Hi! I'm a long time reader/vistitor, but just registered for advise on help with my poor Dave..
David is my almost-10yr. old all-white cat who is a such a shy, loving friend. Two weeks ago today, I tried to cut a horrible mat out from the side of his back, and inadvertantly cut a chunk of skin off!
It was not bleeding at all, was less than half of the diameter of a penny, just pink flesh exposed..I IMMEDIATELY called the emergency clinic, explained and asked what to do, if I should bring him in. They told me it was not necessary, that I probably just cut the first couple layers of skin off (no blood), and just to WATCH it, and not to put ANYTHING on it, just make sure he wasn't licking it (he hadn't in this whole 2 weeks licked it).
So the next day, it looked like it was healing, as the fur was covering most of it, and it was not bloody, oozing, etc. I checked it everyday, NEVER any moisture, never smelled funny, the only thing was, it was very hard and felt crusty underneath his fur, which after a few days, completly covered it. I thought the hard crusty feel was just the scab forming, as we humans have scabs.
Today I came home, and he was acting funny (running, hiding) which he does once in a while because I'm treating (very effectively with Lactulose and an all-wet diet) his chronic constipation problem he's had for 3 yrs. But when he ran past me, I saw the side of him all bloody and puss..I immediately called the emergency clinic and told them I was coming in.
So, they shaved his wound, gave him shot of antibiotics, and put 2 or 3 staples in, placed a soft elizabethan collar on, gave me some Clavamox, and sent us home, but I was hoping for some advise on the following:
1. Can I leave the collar on for the whole 2 weeks his staples are in? Has anyone else left one on this long? He's miserable with it, but I live alone and fear I won't be able to put it back on. They said I can take it off when I'm home with him, just to make sure he doesn't lick it..but is it ok just to leave it on for 2 weeks? Will he use the litterbox with it on? What about his grooming?
2. He has some blood oozing out now, I called the vet, they said that's normal, but not to flush it with hydrogen peroxide..? I'm not sure why I'm not supposed to put something on the wound daily, but they said not to (?)
3. Will he be ok? He's just been laying on my bed since I brought him home, not coming downstairs with me..I just have a bad feeling about this whole thing, don't know if I'm being paranoid or not and am requesting some advise from maybe some of you who have gone through something similar with their cat companions..
Thanks so much..
Steph
David is my almost-10yr. old all-white cat who is a such a shy, loving friend. Two weeks ago today, I tried to cut a horrible mat out from the side of his back, and inadvertantly cut a chunk of skin off!
So the next day, it looked like it was healing, as the fur was covering most of it, and it was not bloody, oozing, etc. I checked it everyday, NEVER any moisture, never smelled funny, the only thing was, it was very hard and felt crusty underneath his fur, which after a few days, completly covered it. I thought the hard crusty feel was just the scab forming, as we humans have scabs.
Today I came home, and he was acting funny (running, hiding) which he does once in a while because I'm treating (very effectively with Lactulose and an all-wet diet) his chronic constipation problem he's had for 3 yrs. But when he ran past me, I saw the side of him all bloody and puss..I immediately called the emergency clinic and told them I was coming in.
So, they shaved his wound, gave him shot of antibiotics, and put 2 or 3 staples in, placed a soft elizabethan collar on, gave me some Clavamox, and sent us home, but I was hoping for some advise on the following:
1. Can I leave the collar on for the whole 2 weeks his staples are in? Has anyone else left one on this long? He's miserable with it, but I live alone and fear I won't be able to put it back on. They said I can take it off when I'm home with him, just to make sure he doesn't lick it..but is it ok just to leave it on for 2 weeks? Will he use the litterbox with it on? What about his grooming?
2. He has some blood oozing out now, I called the vet, they said that's normal, but not to flush it with hydrogen peroxide..? I'm not sure why I'm not supposed to put something on the wound daily, but they said not to (?)
3. Will he be ok? He's just been laying on my bed since I brought him home, not coming downstairs with me..I just have a bad feeling about this whole thing, don't know if I'm being paranoid or not and am requesting some advise from maybe some of you who have gone through something similar with their cat companions..
Thanks so much..
Steph