Internal Stitches

[rachiie]

At the beginning of September (15th) my dog got a histiocytoma removed from his elbow. At the same time he got desexed. After surgery, the vet told me she used internal stitches.

It's now 11 November and I've been keeping an eye on his wounds. He still has scabs and this afternoon when I got the scab off, a stitch came out of the wound. I felt along the incision, and I can feel little lumps under the skin on both his elbow wound and his desexing wound. I rang the vet and they want to see him Monday.

Is there a reason why internal stitches wouldn't have dissolved? Any other reason why his wounds are still scabby two months post-surgery? Anyone had any similar experiences?

[*kirty*]

Depending on the type of sutures, they can take months to dissolve. So the internal bumps don't worry me. The exterior wounds should be pretty much healed by now but if he is older it may take longer. Is there any redness or discharge from the wounds?

[SchnauzerMax]

Dissolvable stitches don't always dissolve completely. I was told it depends on the individual dog. When my mini schnauzer Max was desexed, he had dissolvable stitches and they didn't entirely dissolve. The remnants worked their way out over a couple of months. The vet did snip one and pull it out because it was irritating him. If he ever needs surgery and stitches again, we will ask for the non-dissolvable ones.

[rachiie]

He is not old. He was born in February this year. The wound on his elbow is still scabbed and weepy, thus the concern. Poor little pupper!

[persephone]

perhaps a return vet visit would answer your questions, and let the vet know of your pup's reaction?

[rachiie]

Like I said in my original post, I rang the vet and am taking him in on Monday. Just wanted to be armed with information when I go. ☺️

[rachiie]

We are at the vet and the vet is trying to get Remy's sutures out as he is concerned that infection may travel down the bits as they work themselves out. The vet said "he's just not good at dissolving stitches".

Edited November 14, 2016 by rachiie

[persephone]

Hope they all come out, and there is no more trouble :)

[JulesP]

Wonder if he has an allergy to the stitches.

[Starkehre]

Histiocytomas are typically an immunology problem, either genetic and/or a youngster having a compromised immune system purely because of his age. Cockers also known to not have the best immune systems as with Rottis and some other breeds.

Given all this, it is possible the reason your older pup has had a wee hiccup dissolving the stitches. Perhaps his body didn't recognise them as a foreign object and break them down.

As others have said dissolving stitches can take months to break down and often end up falling out or poking through much later down the track and you just pull them out.

surgical site scar tissue, scabs, proud flesh is all pretty normal. These things take a while to heal. Remember your older pup went through a lot... two surgeries at once, general anaesthetic, likely antibiotics. this is a whole to ask of a small body, let alone a young one.

Hope your boy is much better now :)