staples/surgery

Question
Sandra,

Sorry to bother you but I'm at my wit's end with my rat isabel. She had stitches put in two weeks ago after her surgery to remove a benign tumor. She pulled them out so the vet put in staples, she eventually pulled those out and we took your advice on just leaving her be to close up on her own. Two days ago the wound healed, the vet gave a clean bill of health but then she somehow used her teeth and reopened her closed up wound. Don't know how she did it. She went back to the vet yesterday where he put in three more staples and told us another 10 days well she has now taken them out, the wound is open and infected. We've tried everything from making sweaters to put over her, the bitter spray stuff and nothing seems to be working. I don't know how she can let it heal if she continues to open it up. Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

Answer
Is she on oral antibiotics?   I would suggest not using any staples and have the Vet sew her from the inside out.  this way there is nothing for her to pick at.  

She should heal ok though, without anything.  Tumors are not deep invasive masses so you will see just a bit of tissue and muscle, but never any vital organs etc....

She should be on oral antibiotics such as trimeth and also be bathed in hibicleanse, followed by saline solution twice a day and a small dab of antibiotic ointment.