My dog ripped out stitches after cyst surgery. Vet's closed, what now?

Since there is a hole in Jaxx's incision it will probably need to be stitched closed again so it heals properly and decreases the chance of infection. If you have an E-collar at home I would keep that on him to prevent him from licking the incision more and preventing more trauma. Also, depending where the incision is you could place a light bandage over it to prevent him from licking. Just be sure not to put too much pressure on the incision with the bandage because that could do more harm than good. Definitely keep you appointment at the vet tomorrow so they can check him out.

it is hard to say if this can heal without putting another stitch in. If you cannot keep your dog still, then this will indeed need another stitch or staple to hold the wound edges together and especially not enlarge. It is also very important to keep an e-collar on her so she cannot lick the incision. Keeping her calm would be essential and you may have to crate her in order to achieve that.

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!

If you can a) keep her from licking the wound, ie put an e-collar on her and b) keep her quiet in a crate, for example, then you can wait until your appointment tomorrow. If she cannot be kept quiet until then, you should take her to emergency for stapling, gluing or resuturing

Hello, and welcome to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Ouch, poor Riley! It's difficult to tell for sure from the picture, but it looks like that's still pretty healthy tissue at his declaw site. I'm glad to see a good blood supply, and that looks like his body is trying to close the site with granulation tissue. I'd absolutely recommend continuing to try to reach your vet and have that rechecked ASAP, as it will likely be best to re-sedate Riley and place new sutures to close that wound. The most important things in the meantime are to keep that area clean, and keep Riley from causing further trauma. If Riley will let you, you can GENTLY wipe or rinse the area clean with lukewarm soapy water - use a mild dish soap such as Dawn. You should have a cone or recovery collar from your vet. Put that securely on Riley - many styles include a loop to weave his collar through so it stays on. If you don't have one (or if Riley destroyed his previous one) you can purchase them over the counter at many pet stores, such as PetCo. Another option if you don't have a cone is to put a clean sock on Riley's front feet and tape the top so they stay in place. I hope you're able to reach your vet soon to have Riley rechecked in person! In the meantime, hopefully this helps!

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I think that area should have had stitches, so I’m assuming Buddy licked them out. It only takes a few seconds for a dog to remove them. He should be wearing an E-collar or a donut at all times. He shouldn’t lick that open area either. Clean it well with soap and water and apply a triple antibiotic ointment. It likely will heal on its own as long as he doesn’t continue to lick. I wish Buddy a speedy recovery!

Hello. I have never heard of leaving a dog neuter incision open like this. We do it in cats & horses, but not dogs. If this is your veterinarians practice, then he should have sent home a Elizabethan cone to prevent Cutty from getting to & licking the incision. Personally, I do not like the way it looks & really think it needs to be cleaned up & sutured closed. Until you can see your vet, please purchase a protective collar to keep him from licking & clean the area 2-3 times daily with a povidone-iodine or chlorhexidine skin cleanser. Thanks for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.