My dog tore a stitch after neuter surgery. What should I do now?

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!

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.

That depends on your surgeon whether there were internal sutures or not. You can always call them on tomorrow to be sure. But typically for dog neuters we do use internal sutures and skin glue on the outside. As long as the incision doesn't appear to be infected or skin separation at the incision site, then Scooby is likely healing just fine. Thanks for visiting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach and best of luck with your pet Scooby moving forward. Take care!

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!

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!

Yes, Bear needs to be examined today. If the incision opens up, that will cause delayed healing and possibly infection. Bear should also be wearing an Elizabethan collar at all times to prevent him from looking at the incision. I hope this helps and please feel free to post any additional questions.

Unfortunately, there is no way to email photos to the experts, but you can request a consult online where you can share your photos and receive more in-depth help. Without seeing this gap in person, I can't say if it's normal or not, but with a neuter spaces are left for drainage. The incision should held together with the sutures, so it is possible that he tore a stitch. To be safe, I would have Jack seen by a vet now, as he may need another suture put in.