Cat with a cut.

[B Huey]

Our cat Meg has got quite a bad cut on her neck. It looks like it may be infected.

Any ideas about what I can do to clean it up. Would it be OK to use Germolene or similar?

[Dave Dax builder]

B Huey said:

Our cat Meg has got quite a bad cut on her neck. It looks like it may be infected.

Any ideas about what I can do to clean it up. Would it be OK to use Germolene or similar?

Do not pass go, do not collect £200. Go straight to the vets.

Unless you are a vet, then in that case why are you asking on here?

[bexVN]

Not good enough if infected.

It could be a burst abscess or a bad enough cut that may even need stitching once the infection is cleared.

Either way it sounds like it needs veterinary treatment probably including antibiotics at least.

[B Huey]

I'll check it again in the morning and take her to the vets if no better.

[m0ssy]

B Huey said:

Our cat Meg has got quite a bad cut on her neck. It looks like it may be infected.

Any ideas about what I can do to clean it up. Would it be OK to use Germolene or similar?

shocking that this quuestion is being asked.

Get down the VET.

I have cleaned my cat wounds before with either salt water or very diluted TCP/ anticeptic but only to stop infection getting in. If infection is there the cat will need antibiotics.

If infection has set in, how long has the cat been injured untreated??

[moosepig]

Vet, ASAP

[B Huey]

m0ssy said:

shocking that this quuestion is being asked.

Get down the VET.

I have cleaned my cat wounds before with either salt water or very diluted TCP/ anticeptic but only to stop infection getting in. If infection is there the cat will need antibiotics.

If infection has set in, how long has the cat been injured untreated??

Do calm down, the Cat is fine.

[AT]

Bit harsh on the OP, it wasn't stated "i can't be arsed to take moggy to the vets" that I can see.

[Jasandjules]

You will need antibiotics to prevent infection etc.

But to clean the wound up you can use Hibiscrub - that's what the vets use to clean their hands with... Just dilute it with water and then use a cotton ball etc to apply.

[B Huey]

Jasandjules said:

You will need antibiotics to prevent infection etc.

But to clean the wound up you can use Hibiscrub - that's what the vets use to clean their hands with... Just dilute it with water and then use a cotton ball etc to apply.

Thanks, this is the kind of info I was after.

[bexVN]

B Huey said:

Jasandjules said:

You will need antibiotics to prevent infection etc.

But to clean the wound up you can use Hibiscrub - that's what the vets use to clean their hands with... Just dilute it with water and then use a cotton ball etc to apply.

Thanks, this is the kind of info I was after.

What did the vets say, how is the cut looking?

[B Huey]

Meg seems fine. The cut looked a mess initially, but after cleaning it appears to be healing well. It doesn't seem infected but will keep an eye on it.

[Jasandjules]

B Huey said:

Meg seems fine. The cut looked a mess initially, but after cleaning it appears to be healing well. It doesn't seem infected but will keep an eye on it.

She really needs to get some antibiotics in anyways to ensure that any infection which may be present (even in small amounts given an open wound) can be combated. Vet shouldn't have difficulty supplying them and you should only need a work or so worth to cover it - cats are amazingly able to recuperate.

[swiftwill]

Jasandjules said:

She really needs to get some antibiotics in anyways to ensure that any infection which may be present (even in small amounts given an open wound) can be combated. Vet shouldn't have difficulty supplying them and you should only need a work or so worth to cover it - cats are amazingly able to recuperate.

Not really. Vet student here. Cats do have very efficient immune systems and prescribing antibiotics willy nilly promotes bacterial resistance to antibiotics making them less effective. Thats why penicillin is hardly used these days because modern bacteria aren't affected by it. If cut looks fine and is healing well i would keep the cat inside for a few days so that it doesn't get out and potentially get into a fight and make it worse and it should heal up fine.

Best of luck with it.

[bexVN]

Agreed antibiotics should not be used carelessly but should the owner be the judge of whether it's infected or not? The op may well be able to but many owners can't. We don't know what caused the cut whatever it was it's unlikely to have been clean plus it's possible the cat may be licking it etc.

My point is we can't really judge any of this over a forum so ideally it should be vet assessed.

Eta meant to say this could be a burst abscess which is why it looked a mess until it was cleaned up. In which case it may heal initially but it is likely then fill up again a burst again. Just another possibility.

Edited by bexVN on Sunday 17th July 12:10

[ali_kat]

I'm just speechless that a responsible owner would ask on a forum what best to do with a bad cut that looks infected & not take their beloved pet to a Vet.

Not even when it is the most suggested response!

[englebert]

ali_kat said:

I'm just speechless that a responsible owner would ask on a forum what best to do with a bad cut that looks infected & not take their beloved pet to a Vet.

Not even when it is the most suggested response!

[B Huey]

ali_kat said:

I'm just speechless that a responsible owner would ask on a forum what best to do with a bad cut that looks infected & not take their beloved pet to a Vet.

Not even when it is the most suggested response!

Did you see my post above?

To recap, the cut looked a mess when I first found it. This was late in the evening, so going to the vets was out. I asked for advice on what to use to clean up the cut. Having cleaned it and checked it the morning there was no sign of infection and it was healing well. Still is.

I've owned cats for years and there is absolutely no need to take her to the vets.

Unbelievable.

[B Huey]

swiftwill said:

Not really. Vet student here. Cats do have very efficient immune systems and prescribing antibiotics willy nilly promotes bacterial resistance to antibiotics making them less effective. Thats why penicillin is hardly used these days because modern bacteria aren't affected by it. If cut looks fine and is healing well i would keep the cat inside for a few days so that it doesn't get out and potentially get into a fight and make it worse and it should heal up fine.

Best of luck with it.

Thanks for adding some sanity to this thread.

I appear to have invoked the wrath of the cat nazis.

Edited by B Huey on Monday 18th July 22:02

[bexVN]

B Huey said:

swiftwill said:

Not really. Vet student here. Cats do have very efficient immune systems and prescribing antibiotics willy nilly promotes bacterial resistance to antibiotics making them less effective. Thats why penicillin is hardly used these days because modern bacteria aren't affected by it. If cut looks fine and is healing well i would keep the cat inside for a few days so that it doesn't get out and potentially get into a fight and make it worse and it should heal up fine.

Best of luck with it.

Thanks for adding some sanity to this thread.

I appear to have evoked the wrath of the cat nazis.

I hope you are not including me in that opinion. I offered perfectly reasonable and in my professional opinion correct advice, the same as I would have offered to you if you'd phoned up the surgery. If you chose to not follow it then fine that is obviously upto you.

Yes some replies on here were harsh but to be fair you did choose to ignore the majority. Just because the suggestions weren't what you wanted too hear don't then accuse us of being 'nazis'

After all that though I hope little Meg is healing well but please keep a check that it isn't an abscess that is going to flare up again. This WILL need antibiotics!