Help please. My cat's cone was too short and he damaged the neuter incision.

[Lily Scott]

My cat was neutered on Monday, one week ago. On Friday, i caught him licking his incision and i noticed his cone was too short. He licked it and there was something protruding out of it. I have been applying taro mupirocin ointment to it and yesterday on Sunday, i noticed it was bleeding again. It's Monday now and the area is hardening but there some yellow crust on the side. I'm worried sick and the vet is not an option. Please help. I have attached an image

 

[Furballsmom]

Hi
Did they supply the cone? If so, you'll want to talk to them and see if you can get a follow-up checkup with no charge. I would suggest that you need to talk to them in any case to tell them what actions you've taken.

 

[silent meowlook]

Hi. Don’t put anything on it. If you leave it alone it should be fine. Send these pics to your vet if you are worried.

 

[Lily Scott]

Hi
Did they supply the cone? If so, you'll want to talk to them and see if you can get a follow-up checkup with no charge. I would suggest that you need to talk to them in any case to tell them what actions you've taken.

Yes they gave me the cone. I went to them and they gave me a bigger size.

 

[Lily Scott]

Hi. Don’t put anything on it. If you leave it alone it should be fine. Send these pics to your vet if you are worried.

Oh. I thought taro mupirocin ointment prevents infection. Do you think the pictures i have attached look infected?

 

[silent meowlook]

Honestly you can do more damage with topical ointments as the cat will try to clean it off. It should be fine if left alone.

 

[Lily Scott]

Honestly you can do more damage with topical ointments as the cat will try to clean it off. It should be fine if left alone.

Okay. The damage seems to be bad and I'm worried he'll get an infection or some other kind of complication. The blood from yesterday is drying up

 

[silent meowlook]

It’s hard to tell in photos but why don’t you show them to your vet. Is he eating and drinking and acting normal? If you want to do something, you can warm compress the area with warm water on a wash cloth. But don’t get it too wet. I wouldn’t do anything if it was my cat.

 

[FeebysOwner]

I don't know what makes the vet not an option for you, but a vet is really your ONLY option. Please take him in and have them check it over. No one here is going to be able to tell you via a pic how bad it is, if there is damage that needs to be addressed, or how to treat it.

 

[silent meowlook]

The vet that performed the surgery has to recheck the surgery site for free if you have concerns.

 

[Lily Scott]

The vet that performed the surgery has to recheck the surgery site for free if you have concerns.

I called the vet, they said I'd have to pay the office visit fee

 

[FeebysOwner]

I called the vet, they said I'd have to pay the office visit fee

Did they say why, or if it is a discounted amount based on a follow-up after-surgery check? Did you also offer the information about how they gave you too small of a cone that enabled him to reach his incision? I don't know if he had it on him when you picked him up, but if he did, certainly they could tell it wasn't going to work.

 

[Lily Scott]

Did they say why, or if it is a discounted amount based on a follow-up after-surgery check? Did you also offer the information about how they gave you too small of a cone that enabled him to reach his incision? I don't know if he had it on him when you picked him up, but if he did, certainly they could tell it wasn't going to work.

No, they didn't tell me any reason they told me it was the regular price. When I went to pick my cat up they gave me a paper that stated to come back if the cone was too small so i did, but it was too late he had already licked the incision

 

[FeebysOwner]

When I went to pick my cat up they gave me a paper that stated to come back if the cone was too small so i did, but it was too late he had already licked the incision

I don't know what to tell you other than they suspected the cone was too small and gave it to you anyway. That is fine that they told you come get a bigger one, but how were you to know that it was too small until he was able to lick the incision and cause an issue? Maybe you can talk to an office manager and explain the circumstances to see what they say. Personally, besides trying to get this resolved for the sake of your cat, I am not sure you don't need to be finding another vet, at least for the future.

Do you have any friends/family/neighbors/co-workers that might have a vet that could be willing to take a look at his incision? Unfortunately, it would still cost you a vet visit fee. Might be a better choice in the long run.

 

[Lily Scott]

I don't know what to tell you other than they suspected the cone was too small and gave it to you anyway. That is fine that they told you come get a bigger one, but how were you to know that it was too small until he was able to lick the incision and cause an issue? Maybe you can talk to an office manager and explain the circumstances to see what they say. Personally, besides trying to get this resolved for the sake of your cat, I am not sure you don't need to be finding another vet, at least for the future.

Do you have any friends/family/neighbors/co-workers that might have a vet that could be willing to take a look at his incision? Unfortunately, it would still cost you a vet visit fee. Might be a better choice in the long run.

Alright. Thank you for your advice

 

[Furballsmom]

Just in case anything here might be of help;

No Money For Vet Care? How To Find Help And Save Your Cat's Life - TheCatSite

Be sure and scroll all the way down the page;
Are you having trouble affording your pet?

 

[silent meowlook]

Hi. Are you in the US? They have to recheck a surgery at no charge if they did the surgery.
Did you speak t the vet or office staff? If office staff did they put you on hold or answer right away?
Call them back and say you need to speak with whoever is answering the phone’s manager. The first thing you tell them is that you are concerned regarding the neuter surgery site and that you would appreciate them checking the incision to give you some peace of mind. Ask when you can bring your cat in today to do this.

If this doesn’t work, tell me the state you are in and we’ll go from there.

 

[Lily Scott]

Just in case anything here might be of help;

No Money For Vet Care? How To Find Help And Save Your Cat's Life - TheCatSite

Be sure and scroll all the way down the page;
Are you having trouble affording your pet?

Thank you do much

 

[Lily Scott]

Hi. Are you in the US? They have to recheck a surgery at no charge if they did the surgery.
Did you speak t the vet or office staff? If office staff did they put you on hold or answer right away?
Call them back and say you need to speak with whoever is answering the phone’s manager. The first thing you tell them is that you are concerned regarding the neuter surgery site and that you would appreciate them checking the incision to give you some peace of mind. Ask when you can bring your cat in today to do this.

If this doesn’t work, tell me the state you are in and we’ll go from there.

I am in Canada

 

[silent meowlook]

OK. I don’t know the laws there. How is he looking today?