Dog scratching mouth after dental surgery: are stitches too long?

It is difficult to tell from the pictures, but the area of gum above the stitches does not look red or irritated, so I would leave it alone. The mouth isn't sterile, so it's not concerning unless the area is red. The time it takes for stitches to dissolve varies greatly, so I wouldn't be worried that they haven't dissolved yet. If the area where the stitches are becomes red or irritated, I would contact your veterinarian for advice. Otherwise, I would just continue to monitor the area. I hope that was helpful! Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Hi there and thank you for using pet coach to address your question. There are different types of suture that are used and that are absorbable. Absorption time ranges from 42 days to 180 days depending on what is used. I would contact the veterinarian that placed the sutures and discuss this further. Redness and itchiness van be a sign of healing but can also be a sign of a suture reaction. If this redness and itchiness continues then I would have the veterinarian recheck the mouth. I hope this helps guide you in the right direction. Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further.

It is very unlikely that Courage will mess up or open the stitches. Mucous membranes and gums heal extremely fast so the wounds should have healed about 5 days after the surgery. It will take much longer for the sutures to dissolve than it takes for the wound to heal. So you can stop worrying now

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!

It depends... Stitches usually dissolve or are removed after about two weeks. If Peanut had absorbable stitches but part of the stitch material poked through her skin, it wouldn't absorb because it was too dry. I would recommend giving the vet who did her surgery a call to see if she can go in tomorrow to have the area looked at. If it's been long enough and the area is healed, they can remove any remaining stitches. They may not even charge for this! I don't recommend trying this at home because if you cut her, she'll need surgery again to fix it (and that definitely will have a charge!). Good luck and thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach

Hello, thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. It is difficult for me to comment without knowing what type of suture material was used but, generally, if non-absorbable suture material was used, typically the body will reject the stitches and eventually they will surface and can be removed at that time. If absorbable suture was used the stitches will typically dissolve on their own over time (some suture material takes longer to absorb than others). At this stage the incision seems to be healed well and I would not mess with it if this was my patient. My opinion is that you should just keep monitoring the incision and if the stitches start to come to the surface then take Monty back to your vet so they can be removed. Hope this helps. Best wishes.

Hello, sorry to hear about Precious. If dissolvable the sutures should go away on their own. Depending on the suture material used, this could take anywhere from 1 month to 3 months. Monitor the area for any bleeding, discharge, pain, swelling, or redness and if you note any then have her veterinarian evaluate the area. Ideally, Precious should not be licking at the area and you should not be cleaning it or touching the area as this can delay healing. Hope this helps and best of luck.