My cat's tumor removal stitches keep opening. What can I do?

Mast cell tumor incision sites often dehisce (come open) because of the nature of this type of tumor. Staples are not likely to hold either. Without seeing it myself it is hard to say what treatment would be best. You may have to let it heal by second intention (let it fill in and heal naturally). I suggest you speak to your vet about starting Skippy on some antihistamines which may help with the dehiscence of the incision.

Unfortunately, at least 10 days with stitches on are required for complete healing. I recommend to bring your cat to the vet to replace the missing suture asap. In the meantime and after replacing the sutures, avoid licking or scratching by using a buster or a postoperative body (https://www.amazon.com/Kruuse-Buster-Body-Black-3X-Small/dp/B00Z0U6EH8). Please post again on the forum if you would like to discuss it further. I hope my answer was helpful.

Thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach with your question about Neptune. Poor kitty! That does look open and irritated, and think he needs to see a vet now to have this restitched. Please take him into an ER vet clinic; if there isn't one in your area, there will be a vet on call for emergencies. The information to reach that vet is found on a clinic's answering machine or website. Best of luck.

Hi there. Often, losing a single suture a few days after surgery isn't a huge deal, especially if the incision still appears to be closed and there is no bleeding or drainage. But it's hard to say if this is a problem or not without being able to see it. If you want to, you can post a photo of the incision for us to look at - we may be able to give you a better idea of whether it needs any treatment.

Hello and thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. The wound is open, so please take Charlie back to your vets. They will likely put 2-3 stitches or close the wound with surgical glue. Wounds like this, particularity after orthopaedic surgery should be closed promptly, as leaving it for open healing carries risk of infection.

Unfortunately this sometimes happens, It is very important that your kitty does not lick her incision you may want to put an e-collar on her as well as a t-shirt. Discuss laser treatment with your vet , as this has been helpful in many cases of non-healing wounds.

The picture only shows an open wound. I don’t see any tumors to speak of. So unfortunately we can’t tell if the additional masses look suspicous for cancer or not. However this open wound looks gnarly and the tissue doesn’t look happy. And the only way to confirm or deny cancer is to have the masses tested and sent to the lab. However some masses are more suspicous for cancer than others. Please feel free to repost your question with a picture of the masses that you are concerned about and we will be more than happy to give you our opinion. Best wishes and take care.