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Cat Forum / Cat Anecdotes / June 2004Advice for Robin's ouchie
I just noticed Robin has what looks like a busted abcess in front of his left ear and a tiny puncture in front of the other ear: typical spots for a clinch in a cat fight. I wiped it with hydrogen peroxide and dried it with another cotton ball. Since then I have caught him scratching at it a time or two. Now I know it is good to be open to drain; but could continued scratching make it worse? I could soften the crust with a dab of vaseline but that might seal it to make an abcess again. But I don't want him to rip it up. What a dilemna! I can watch it and clean it frequently for a few days. See if it heals. Or should I use the vaseline; but thinly? I have a feeling it was inflicted by Amber. He is the kind of guy that is easy-going and would give you the shirt off his back if you needed it. But if you stole from him, he would descend on you like a ton of bricks! He generally gives way to Robin and they play together. But Robin has been getting more dominant. I think he has been trying to be alphacat. That is Amber's place. I think Amber just taught Robin a lesson. However, in all the years that Djoser has been under Amber's claws (he will make a bid for dominancy every so often) they have never gotten beyond the pinprick stage. So Robin's bid was serious. But Amber is unscathed and still topcat. -- CATherine >Now I know it is good to be open to drain; but could continued >scratching make it worse? I could soften the crust with a dab of >vaseline but that might seal it to make an abcess again. But I don't >want him to rip it up. What a dilemna! What is it with these cats! Robin is the third one with an abscess this week! I can tell you what the vet did for Frank. He opened it up, ended up not putting a drain in it, just left the wound open. He sent us home with antiobiotic, but nothing to put on the wound, no salve or anything. I noticed a bit of clear liquid comes from it but nothing nasty-looking. Frank licks it a lot but I guess it doesn't hurt it. The vet didn't cover it up or anything. This is just me, and I certainly don't have DVM after my name...but since your kitty isn't taking oral antiobiotics, I think a bit of antibiotic ointment like Neosporin wouldn't hurt. At least it's on his ear and he can't lick it. Peroxide is great to clean it initially, but don't use it after that. Peroxide kills the bacteria, but in the process it also kills the new cells that are trying to form in the healing process. I tried to keep from making the vet trip by cleaning the abscess myself. But the next day it had closed back up, filled with pus again and smelled awful. I hope Robin's doesn't do that too. Sherry >>Now I know it is good to be open to drain; but could continued >>scratching make it worse? I could soften the crust with a dab of [quoted text clipped - 17 lines] >hope Robin's doesn't do that too. >Sherry Thanks! That is what I thought. At least in that particular spot it is not deep, going aginst bone. I was worried his claws would make a big wound. But I just noticed that his claws are barely showing when he does that. -- CATherine > I just noticed Robin has what looks like a busted abcess in front of > his left ear and a tiny puncture in front of the other ear: typical > spots for a clinch in a cat fight. I wish I had some advice. When Frank had the abscess, he was very particular about cleaning it out completely himself (I think he is so much smarter than he usually lets on ;), so I didn't have to worry about draining it. Maybe you could squeeze it gently to see if anything still comes out? Don't know what to do about the scratching, except put an Elizabethan collar on him. Purrs that it heals soon and completely!  SignatureMarina, Frank and Nikki Email marina (dot) kurten (at) pp (dot) inet (dot) fi Pics at http://uk.f1.pg.photos.yahoo.com/frankiennikki One last suggestion.....If possible(if Robin is a in/out cat) Keep him in. As fly season is upon us(or starting to be in Texas), you DO NOT want flies laying on his ears! As one who has had to help vets in the past, maggots are a NASTY cleanup!...Hug the kitties for me...tell them to behave...I do so here but alas they just look up at me with their assorted colored eyes,and blink innocently and say WHO US?Misbehave? Ha!....:-) Liz > > I just noticed Robin has what looks like a busted abcess in front of > > his left ear and a tiny puncture in front of the other ear: typical > > spots for a clinch in a cat fight. >One last suggestion.....If possible(if Robin is a in/out cat) Keep him in. >As fly season is upon us(or starting to be in Texas), you DO NOT want flies >laying on his ears! As one who has had to help vets in the past, maggots are >a NASTY cleanup!...Hug the kitties for me...tell them to behave...I do so >here but alas they just look up at me with their assorted colored eyes,and >blink innocently and say WHO US?Misbehave? Ha!....:-) Liz I usually let the cats out when I have a day off. That is when they get in mischief. They know better than to seriously fight in the house. But outside with all the wood piles and sheds and barns, there is a lot of opportunity to ambush and really get into a serious bid for dominance. As for flies, yes, we have them. Across the fence is a cow barn. Cows always have flies. It is a constant battle to keep them out of the house. gross warning... V V V V V V V V V V I believe i read somewhere recently that some surgeons were using maggots to clean up around a wound. UGH!! Actually, I believe I read somewhere recently that -- CATherine Yes, I too have read of the use of maggots and leeches for wound treatment in humans...Of, course , this is under controlled doctor supervention....When in nature...the little critters(Maggots) can get into the bloodstream(or so I've been istructed by the vets) and this is where the trouble begins!) UCK in any case!:-) Liz > >One last suggestion.....If possible(if Robin is a in/out cat) Keep him in. > >As fly season is upon us(or starting to be in Texas), you DO NOT want flies [quoted text clipped - 29 lines] > -- > CATherine > Yes, I too have read of the use of maggots and leeches for wound treatment > in humans...Of, course , this is under controlled doctor > supervention....When in nature...the little critters(Maggots) can get into > the bloodstream(or so I've been istructed by the vets) and this is where the > trouble begins!) UCK in any case!:-) Liz Maggots serve a purpose in cleaning away dead tissue from a wound such as a burn. If I remember correctly it preserves far more living tissue than cleaning it mechanically. And also hurts a lot less. But I'm guessing these are lab bred and much cleaner than those you would encounter in the wild. Jo >> Yes, I too have read of the use of maggots and leeches for wound treatment >> in humans...Of, course , this is under controlled doctor [quoted text clipped - 10 lines] > >Jo That is what i heard, too. And then under controlled circumstances, the doctor can remove them at the right time. I hadn't thought about it; but it makes sense they would breed "specials". But I still don't want that kind of therapy. <gag> -- CATherine >> I just noticed Robin has what looks like a busted abcess in front of >> his left ear and a tiny puncture in front of the other ear: typical [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] >what to do about the scratching, except put an Elizabethan collar on him. >Purrs that it heals soon and completely! I did press on it and it was flat and there was no inflamation yesterday. When I got home today he had scratched it again. Since he can't reach it to lick it, maybe this is his way of keeping it open? I think what I will do is leave it alone and just watch for signs of inflamation or serious injury to it. And keep Neosporin on it. I think all he is scratching with is just the tips of his claws because only the scab is gone. He is young and healthy so it should heal quickly, despite a mother's worries. ;-) -- CATherine Well, Tucker went to the vet with his and they lanced it and put a drain in it and he's on oral antibiotics and this was without it getting to the bursting stage...the vet took the drain out Friday and he's got an e-collar on till the wound closes up more. I probably would take Robin in if it were me (I know, another vet bill! I'd gotten my bill down to almost paid off before this latest ...ah well.) Purrs from us in any case! Christine > I just noticed Robin has what looks like a busted abcess in front of > his left ear and a tiny puncture in front of the other ear: typical [quoted text clipped - 25 lines] > -- > CATherine > "CATherine" <pepsicola5cents@drop.me.bigsandytelco.com> wrote... > [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] >>and dried it with another cotton ball. Since then I have caught him >>scratching at it a time or two. >>CATherine Catherine, I've had several cats that got abscesses. The first vet we had did the drain thing - put them under, put a drain in, etc. The second vet, at a cat's only practice, was much less invasive. The abscess was opened, drained, then flushed out with sterile water. We had to do that at home for a few days, just to make sure it stayed open and didn't get full of puss again. In both cases, the cats were put on antibiotics. Of the two, I much prefer the second vet! So my advice is to flush out the abscess - just get a small syringe, minus any needles of course, and gently squeeze warm water into the area (assuming Robin will tolerate it). Keep watch - if it gets worse, go to the vet. Abscesses are, unfortunately, a fact of life. Good luck, to you and to Robin. Kalynnda "Kalynnda Berens" <kalberens@adelphia.net> wrote in message >Keep watch - if it gets worse, go to the vet. > Abscesses are, unfortunately, a fact of life. Good luck, to you and to > Robin. Still remember when a former vet was commiserating with us while we were having Sam treated for yet another abscess. (Indoors or at the vets Sam was the sweetest Siamese you ever met) Vet said that unfortunately every neighborhood seemed to have one bully that beat up on all the other cats - presuming dear old Sam was an innocent victim. Had to tell him "I know, and Sam is it" Jo Hi there, Our new kitty is a siamese named Sam, too. He is just a year old and quite a handful. Loves to play, jump and be assertive. He loves for me to chase him across a big room that we've got. Then, he lets me catch him and I fall down on the floor and he does the same. He's a riot. Doreen > "Kalynnda Berens" <kalberens@adelphia.net> wrote in message > [quoted text clipped - 13 lines] > > Jo SignatureUsing Opera's revolutionary e-mail client: http://www.opera.com/m2/ > Hi there, > Our new kitty is a siamese named Sam, too. He is just a year old and [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > > Doreen How adorable!! >"Kalynnda Berens" <kalberens@adelphia.net> wrote in message > [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > >Jo ROFL!! Cats can be so deceptive around humans and altogether different when it is just cats around. -- CATherine >> "CATherine" <pepsicola5cents@drop.me.bigsandytelco.com> wrote... >> [quoted text clipped - 21 lines] > > Kalynnda Well, his abcess is already drained. It is flat and there is a scab. I just took another good look at it and put some more Neosprin on it. The scab is getting crumpled and shrinking; a good sign. And the raw part is gone. He isn't scratching at it anymore. So it seems to be definitely on the mend. I think the Neosporin is keeping it soft enough not to be itchy as well as keeping nasty germs out. -- CATherine |
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