Your vet should be taking the time to discuss the procedure, making sure that you know what it all entails. Thicker stitches that are larger are going to take longer to dissolve than stitches that are smaller and thinner. Putting ointment or dressing on the stitches may make them take longer to break down.įinally, the size of the stitches can also affect how long they take to break down. Unless otherwise instructed, you should not be putting any dressing or ointment on the wound so that it has a chance to heal naturally. However, if they are instead in an area that does not get wet and which your pet cannot reach, they may take a bit longer to solvate.Īlso, what you put on them may be affecting how long they are taking to dissolve. If they are in an area where your pet can access and lick them, they may liquefy faster or may even be pulled out by your pet! The location of the stitches can also affect how quickly they are going to dissolve. Therefore, the first thing that you should do is to take the time to talk with your vet about how long you should wait before you become concerned about the stitches not dissolving. Some types of stitches diffuse in a matter of weeks, while others are designed to stay in place much longer and may even take months to dissolve! The first is that different stitches take different amounts of time to dissolve.įor instance, some stitches will melt down in two weeks, while others will take four weeks, or six weeks– and so on. There are a few different reasons as to why your dog’s stitches may not be breaking down at the rate that you want them or expect them to. What Causes Dissolvable Stitches Not To Dissolve? Max’s knee stitches, close-up What If My Dog’s Stitches Don’t Dissolve?.How Long Does It Take For Dog Stitches To Dissolve?.What Causes Dissolvable Stitches Not To Dissolve?.So, if you find that your dog’s dissolvable stitches are not disintegrating as they should as well- don’t fret! I’m here to help, and in this article we’ll talk about the potential reasons as to why this may happen- and what to do about it when it does! Luckily, I was able to find the answer I was looking for, and now I can help you do the same ? However, one thing I’ve noticed after this period of time is that his stitches didn’t seem to be dissolving! Naturally, that sent the paranoid pet parent in me down a rabbit hole of internet research. One surgical procedure, an overnight vet hospital stay, and $6000 later, Max is safely back at home and has been recovering nicely over the past couple of weeks. Here’s the backstory: Not being content with having already torn one CCL, he went ahead and tore the other one too. Recently, I’ve had just this same thing happen to my poor pup Maximus. When our pets do not heal the way that we want them to, or when the recovery does not go exactly to plan, it can be a difficult thing to deal with and can cause many doubts and worries to creep into our mind. That being said, when they get surgery they may have to receive stitches in order to close a wound, an opening from surgery, or other such issues. We all love our pets, and we want them to be comfortable and well taken care of at all times.