When can a duck with stitches go swimming?

[KaleIAm]

Okay that makes a lot of sense. Thank you!

You are welcome.

Did the vet tell you how long before you can expect the sutures to begin to dissolve? Different brands and sizes within brands take very different amounts of time. I usually take my own sutures out in 2-3 weeks, and I might take myself swimming in duck poop another week after that. I would likely be a little more careful with my ducks.

 

[microchick]

As a retired nurse we were always taught that you wanted to avoid germs seeping in via the sutures so clean and dry until the sutures come out.

Things have changed a bit now. I know from personal experience that they let you shower after X number of days if you have staples, but dissolvable sutures that they use for veterinary medicine take longer to dissolve. Found that out when our cattle dogs got spayed and neutered.

I just looked it up and it's 10-12 days in dogs so I would imagine that the same would go for your duckie friend.

BUT! it also says this!

60 days

What does this mean? Most absorbable sutures require 60 days to be completely absorbed by the body (hydrolyzed). Not to fear, absorbable stitches lose (dissolve) between 50% of their strength by 7-10 days, meaning the body is well on its way to healing.Jun 8, 2020
https://pethelpful.com/dogs/Dog-Sti...t=What does this mean?,on its way to healing.

How to Care for and Keep Dog Stitches Clean After Surgery ...​

https://pethelpful.com/dogs/Dog-Sti...t=What does this mean?,on its way to healing.
Better safe than sorry plus you don't want to take the chance that she might stress the suture line and open it again. Even if the area looks healed, that new tissue is tender.

She is a very pretty girl, BTW!

 

[EronicaV]

You are welcome.

Did the vet tell you how long before you can expect the sutures to begin to dissolve? Different brands and sizes within brands take very different amounts of time. I usually take my own sutures out in 2-3 weeks, and I might take myself swimming in duck poop another week after that. I would likely be a little more careful with my ducks.

She didn’t tell me anything about if they were dissolvable at the time. I wish I would’ve asked since it’s so variable!! I didn’t even know they were dissolvable until my younger sister (who is a high schooler who interns at a different vet’s office) said they looked like they were. They’re a dark purple color and that’s all I know. The vet that did it 2 weeks ago actually quit working there 1 week later so I’m not sure if even the office has any record or way of knowing for sure.
Haha I suppose I’ll be waiting a while longer then

 

[EronicaV]

As a retired nurse we were always taught that you wanted to avoid germs seeping in via the sutures so clean and dry until the sutures come out.

Things have changed a bit now. I know from personal experience that they let you shower after X number of days if you have staples, but dissolvable sutures that they use for veterinary medicine take longer to dissolve. Found that out when our cattle dogs got spayed and neutered.

I just looked it up and it's 10-12 days in dogs so I would imagine that the same would go for your duckie friend.

BUT! it also says this!

60 days

What does this mean? Most absorbable sutures require 60 days to be completely absorbed by the body (hydrolyzed). Not to fear, absorbable stitches lose (dissolve) between 50% of their strength by 7-10 days, meaning the body is well on its way to healing.Jun 8, 2020
https://pethelpful.com/dogs/Dog-Stitches-After-Care#:~:text=What does this mean?,on its way to healing.

How to Care for and Keep Dog Stitches Clean After Surgery ...​

https://pethelpful.com/dogs/Dog-Stitches-After-Care#:~:text=What does this mean?,on its way to healing.
Better safe than sorry plus you don't want to take the chance that she might stress the suture line and open it again. Even if the area looks healed, that new tissue is tender.

She is a very pretty girl, BTW!

Thank you for the link and insight! I suppose you recommend waiting a full 60 days before letting her swim?

 

[microchick]

I have absolutely no experience with ducks. I would tend to agree with the post that says when you can't see them any longer. Sometimes the sutures they use on humans do not dissolve completely and they will work their way out of the suture hole. So keep an eye out for that happening. The holes should scab over though and there may even be some scabbing over the wound site. I know you can sometimes feel around the wound and trace the internal sutures to tell if they are dissolving.

I agree with the clean bathtub warm water idea. A clean wound is a healthy wound and from the picture it looks like she is healing well. You are doing a good job.

When our dogs were spayed/neutered, we were surprised by how fast they healed. We have a lagoon in the back yard that they like to swim in. We kept them out of it for about a week and that took a LOT of energy to do. Those dogs love to swim and the water is greeby. No problems. But we kept the girls out of the water longer than the boys simply due to the differences in their surgeries.

Better safe than sorry.