My dog has a small cut on his head. Does it really need stitches?

Question

How big does a cut need to be for stitches? And how deep is a dog’s skin on their scalp? Meeko somehow injured himself. I used saline and alcohol wipes to clean it and then have wrapped it loose yet tight with gauze. He tolerated it well and doesn’t seem to be in any pain. It has not bled more than a normal scrape amount and has not bled through the gauze. I’m mostly looking for guidance. Thank you for any help/advice you can give. Pet's info: Dog | Mixed Breed Medium (23 - 60lb) | Male | neutered | 1 year and 10 months old | 44 lbs

Andrea M. Brodie, DVM · Accepted Answer

Whether a cut needs stitches will depend on the location and size and age of the injury. Sometimes even a third of an inch laceration may need a stitch if it is in a complicated place where there is a lot of skin movement. The laceration on the photo does not look very big and I would cut away some hair around it to keep hair from touching the wound, and disinfect it once and then just leave it alone. It should form a crust under which it can heal. Should there be a pussy discharge it will need to be seen by a vet, but I think it can heal by itself without a problem.

My dog has a small cut on his head. Does it really need stitches?

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