Dissolvable stiches not dissolving!!

My girl had "dissolvable" stitches for removal of her dew claws, and 7 weeks later the stuff is still there, not irritating, no redness, just still there.

My new vet saw the stitches a few weeks weeks ago and told me that my old vet, who had done the surgery, had basically used a wierd choice of suture, and that they would likely not dissolve and will have to be removed. So, I'm going back into the original vet this week to have them taken out. I'll tell you haw that goes.

The most commonly used dissolvable suture take about 4-6 months to lose their holding strength, so it could be a year or more before they completely dissolve.  Since its been long enough since his surgery that the tissue has healed, I would cut the suture that is sticking out. The body probably had a reaction to it and wants it out, so you might as well help it along. If you're not comfortable cutting the suture yourself, call the vet and ask if you can have a tech help you so you can avoid an examination fee.

Thank you very much!!

I'll cut it close to the skin and trust that the rest of it will work itself out. My only big concern is that the might start chewing on it and pulling it out roughly, or that it might catch on something.

Sometimes I am so impressed by the things a living organism does just to self-maintain... "Hey, this suture isn't part of my body, I guess I'll push it out through the skin now!" Crazy stuff!

this post may help
 
[linkhttp://forum.dog.com/asp/tm.asp?m=284311]http://forum.dog.com/asp/tm.asp?m=284311[/link]

ORIGINAL: Misskiwi67

I would cut the suture that is sticking out. The body probably had a reaction to it and wants it out, so you might as well help it along.

What if the exposed stuff is cut, but the material left under the skin irritates the dog? How would that be removed? Is is better to just pull the stitches out, and is that something that can be done at home?

What if the exposed stuff is cut, but the material left under the skin irritates the dog? How would that be removed? Is is better to just pull the stitches out, and is that something that can be done at home?

If you have already pulled out the exposed stuff, but think that it us something under the skin brewing like a stitch abscess from the suture material, you can nick the skin with a blade and take the stitch out. I would NOT recommend doing this yourself I would go and ask the vet to do it. It is normal to have some redness along the incision while the stitches dissolve, it doesn't necissarily mean something bad is going on. The incision tends to be itchy during this period as well. Usually tincture of time is the best medicine for these wound healing problems with dissolvable suture.

My dog was spayed 2 weeks ago and within the first few days she had managed to remove her stitches and the wound was really opened up.  It really upset and scared us because she was bleeding.  We called the vet on Saturday night, 5 days after, and took her in for a visit 1 week post op.  The vet gave her antibiotics and a pain medication.  It has been a week since and the wound has completely healed together and looks really good, the incision is just a little pink still.  I still cannot figure out how she got the stitches out, just thankful that she is healing well.  Just a few more days on antibiotics and she will be all set and she is acting like her old self again[]  Crazy as ever and I wouldn't change her for anything.
 
My friend had taken a male pug to a neuter clinic (different vet) and they cut and stitched all of the way up the shaft.  I have never seen that done before, I have seen the neuter where they remove the testes through the scrotum and that was a very small incision and minimal blood.  This poor guy developed complications and couldn't retract, so she took him to her regular vet (not the clinic) and they had never seen anything like it.  They removed the 'disolvable stitches' that never disolved and they have him on prednisone and antibiotics.  This poor little dog has been through so much on top of the neuter he is blind and has one eye bulging and may need to be sewn partially shut because it doesn't close and he doesn't produce tears.  He is just a real mess, very skinny, undersocialized.  My friend rescued him from a puppy auction, lucky for him, she is really doing everything she can for him medically.  It just makes me so angry that these 'breeders' would keep this poor little dog in such deplorable conditions and not attend to his medical needs.