Stitches Left Behind?

[jezza]

Hi all,

Lenny had an op at the beginning of this year resulting in 4 stitches. They were taken out and the wound healed well. However, about a month or so ago I noticed what looked like the end of a suture poking out of his skin. I thought I'd just keep an eye on it and see what happened. Well now its swelled slightly and is a bit red but not hot or oozing anything manky. Is it possible that if a little bit was left in it could be working its way out? A bit like a splinter does? I've got a 'provisional' appointment with the vet booked for saturday but I'll cancel if it comes out by then! It looks a bit like an ingrowing hair. I'm dying to pull it out but I can't get to it!

Anyone else ever had this happen? (to their dog or to themselves I suppose!) I'm actually wondering if there will be anything the vets will be able to do :wacko: Don't really fancy going, spending 20 quid on an appointment only to be told 'It'll grow out' :lol:

 

[Whippets Rule]

yes i've had that happen to one of my dogs, he had some dissolvable stitches which took months to dissolve apart from one which gradually migrated to the surface...it was actually where the sutures were knotted so was fairly thick.

it eventually surfaced enough for me to get a scalpel blade under it and cut it and pull it out.

however if it is swelling i would just pop along to the vets anyway and get them to remove it, they will likely just pierce the skin and pull it out.

 

[jezza]

Thank you, at least Lennys not the only one I think it could possibly be a knot in this too as it is a round shape. While I say its swollen, it doesn't look infected or anything but I'll keep the appointment just in case :thumbsup:

 

[muttz]

Poor Lenny. Good luck for Saturday. It was probably be all over in a couple of seconds but better to be safe than sorry. :luck:

 

[jezza]

Thanks :huggles: he'll be ok, he likes the vet for some reason :wacko:

 

[Fleesh]

My Blaze loves her vet too :wub:

I took her on Tuesday as she needed some anti-biotics for a skin tear that started to go nasty (pups kept pulling the bandage off :rant: ) and whilst there asked about the two lumps, one quite large, on her c-section scar. I suspected it was a migrating stitch, sometimes the body's natural defences form a barrier around the stitch as a foreign body and move it towards the surface, should expect it to come out within the next week or so :thumbsup: .

 

[Julie D]

ella tore the skin on the inside of her thigh and lost 2 small triangle patches , when it healed (got stitched) she never grew the hair back and during the following months, every time she ran in long grass one area bled, cut a long story short, there was a stitch remaining as the skin had healed over it so it wasn't cut off at removal, she had it removed at the same time as her spay op.

I hope yours just comes out by itself, :luck: :luck:

 

[jezza]

Thank you for your replies

The lump must've popped yesterday at some point because when I got home the area was flat and there was a little bit of dried blood but the stitch is still there and I can't get hold of the end to pull it out :angry:

My OH is back from his training course tonight so I'll get him to have a look. I might leave it a bit longer before taking him to the vets to see if it comes out on its own but if its not out by next week I'll take him along to get it removed as its probably going to be one of those things that keeps flaring up.

I wonder why some dogs love the vets? Lenny is really nervous of strangers and other dogs but he trots into the vets with a smile on his face (as long as there isn't another dog in the waiting room :lol: ).

 

[Fleesh]

Just wondering how Lenny got on with his migrating stitch ? Have been feeling Blaze's scar and felt the stitches still under the skin, just reminded me of this topic.

 

[jezza]

Just wondering how Lenny got on with his migrating stitch ? Have been feeling Blaze's scar and felt the stitches still under the skin, just reminded me of this topic.

Hello again ) Lenny still has his stitch I didn't bother taking him to the vets as the swelling went down and it just looks the same as it did when I first noticed it. He never messes with it so I assume it doesn't bother him, he is as daft as ever :clown: I'll just mention it to the vet when I next take him for a booster or whatever. Did Blaze's stitches ever come out?

 

[Fleesh]

Just wondering how Lenny got on with his migrating stitch ? Have been feeling Blaze's scar and felt the stitches still under the skin, just reminded me of this topic.

Hello again ) Lenny still has his stitch I didn't bother taking him to the vets as the swelling went down and it just looks the same as it did when I first noticed it. He never messes with it so I assume it doesn't bother him, he is as daft as ever :clown: I'll just mention it to the vet when I next take him for a booster or whatever. Did Blaze's stitches ever come out?

She's got at least one at either end of the scar, they don't look like they're going anywhere. She still loves her belly rub, it just feels a bit strange (w00t)

 

[snapdogs]

Our Puzzy broke both front legs... first leg at 7 months - he removed every stitch himself, made a lovely job of it, even the vet was impressed LOL - second leg was a nasty break and it spent most of the time pinned and bandaged so he did not get the chance the second time... He also made a good job of his castration stitches too... I never put the collar on him it distresses him too much... he got a nasty infection in the leg he could not get to clean himself, so must go to prove something!