Dog tail amputation: Are visible stitches normal during healing?

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. 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.

I'm sorry that Jerry is going through this! There is not a lot of extra tissue on the tail, so whenever there is an injury it can be difficult to close the area without extra tension on the sutures. it is common that we have small areas of a tail wound that are either left open to heal on their own or open a little if the stiches are too tight. The area should heal on its own, but it is very important that Jerry cannot chew or lick at the area. I have found that I also sometimes have to bandage the area to prevent it from getting injured because the tail does take longer to heal than other areas. So, I certainly undertand your concern and you will need to take extra precautions to make sure that it does heal, but tail injuries do heal when they look like the pictures you attached. If the area becomes red, wet or has any odor to it, please have your veterinarian examine it. Good luck! I hope that was helpful and answered your question. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

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!

It depends on how long the blood supply was cut off. Keep an eye on it, if a sore develops where the band was keep it clean and use a thin film of antibacterial ointment on it. If you decide to have the tail docked please take her to your veterinarian to have it surgically removed under anesthesia. If she starts not feeling well she could have a fever from an infection so that is another reason to take her in for an exam. Have fun with your new pup. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you get answers to your veterinary questions.

Dissolvable stitches means that it is very likely you will not see anything and there is no need to remove them. To be able to evaluate the the wound breakdown and possible exposure of underlying layers (and so the potential risk of infection) I would need to at least see a picture of the wound. Please repost your question and attach a pic of it. Hope this answer was helpful, but please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further. If this answer was helpful please let us know, this will be used to improve our service!

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!