# Suture Reaction?



## 02pinetree (Nov 17, 2014)

I haven't had a female dog so I'm not sure what the normal recovery time is. I'm sure someone here will help you out with that. Still three rounds of antibiotics and an incision that doesn't seem to be healing is worth another look. Are you in a small town where your options are limited? Another vet may take a different approach.


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## MaggieandBailey (Nov 26, 2013)

Take her somewhere else for a second opinion.

ETA: It may (hopefully) give you peace of mind to have someone confirm their treatment plan, or to offer an alternative.


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## SableHart (Dec 4, 2014)

I've gone to this vet since I was a kid with family pets, and they were so wonderful with putting my last golden down this past winter that I've stuck with them. One of my dear friends works with rescue pets and just gave me the name of her vet & I'm going to see if I can get in for a 2nd opinion soon.


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## Anon-2130948gsoni (Apr 12, 2014)

I would definitely get another opinion and maybe would hold off on the peroxide until you can have it looked at? Did they tell you to use that on the incision? With some dogs, that can be an irritant.


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## CAROLINA MOM (May 12, 2009)

I'm sorry your girl is having trouble with her incision and sutures.
I wouldn't hesitate to get a second opinion or have another Vet check your girl out.

It will give you peace of mind and hopefully your girl will get the care she needs.


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## SableHart (Dec 4, 2014)

Thank you! We have a 2nd opinion scheduled for tomorrow afternoon, and her records are being faxed over so the reviewing vet will know her history. Our vet did direct us to clean with peroxide as well as apply antibiotic ointment to the incision daily. When we were cleaning the site last night, it's a 2 person job with our puppy, we noticed the small hole starting.

I'm hoping that our vet is right, and it is just an allergic reaction that needs to run its course, but at the same time she is my sassy girl and we want to make sure she's ok too.


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## cgriffin (Nov 30, 2011)

It could very well be a suture reaction but it is good that you are getting a second opinion, especially since it has been a long time since surgery.

Thunder, my passed on lab mix always had suture reactions after surgeries but usually to the sutures that closed the skin - not the internal ones that get absorbed by the body. I usually kept putting a bit of Neosporin on the worst looking areas and once the sutures were removed, he was fine.

Good luck!


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## SableHart (Dec 4, 2014)

My last golden was a mix, and I think she avoided a lot of the common allergy issues that golden retrievers seem prone to.

At Sable's 1st follow up appointment they thought she was only having a reaction to the outer stitches and that it should calm done after they were removed, but now that it is not they believe the inner stitches are the issue.


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## GRluver (Sep 29, 2013)

It does sound like a suture reaction, I am guessing they used Vicryl suture for closure. It is good she is on antibiotics, it can be tricky to get these to heal without removing them because they lay on their belly's 90% of the time which just constantly irritates the site. She will probably need a cone to prevent licking it and I would make sure they have her on a anti-inflammatory, inflammation delays the healing process. Best of luck to you.


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## Susan: w/ Summit we climb (Jun 12, 2014)

If you do put Neosporin on it, watch for a reaction to that as well. Never healing is a sign.


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## 3 goldens (Sep 30, 2005)

None of my dogs have ever had a problem stitches following any surgery. BUT my youngest son ahd a hermia removed from just below his naval and it didn't heal and got infected. The doctor removed most of the stitches, but left a couple on each end. Son said it looked like a "toothless mouth on his stomach". The part healed, the other didn't'. More surgery and it was determined he had a reaction to the type stitches uses. He has to carry a car in his wallet with the info not to use that kind of material for stitches as he had a severe reaction to it. So I would think the same thing could happen to dos.

Oh, this was about the 6th time in his life he had had stitches and the first time he had trouble. No idea what the others were made of.


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## Tayla's Mom (Apr 20, 2012)

Incision should heal completely within 10 to 14 days if they are not licking at it.


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## rooroch (Nov 7, 2012)

I had a basset who had a big reaction to stitches after a caesarean section. All her tubes fell out of her tummy 2 days after the op. I had to push everything back in with masses of antiseptic and wrap her in a sheet fixed with nappy pins and rush off to the vet. He restitched her with thick black thread with just local anesthetic (she was feeding her pups) and she was fine. He said he had used human grade cosmetic surgery thread and this was the first time he had a reaction from a dog.
Good luck with the 2nd opinion.


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## SableHart (Dec 4, 2014)

I believe that Vicryl is the type of material used for the stitches. She does have the "cone of shame" and had to wear it initially after surgery because she was getting at her incision, but after a couple of days she pretty much leaves it alone. She wouldn't even walk with the cone on, she just put her head to the ground and I'd have to pick her up. It was kind of funny, but I'm sure not for her 

I will check about getting an anti-inflammatory to help calm the inflammation down. Last night it wasn't looking as red, but there was another fluid bump forming. We have an appointment for a 2nd opinion later this afternoon, and I hope it is just an allergic reaction. Our vet has always been wonderful, and we would like to keep going there. At the same time it will be good to get a 2nd opinion and make sure nothing else is going on.


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## SableHart (Dec 4, 2014)

@rooroch. That sounds terrible!! Glad your basset is ok!!


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## AmberSunrise (Apr 1, 2009)

I am just seeing this and I hope your girl fells better soon. I am glad you are getting a 2nd opinion.

My girl had an infection start about 2 weeks after a procedure, I noticed a fluid filled bubble, called her co-owner in a panic and she (my girl) was rushed up to the repro vet ...

the bubble was growing rapidly and it was an infection.

She was put on Clavamox (the site was cleaned at the vet) and was fine. But reactions happen as do infections and when in doubt, get 2nd and even 3rd opinions....


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## Florabora22 (Nov 30, 2008)

My dog had an issue with internal sutures after having surgery on her knee. She too developed a golf ball sized fluid filled lump at the incision site. I'm afraid to say it's been long enough that I don't know what we did about it - of course I took her to the vet, so I'm assuming we got mediciations - but it did eventually calm down and heal properly. It sounds like you're doing everything right.  Best of luck, I hope she heals soon!


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## SableHart (Dec 4, 2014)

2nd opinion confirmed it is a suture reaction & we have more antibiotics to keep her on until the stitches should be dissolved. We were given the option of another procedure to remove the stitches & trying to close her up another way, but that's another procedure to recover from so riding it out seems like the better option.


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