How to get greasy ointment residue off cat's bum before cone removal...?

[GraciesParent]

Hello!

Gracie licked her bum raw a couple of weeks ago. The the short version of the long story is: she had several days of anesthesia- and stress-induced diarrhea after a dental extraction, wound up with an impacted anal gland, and obsessively overgroomed the area.

She was given Topagen spray, and then switched to Otizole ointment (which is very oily) because she was terrified of the Topagen spray bottle.

Now, her bum is healing nicely, and the vet said I can likely stop the ointment and take the cone off in a few days... but I also need to clean the ointment residue off Gracie's bum/haunches first. Problem is, Gracie DOES NOT want me touching her behind -- I've tried wiping the area with a warm wet washcloth (esp. after she uses the litter box) and can only get one or two quick (but gentle) wipes in before she freaks out. Even getting the ointment *on* has to be done in short, quick swipes.

Does anyone have any suggestions on the best way to get that type ointment residue off what is clearly a very sensitive area?

It's greasy, so a quick wipe with a wet washcloth doesn't do it.

In a perfect world, her back end would get a good sudsy wash with cat shampoo... but that will never happen. She doesn't like being picked up or held, burrito-ing her is a no-go because she's like a squirrel and can't be caught (even with sneak attacks), and I live alone, so this will be a one-person cleaning operation.

Any tips would be hugely appreciated -- thank you in advance!

 

[FeebysOwner]

Hi. Did the vet tell you that you have to get the ointment residue off, and/or does the instructions that came with it state that it is necessary? Since the vet said to stop the ointment and then take the cone off in a few days, maybe you can use the same technique you used to apply the ointment to remove as much as you can over a few days before the cone is removed - this time just with a soft cloth and warm water. Perhaps, short quick swipes over 2-3 days might be enough to remove the residue.

I don't know where you are located or when your vet's office is open, but if you are really concerned about this, call the vet to confirm whether or not you need to remove the residue. If they tell you yes, maybe take Gracie to their office and a tech can probably clean it up for you.

 

[GraciesParent]

Yeah, it was the vet who told me to remove as much residue as I can before I take the cone off. I specifically asked because I thought, “Surely, she shouldn’t lick this stuff…”

 

[NekoM]

Its not easy in my experience, it’s mineral oil residue. The only thing that will help in a hurry is the Dawn detergent that’s used to remove oil from birds feathers. If it’s not toxic though it’ll break down on its own

 

[GraciesParent]

Thanks, NekoM -- the challenge is that she won't sit still. If she would just STAY PUT, I could just use cat shampoo (or Dawn or what have you). But it's like trying to catch a squirrel.

It may just be a matter of lots of fast, single wipes with a wet washcloth over an extended period of time. :-/ (Which, I only just now realized, is exactly what FeebysOwner suggested!)

 

[lollie]

Drop a towel over her while she’s sleeping and get her confined to that burrito. You’ll have to find a way to do this because this will likely not be the last time you have to hold her for a medical situation. Once they’ve had trouble with an anal gland, it can easily reoccur. From there, if wiping around the area is too difficult or causes her pain, try a bit of city shampoo and simply putting her bum under a running faucet on lukewarm. You can also ask your vet for a prescription of Gabapentin to help calm her.

 

[GraciesParent]

Yeah, the towel doesn’t work on her. And I have to do this on my own, so I only have one set of hands. I’ve been doing a little at a time over the past couple of days, which seems to be working. It’s much less stressful for her (and me) that way.