# Are These Stitches From Neuter Normal, Or Irritated?



## JuliaRose (Nov 14, 2013)

Should I get him checked out, or is he healing fine? To me, his stitches look like they might be a little irritated/ inflamed.


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## Hambonez (Mar 17, 2012)

Looks a little irritated to me. The vet (or tech) will usually take a look at it for you and not charge you for it.


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## Naliwali (Nov 7, 2013)

I agree with the above post. It does look a bit irritated. That's never happened to my boys but I'm sure the vet tech wont charge to look at. For a quick fix before you call or take him in, you could clean it up with some H. peroxide. Hope you boy feels better soon..-


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## JuliaRose (Nov 14, 2013)

Thanks guys. I just had a friend check it out (she's a tech) and said they're infected... Damn.  Guess I'm taking him in!


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## Naliwali (Nov 7, 2013)

Awww poor boy...with some antibiotic he will be just fine...make sure he's not licking it too much though.


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## JuliaRose (Nov 14, 2013)

He wasn't licking at it during the day yesterday so I thought it was alright but I think he was at it last night when we were sleeping. I need a cone... Also the vet doesn't have an appointment until tomorrow so I'm hoping it won't get too much worse.


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## Naliwali (Nov 7, 2013)

Yup, your gonna need a cone alright..you could disenfect with H. peroxide. That wont hurt and at least keep the surface of the skin clean. Then take a blow dryer on cool air & dry that spot so that there isnt much moisture. Moist open skin breeds bacteria. Hopefully you can monitor the licking somewhat tonight...let me know what the vet said tomorrow..get well soon big boy:hug:


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## Kayota (Aug 14, 2009)

Please don't use peroxide on it, that actually delays healing...


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## Naliwali (Nov 7, 2013)

Kayota said:


> Please don't use peroxide on it, that actually delays healing...


Actually you are incorrect, but entitled to your opionion as we all are. I do not advise what I am not positively sure of. If applied consistently then this could be the case, however a one time application (she is taking him to the vet tomorrow) will disenfect and will not prolong healing.


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## JuliaRose (Nov 14, 2013)

In any case, I didn't have peroxide on hand so it didn't get used. We got him to the vet as a walk-in and they said he's actually not infected (good news!) just irritated so we put another cone on him.


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## zeronightfarm (Jun 15, 2011)

Naliwali said:


> Actually you are incorrect, but entitled to your opionion as we all are. I do not advise what I am not positively sure of. If applied consistently then this could be the case, however a one time application (she is taking him to the vet tomorrow) will disenfect and will not prolong healing.


I would never use peroxide on some thing that is being looked at by a vet. Best thing for the OP is for them to just leave it alone, and just keep him from messing with it till a vet can see it.


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## JuliaRose (Nov 14, 2013)

zeronightfarm said:


> I would never use peroxide on some thing that is being looked at by a vet. Best thing for the OP is for them to just leave it alone, and just keep him from messing with it till a vet can see it.


The way I see it is, I know it's a somewhat different issue but same idea behind it; you are not supposed to use peroxide on pierced ears, etc because it slows healing (even if it does keep it clean) so I would be hesitant unless a vet specifically told me to do it. S'pose the best thing is to get checked by the vet first. But if it has worked for Naliwali in the past then no harm done.


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## Kayota (Aug 14, 2009)

JuliaRose said:


> In any case, I didn't have peroxide on hand so it didn't get used. We got him to the vet as a walk-in and they said he's actually not infected (good news!) just irritated so we put another cone on him.


That tech can actually get in trouble for diagnosing like that by the way, I would tell your friend to be careful. If she were wrong about something and an animal died she could be in a heck of a lot of trouble. Like if a dog had pyometra and she said it's just in heat, for example.


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## JuliaRose (Nov 14, 2013)

Kayota said:


> That tech can actually get in trouble for diagnosing like that by the way, I would tell your friend to be careful. If she were wrong about something and an animal died she could be in a heck of a lot of trouble. Like if a dog had pyometra and she said it's just in heat, for example.


Well my friend didn't really "diagnose." She looked at it, said "It looks infected, I would take him in to be seen by the doc to make sure he's okay and see what has to be done." She didn't provide advice other than going into the office or say something like "Yeah it's fine." She played it safe to make sure the best outcome could happen for the dog. I don't see anything wrong and her recommending as a friend for it to be further seen can not get her in trouble. Just thought I'd clear that up since I didn't explain it fully earlier, but that was the situation.


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## JuliaRose (Nov 14, 2013)

Update: He has the cone on and it worked for about 12 hours... then he figured out how to lick himself while wearing it. Grr. I keep having to stop him myself every 2 minutes. Advice? Something bitter I can put around his skin that's safe?


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## Naliwali (Nov 7, 2013)

Regardless of all opionions and suggestions, I am very glad it's not infected. When I have had to cone my dogs it's always been stressfull for both of us. Hang in there hon!


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## BubbaMoose (May 14, 2013)

JuliaRose said:


> Update: He has the cone on and it worked for about 12 hours... then he figured out how to lick himself while wearing it. Grr. I keep having to stop him myself every 2 minutes. Advice? Something bitter I can put around his skin that's safe?


Can you put a pair of loose boxers or old comfy shorts on him or something to that effect? Not sure how large he is but I've heard of people putting loosely fitting onesies on their pups after a s/n too. 


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## JuliaRose (Nov 14, 2013)

He's a chihuahua mix so I don't have any clothes small enough to put on him. I'm thinking maybe I could get a small pack of diapers and put those on! lol But then of course, he will chew at them. :/


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## BubbaMoose (May 14, 2013)

JuliaRose said:


> He's a chihuahua mix so I don't have any clothes small enough to put on him. I'm thinking maybe I could get a small pack of diapers and put those on! lol But then of course, he will chew at them. :/


Oh he's a real little guy! You should go see if you can find a onesie on clearance or something for him. Of course each dog is different but I know some people that have had luck with that.


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## JuliaRose (Nov 14, 2013)

Thanks. I will try buying something for him! Hopefully he won't eat the clothes... lol. He already ripped of a piece of the blanket in his crate.


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## BubbaMoose (May 14, 2013)

Kayota said:


> That tech can actually get in trouble for diagnosing like that by the way, I would tell your friend to be careful. If she were wrong about something and an animal died she could be in a heck of a lot of trouble. Like if a dog had pyometra and she said it's just in heat, for example.


I get your point about improper diagnosis but if your analogy is actually meant to correlate with this situation then it would be more like, "If a dog was just in heat and she said it had pyometra." The friend was wrong, yes, but even before OP explained the situation I was able to gather that the friend was pushing for the dog to go to the vet, as opposed brushing it off like it was nothing, which is a good thing IMO.


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## BubbaMoose (May 14, 2013)

JuliaRose said:


> Thanks. I will try buying something for him! Hopefully he won't eat the clothes... lol. He already ripped of a piece of the blanket in his crate.


If it gives you any hope, my dog shreds towels but has always been really nice to the clothes that are on him 


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## JuliaRose (Nov 14, 2013)

Thanks! I hope Tank will be the same.


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## Hambonez (Mar 17, 2012)

Generally if they're able to get around the cone, it's the wrong size cone. There are also inflatable collar things that make it so they can't turn around and lick stuff.


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## JuliaRose (Nov 14, 2013)

Maybe... it's the one the vet sized for us and sold to us. I think it might be that he's half dachshund too so his body is *just* long enough for the flexibility lol


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## Hambonez (Mar 17, 2012)

I've got a dachshund mix myself. They're fun to outfit in any number of things - harnesses, sweaters, cones. The cone I had for my cats worked well for Hamilton when he was chewing his feet, but I don't know that it would keep him off his nethers! I adopted him the day after he was neutered, and fortunately, he didn't seem to notice anything happened!


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## JuliaRose (Nov 14, 2013)

His stitches are looking WAY better today!!!


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