Minor Head Injury?

[MsPrudence]

I noticed what looks and feels like a round, hard scab on Sylvia's forehead. She's blind (no eyes) and is 8 months old and goes crazy at playtime, and it's very possible she bumped her head into something while playing with her brother. She's been eating, playing, sleeping, and acting like normal. Do I need to book a vet appt or is this something I can monitor at home?

 

[Furballsmom]

When did you first see it? I noticed some crud by where her eyes would be, which again might just be normal but when was she last into the vet?

 

[MsPrudence]

I noticed it last night. She had her eyes removed 2.5 months ago, I adopted her 2 months ago, and she was last in the vet a little less than two months ago for her spay surgery. She's had crud in her eyes the whole time I've had her.

 

[Margret]

The "crud" appears to be the color that cat tears turn when exposed to the air; the feline equivalent of human "sleep in your eyes." Does it always start out this color?

If it's scabbed over the injury isn't completely new; it's had a day or two (or more) to start healing. Is there any kind of lump around it? Absent a lump, and with no behavior changes, I'm inclined to think that this was a simple scrape, which is healing normally. Is she due for an after-surgery check-up any time soon?

Margret

 

[MsPrudence]

It starts out a little weepy, but is always muddy brownish. It crusts over, and eventually it falls or is groomed off. Both her eye sockets do this, but her right one more so. Both she and her brother had stubborn URIs when I adopted them, but neither have had any symptoms (sneezing, runny nose) for nearly a month.

 

[Margret]

We cross posted while I was editing. Has the vet said anything about the discharge?

If it's scabbed over the injury isn't completely new; it's had a day or two (or more) to start healing. Is there any kind of lump around it? Absent a lump, and with no behavior changes, I'm inclined to think that this was a simple scrape, which is healing normally. Is she due for an after-surgery check-up any time soon?

Margret

 

[MsPrudence]

The discharge didn't start until her eye stitches came out, which occured during her spay. She had dissolving stitches on her stomach, so she hasn't been back in since. She's consistently had the brown eye boogers with no real fluctutation or changes, I figured it was a normal thing with eyeless cats.

 

[MsPrudence]

There's no swelling around the scab, although the scab itself is raised. It's definitely healed over a bit, and I haven't noticed anything different about her behavior. In fact, she's been going absolutely nuts playing with the little ball of yarn I made her after getting home from the yarn store last night

 

[Margret]

Don't ya just love it when your post doesn't show up immediately so you post again?

What, if anything, has the vet said about the discharge? Is she due for a checkup any time soon?

Margret

 

[Furballsmom]

On the eye crud I was just wondering if there was anything else going on but you and Margret have it squared away, I think

 

[Margret]

I'm more concerned about the eye discharge than the scrape; I think you should definitely be asking the vet about that. It sounds like the stitches haven't healed properly, and that could be extremely serious, leading to an infection. If the vet says it's okay, ask him to explain what's going on, then make your own judgment about his credibility; sometimes doctors (of all stripes, including veterinarians) get defensive for stupid reasons, but as the cat parent you have the final say over what veterinarian you employ. If you're uncertain, ask for a second opinion.

Margret