My cat had wound staples 3 months ago. They weren't removed. Is he okay?

You can keep staples in for as long as needed, as long as they are not causing any irritation / other problems. I would agree with the vet and keep those in a little while longer. I would not place another staple in that area though. The incision appears to be intact still based on the picture. However, if the picture does not show how open it is, then I would have the vet take a look at this and make that decision on whether or not another staple should be placed.

Poor Casper. I am concerned that He has a bad bacterial infection in that area. Since it has been 2 months, there is a good chance that he could have a resistant infection. I would talk to your vet to see if he could do a culture and sensitivity on the wound. This is to see what type of bacteria is in the wound and what type of antibiotics are needed to clear it up. It likely reopened after being sutured because either it is infected or there is some other cause. Since he is a stray cat, he could also have feline leukemia or feline aids slowing down his healing. I would also talk to your vet about testing him for these viruses. I hope this helps!

It looks like the wound is separating a bit, and perhaps one of the staples has pulled through the skin, but it is difficult to tell from a photo. There appears to be a little bit of redness/discharge which can sometimes indicate infection. I don't think this is an emergency but I would recommend having your vet examine the incision when they are next open. If your dog is licking at the area then placing an e-collar on him to stop this, or if you do not have one trying to put a long sleeved shirt on him so that he cannot lick at the area and further cause damage until your vet can see him. Best of luck to you!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! The area will still continue to heal without the staple. Monitor daily for redness, swelling, discharge, or heat. If you notice that, return to the vet for further evaluation. Kisses to Lucky!

They are holding the incision together. At the end of the incision there is some tissue swelling and irritation which is causing the redness and mild discharge. This doesn't look infected at this point. Once the staples are removed this will finish healing and the scar with flatten out. As long as she's eating and feeling fine I would not treat this with antibiotics, and I do not recommend cleaning or putting anything on the incision as it may damage the scab and slow down the healing. Use a cone if she's licking since licking will cause additional irritation. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Milo.

Unfortunately, at least 10 days with stitches on are required for complete healing. I recommend to bring your cat to the vet to replace the missing suture asap. In the meantime and after replacing the sutures, avoid licking or scratching by using a buster or a postoperative body (https://www.amazon.com/Kruuse-Buster-Body-Black-3X-Small/dp/B00Z0U6EH8). Please post again on the forum if you would like to discuss it further. I hope my answer was helpful.

A check up would be needed to remove the stitch (which may be an internal one) and allow adequate healing. Buster collar may be useful as well to avoid any licking/chewing. Hope this answer was helpful, but please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further. If this answer was helpful please let us know, this will be used to improve our service!