How To Treat A Cat Abscess
Introduction
Feline abscesses are a common cat wound that infects the tissue around a bite or scratch. If left untreated, it can lead to severe illness and even death. Fortunately, though, there are some ways to care for your cat at home and make sure they stay healthy! So how do you treat an abscess on a cat? The first thing you need to do is clean out any pus from the wound then disinfect it with peroxide. Next, take your pet to see their veterinarian so they can prescribe antibiotics which will help fight off infection in addition to making sure there aren’t any other problems like bone fractures or internal bleeding. Finally, if all these steps have been taken care of successfully then congratulations!
Clean the wound
Now that you’ve removed the hair, wash the wound with soap and water. Use a clean cloth to dry it. Afterward, apply an antibiotic ointment or cream to help prevent infection (you can also use petroleum jelly). Next, cover the abscess with gauze and secure it in place using medical tape or bandages. Make sure you check your cat’s wound daily for signs of infection—if you see redness, swelling or pus around the area (or if you notice more of these symptoms than usual), contact your vet immediately.
See the vet
If you notice your cat has an open wound, take them to the vet as soon as possible. A vet can tell you how to treat an abscess and might need to drain it.
If your cat is already experiencing the symptoms of an abscess (painful swelling), they may be treated with antibiotics by their veterinarian. The antibiotic will help prevent infection during the healing process and reduce inflammation in surrounding tissue.
Antibiotics
Antibiotics are an important part of the treatment of cat abscesses. Antibiotics help to prevent the infection from spreading, treat the infection, and keep your cat healthy so that he or she doesn’t get sick more often than is necessary.
The medication will be prescribed by your veterinarian after an examination and blood tests have been performed on your pet. It may take several days for it to become effective against all forms of bacteria present in your animal’s body; however, once it has begun working (and not before then) you should see signs of improvement such as lessening pain or swelling at the site where pus is being produced.
Drainage tube
The drainage tube is used to drain pus from the abscess. It’s made of soft plastic and inserted into the incision in your pet’s skin. The tube allows you to drain all of the pus out of an abscess, which will help to relieve its pain and heal faster.
The drainage tube is removed after a few days or when it stops draining constantly (depending on how fast your cat heals).
Take them home!
If you’ve decided to keep your cat at home, there are several steps that you can take to ensure the abscess heals properly.
- Keep the cat comfortable. A warm, quiet environment with access to food and water is ideal for any sick pet.
- Keep them stress-free. If possible, keep other pets away from the infected area until it has healed completely (this could be up to two weeks after treatment). Use barriers like a box or crate if necessary so your other animals don’t aggravate the abscess by playing too roughly with it or licking it excessively.
Awareness of cat abscesses and how to treat them can help you prevent and cure them
Awareness of cat abscesses and how to treat them can help you prevent and cure them.
What causes cat abscesses?
Cat abscesses are caused by bacteria that enter the skin through scratches or bites, feline acne, a previous surgery site, or even an insect wound. The bacterial infection grows in the hair follicle (the hole where your cat’s hair grows out of) until it gets big enough for you to see it.
How do you diagnose cat abscesses?
There are several signs that indicate your cat may have an abscess:
- Your pet is lethargic and/or not eating well
- He has a fever (his temperature will be higher than normal)
- You notice swelling on his body or face
Conclusion
It’s important to know how to treat a cat abscess so you can prevent them or cure them in the future. Our best advice is to keep your cat indoors if they’re unneutered, and make sure they are up-to-date on all their vaccines. We wish you the best of luck with any abscesses your cats may have! Hopefully we’ve given you enough information here to get started on treating them yourself.