My Dog Keeps Scratching Stitches with Hind Legs (Practical Ways You Can Intervene and Help Them Heal)

Okay, let me tell you about this whole ordeal with my dog and his stitches. He had a little surgery, nothing major, got sent home with some stitches on his side, near his belly but reachable by that back leg if he really tried. The vet gives you the standard instructions, right? Keep him from licking, keep him from scratching. Sounds simple.

First day was okay, he was mostly out of it from the meds. But the next day, I started hearing this thump-thump-thump sound from the other room. I go in, and there he is, twisting himself into some kind of yoga pose I didn't know dogs could do, and just furiously scratching near the stitches with his hind leg. Like, really digging in. My heart just sank. I immediately thought, "Okay, cone time."

So, I dug out the plastic cone of shame. Got it on him. He looked absolutely miserable, bumping into furniture, the whole sad dog routine. But I figured, job done. Wrong. The cone stopped him from licking, yeah. But that back leg? It could still reach. He'd just angle himself weirdly and go right back to scratching, the cone providing zero defense against the hind leg attack.

I realized this was going to be tougher than I thought. The usual fix wasn't fixing it. I spent a lot of time just watching him, trying to figure out when he did it. Seemed like mostly when he was settling down to rest, or maybe when things started healing and getting itchy. It wasn't constant, but when he decided to scratch, he was determined.

Trying Different Things

Alright, plan B. I thought maybe covering the area would work better. I tried putting one of my old t-shirts on him, tying it up so it was snug around his body. He looked silly, but hey, if it works... It helped a little? Kind of? He still tried scratching at the shirt, and sometimes his claws would get close. Plus, he wiggled and managed to shift it around.

Next, I ordered one of those dog recovery suits, like a onesie for dogs. That fit much better, covered the area completely. This was probably the most effective thing. He could still try to scratch, like he'd move his leg in the scratching motion against the suit, but his claws couldn't directly hit the stitches. It wasn't perfect, he still tried, but it was a solid barrier.

I also tried putting a baby sock on his hind foot, the one he scratched with. Taped it on gently. That lasted about 30 seconds before he shook it right off. Total failure.

So, for about a week and a half, it was a constant management game.

• The recovery suit was on 24/7. Had to take it off for potty breaks, obviously, but otherwise, he lived in it.
• Supervision was key. Whenever I saw him start to position himself for a scratch, I'd gently say "Ah-ah!" or distract him with a toy or a quick pat.
• Keeping him busy. More short walks (vet-approved!), some chew toys, anything to keep his mind off the potential itch.
• Checking the stitches daily. Making sure they looked okay, no redness or swelling, just to be safe.

The End Result

It wasn't easy. There wasn't one single solution. It was the combination of the recovery suit providing a physical barrier and me being super vigilant. The hind leg scratching is way harder to deal with than licking. Cones are kinda useless for it. You just have to block the area and watch them like a hawk. Thankfully, the stitches healed up fine, they came out, and we could finally ditch the dog onesie. Man, I was glad when that was over. It’s stressful seeing them potentially hurt themselves and trying to outsmart their instincts.