My dog's stitches tore. How can I prevent infection and aid healing?

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. If at all possible I recommend a vet visit to see if this wound could be closed. Suturing it closed may allow much faster healing than leaving it open. Otherwise be sure to keep it clean and dry. You can use an antiseptic like betadine or chlorhexidine once to clean it. Be sure to dilute cleaner then rinse well. Use just today or if the wound gets extremely dirty. Using daily can actually slow healing. Keep the area clean and dry. I recommend Ares stay primarily indoors until it is closed as he could get a maggot infestation of flies lay eggs on the wound. Using hydrotherapy or gentle water from a hose is a good way to keep it clean. If there is swelling, discharge or pain, Ares needs to see a vet for medications. I hope he heals quickly.

Ouch! In some cases where wounds are on areas that can't be closed by suturing or are constantly being agitated, keeping the wound covered to prevent increasing infection/debris from entering the wound may be needed. I've seen success with using manuka honey for treating large infected wounds and increasing healing, (usually with bandage changes every 12-24 hours) as well as using hydrocolloid bandages that protect the area by acting as a sort of skin barrier, allowing the wound to breathe but continue to heal/allow for new tissue growth underneath without allowing debris into it. There is also progress being made with using fish-skin bandages to create another fake skin barrier and allow healing underneath. If you're not currently, I'd recommend speaking with a veterinary dermatologist who can better instruct you in these procedures and monitor progress over time.

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.

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!

Hi there. I suggest you try this product. Apply a thin layer 2-3 times per day. Keep the E-collar on. If after a 4-5 days you are seeing minimal to no improvement then I suggest you take him back to your vet. https://www.animates.co.nz/aniwell-active-manuka-honey-ointment-100g.html As a side note, are you sure the E-collar is long enough go past the end of his nose? If not, he can still lick the incision so you need to make sure he is wearing the correct size. Hope this helps. Best wishes.

Poor guy. I can understand your concern here. Apply firm pressure periodically with a clean sterile gauze from your local pharmacy as you cleanse the area antiseptically with Betadine diluted 50:50 with warm water or Chlorhexidine solution 3% diluted into a light blue mixture. This should be done for the first day to help prevent infection. And don’t allow your pet to roll around in the dirt or receive any baths of any kind until it is healed. After the first day you can continue to flush the area with sterile saline from your local pharmacy/drug store and this should help it heal well. It’s also a good idea to place an e-collar on his head to prevent Stevie from scratching the area. If things start to look like they are getting infected (yellow or pinkish foul smelling discharge), or if it doesn’t heal well within 4-7 days, then it’s best to have him seen by your vet. Sutures or staples may need to be placed to close the wound, antibiotics and pet friendly anti-inflammatory medication will likely be prescribed. I hope this helps and best of luck getting Stevie’s wound to heal well. Best wishes and take care.

I would make sure she isn't licking it and not being too active. I would keep her confined to a crate or small bathroom and only take her out on a leash for short walks to go to the bathroom. You can put a cone collar on her to prevent the licking. From the picture, they do look a litte red but otherwise it looks good. You can put a little neosporin or bacitracin on the area as long as it doesn't attract her attention to it. If she is leaving it alone, then the ointment will likely make her lick it and that isn't ideal. I hope this helps. If you are still unsure by how it looks, I would have your vet take a peek at it when you are able.