Should I remove lint from my dog's dental stitches? Infection risk?

Question

My dog has lint stuck to her stitches where she got her teeth extracted. Should I pull the lint off with a pair of tweezers or something? Would lint cause an infection or anything? It looks like dryer lint and its been there for a while i was hoping it would fall of on its on but it hasnt. The stitches have been there for a month already and the vet said they dissolve on their own. Please help. Pet's info: Dog | Mixed Breed Small (up to 22lb) | Female | spayed | 7 months and 4 days old | 10 lbs

Dr. Heidi DVM, CVA, CCRT, CVTP, CVSMT, CVCH · Accepted Answer

It is difficult to tell from the pictures, but the area of gum above the stitches does not look red or irritated, so I would leave it alone. The mouth isn't sterile, so it's not concerning unless the area is red. The time it takes for stitches to dissolve varies greatly, so I wouldn't be worried that they haven't dissolved yet. If the area where the stitches are becomes red or irritated, I would contact your veterinarian for advice. Otherwise, I would just continue to monitor the area. I hope that was helpful! Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Should I remove lint from my dog's dental stitches? Infection risk?

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