Navi's spay site

[GrayLightNewDay]

Hey guys, I had a quick question... Navi got spayed two or three months ago now, and she is all healed up and her fur has grown back... but when I touch the incision spot, it feels hard and gross like there are stitches under the skin. Is that normal? There is also a little piece of plastic string coming out from under her armpit (where a tumor was removed). Should I trim it or leave it alone? Shouldn't she have been sewn up with dissoluble thread?

 

[dspch911]

Go to page 3 of Kona's thread his stitches just popped out from surgery he had in April. The vet pulled it out today!!! They were suppose to be desolving.
viewtopic.php?f=21&t=33921

 

[GrayLightNewDay]

Ugh. How is the vet going to get it out if her skin is healed over it? By cutting her open again? -_- do vets do that will all rats?

 

[jorats]

Can you show us a picture? It's not red or angry looking? You might feel some thickening tissue but not that much.

 

[lilspaz68]

Its most likely scar tissue, but I remember I could actually feel the lumps and see blue stitches on a girl I adopted from the THS through her skin.

As for the stitch sticking out, it's most likely a peice that didn't dissolve properly. I just triim them down and don't worry. To dissolve it has to be IN the body, so it never will, so then you trim

 

[GrayLightNewDay]

I can't get a good picture of it since it's covered in fur, I'd need more than two hands to get a clear picture.
But no, it doesn't look red or discolored at all, it just feels like there are stitches in there... I have felt scar tissue on humans, and it doesn't feel like that, but maybe it feels different on rats.

 

[lilspaz68]

Its also possible they didn't use dissolvable stitches inside of her. Just keep a general eye on it for any changes, but its probably just fine.

I found a pic of Tawnie's belly

 

[RattusNorvegicus]

The absorbable sutures that are used under the skin or to sew up the muscle always seem to take quite a few months to fully absorb. I wouldn't worry unless it looks swollen or irritated.

 

[GrayLightNewDay]

Thank you all. I guess she's fine since it only feels weird, but it looks perfect and she doesn't seem to be in any pain or discomfort when I touch it or when she is climbing and playing.

 

[dspch911]

I think Kona's probably would of remained inside him too had one of his brothers not lacerated him there AGAIN!! a couple weeks ago!