My dog chewed his neuter stitches off. Do I need an emergency vet?

Hello and thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. The incision is open indeed and it will require stapling or re-suturing. A visit at your local vets or emergency service is required as this wound should not be left like this till Monday. If you clean the wound with antiseptic skin solution (ideally containing 4% chlorhexidine, for example Hibiclens) and make sure Chase does not lick the incision, you can wait and see your local vets tomorrow. Alternatively, you should try and get Chase seen at your local 24/7 vets this evening.

Thank you for the picture of his incision, it's very helpful. After 12 days, the incision should be fully healed, and in the picture, it doesn't look red, swollen, or infected. There is an area in the middle that looks a little open, and that may be from him pulling at the stitches, but it doesn't look fully open. I would put a cone back on him to keep him from pulling at the stitches more, and take him to a regular vet if you can on Monday to get the rest of them removed. There isn't a need for an emergency vet at this point in time. If you cannot get him into another vet on Monday, you can wait until Tuesday to see his normal vet as long his incision doesn't become infected or open up more. Again, keep a cone on him to keep him for getting at the stitches. I hope this helps!

The wound margins still look normal and the wound seems still ok at this stage. I would recommend to have the collar back on and keep it on. At this stage a vet check up is not strictly needed. Hope this answer was helpful, but please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further. If this answer was helpful please let us know, this will be used to improve our service!

He should have been healed after about 2 weeks. If he never had an e-collar (cone) on, he was likely licking the area when you weren't around or during the night. This could have caused the delay in healing. Ideally, he should be seen by a veterinarian as soon as you can. An e-collar should be obtained and placed as soon as possible to prevent further licking. A small tee shirt or onesie may prevent licking until you get a proper e-collar. Antibiotics may be indicated to treat infection. A veterinarian can dispense them, if indicated, after an exam.

I would check to see if he pulled any of them out, or if the incision looks red, swollen, or if there is pus coming from it. Should you see any of this, Colt will need to see a vet right away. I would keep an Ecollar on him to keep him from licking at his incision further. You can get one from a pet store or you can make one yourself: http://dogsaholic.com/care/homemade-dog-cone.html

Yes, Bear needs to be examined today. If the incision opens up, that will cause delayed healing and possibly infection. Bear should also be wearing an Elizabethan collar at all times to prevent him from looking at the incision. I hope this helps and please feel free to post any additional questions.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Phoenix. Every veterinary clinic is different, but I do not typically charge to take a quick look at an incision site. If a suture comes out, sometimes I will apply sterile tissue glue, but most of the time I will leave it open if it is a small defect. It is essential that he is not allowed to lick the site. Sometimes I will send home a cleansing solution or an antibiotic. I hope this information helps!