Missing Stitch

[Sheridan]

Grumpy had a cyst removed on his back leg (just a subaceous cyst) but he's had a couple of stitches there. I can't elizabethan collar him because he's panicky. I found the bandage on the bed and after much persuasion and a muzzle managed to get him up on the grooming table to take a look. He's pulled out one of the stitches. Bloody dog. For now, I've sprayed some betadine on it, patted it dry, put some gauze on, and vet wrapped it. Vet won't be open until Tuesday (public holiday), I think, but I don't think I can leave it that long. Or can I? Given the military-style operation it took to get him to the vet in the first place and that my able-bodied helper has buggered off until next week (thanks sis!), I'm not sure how to get him there anyway. Bloody dog.

[Bullbreedlover]

Grumpy had a cyst removed on his back leg (just a subaceous cyst) but he's had a couple of stitches there. I can't elizabethan collar him because he's panicky. I found the bandage on the bed and after much persuasion and a muzzle managed to get him up on the grooming table to take a look. He's pulled out one of the stitches. Bloody dog. For now, I've sprayed some betadine on it, patted it dry, put some gauze on, and vet wrapped it. Vet won't be open until Tuesday (public holiday), I think, but I don't think I can leave it that long. Or can I? Given the military-style operation it took to get him to the vet in the first place and that my able-bodied helper has buggered off until next week (thanks sis!), I'm not sure how to get him there anyway. Bloody dog.

ok the wound site is shaved.

do you think some butterflys will hold the skin in place and then banadged as well

[Sheridan]

Grumpy had a cyst removed on his back leg (just a subaceous cyst) but he's had a couple of stitches there. I can't elizabethan collar him because he's panicky. I found the bandage on the bed and after much persuasion and a muzzle managed to get him up on the grooming table to take a look. He's pulled out one of the stitches. Bloody dog. For now, I've sprayed some betadine on it, patted it dry, put some gauze on, and vet wrapped it. Vet won't be open until Tuesday (public holiday), I think, but I don't think I can leave it that long. Or can I? Given the military-style operation it took to get him to the vet in the first place and that my able-bodied helper has buggered off until next week (thanks sis!), I'm not sure how to get him there anyway. Bloody dog.

ok the wound site is shaved.

do you think some butterflys will hold the skin in place and then banadged as well

Yeah, maybe. What's normally used for them? I actually just replaced the bandage I replaced earlier and it's now halfway up his leg. I can get a finger under so I don't think it's too tight.

[perrin]

Have you got any elastoplast around the bandage Sheridan?

With the horses we bandage with something like the teraflex cohesive bandage and then elastoplast top and bottom to keep it secure. You could wrap the whole leg in the stuff to keep it secure so he can't pull it off. And then put something foul tasting on it.

If you are close to Bendigo i have some i can give you.

It's a pain being a public holiday.

[Sheridan]

His vet is at work and I've sent a photo. Just waiting to hear back.

Not near Bendy, Perrin, but ta for the offer.

Edited March 8, 2010 by Sheridan

[Staff'n'Toller]

Gypsy had the same only she had 2 of three stitches out of a foot wound (under a bit of pressure) and there was a lovely separation

Because there would be closure of the muscle layer underneath I wouldn't be particularly concerned. Unless you intend on shelling out for emergency centre anaesthetic and restitch and putting him through the trauma, the best you can do is keep it bandaged as you are doing, and as perrin suggests- use elastoplast top and bottom to hold it in place.

You never get as great a closure the second time around anyhow, so I just kept bandaging and changing the bandage every other day until there was sufficient granulation. I use melolin dressing at the wound site.

[Sheridan]

The vet feels the same way after looking at the photo. Just after I hung up from him saying that Grumpy hadn't had a go at the bandage all day, the bloody dog came out with the bandage dangling. I've not managed to catch the little bugger to rebandage.