jaybeece Posted November 4, 2008 Share Posted November 4, 2008 Soooo le mutt would appear to have popped his stitches I've kept him as still as humanly possible and he's not allowed to play with the foster dog (which is hard), but given it's on his side it's a tricky spot. It's not bleeding or oozing, but it is gaping a little and doesn't look nice. He doesn't appear to be in any pain either. So is it something that can wait until morning? I'm happy to take him to the emergency vet, but would rather not given it's bed time now and the cost involved. Taking him in first thing tomorrow would be a lot easier for all concerned (even if work will whinge about it). If photos help I can post a couple. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flaves Posted November 4, 2008 Share Posted November 4, 2008 That happened to Sam when he had lumps removed - i took him that same night If it is not oozing he may be ok but it is at risk of getting dirt in it and gtting infected. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaybeece Posted November 4, 2008 Author Share Posted November 4, 2008 Thanks IHF, he's inside and will be all night so not much chance of dirt getting into it at all. He isn't licking at it either. I guess he'll be ok till morning, just wish the vet had sewed him up a little better He's already been into the emergency vet once when it started bleeding heavily a few hours after the op. He's been pretty good, but when he sleeps he'll curl up with the wound to the outside a lot so it's been put under quite a lot of stress just by him sleeping. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toohey Posted November 4, 2008 Share Posted November 4, 2008 Should be fine till morning - how many days post op is he, and how big is the gaping bit? Pics would help. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaybeece Posted November 4, 2008 Author Share Posted November 4, 2008 He had the op a week ago and is (was) due to have stitches out on Friday. Looks like he's popped 3 out of 4 stitches. Click for photo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toohey Posted November 4, 2008 Share Posted November 4, 2008 That should have healed better than that by now. He will need to have that restitched. Have you any surgical tape or even a bandaid? If you can stick the tape on one side and try to draw the wound edges together, then bandage the area till you can get to a vet. If you have some superglue, dab a little on the skin on either side of the wound and hold the tape/bandaid on until it dries enough to hold. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peigirl Posted November 4, 2008 Share Posted November 4, 2008 Perhaps an Elizabethan collar and some socks to wear overnight too in case your boy has a chew on the wound or a scratch? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nekhbet Posted November 4, 2008 Share Posted November 4, 2008 skin glue Dermabond or anything similar is handy to have in these situations. You can always pop some on before stitches are due to pop out Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toohey Posted November 4, 2008 Share Posted November 4, 2008 skin glue Dermabond or anything similar is handy to have in these situations. You can always pop some on before stitches are due to pop out Dermabond would be useless if catgut sutures can't hold a wound together, and anyway it is not something people would have handy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
witheverythingiam Posted November 4, 2008 Share Posted November 4, 2008 Why is the wound so black underneath? Doesn't every vet do 3 layers of stitches like the one I worked for? The sutures look more like Vetafil than catgut. -WithEverythingIAm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toohey Posted November 4, 2008 Share Posted November 4, 2008 Why is the wound so black underneath? That's dried blood. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mirajam Posted November 5, 2008 Share Posted November 5, 2008 I've been a RN (Human!) for about 19 years, and I'd say it needs re-stitching. Unless you have a close look and are *certain* it's dry blood, it might be muscle tissue that is exposed. It needs to be covered in a normal saline soaked bit of gauze, and then covered/taped /bandaged up securely to keep it moist/clean until you get to the vet. Good luck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
persephone Posted November 5, 2008 Share Posted November 5, 2008 just wish the vet had sewed him up a little better Some dogs just don't have strong tissue, and /or don't heal quickly If this is the first time something like this has happened- be aware next time Hope it gets fixed, and you have no more trouble! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nekhbet Posted November 5, 2008 Share Posted November 5, 2008 catgut is not the best for holding external wounds together. Yeah they TEND to pop especially if you trim the ends. Hence synthetics. Glue can sometimes take some pressure off the stitches (before it gets to this stage not when already like this) and that wound has not really been stitched properly at all. WEIA is right that looks like amateur blanket stitch then a surgeons work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flaves Posted November 5, 2008 Share Posted November 5, 2008 Yukko . How is he going today? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaybeece Posted November 5, 2008 Author Share Posted November 5, 2008 (edited) catgut is not the best for holding external wounds together. Yeah they TEND to pop especially if you trim the ends. Hence synthetics.Glue can sometimes take some pressure off the stitches (before it gets to this stage not when already like this) and that wound has not really been stitched properly at all. WEIA is right that looks like amateur blanket stitch then a surgeons work. Yeah I'm really suss on the quality of the stitches that were done He only had 4 and he was at the bloody e-vet only a few hours after the surgery bleeding heavily. It's never looked like the 2 edges are close enough for a decent heal either. Yukko .How is he going today? He's been restitched by a different vet (same place). This time it looks like a proper job that's actually appropriate to the area. The owner of the vet clinic is trying to blame me/the dog for the stitches going which is frustrating because he's been kept so still for the last week. Just hope pet insurance does end up paying up for everything and this is the last freakin time I have to take him to the vet for it (other than to take out the stitches). It's cost $1,500 so far and the poor dog's been put under a general twice in a week and been in a fair bit of pain which I'm not happy about. EDIT: Thanks for the suggestions last night, I hit the sack before seeing them If it happens again I'll know what to do at least Edited November 5, 2008 by jaybeece Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
persephone Posted November 5, 2008 Share Posted November 5, 2008 Glad he's been properly 'stitched up' this time - hope it all heals quickly...also hope the insurance coughs up! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flaves Posted November 6, 2008 Share Posted November 6, 2008 They put him under a GA again? When Sams stitches came out they gave him a local only and stitched him up - but he was an easy dog. Shame that they had to put him under again - i would not be impressed either Hope he heals well now Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaybeece Posted November 6, 2008 Author Share Posted November 6, 2008 They put him under a GA again?When Sams stitches came out they gave him a local only and stitched him up - but he was an easy dog. Shame that they had to put him under again - i would not be impressed either Hope he heals well now Thanks I guess the vet put him under again because he was worried he'd move around too much or not react well, somehow the dog has a note on the computer to say he's not good with people I've told them it's some DOGS, not people but they don't seem to pay attention to these things. New vet time methinks. I've stuck by these guys despite them being expensive because I thought at least I'd get good quality vet care, I think I would have been better off picking the cheapest one I could find instead. The new stitches appear to be holding up well at least. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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