbed his wound against an object , and since the wounds usually need more than 7 days to heal and there is pressure at the site of the incision it has got opened.

      This is always really annoying and sad to see such incidents to happen, but we can not really say if it was the vet's mistake or it was an incident.


      I hope he gets well soon and returns to his happy daily life.


      Please feel free to ask any questions.

      All the best,
      Ali

    • Thanks for the reply, I was thinking along those lines myself, it's very frustrating, and I have no idea how to stop him doing the same thing again, I think he did it by rolling on his back on the floor, so it's not like there is an object to remove. The vet suggested putting a t shirt on him, but he manages to get them off. thanks again x.

    • This is my pleasure.

      I believe another idea would be using special clothes made for dogs which also covers their feet. In this case he will not be able to take it off.

      But if you are going to cover the surgery site by clothes, I would recommend checking the wound at least once/twice a day to make sure everything is fine.


      And please don't be worry, I am sure everything is going to be normal again and his wound will heal soon.

      Good luck.
      Ali