tumor on my dog

Question

stitched up second tim  

tumor   My dog recently had a tumor removed from his left side area. They got most of it and stitched him up but couple days after it came open little bit and was draining. They put a drain plug in him and re stitched him up. Well he has had a cone around his neck and never had it off and been in a cage w no activities or playing. Well I got off work and his stitches came completely open and drain plug hanging out and all really opened up, what can cause that?  The results from the tumor has not came back and vet said the cancer could b not letting g it heal if that's what it is? It seems like maybe it wasn't stitched properly the second time but I don't know, it's frustrating,  he is 7 years old and is still perky and don't act like he is hurting in any shape or form.

Answer
Hi Amanda,

If your dog has dislodged the drain and tore out the stitches, then you need contact your vet's office, not an Internet help-line! If your vet isn't open today, look for an emergency vet clinic that has weekend or holiday hours. Your dog is open to develop an infection.

Just as being a parent to a child means making decisions that could be unpopular or not understood by the child, sometimes being a pet owner means doing whatever the dog needs, even though that means confinement, taking it easy,  and wearing a large cone.  Dogs are quite stoic, it's a survival tool. You can't always know when they don't feel well. If your vet directed you to restrict your dog's activities and have him not not pick at the sutures, then crating him and having him wear the cone is what needs to be done, to ensure proper healing.

Best of luck,

Patti