Hunt a dog with stitches?

[iowajonnyboy]

My setter got torn up on a fence on Sunday Oct 16. The local vet stapled up the wound and told me that I could hunt her the next couple of days. She hunted Monday just fine, but must have licked it all night because the first time she was down on Tuesday all but one of the staples pulled out and left her with an open wound (I didn't hunt her anymore on Tuesday). I got her into our regular vet on Wednesday, Oct 19th - he trimmed up the dead skin and sutured the wound with 7 stitches. They told me 10-14 days with the stitches with low activity...I have kept her as low activity as I could since the 19th. She had some antibiotics and the wound has healed up very nicely with her having a cone on her head to keep her from bothering it.

Here is the picture of the day she got the sutures - they are on the inside of her leg and up high:


I'm planning on hunting Sat, Sun, and Monday of this coming weekend. I have another dog who is capable to handle the hunting trip - he is younger and less experienced, but will find birds fairly well. I usually alternate them some and hunt them together some depending on the cover.

My question is would you hunt the dog that has stitches this weekend? I'm leaning towards no right now because I would like the wound to heal properly and really don't want to spend the money to get it sutured again...However, with limited outings each year to hunt I'd like to be able take her afield.

[DonF]

Don't ask here. Go ask your vet. I can tell you yes and no skin off my nose if it tears out again. Or I could tell you no but then you might not use her when you could. I believe all questions concerning the health of your dog should be addressed to your vet.

[topher40]

You could do it but your opening yourself to possibility of infection/ripping out the stitches/ending up with a lame dog. Wait and let the dog heal up, you have the rest of the dogs life to hunt him. Good luck on your trip!

[iowajonnyboy]

DonF - good point - the clinic I have started with here definitely is not aimed at the working dog...They do good work, but prey on people's emotions and personalize the animals a lot more than I care for. I desire to keep my dogs healthy, but don't believe they need an EKG everytime they go to the vet...

I think the risks outweigh the reward here and will leave her home and not hunt her this weekend. I will wait until after the deer season opener to hunt again so she will have another couple of weeks to finish healing and be ready to roll for the next outing.

[Sharon]

I wouldn't but I'm sometimes overly cautious.

[Doodle]

Obviously, you will have to do what you think is right. I guess if I would trust my vet. I have also added an "inflatable collar" to my first aid kit. Works like the big plastic cone but dogs can go in and out of crate and seem more comfortable. It will not be ideal for all injuries (i.e. an eye) but I thought it might be good to have on board it does not take up much space.

[markj]

Let the dog heal 100% is my way of doing things, why? Well until it is completly healed there is still a chance of infection, this will cost you more than a few missed birds. But hey she isnt mine so use your best judgement.

[dog dr]

i say hunt her. its been a week, and the stitches are still in to help re-inforce the skin. it should have done a great deal of healing by now. keep a close eye on it, sure, but if it was my dog i would turn her loose.

[slistoe]

If it was my dog I would likely be hunting her some light duty. I have one here right now that is 10 days off of a spay and she will see some ground time this weekend.

[displaced_texan]

i say hunt her. its been a week, and the stitches are still in to help re-inforce the skin. it should have done a great deal of healing by now. keep a close eye on it, sure, but if it was my dog i would turn her loose.

I was thinking the same thing. I'm not a Dr, but I've sent people to the hospital...

I would certainly keep a close eye on it though.

[ezzy333]

One of the main things you should be aware of is the kind of cover you will be hunting. Stubble fields could be rough on her while a grass type foeld should be no problem.

Ezzy

[dog dr]

One of the main things you should be aware of is the kind of cover you will be hunting. Stubble fields could be rough on her while a grass type foeld should be no problem.

Ezzy

good point ezzy.

[SetterNut]

Ace's first season he hit a fence hard and took 20 some stitches across the chest and upper leg, I didn't hunt him for a while. But when I started to hunt him again, he had almost not fur on his front end.

My wife took one of my son's under-armor type shits and rolled up the sleeve so that they were a little above his feet. Then put some old fabric over the chest.
It worked great. Didn't rub him and covered the areas that needed protection. The shirt would get some holes in it, and we just sew on some fabric over the holes.