15 days after spaying my cat – what should I do?

Hi there, it’s possible your cat has had an allergic reaction to the stitches; it's quite rare but it does happen sometimes. Alternatively, given everything that's happened (litter tray mishaps, the recovery suit, etc.), the wound might have been rubbed, which would cause that kind of scabbing. If the vet disinfected it and you’ve been doing the same with Betadine, it should clear up pretty quickly. I agree with the previous comments—stitch removal is part of the spaying procedure, so it’s included in the price. In other words, it’s free and really should be done by a vet.

However, if you have no other choice but to do it yourself, they should be removed between 10 and 15 days after the operation. You’ll need some tweezers and a pair of small, fine scissors. The two little ends of thread sticking out of the stitch are called 'tails'. Grip one of the tails with the tweezers, then pull up slightly so you can slide one of the scissor blades between the skin and the thread. Snip the thread (in just one place, between the skin and the knot), then pull gently with the tweezers so the whole stitch comes out—make sure no part of it is left behind in the skin. Do the same for all the stitches. An antiseptic wipe or gauze is also useful for cleaning away any dry scabs or dirt from the wound once the stitches are out.

Good luck,

Best regards,

Julie

So happy for you and your kitty! That’s one thing sorted.

You can keep using a bit of honey, or for something less sticky, green clay, or even Cicafolia if you can get hold of it (it’s basically the pet version of Cicaplast for humans). It’s a really effective healing cream.

Hi there,

Same here. I don't think the scar looks good at all. It’s definitely worth getting a second opinion from another vet; of course, it'll cost you a consultation fee, but it could save her from a lot of trouble further down the line.

To be honest, that really doesn't look good at all. I don't understand that vet's behaviour. When my cat had her surgery, the post-op follow-up was free. You should definitely take her to see another vet.

My girl was spayed on the 9th of September. Below is a photo of her scar when the stitches were taken out on the 21st of Sept (12 days later): it looked nothing like that…

I’m with @ulalie on this one,

Avoid this vet; that scar doesn't look anything like what it should after a spay. And don't touch the stitches, even if it means paying for a consultation with a proper vet...

And as for the subcutaneous stitches... they're under the skin, so they're invisible and will dissolve on their own.