My dog's neuter has no stitches. Are they internal or dissolved?

Some vets use a technique involving making an incision directly along the scrotum, and some vets use a technique involving an incision between the penis and scrotum. As long as it is kept clean and dry and Scooby wears a cone to reduce the risk of him licking the area, hopefully it should heal up fine, no matter what technique your vet used!

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!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! It looks like the knot under the skin has worked it’s way out. I would continue to use an ecollar to prevent Tucker from licking the incision and opening it up. If after the 2 weeks of healing time the suture is still present, take him to the vet that did the surgery so they can cut it off. If you notice the incision opening, take him to a vet right away to determine if he needs antibiotics. Good luck and kisses to Tucker!

Hello, thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Neuter incisions are closed with two layers of stitches. Your vet only removed the outer layer of stitches. The inside layer is never removed and will eventually dissolve. There is still a chance he is having a suture reaction to the inside layer. Typically this will resolve on its own over time with no treatment. Occasionally, if the issue doesn't resolve, a second surgery must be done to remove the old "inside" stitches and replace them with a different type of suture material. I suggest you keep a cone collar on Cosmo until the issue is completely resolved. If he licks this area too much this will cause a severe problem, a possible infection and he may even open the incision. I don't recommend you put anything on the incision. It's best to leave it be. If the swelling gets worse, or there is discharge from the incision then he definitely needs to go back to the vet. If Cosmo is very uncomfortable then you may also want to take him back to the vet so they can prescribe an anti-inflammatory for him. Hope this helps. Best wishes.

No, it will slowly dissolve and disappear with time. Some sutures can last for months at a time, so don't worry! If it seems to be irritating his skin, you can have your vet cut it out if you like. Hope that helps!

The incision is opening a little, but it does not appear infected or inflamed, so I wouldn't be too worried. The stitches do sometimes show at the end of the incision and it doesn't look like these have broken. It's best to have the vet who did the neuter examine Shero within a day or so to better evaluate this and do any necessary treatment. For now, it's best to not do anything to the incision. You may be tempted to put something like iodine on it, but this would actually be more harmful than good. Considering the incision appears clean, you will have time before it needs treatment. I hope that helps and all is well with Shero.

Given that it is so early after the surgery it would be best for your pet to be seen. Sutures or staples may need to be replaced and possibly oral antibiotics started. Chewing on the incision allows mouth bacteria to enter the wound. This can be dangerous if not addressed. If you call your vets office they should have a way for pets to be seen when they are closed, either a doctor on call or a number for a close er. You could also google a veterinary emergency clinic in your area. I hope this helps and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!