Dissolvable Sutures... That Haven’t Dissolved

Clove got spayed over a month ago and is doing fine. The incision is basically invisible unless you feel it, and everything healed nicely. Except, at the bottom of the incision there was a tiny knot of green thread that seemed to stick around. I asked the vet about it last week and sent a photo, and he assured me that all the stitches were dissolvable and I just had to leave it alone. Clove isn’t bothered by it at all and doesn’t lick or chew it.

Well today the knot had come undone and was a string hanging down... I didn’t feel comfortable leaving it like that so I snipped it off closer to the skin. But it honestly seems like that thread (which was very stiff) continues under the skin along the line of the incision... I can’t tell if what I’m feeling is a scar or some thread that hasn’t dissolved. I left a bit of the thread sticking out, but it seems to have moved back under the skin already and I can’t see it anymore. Hope I didn’t make a bad decision there.

Has anyone else ever run into this?? Is it okay that that other bit of thread went back under the skin, as long as it’s not bothering her? Not sure if I should just leave it alone like the vet said. I kept the piece of thread I cut and it seems like basic surgical thread... not sure what dissolvable sutures look like or how long they typically take to go away. There is a tiny, tiny, pink scratch where the knot used to be but otherwise her tummy skin looks totally healthy and fine. No swelling, oozing, nothing. What do you think?

Incision with tiny knot last week:


Thread that came undone that I snipped off:


Incision now (just a tummy ) :

Hi! I think keep an eye on things, if you see any swelling or redness take her back in. Hopefully all remains well

Yes, I had a similar experience last year with a girl I had spayed. I was alarmed and took my girl to the vet. My vet carefully snipped off the escaped suture material, just as you did. She said it can sometimes take a long time for the suture material to dissolve inside the body, and not to worry about it. Outside the body it won't dissolve, so if it finds its way out, it needs to be snipped off.

lutece said:

Yes, I had a similar experience last year with a girl I had spayed. I was alarmed and took my girl to the vet. My vet carefully snipped off the escaped suture material, just as you did. She said it can sometimes take a long time for the suture material to dissolve inside the body, and not to worry about it. Outside the body it won't dissolve, so if it finds its way out, it needs to be snipped off.

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Okay, that’s reassuring! thanks! I’ll just keep an eye on it then

Wow, you showed great restraint. I would have pulled at the stitch (not necessarily a god thing). I think your vet is right and it will either dissolve completely or keep working its way out (which is normal).

Your kitties and angel kitty are beautiful, by the way.

Yes, my cat had the EXACT same thing, green and everything. It took forever. The vet finally told me to snip it off closer when I called and I did. She healed fine.