Belly wound

[Shretkat]

Hi there cat people!
I got my first cat 3 months ago and I’m slowly finding my way. I don’t know what information is relevant so I’m giving the whole story, sorry if I’m being wordy.
Luna came to me as a 6 years old female and not spayed. I took her to get spayed 3 weeks ago, she hated the vet and the cone, but regained her footing gradually. So a week ago I took her cone off after she had it on for 2 weeks.
She immediately went into super grooming mode, and wouldn’t let me anywhere close when she was doing it (hissing and growling). After about 15 minutes she stopped and I saw a pretty big open wound on her belly. It’s not the spay incision site, which she actually left alone. It’s on the patch of shaved skin above the spay site, it was raw and red and looked kind of like an open bedsore on old people? So I called the vet right away and they said to put the cone back on. She hated that I had to do that and I was traumatized too by having to hold an animal down against her will , she peed on my bed that night and I can’t blame her...
I took her to the vet the next day and they said to keep the cone on until it heals, they gave her a shot of antibiotics that’s supposed to last 2 weeks. They also took urine sample just in case peeing on the bed was due to infection, which came back clear.
The vet was however unconvinced that she licked that big of a wound open herself and I have no answer for that since I definitely checked her belly before taking her cone off. He said I can take the cone off again when the scab falls off but I’m now scared to do so. Also the scab is showing no sign of falling off...
She really hates the cone and I really wish I can take it off as soon as possible. So my question is how long does it take for a wound like this to heal completely so she won’t open it again immediately after I take the cone off? And why would she lick so hard on her bare skin?

I’m attaching a picture of the wound.
Any advise would be appreciated, thank you!

 

[vince]

It probably itches, and she doesn't know enough to leave it alone. 10 days or so should give it time to heal. That's how long they usually say for a spay incision. Do confirm with the vet, though. As an alternative to the cone, maybe you could use a large sweat sock as a onesie for her?

 

[FeebysOwner]

Hi! Poor Luna - and you! Did the vet give you anything to put on the wound to help heal it and perhaps reduce the itchiness? If you don't get any wound care meds from the vet, you can try to use chamomile tea. Just buy tea bags from your local grocery store, which are generally all German (you don't want English, and get ones with no additives/flavorings), brew a bag in water, cool the liquid and use cotton balls or a soft cloth to dab it on the wound. You can do this several times a day, and it is safe for her to lick. The tea has both soothing and healing properties.

A surgical recovery suit might work and let Luna get rid of the cone. See the link below for some different options through Amazon. I would imagine a local pet store near you would also have some for you to check out.

Amazon.com: surgical suit for cats

Btw - Here are some TCS articles you might like to have for reference!!

First-time Cat Owner’s Guide – Cat Articles

Why Do Cats…? The Ultimate Guide To Feline Behavior – Cat Articles

 

[fionasmom]

Since it is not the spay incision, and since you did very carefully leave the cone on, I think that your vet showed less than appropriate concern, but that is water under the bridge. My animals all hate cones and I never use them no matter what the procedure, but that is just me and I always tell the vet I take full responsibility for their care. As was suggested, google surgical suits or onesies, and you can also check out the alternative style of cones which are available. They may not may not work, especially at this point, but there are so soft ones almost like pillows.

 

[Shretkat]

Oooh the surgical suits look nice, I’m definitely getting one for her.
The vet didn’t really give me any care advice for her wound. She usually wouldn’t let me touch her belly, but I’ll try the chamomile tea thing see how well she tolerates it.
Thank you all for answering me!

 

[PushPurrCatPaws]

Since it is not the spay incision, and since you did very carefully leave the cone on, I think that your vet showed less than appropriate concern, but that is water under the bridge. ...

I agree here, and I wonder if you might consider taking her to another vet for a 2nd opinion?

 

[EmersonandEvie]

I used chamomile tea on my mom's cat when she had a spot similar to Luna's on her back leg. I put it in a small spray bottle (like what a facial toner would come in, not a Windex/cleaner sized bottle) and sprayed in on her leg. If Luna won't tolerate you touching her belly, the spray bottle method may work for you.

 

[Shretkat]

I agree here, and I wonder if you might consider taking her to another vet for a 2nd opinion?

Thank you! I just called another vet office that my friend recommended and spoke with a vet nurse. She said at this point there’s nothing they would recommend to do differently, but if she opens the wound again when I take the cone off they would recommend a visit.
However they said they don’t recommend the onesies because it might be irritating and make the belly area more sensitive when she gets access to it again...but I already ordered it so I’ll see how soft the material is when it arrives. Good thing I also ordered a soft cone too just in case

 

[Shretkat]

I used chamomile tea on my mom's cat when she had a spot similar to Luna's on her back leg. I put it in a small spray bottle (like what a facial toner would come in, not a Windex/cleaner sized bottle) and sprayed in on her leg. If Luna won't tolerate you touching her belly, the spray bottle method may work for you.

That’s such a good idea, I do have a small travel size toner bottle that I can use. Thank you!

 

[Shretkat]

Hi all I have some distressing updates and came for more advices and counsels.

I never ended up using the chamomile tea externally because she wouldn’t let me apply it at all, so I only gave it to her in her water. I switched her cone to a soft cone and she promptly peed on the couch...After 2 weeks I took the cone off again and she didn’t bother the scab so I was relieved and thought that would be the end of it.

Now a week as passed and the scab fell off on its own, yet I guess the skin was weak so tonight she opened it AGAIN at the same spot, even a larger size (I can’t take a picture because she wouldn’t show me her belly anymore)
Because how she hated the cones I tried to put on the onesie I got her, she struggled so much I had some injuries and she was immobilized by it so I ended up taking it off. Then I tried the soft cone but she wouldn’t let me near her anymore.
So basically I have a soft cone but I literally cannot physically put the cone on her again, probably not without a second person (I live alone). I tried the back of the neck and the wrapping with a towel thing but she just explodes. I’ve never had a pet before so I’m clumsy at handling animals for sure and she really puts on the fight of her life. Also now I feel like whatever bond we had for the past 3 months is completely damaged
I’m taking her to the vet tomorrow (will be a fight again) but for tonight I’m so worried that she’s going to do more damage. I’m distracting her right now with toys and kitty TV when she tries to go back to grooming her belly, but after I go to bed for sure she’s going to go after it again. Maybe I won’t go to bed...

I am so incredibly stressed out right now, she as well. I really don’t know what to do at all. I suppose if we survive tonight, tomorrow the vet would put the cone on her again and probably give her another antibiotics shot, but what if this just keep happening over and over again?

Thank you for reading everything, any advice would be great, happy holidays.

 

[fionasmom]

I am sorry to say that I don't have any new advice; hopefully someone does. I just wanted to acknowledge that you really have tried hard with this and what is happening is not your fault. As you said, the vet will put the cone on again and give her a shot. Try to address with him what else can be done. I remember saying that I thought your vet was less than concerned, but maybe this time he will try harder to help you solve this. Always on a holiday.......

 

[FeebysOwner]

Is there any chance you could pick a small dose of Gabapentin for the vet trip tomorrow - to help ease her stress and calm her a bit? Maybe even a small dose today to help with her obvious irritation/obsession with her belly. It doesn't hurt to call and ask.

 

[Shretkat]

We just came back from the vet. He said it’s not a raw wound but granular tissue, and it needs to be left alone for 3 more weeks considering her persistence.
The cone is back on and she had the antibiotics shot. I got a Antibiotic/anti-inflammatory cream to put on her belly twice a day.
We also discovered some patches of similar granular/scabby tissues on her lower chest. They felt like hard scabs hidden in her fur on the skin. It’s an area she doesn’t let me touch ever so I didn’t even know it was here. I don’t know how long that’s been going on, or what caused it. The vet couldn’t tell me much either he just said it’s weird that she has them since she’s indoor only, but the antibiotics and the cone should fix it, and I just need to wait for them to fall off...

Honestly I’m not too sure about him anymore...I probably will take her to see another vet after the holidays.

For now it’s just cone melancholy again, she can’t seem to bring herself to jump with the soft cone, I hope she can adjust.
Also readying myself for more pee...gonna need some of that chamomile tea for myself lol

 

[fionasmom]

A second opinion might be a good idea but I hope that possibly this will resolve itself this time around.

 

[blumarine916]

Cats will never like the cone but you have to be strong and ignore the excessive drama your cat puts up when she’s in the cone. I used the cone when my cats were spayed. Last year, one of the had an abscess on her butt which needed stitches. So I had to put the cone on her for 2 weeks. She was miserable and kept meowing for me to remove it. I did. Then she began tearing the stitches and it was a nightmare to get it back on since it was those plastic ones that had to be put through her head. By then she was so pissed at me I couldn’t even fasten it properly. I ended up using sticky tape to hold the cone together until I found a better one with soft collar. This one is easily put on with a button so I put this on her for 2 weeks until the stitches were removed.

3 months later she got the abscess again on the same spot. Back to the cone again. And this year again with the abscess and I let her wear it a whole month! It’s heartbreaking to see her so miserable but give her lots of cuddles and pats. She’ll get used to it and adapt to the inconvenience.

Just remember that you want her to recover completely and not spend more money/time/gas going to the vet again.

Keep the cone on and move forward. It will give you peace of mind that your cat isn’t destroying her wound when you are sleeping. Don’t worry...the scab will fall off on its own when it’s dried enough.

 

[MissClouseau]

We also discovered some patches of similar granular/scabby tissues on her lower chest. They felt like hard scabs hidden in her fur on the skin. It’s an area she doesn’t let me touch ever so I didn’t even know it was here. I don’t know how long that’s been going on, or what caused it. The vet couldn’t tell me much either he just said it’s weird that she has them since she’s indoor only,

If the patches were there before the surgery, they would have seen it at the physical exam. But if they didn't, then it's really bad job on the vet's side. They didn't properly examine her before the surgery then. If it happened after the surgery, I wonder if it happened when she was waking up from anesthesia. They are more likely to injure themselves as for a while they don't feel much and can hurt themselves. That's why, where I live at least, they don't let them outside of the clinic before they are fully awake.

Also for the future, if you need to put the cone again or a onesie, etc, you may get help from the vet clinic. It doesn't have to be the vet but someone else working there might help. Personally I would suggest that to not damage the bound between you and the cat, and to not stress out the cat (or yourself) for a longer period of time. Just don't forget a gesture to thank them later :-)