trying not to panic

[lindsayfawn]

I'm calm but inside I'm freaking out. Raina's stitch where she got the tumor removed came out some how. There's a hole...it's not bleeding, there's not even any real discharge. Amazingly she's very active, running around 'n stuff. She must have nicked it when she was scratching or something? The girls haven't touched the wound at all.
I'm going to take her in to the vet as soon as they open...I really hope I haven't done anything wrong by putting her in the cage with the others on the second day. They didn't bother her at all they were all cuddling protectively around her....this sucks...and it's making noise. When she moves it makes like a ...I dunno a noise like a suction noise....

 

[jorats]

This happens. Usually, you just need to watch it, make sure the cage is clean and no infection will set it. I'm sure it's just the outside stitch that has come undone and not the inner ones. She should be quite fine. Instead of rushing to the vet, just call them and ask what they recommend.

 

[lilspaz68]

That is the reason that they do internal and external stitches, I am sure the internal ones are holding just fine. These things happen once in a blue moon. I am with Joanne on this one, call and ask your vet first.

 

[SQ]

You didn't make a mistake putting her back in with the others.
They didn't pull the stitch out and being with them reduced her stress thus helping her be more healthy

 

[jorats]

It may have happened even if left on her own.
Like SQ said, what's really important is reducing her stress and being with her buddies is what mattered in this situation.

 

[lindsayfawn]

I just got back from the vet. They have to put her back under and re stitch it and put her on antibiotics because it's an open wound. It looked really bad, although Raina didn't seem fizzed at all. She was limping a little though, poor thing...feel so bad she has to go back under.
The vet said she probably pulled them because she was in with the others and was moving around so much where it's in the groin area there's a lot of tension or something she said. She also said that she has to be in the ferret cage, the carrier that I have. those ones with the green base and opens on the top, for at least 48 hrs so that it gives the wound a chance.
I agree with her. I know it's not good that she's away from the others but where I have the FN she was going up and down the stairs a lot.
I'm going back to bed and skipping my first class...didn't sleep very well as you can imagin and need all the sleep I can get where I'm still fighting of Mono. That's a pain in the ass.
I'll let you all know how she does when I go to pick her up around 230ish.
Thanks for all the responses and help.

 

[user 78]

I can tell you from my own experiences that the external stitches coming undone is really okay. It's totally up to you what you want to do with her, of course, but just know that it really is okay if the external stitches come out.

My girl Mac had pulled every single staple out within an hour of her spay. It looked awful, but I gave her Infant Ibuprofen for any pain and she totally couldn't have cared less about it. She was in with her sister the entire time, too. The incision started to heal over within a couple of days, and by the end of the week it was totally fine.

I've got some pictures of the incision when she first did it, and then about a week later.

 

[Melissa's ZOO]

My flower pulled out every single stitch from her tumor removal(1 1/2inch incision area it was a big tumor) and I just made sure it stayed clean and that the cage stayed clean and it healed up so nicely and with no problems.

Clover just had a tumor removed and she ripped her stitches out but my vet also used glue as well this time so her incision did not open up.

 

[user 78]

Oh, and I did put Mac on a preventative course of Baytril until the incision healed.

 

[jorats]

Your vet is being over cautious which can be a good thing but next time, I would just keep an eye on it and also keep her area clean.
My vet, an exotic vet always recommends to do what will cause the least amount of stress. If she becomes stressed from being separated, then she can start chewing at herself and not heal properly. But then again, she might be more stressed in the cage with her buddies. So really, it's something you need to make the call on.

 

[raindrop]

This situation brings back memories for us too when Dusty's stitches opened up . Our vet restitched them and she was fine.

Ann

 

[lindsayfawn]

Well I got Raina back and the stitches look kinda tight when she lifts her leg up to try and scratch her head she can't reach past her belly, poor thing. And now I just noticed that it's bleeding a little bit. I put a cold face cloth to it to help stop the bleeding. She's going to stay in the ferret cage 'cause I'm worried that is she moves around any more it's going to fully open up again.
Sucks. I'll just have to keep a close eye on her. They gave me some baytril to give to her. So I'll give her more of that later. She has to have it twice a day plus the metacam.
Is there anything else I can do to keep it clean?Should I put polysporin on it? Or just use a clean cloth with nothing on it besides water?
She seems fine to me , really moving around good and eating and is keeping warm...I think I'm more stressed then she is lol *takes in a deep breath*

 

[jorats]

Keep it dry and keep the cage clean, that will be the best way.
Also, if the stitches are that tight, she'll need the metacam for sure, it's going to start to bug her and she'll have a go at it.

 

[lindsayfawn]

She took a few of the stitches out, found them in her milk carton. Little bugger lol so now she can move her leg a bit more then she could before. I put mischa in with her to keep her company and so she won't chew at them even more. Mischa is a big baby and doesn't do the rough play/pinning lol so she was the better choice to keep her company
She acts fine though, so that's a plus...I'm probably over worrying..can't help it though when I've never done this before and don't know what to expect.

 

[jorats]

Oh I know exactly how you feel, our first few surgeries, lord we were running back and forth to the vet for each little thing. lol

 

[lindsayfawn]

What can I do for her to stop picking at it? She keeps licking at it and now has more stitches out and it's bleeding a bit more where she was picking. The bugger. I took papertowel and pressed it to the wound to at least have some pressure and take some of the blood away.
She's very active and is moving around a lot in her cage, her sides don't look like they're in very much which is good. Just bothers me that we got her all fixed up and now she's undoing the stitches...maybe should have left it the way it was, I dunno.

 

[user 78]

Because the vet did the stitches tighter, it's most likely the reason it's bugging her. If she doesn't seem to be in any pain or discomfort, don't worry about it. She may unpick enough stitches so that her skin stops tugging when she moves around and then just leave it alone. As she unpicks the stitches, there may be some blood. Just a little bit, and it should sort of ooze, but it's just from the stitches.

No need for polysporin or anything, since you want the wound to heal from the inside out so that an abscess doesn't form. Just keep giving her the Baytril and she'll be just fine. Keep her cage as clean as you can, make sure the incision doesn't look really red or irritated and you should start to see it healing over within another day or so.

 

[lindsayfawn]

Yeah it doesn't look to red right now...there was a bit of blood though but I cleaned that up and she did too. I'm taking pictures of Raina's wound every day to document it just in case. Looks not to bad now better then it did in the middle of the night and this morning. Some of the stitches must still be in.
Thank you everyone for you help. Really appreciate it, I'm sure I'd be way more stressed out if I didn't have all of your help lol

 

[Godmother]

Yes, Lindsayfawn, it is a godsend to have people to ask when it's the middle of the night and you're in a panic! I had many a panic, especially when I fostered babies for the first time.

Hope your ratty is feeling better soon. Wish I could give her a bit of banana mash.

 

[lilspaz68]

I went through something similar with Selene my big PEW gal (RIP).
She had a horrible inguinal tumour and needed staples afterwards...she hated them and was constantly ripping at them. Jorats was coming down to my place the next day and helped me take out that staple that was almost out. I upped her metacam so she didn't feel it quite as much and that helped. I also had them removed at 5 days. :roll:

Here's a pic of her incision...I left it as a link so people don't have to see if they don't want to
http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h75/r ... safter.jpg

How much metacam are you giving your girl? How much does she weigh?