My dog was spayed. When do dissolvable stitches & glue dissolve?

Great question! Absorbable sutures vary widely in both strength and how long they take to dissolve, but some will dissolve within two weeks. In terms of a spay, it is recommended that activity is restricted for two weeks, so yes that is enough time for Precious to not be active. I hope this helps!

It takes several months for dissolvable sutures to fully break down. While this happens, it's not uncommon for a suture end to poke through the skin. Since Willow's incision has healed fully a month after surgery, it's perfectly fine to trim the end of suture that's sticking out. Obviously, take care not to accidentally cut Willow!

Usually there three layers of stitches. One layer holds the body wall together, the next closes the subcuticular layer and the third layer closed the skin. The skin stitches can be put into the back of the skin so there are none showing. Sometimes skin stitches are on the outside of the skin and will need to be removed in ten to fourteen days. The buried stitches will dissolve over one to three months depending on the size and type of suture used. There will be some swelling as they dissolve and you often can feel them for a few months if you are feeling closely. Over time the scar will heal and you should no longer feel anything but the spay scar itself. The scar also will become softer and smoother over time so that often it is difficult to find. Since she’s a very small dog the sutures will be thinner and will be less noticeable sooner than on a big dog. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Precious.

Limit or restrict activity to avoid stress on the incision. Avoid excessive running, jumping or rough play. Use an e-collar (cone) to prevent licking or chewing of the sutures. Examine the site daily for redness, swelling, bruising, bleeding or discharge. Monitor for lethargy, loss of appetite, fever or abdominal pain. Look at her gums daily to ensure they are pink. Sutures are kept in for 10-14 days. Do not bathe her until the sutures are removed.

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!

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.

While it can take a long time for sutures to dissolve, and may cause some swelling or irritation, if the area is still very inflamed, is bothering Mikasa, you're seeing sutures actually coming out of the incision site through the skin, or the area is hot to the touch or lumpy, I'd get a second opinion from another vet. It's possible there is an ongoing reaction under the skin that needs to be addressed, or the sutures removed and the area examined to check for other causes. Until you can get to the vet, making sure to keep the area clean and dry to prevent infection, and keeping Mikasa from licking at it is best.