Does This Look Infected? Abscess Not Healing

[di and bob]

A small amount of blood is normal drainage and is desired. It should have some watery blood mixed in. The antibiotics take at least three days to kick in and should start helping soon. If you can't get a dose given make sure you extend the days given by another day. all has to be given on pills.
I myself request liquid antibiotics, much easier to hide in tuna juice. Pills I get some Pill Pockets and tear a little piece off and 'glue' the pill to the inside of a piece of bacon, my cats cannot resist bacon. It may take a few pieces, but it works. you can try hiding the pill in a tiny amount of tuna and see if she will gobble it down. If it is a capsule, you might call the vet and see if you can open it and pour it in a SMALL amount of tuna for her to eat. If she is impossible like one of my cats was, (request a liquid saying she is impossible to pill), lift her front feet off the ground by the scruff on the back of her neck (instantly quiets them) and squirt it in the side of her mouth. works very well and is quick and saves a lot of blood (from you!)

 

[blumarine916]

I only notice the blood if she sits on my sofa or see a spot on the floor so yeah, just very small amount. I keep telling myself it is a good thing since the swollen lump is going to drain soon. Should I keep wiping her with a cotton pad or just let it be? That’s what I’m doing each time I see a spot and it’s annoying her Strangely, she hasn’t taken a nap since we came home from the clinic. Usually she naps all afternoon.

Sadly, Pill Pockets are not sold here. But I will try to squeeze the pill into a her favorite treat and hope she doesn’t notice. I tried putting in her food once which was a bad idea since she refused to eat after that.

But won’t a cat foam at the mouth if you use liquid? I remember giving her liquid medicine when she was 3 months old. Splattered it all over the floor (and my clothes) that I’m not sure if anything even went down.

 

[di and bob]

That's why their front feet are lifted off the ground to quiet them. Then try to squirt into the side of the mouth, not on the tongue, they could aspirate. This is just for extreme cases, 99% of my cats will take liquid mixed in a little amount of tuna juice so they lap it all up, much easier. Then i feed the rest of the tuna. A little more pricey then, but well worth it!

 

[Kflowers]

If you can't wrap the cat as a purrito (see ytube instructions) and want to, cut a hole in the center of a thick towel to slip it poncho style over your cat's head. Then wrap the towel around the cat.

I wouldn't put the cone back on. As Di and bob said, your cat's washing is helping matters. It doesn't sound as though kit's obsessively washing, just washing enough to keep it clean and draining.

 

[blumarine916]

Burrito failed! She was hissing, growling and spitting when I tried to wrap the towel around her. The other pilling method also failed. Pill popper failed. Scruffed her to lift up her front feet didn’t work because she was tossing her head! She was tossing her head so violently and snapping her jaw that it scared me. I’m still shaking with frustration and anger. My bf isn’t good at handling her when she screamed, he let her go. Now we’re both mad.

These are the times when I really feel like tossing her out the window and get on with my life. I really hate this right now

As for the wound, whenever she licks it will bleed a spot. Then stop. The next time she licks it again a few hours later the same happens. Is this normal?

 

[Kieka]

As for the wound, whenever she licks it will bleed a spot. Then stop. The next time she licks it again a few hours later the same happens. Is this normal?

Completely normal and good.

 

[di and bob]

Yes normal. Some cats are just impossible to pill. I feel for you, I used to get sick to my stomach when one cat I had needed medication....Call and discuss it with your vet or bring in a picture of the wound and ask if the antibiotic can be stopped. There are some situations where trying to pill a cat may be more hurtful and stressful then then the possibility of infection. Many of my ferals heal without antibiotics, but some don't. There is always risk.On a feral that I bring in that I know I won't be able to get antibiotic down, I have the vet give an antibiotic injection. One shot, lasts a week and it is done. A little pricey, usually around 40.00 and it is not as effective, but on those certain cats well worth it! Ask your vet about it!

 

[blumarine916]

Yes normal. Some cats are just impossible to pill. I feel for you, I used to get sick to my stomach when one cat I had needed medication....Call and discuss it with your vet or bring in a picture of the wound and ask if the antibiotic can be stopped. There are some situations where trying to pill a cat may be more hurtful and stressful then then the possibility of infection. Many of my ferals heal without antibiotics, but some don't. There is always risk.On a feral that I bring in that I know I won't be able to get antibiotic down, I have the vet give an antibiotic injection. One shot, lasts a week and it is done. A little pricey, usually around 40.00 and it is not as effective, but on those certain cats well worth it! Ask your vet about it!

I guess my cat falls into that “impossible to pill” category. I bought her favorite treat just now. It’s called Vitakraft Catstick..a chewy stick in fish flavor. I opened it up and pushed the pill inside, then squished it close. I gave her the empty one first. My heart was racing when I gave her the 2nd piece with the pill inside. She bit off half, I saw the pill there and thought she was going to notice and ignore it DX Thank god she ate it up! I am so relieved! I hope I can use this trick for the next 6 days.

The wound looks red and raw right now. She doesn’t lick it that much but I’m really hoping for it to look less raw in the next few days.

 

[Kflowers]

If she doesn't eat the pill in the treat, and I've had them lick the baby food off pill crumbles and leave the crumbles, take her back to the vet. If you don't get the long lasting shot, you can get the kennel crew to pill the cat. It shouldn't cost much, if anything.

I had one I had to take in to be pilled, even his 'tastes like milkshake' worm pills. It's really better for everyone when they fight this much.

 

[Kieka]

Her reopening it is good. Just keep cleaning it as much as she will allow so it stays clean.

 

[blumarine916]

If she doesn't eat the pill in the treat, and I've had them lick the baby food off pill crumbles and leave the crumbles, take her back to the vet. If you don't get the long lasting shot, you can get the kennel crew to pill the cat. It shouldn't cost much, if anything.

I had one I had to take in to be pilled, even his 'tastes like milkshake' worm pills. It's really better for everyone when they fight this much.

That’s what the vet told me. It doesn’t cost that much just that I can’t make it before they close for the day. It’s also inconvenient due to the distance. Let’s hope this trick goes unnoticed.

 

[blumarine916]

Her reopening it is good. Just keep cleaning it as much as she will allow so it stays clean.

Ok. Will keep watching. I can only do quick dab cleaning since she starts growling if I take too long. I’m currently just using cotton dipped in warm water. Is that sufficient?

Also, should I put any creams/wound spray on it? She’ll lick it off though since she’s not in the cone anymore.

 

[Kflowers]

Don't use any creams unless your vet okays them. Kit is keeping it clean.

Don't use nu-skin or anything like that. It will close the wound more completely than the stitches did.

 

[blumarine916]

Got it. This vet didn’t give any creams.

I’m still peeved when he told me the previous vet should not have stitched the abscess shut. I wonder if the stitched up one will cause problems again later. Sigh...

 

[Kflowers]

Once the infection clears up, which kit is working on diligently and well herself, there should be no lasting effects. Much like catching a cold or the flu, you get over it and never think about it again.

 

[blumarine916]

Dang...I think she knows about the medicine in her treat. She’s ate the empty one but ignored the one with the pill. Looks like she won’t be pilled today.

 

[Kflowers]

Okay, time to try other things. Does she like wet food? Use that. I had luck feeding antibiotics to my stray I couldn't catch with wet food. Baby food - this is a possible - a teaspoon of baby food and crumble the pill into it. You use little so she'll eat it all. Some pills won't crumble.

Butter, peanut butter, cake - some cats like cake even though they aren't supposed to be able to taste sweet, I think it's the texture, pudding, ice cream?

 

[Kflowers]

Did you try the towel poncho I suggested in post #24? I was afraid you were too done in to notice it. It's way easier than the burrito, once the kit's head is through the hole the towel is wrapping her up and she shouldn't be able to get her legs free. Basically, you make a cat bag in one swoop and scoop.

BF should be less afraid of her this way. (The cat explosion is supposed to terrify enemies. But now that he's experienced it, he shouldn't be as afraid. Though, I admit SG pulled one on me which involved her flying four feet and six to the side from lying flat on the ground. Almost jammed a finger, she did. I'd forgotten. Tell him he'll forget and won't be scared emotionally for life.)

 

[blumarine916]

Yup. Made a little towel scarf but she just refused to have anything caped over her. It’s not only her paws I’m worried about. It’s how she snaps her mouth and tosses head from side to side when I try to hold her jaw open just enough to drop the medicine. She’s just so impossible

She eats wet food everyday. I feed both cats half a can for breakfast and dinner together with kibbles. If she doesn’t eat wet food regularly it would be so much easier since she’s more likely to gobble it up. I crumbled it into her meal then she stopped eating when she smelled it. I have to throw it away because my other cat might eat it by accident.

I made another attempt to directly pill her about 30 minutes ago. She ran all around the house to finally hide under the bed

I will try again tomorrow with fried chicken.

 

[Kflowers]

human baby food is, generally, considered a high value treat in the cat world. In fact, many use it as the first close communication with feral kittens, and the fastest way to tame them.

Sorry the poncho didn't work. As I said, I had one I had to take to the vet for all medicines. It is as it is.