Tipped ear healing time? TNR question

tutubean

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Hello! My TNR'd boy is doing very well. It's been a week since his surgery and he's showed up every single day.
He's a true panther cat with grey skin and all black fur. At first, the new edge of his cut left ear was grey (just like his shaved butt! ha) but now it's raw (pink and red) and I could have sworn I saw "something extra" (maybe a scab?) that is now gone. It is not puffy or oozing as far as I can see, and he isn't scratching/rubbing that I've seen, so I'm assuming he's fine. But this is my first TNR and I'm a paranoid feral cat mama. Just wondering what everyone here has seen with their cats. Thanks!
 

Jcatbird

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Nothing oozing? Hmmm. I’ve had a lot of ear tipping done but not had an issue but the ones I had done were kept inside afterwards. Kitty may be scratching or washing it and keeping it agitated.It’s pink? Pink and raw are two different issues maybe? If it is raw I would be a little concerned. Can you post a photo? Can you catch kitty of touch him? If you can I would say to do the sniff test too. Any odors would be a concern. You can call the vet and ask. If you can get medicine into or on him, some antibiotics might be in order. It might be a slight infection but only a vet can really answer that. If you live in an area of mosquitos, they could be after that area. Flies could be too. Have you seen any flies around his ear? I don’t hear much about the ear tipping being a problem but definitely, I would get photos, get a closer look if possible and call the vet for information and advice. I hope he’s just been keeping it clean as the edge heals. Do keep us updated please.
 
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tutubean

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He's shy and I can't get too close usually, but I'll try to get photos. Best I can describe it is a thin pink fleshy strip with an extremely thin dark red scab-like line in the middle of it. All very thin because it's just the ear tip. We do indeed have flies and mosquitoes around, but there really isn't much I can do about that. Best I can do is watch him. Thankfully, he's around all the time lately.
 

Jcatbird

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Being outside is very different than being inside. I would guess that he is being bugged by inspected near the ear. That would make him swipe at it and maybe wash or scratch more so some pink doesn’t seem unreasonable. I have some photos of an ear tip at about two days and then a week. I do see some pink at first.
41FCDACF-64C5-4C3D-B0D0-834A07FFEDE6.jpeg
C5402BD0-927C-4F17-9011-446F3CCCAA12.jpeg

A little dry scab remained here but the pink was not very evident anymore.
I hope these help but if you can get photos, that’s a great way to zoom in for a look. For you, for us and , most imporatantly, to send in to the vet if you are concerned. Email or text the photos if you think something needs to be done by the vet.
02B989D9-4E14-4BE0-96AD-E72D5FBEA16A.jpeg
 
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tutubean

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Here's the best photo I could get. I think it looks scabbed which is good. I suppose it's normal. It may look like a huge chunk was cut off but it's a normal amount.

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fionasmom

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Aww he let you get a pic...what a sweetie and so handsome. It looks like a typical ear tip to me; for some reason the first pic does look like his ear was sliced in half but I can see from the second one that it was not that much. I would just watch it. I have never had an ear tip not heal even in the ferals who had to be released very quickly after the surgery.
 

Jcatbird

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The white bits around his ear is dirt or leaf debris? If it has already been a week, just to be certain, I would send the pics to the vet. He may have been scratching at it and kept the scab from forming and staying. This time of year , flies can get around it too.
 
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tutubean

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His ear tip looks less red today. Will keep monitoring.
 
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tutubean

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Update: his ear looks normal now. It really just scabbed weirdly I think! his sister's ear is much better, but they both had this weird "flap" when it was fresh that seemingly fell off a week after TNR 🤷‍♀️

Anyway, all is well and let this be an educational post for anyone else being a mother hen to their TNR cats lol
 
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