To Stitch Or Not To Stitch?

[Guest FozzyBear]

Fozzy was hauling butt around the corner and fell on the first stair today. He has a tear on the inside of his knee that's about an inch long. He didn't notice it and didn't flinch while I cleaned it and put neosporin and a bandaid on it. He's leaving the bandaid alone and doesn't seem to even notice it's there so I also don't want to cause him more pain if it'd be unnecessary.

 

I could take him to the vet in the morning, but isn't there some sort of time period after an accident that you need to get stitches?

[OwnedBySummer]

Summer had a gouge on her butt cheek from falling on the ice. I had it stitched the same day, within 6 hours at the longest (I don't quite remember). And they had to trim the edges to get "fresh" edges. So definitely by tomorrow they'll either have to trim or perhaps they won't be able to do it. BTW, Summer's stitches didn't hold (which I understand is incredibly common in these dogs). Hugs to poor Fozzy!

[Guest Luvastorm]

I doubt the bandaid will stay on long - but good luck.

Rain did something similar about 1 1/2 weeks ago and in the same place. We didn't even think of getting it stitched because inside the stifle the skin and muscles are constantly contracting and expanding and the stitches would likely tear out. Instead we're treating the wound with Traumeel and Colloidal Silver spray and it is healing. She had a similar injury several months ago - used the same treatment and it healed just fine.

[Sambuca]

If it's not bleeding and not bothering him and looks clean, I'd leave it. I've given up on stitches on anything I think can heal cleanly and safely.

 

BTW, I think we met once at a new adopter dinner at Marni's. Fozzy came up with my boy Bu and I had my choice of them or another boy. I picked Bu because he was pathetic, but I thought Fozzy was great as well.

[Guest FozzyBear]

He's had stitches before about 2 inches away from where this cut is. He fell on ice and cut himself and it didn't bleed but you could see the bone. This one isn't as bad, so I don't want to stress him out with stitches if the bandaid holds...

 

I'm just nervous because this one isn't as bad so it isn't as clear as to whether he needs it or not..

[Hubcitypam]

I'd get some EMT gel at Tractor Supply or elsewhere (in the horse aisle). put that on and call it a day. Do not bandage over EMT gel.

If it's not bleeding and he is not bothering I wouldn't begin to think about a stitch for a 1"cut.

I wasted a lot of money when I first got greyhounds. It sounds like it's bothering you more than him.

Take several deep breaths (and maybe a medicinal beer for you) and call us in the morning

[tbhounds]

I think your vet should be the one to make this judgement call.

[Guest k85trb]

Diesel's had much larger wounds that had to heal as open wounds, he had a 3 inch incision to remove a lump on the outside of the left rear leg by the knee. It was stitched closed twice, and each time the skin slowly turned black and died. The tension sutures would pull through the dead skin. None of the bandages would stay in place either. They'd fall down with the movement of the leg. We also tried adhesive bandages, but because he bled so much they'd fall off quickly. I'd consult the vet, but much larger wounds can be healed as open wounds if you have to.

[racindog]

I would just heal as an open wound. Have done so many times with much worse wounds than that and I believe the results are better than the stiching/stapling route.

[Guest BrianRke]

The skin on the knee area is sooo thin... Diamond tore her leg near her knee a couple years ago. There wasnt enough skin to stitch so we had to keep it wrapped for a couple weeks, changing the bandage every 3rd day. Used a non stick pad and vet wrap.

 

I would probably get a vet's opinion just for my own POM.

[MaryJane]

I think your vet should be the one to make this judgement call.

 

I agree. While stitches might or might not be needed, the vet might decide on a course of antibiotics.

[Guest kydie]

I love EMT gel and spray,,, 24hours is the usual time limit for sutures

[greysmom]

A lot depends on your comfort level, if you have antibiotics on hand, and your relationship with your vet.

 

I used to worry and fuss over every little cut and scrape. But I gradually got over it! Plus, I think most vets are going to recommend stitches, because that's what they do, even if they're not really needed. My vet and I got to a point where he trusted me to take care of open wounds properly, and I trusted him to tell me when something really did need stitches. Most of the time, he would prescribe me some AB's over the phone for minor cuts and bites.

 

My general feeling is that anything on a leg does not do well with stitches. The skin is too think and the legs too mobile for stitches to hold well at all. IMO, failed stitches are actually worse than the original wound, since the dog probably had to be anesthetized for them.

 

If ther's no gushing blood, and he's mostly leaving it alone, I would opt for keeping it clean and watching it. A nice warm compress a couple times a day will help speed healing. EMT Spray is good. There is also a sprayable Neosporin which I really love (and which I wish came in a bigger can).

[Guest sheila]

I agree with greysmom. That pretty much sums up how I would handle it.

[Guest FozzyBear]

First off, thanks for all the replies :-)

 

I didn't have a chance to bring him to my vet today because I got called into work last minute, but luckily I work at a PetSmart with a Banfield vet's office in the store. I had my brother bring him by on my lunch break so the vets there could take a look. They said they MAY have been able to stitch it last night, but most likely not because there isn't much skin to stitch together.

 

They said take a deep breath and relax, keep neosporin and the bandaid on it since it seems to be staying on just fine and to keep him from licking it - also not an issue since he doesn't even seem to notice the cut. And to let them know if it looks funky cause it's a pretty good size boo-boo.

 

They also said that antibiotics wouldn't be necessary because he cut it inside, it would have been different if he had fallen on a rock or something where he would have gotten dirt in there.

[Guest Sonya_Thomas]

All of the feedback on this post is so helpful for me. Being a new GH owner, we freaked out and rushed Rosie to the vet when she had a 1 inch open wound on her rear leg near her knee. It was not deep. It looked more like her hide was torn off. It was fine for about a week, then a tiny little vessel broke and it started to bleed. We didn't even wait to see if it would stop. We rushed her to the vet because we feared she would bleed to death. Now I am wondering if we could have treated it at home if we had the proper supplies . . . and saved ourselves $200.00 for 6 stitches, as well as a lot of stress and anxiety . . . not to mention poor Rosie who had to go under anesthesia. I am also wondering if the reason it started bleeding so badly is because we had her on 4 fish oil pills a day, which I read in another post could contribute to poor clotting issues? I have backed her down to 2 fish oil pills a day for that reason.

 

So, from the thread, I have read that the following is important to keep on hand:

 

Colloidal silver spray (where does one get that?)

Traumeel, which we have but I have no idea what it is for (my partner bought it . . .)

Spray neosporin

EMT gel

bandages . . .but what kind? I tried bandaging her leg when it started bleeding, but the bandage kept falling down, which makes sense given where the wound was located.

 

Any other must haves for the first aid kit?

 

You guys have no idea how helpful this forum is to me. I would be lost without it. I have owned 2 dogs before Rosie - a pug and a golden retriever. I didn't seem to "fuss" over them much at all. Maybe that was out of ignorance. I never worried about their food, or bloat, or overheating (even though I knew better than to take Betty the pug outside very long in the summer). I never worried about them flying around the yard and tearing a muscle, or ripping their delicate little skin on anything. In the 4 months that we have had Rosie, I have spend lots of energy fretting over all of the above with Rosie. I have turned into a nervous nelly. She is worth every ounce of energy, though . . . and this forum is a place I turn to frequently for advice, insight, and support, so THANKS TO YOU ALL!