spay bandages come off. cone still on, should i be worried?

Hoboforeternity

TCS Member
Thread starter
Super Cat
Joined
Aug 1, 2020
Messages
974
Purraise
2,920
When rivel was eating, the cone got stuck and stained with some wet food. I had to take it off to clean it, but even in just a moment she managed to lick her bandage, and started biting the incision with sutures. Immediately after washing, drying i put the cone back off without too much effort, but i have a hard time applying bandage. I have fresh bandage, but i don't have wide 2 inches medical tape vet use and only have very small medical tape that barely stick and she seems in pain when i try to stick it.

This is the 5th days after surgery.
 

verna davies

TCS Member
Veteran
Joined
Feb 23, 2016
Messages
23,619
Purraise
17,456
Location
Wales uk
The site seems clean and healing well so as long as she keeps her cone on and cant reach the area she should be fine but I agree with klunick klunick , I havent seen stitches like that before. If you are concerned, send the photo to your vet for his opinion.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #5

Hoboforeternity

TCS Member
Thread starter
Super Cat
Joined
Aug 1, 2020
Messages
974
Purraise
2,920
The site seems clean and healing well so as long as she keeps her cone on and cant reach the area she should be fine but I agree with klunick klunick , I havent seen stitches like that before. If you are concerned, send the photo to your vet for his opinion.
Thanks it is night here (4 am now just gave rivel midnight snack because i woke up to do some toilet business) vet is closed until tomorrow lol
 

Willowy

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Mar 1, 2009
Messages
31,886
Purraise
28,287
Location
South Dakota
Yes that's some creative stitching, lol. I'd leave the cone on so she doesn't pull the stitches (they look tempting!) but I don't think she needs the bandage anymore.

The incision looks good!

How long did the vet say to leave the cone on? Usually it's 7-10 days.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #7

Hoboforeternity

TCS Member
Thread starter
Super Cat
Joined
Aug 1, 2020
Messages
974
Purraise
2,920
Yes that's some creative stitching, lol. I'd leave the cone on so she doesn't pull the stitches (they look tempting!) but I don't think she needs the bandage anymore.

The incision looks good!

How long did the vet say to leave the cone on? Usually it's 7-10 days.
I think she messed up the upper stitching. The other angle, it looks like x x x.

She said leave the cone on until Thursday where we open the sutures.
 

Willowy

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Mar 1, 2009
Messages
31,886
Purraise
28,287
Location
South Dakota
This Thursday? Hmm, that's only a week, right? Should be ok but I think most vets go for 10-14 days before removing the stitches just to be safe
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #9

Hoboforeternity

TCS Member
Thread starter
Super Cat
Joined
Aug 1, 2020
Messages
974
Purraise
2,920
This Thursday? Hmm, that's only a week, right? Should be ok but I think most vets go for 10-14 days before removing the stitches just to be safe
she said 7 days to open stiches, but the cone should be on for another few days after. i am really not familiar with the process at all. she's basically my first pet. after day 5 can dust cause problem? i don't know what she does when i am away, while i try to cover/clean as much as i can at dusty places, i can't cover everything.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #10

Hoboforeternity

TCS Member
Thread starter
Super Cat
Joined
Aug 1, 2020
Messages
974
Purraise
2,920
More pics just now. This is after 12 ish hours after the last. She let me take better pics now
IMG_20200901_122422.jpg
 

verna davies

TCS Member
Veteran
Joined
Feb 23, 2016
Messages
23,619
Purraise
17,456
Location
Wales uk
One of mine pulled her stitches out within hours, vet then put clips which she pulled out before I got her home, more clips put in and had a cone but she scratched the wound area so after 5 days the vet removed them and she was absolutely fine. There are usually internal desolvable stitches as well as external so just keep an eye on the area and spoil her.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #12

Hoboforeternity

TCS Member
Thread starter
Super Cat
Joined
Aug 1, 2020
Messages
974
Purraise
2,920
One of mine pulled her stitches out within hours, vet then put clips which she pulled out before I got her home, more clips put in and had a cone but she scratched the wound area so after 5 days the vet removed them and she was absolutely fine. There are usually internal desolvable stitches as well as external so just keep an eye on the area and spoil her.
did the vet not give her a cone or any protection? i would've died from anxiety and heart attack if Rivel does that lol
 

verna davies

TCS Member
Veteran
Joined
Feb 23, 2016
Messages
23,619
Purraise
17,456
Location
Wales uk
She had a cone but when I put it on she thrashed about throwing herself against the furniture and I was afraid she would hurt herself so I took it off. Let us know how Rivel is doing, its such a relief when its all over.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #14

Hoboforeternity

TCS Member
Thread starter
Super Cat
Joined
Aug 1, 2020
Messages
974
Purraise
2,920
She had a cone but when I put it on she thrashed about throwing herself against the furniture and I was afraid she would hurt herself so I took it off. Let us know how Rivel is doing, its such a relief when its all over.
Thank you. She's doing fine i guess. She doesn't trash around, but she shakes her head and get visibly frustrated when she's trying to groom but can't. Otherwise, she's doing ok. I might be affected more than she does because she looks so sad when she cannot groom lol.
 

di and bob

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Dec 12, 2012
Messages
16,582
Purraise
22,962
Location
Nebraska, USA
The incision is nice and clean, no infection seen. The stitches look like that because they left quite a bit of thread on instead of clipping it. It would not have to be covered, in fact, would benefit from drying out now. I would leave the cone out until the stitches come out, so she doesn't pull on them. After a week of having the cone she should be healing and shouldn't need it after the stitches are out, but go with your vets advise. I have never had a cone with any of my cat's surgeries and everything has been fine. Some licking is fine, just don't let her chew on it. But she shouldn't once the stitches are out, just lick it. if it starts getting red you can apply some triple antibiotic salve along the incision line, WITHOUT pain relievers in it. The incision looks very good!
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #16

Hoboforeternity

TCS Member
Thread starter
Super Cat
Joined
Aug 1, 2020
Messages
974
Purraise
2,920
The incision is nice and clean, no infection seen. The stitches look like that because they left quite a bit of thread on instead of clipping it. It would not have to be covered, in fact, would benefit from drying out now. I would leave the cone out until the stitches come out, so she doesn't pull on them. After a week of having the cone she should be healing and shouldn't need it after the stitches are out, but go with your vets advise. I have never had a cone with any of my cat's surgeries and everything has been fine. Some licking is fine, just don't let her chew on it. But she shouldn't once the stitches are out, just lick it. if it starts getting red you can apply some triple antibiotic salve along the incision line, WITHOUT pain relievers in it. The incision looks very good!
Thank you. That is really reassuring. I will talk to my vet about possible anesthesia option after we take out the stiches.


IMG_20200901_172119.jpg

She's relaxing, but seems bored since she can't play.

Edit: Oh you say without pain reliever.
 

di and bob

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Dec 12, 2012
Messages
16,582
Purraise
22,962
Location
Nebraska, USA
You could remove the cone a couple a times a day with strict supervision and see how she does. Licking is fine, chewing is not. do NOT leave her alone with that long thread hanging!
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #18

Hoboforeternity

TCS Member
Thread starter
Super Cat
Joined
Aug 1, 2020
Messages
974
Purraise
2,920
You could remove the cone a couple a times a day with strict supervision and see how she does. Licking is fine, chewing is not. do NOT leave her alone with that long thread hanging!
yesterday when i cleaned the cone she immediately went and bite the sutures. i had to immediately put it on again. she pulled quite hard too, that's maybe why the upper part of stiches is a bit messed up/
 
Top