Hi

I live in Brasil which means things can be complicated here....  My dog is small breed and 11 months old.  I had him neutored 5 days ago.  That very night, he pulled out his stitches.  I called the Vet who said that it was not a problem - even though it left a very open wound, it was not bleeding.  Five days on, there is still no sign of scarring,  the swelling is still large although not as inflamed as it was but the worst is that my dog has just changed personality.  He is inattentive, doesn't come to me when I call him, seems miserable and has little life.  I don't know what to do.  The Vet has him on tablets - Predisone and Duotrill.  the Predisone is finished as of today.

Any advice?  I am really worried.

thanks

My friends dog did exactly the same thing, a Newfoundland, so you can imagine the size of that wound!   He had seemed comfortable and unbothered all day so she was soft and did not put his collar on that night when she went to bed.  Obviously the pain killers wore off or the wound started itching and he efficiently unpicked it.  Just a warning to anyone else who thinks their dog is happily leaving a wound alone :)
Her vet also left the wound open and prescribed antibiotics, is that what Duotrill is?  I seem to remember the enormous swelling :o settled down pretty quick but it was a while ago.  I really think should consult your vet again if, as you say, the wound is still very swollen after 5 days treatment and particularly as the dog seems unhappy and lethargic.

Thanks Isabel!  My vet did not even give me a collar to use.  Our city is tiny - don't even know if they exist here.  Yes - I think Duotrill is a brand name antibioctic.  The other one is some sort of steroid.  I shall try and get Max to the Vet today - being a Saturday here I might have to wait until Monday.

I am really worried - he is a lovely little dog.... and now he seems to have lost all his personality, inattentive to me, just sits and stares... seems to be traumatised.  I was expecting it to pass but....it hasn't.  I think he is in pain as he won't let me near the wound easily.  Gets all anxious.

Thanks again

He is behaving like a dog in pain so I think you need to discuss pain relief with a vet, over the phone at least, but as his condition does not seem to have improved after 5 days on this particular antibiotic I think you really need to press for a consultation sooner rather than later to perhaps try another one but then again that may be possible over the phone if antibiotics can be purchased over the counter in your country.

I feel a bit better just talking to you - I have never had a dog before so this is all new to me.  I went straight out and managed to track down a Vet - he has given me a spray to use: a kids antibiotic one and also more tablets to stop pain and itching - for the next four days.

Let's see what this does.  Do you know if the swelling should go down completely?  I am having a hard time working out what is left at the moment!

My dog, a St. Bernard had major major problems with swelling caused by fluid build up after his castration.  It took about a week for the antibiotics and anti inflammatries to really work, that stopped the pain and started to reduce the swelling. It was over a month before the swelling went completely, and now he is totally fine again. Once the swelling started going down he didn't seem to be any discomfort, although it was all still very big!

That is reassuring - thanks!  My dog - poodle - is much smaller but the swelling in comparison is big and red.  It looks just like your Dog's did so that is a relief. 

I took him back to the Vet today and he was given stronger anti-inflamatories together with an antibiotic spray for topical use.  He is still on anti-biotics - poor thing.  I noticed tonight though that is actually looks like it has gone down slightly  - very slightly..    It is almost a week though! 

And I thought he was getting better.  Today he started to bleed quite a bit.  I took him back to the Vet's who sedated him, looked at his wound and did very little else.  He said that there had been some hemoraging (I can't spell that word!) Released him to me still sedated and still bloody.  It didn't inspire confidence.  I took him to another Vet's in the city who told me that Max shouldn't have been released in the state he was in.  They have suggested that they keep him there for 6-7 days to make sure that there are no further complications.

I don't know whether to be worried or not!  Healthcare for people here in Brasil is precarious - for dogs, I am sure it is worse...  I guess there is little I can do now - just wait.  I did feel more confident with this Vet's manner and attitude.