My dog is tired of one side. Can she lay on her stitches after surgery?

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! If Gus wants to lay on the incision that is ok. Continue to monitor the area for any heat, swelling, redness, or discharge. If you notice it, take him back to the vet. Also, continue to restrict his activity for as long as the vet said so the incision can heal. Good luck and kisses to Gus!

Hi there! Yes, you can certainly use a warm washcloth or cotton ball to gently clean the incisions as often as needed if there is any oozing or drainage. They should heal up within the next 10-14 days :)

Hello, thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. The incision, based on this one photo, looks normal to me for one day post-op. It is not uncommon for dogs to be lethargic a day after surgery. If she is wearing a cone collar, many dogs will not walk or move around much due to the cone. That being said, I do not recommend you take the cone off. Eventually they will figure out how to move around with the cone. If she is not wearing a cone, she should be. Ultimately, you know her best. If she does not seem right to you then call your vet or take her to an urgent care vet. Hope this helps. Best wishes.

I am afraid the itch is the wound trying to heal. Anything that would stop the itching would likely also hinder healing. I actually think the woulnd is irritating him and a natural reaction to that is to lick the wound. Of course we need to keep him from licking the wound and contaminating it with nasty mouth bacteria as well as opening the wound. So, Priat will need to be brave and plow through having a e-collar or wearing the doggy jacket. It will keep him from licking and so facilitates healing. The pain and itching should be gone in a few days (DO NOT take off the jacket until your vet says so). He will get used to it and be a good boy.

She will lay in the way that is most comfortable for her. Provide a clean, dry area for her to lay down. Make sure she has an e-collar (cone) in place to prevent licking. Monitor the site daily for excessive swelling, bruising, redness, discharge, bleeding and to make sure it is closed.

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! The only thing I can't tell from the picture is if the skin is together at the red area. If it is then I think it is fine. The red area appears to be a scab or dried blood that will likely heal. Just be sure she isn't licking the incision (use an E-collar or T-shirt) and that you are keeping her exercise restricted (no running, jumping, stairs and leash walks outside only). Good luck!

As long as your pup is just going outside on-leash long enough to use the bathroom, the stitches shouldn't get wet enough to be a problem. A little water won't hurt, we just don't want dogs to be fully submerged in a bathtub or swimming pool until the incision is completely healed. But a bit of snow or rain shouldn't cause any problems. You can use a towel to gently dry his belly when you get back inside, just to be sure.