Chimi has opened some stitches :(

[livingsign]

Hello all,

My rat Chimichanga had a mammary tumor removed from her lower abdomen this past Wednesday, and they gave me an Elizabethan collar to put on her. She showed some interest in worrying her stitches but I managed to keep her off of them until the assigned day to remove the collar, which was yesterday. At the same time, yesterday was her last day for one of her pain meds. I left her alone for about an hour last night and when I came home, she had chewed through one or two of her stitches, leaving a wound about a centimeter long and 1/3 or 1/2 of a centimeter wide.

Of course I went all over the Internet to see what sort of things I could find about a problem like this, and what I found was pretty mixed. Some people used home remedies or didn't take their rat into the vet and the wound healed fine, some needed to have the rat taken in and have the wound stapled.

It will be very difficult to get her into a vet, and even if I could, the vet that performed the surgery on her is not available at all today. I'm definitely going to get some medical/surgical tape to make a body cast later this evening, but what I'm really wondering is if it is necessary to take her back to the vet and get her more stitches/have her wound stapled if the wound is so small. Is it feasible to watch her closely and depend on her natural rattie quick healing properties?

 

[lilspaz68]

Hello all,

My rat Chimichanga had a mammary tumor removed from her lower abdomen this past Wednesday, and they gave me an Elizabethan collar to put on her. She showed some interest in worrying her stitches but I managed to keep her off of them until the assigned day to remove the collar, which was yesterday. At the same time, yesterday was her last day for one of her pain meds. I left her alone for about an hour last night and when I came home, she had chewed through one or two of her stitches, leaving a wound about a centimeter long and 1/3 or 1/2 of a centimeter wide.

Of course I went all over the Internet to see what sort of things I could find about a problem like this, and what I found was pretty mixed. Some people used home remedies or didn't take their rat into the vet and the wound healed fine, some needed to have the rat taken in and have the wound stapled.

It will be very difficult to get her into a vet, and even if I could, the vet that performed the surgery on her is not available at all today. I'm definitely going to get some medical/surgical tape to make a body cast later this evening, but what I'm really wondering is if it is necessary to take her back to the vet and get her more stitches/have her wound stapled if the wound is so small. Is it feasible to watch her closely and depend on her natural rattie quick healing properties?

Most rats remove their stitches themselves...its not always very tidy since they tug at them. But since it was a mammary tumour not a invasive tumour you are only having to worry about the skin layer opening up. I would just leave it, and let it heal. When are the stitches to be removed or are they dissolvable?

 

[livingsign]

Thanks so much for the quick reply!

The stitches weren't due to be removed until November 4th. The incision is healing quite well though, except for the place where she chewed/tugged the stitches out. Even that wound has healed a bit since last night, but I am just worried that I am being too quick to assume that it will heal on its own.

 

[lilspaz68]

Thanks so much for the quick reply!

The stitches weren't due to be removed until November 4th. The incision is healing quite well though, except for the place where she chewed/tugged the stitches out. Even that wound has healed a bit since last night, but I am just worried that I am being too quick to assume that it will heal on its own.

It will heal don't worry Nov. 4th is actually late to have the sutures removed you'll see but be prepared for her to remove more

 

[livingsign]

Thanks! This is my first little rattie to go through surgery, so the sight of all the blood and the wound definitely scared me last night!

 

[lilspaz68]

Thanks! This is my first little rattie to go through surgery, so the sight of all the blood and the wound definitely scared me last night!

Are you able to take a pic and post it?

 

[livingsign]

Here's the best picture I could get:

She was a little squirmy so you can't tell, but the bottom of her incision is a little reddish and irritated where she had been chewing it some, but the stitches are still intact.

 

[jorats]

This is so common with rats. Like Lilspaz said, I would just leave it and let it heal. It won't take long.