More often than not I use plain old sewing thread to sew them up. I've done two crop surgeries and many other "sew them up" procedures. My vets gives or sells me the pre-threaded cutting needles with absorbable sutures and they do work much easier because the needle cuts so easily through the tough skin. BUT....she has also told me that plain sewing thread works just fine and dissolve eventually. I even sewed up the insides, and muscles all badly torn from leg, of a rooster a dog had gotten ahold of. I only had the plastic, non-absorbable sutures and I used those because I wanted them to hold as long as possible so that he could regain use of his leg - which he did. He walked very gingerly for a few weeks but today, months later, he's just fine and dandy.
They are very resilient creatures with an amazing ability to heal.