My dog had dissolving stitches internally and staples on the outside. She never licked or chewed anything, the staples were removed and all was well, then when the internal stitches began to dissolve it there was swelling and redness, the vet said sometimes the body "rejects" the absorption of the internal stitches. In other words, while the stitches are new and whole, the body doesn't mind, but when they dissolve and the body has to absorb the microscopic pieces it got red & inflamed. She never licked or chewed or outwardly acted bothered by it.
