My cat's abscess won't heal. What to do if I can't afford a vet?

I am so sorry to hear about Fritz. It is an unusual presentation for sure, as we commonly see abscesses around this area in cats but it is unusual to see them symmetrical (if that is what you are describing), we would also worry about an infection in the root of the tooth, lymph nodes, or salivary glands. Unfortunately your cat require veterinary care, this is not something you can treat at home. You will have to figure out a way to get him into a vet. This may involve finding a clinic that is lower cost- some humane societies or animal protective leagues have lower cost clinics available. Some clinics work with companies such as Care Credit to allow you to charge your bill and pay in monthly installments, and there are some funds for cases where pets need care and owners cannot afford it, or some people even pawn belongings or borrow from friends or family in these cases. You can read this article for more ideas on how to afford veterinary care: https://veterinarypartner.vin.com/default.aspx?pid=19239&id=4951489 . I would also recommend keeping him indoors until this clears up as with these wounds he would be predisposed to getting fly strike/maggots.

Poor cat! There are no photos attached so I can't see what this wounds look like but I can say that if there is pus, it's infected. This cannot be treated at home, he has to see a vet as soon as possible. If you can't afford a vet, I can give you some financial resources that may help help you. Your other choice is to take him into the local SPCA. They can treat him and find him a home. Best of luck. If paying for a vet is an issue, you can see if your vet accepts payment plans, if there is a low cost clinic in your area, or you can apply for Care Credit online. There is also an organization called Red Rover that give grants for treatment of sick animals, and you can see if you qualify for one of their grants. Best Friends also has a list of resources that offer financial assistance on their website. I'd also see if you can borrow money from family and friends. http://www.humanesociety.org/animals/resources/tips/trouble_affording_pet.html?credit=web_id91754962 https://www.redrover.org https://www.carecredit.com http://bestfriends.org/resources/financial-aid-pets http://lessonsfromaparalyzeddog.com/when-pet-owners-cant-afford-veterinary-bills/ http://www.dogheirs.com/resources-affordable-veterinary-care/

Unfortunately, there is nothing you can do anymore at home for Ace because it's been over a month. This wound could be infected, and it's concerning that it keeps reopening bigger than before. He has to to see a vet for this, it may be infected and it likely does need to be closed by a vet for it to heal correctly. I can give you some resources that may help you afford a vet. You can see if your vet accepts payment plans, if there is a low cost clinic in your area, or you can apply for Care Credit online. There is also an organization called Red Rover that give grants for treatment of sick animals, and you can see if you qualify for one of their grants. Best Friends also has a list of resources that offer financial assistance on their website. http://www.humanesociety.org/animals/resources/tips/trouble_affording_pet.html?credit=web_id91754962 https://www.redrover.org https://www.carecredit.com http://bestfriends.org/resources/financial-aid-pets http://lessonsfromaparalyzeddog.com/when-pet-owners-cant-afford-veterinary-bills/ The Feline Veterinary Emergency Assistance Program is a nonprofit 501 (c)(3) organization that provides financial assistance to cat and kitten guardians who are unable to afford veterinary services to save their companions when life-threatening illness or injury strikes.
 God's Creatures Ministry helps pay for veterinarian bills for those who need help.
 The Onyx & Breezy Foundation has many programs including helping people with medical bills. They are a good resource for information.
 Brown Dog Foundation provides funding to families with a sick pet that would likely respond to treatment, but due to circumstances, there is not enough money immediately available to pay. IMOM is dedicated to insure that no companion animal has to be euthanized simply because their caretaker is financially challenged. Please take Ace into a vet first thing in the morning.

I'm sorry Peekie has an abscess. I presume it is draining from your description. Unfortunately, it is very diffcult to get abscesses to heal without thorough flushing and oral (or injectable) antibiotics, so I would have Peekie evaluated by your veterinarian, so you can make sure it isn't a tumor and get appropriate treatment. I have attached an article below that may be helpful. https://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&S=0&C=0&A=361 Please let me know if that was helpful and if there is anything else we can help you with. Thanks for using PetCoach.

Hello and welcome to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. That mass is in an area that likely can be removed surgically, however it will depend on how deep it goes (does it only involve the skin, or muscle layers below. Also, it looks like it could be more than an abscess and might be a necrotic tumor. Ideally the mass would be removed 'en bloc' with 'margins' (3cm around and 3 facial planes deep). This is obviously a large surgery. The other option is to just remove the mass without 'margins' and send it away for histopathology. If your vet isn't comfortable performing this surgery, as it might become complicated, then I recommend you see a specialist. They might suggest a CT prior to surgery to determine the extent of it. There are options if you wish you pursue them, based on the information you have provided us. Best of luck with Freddy!

Hello and welcome to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. That does appear to be a burst abscess. Without examining her it's impossible to know for sure, however it resembles and has acted like an abscess. Ideally she would be seen by a vet, they would flush it out with warm (not hot) salt water (1 teaspoon in 1 cup of water- your vet would use sterile saline) and then likely get antibiotics and pain meds. An E-collar also prevents Littlecloud from licking and introducing more bacteria into the wound. If you cannot go to a vet, I recommend flushing it/cleaning it with salt water. Do not use any topical creams, just leave it open to drain. Clean it twice a day with the salt water, and try to prevent Littlecloud from licking at it or chewing at it. The main pain has now gone since the abscess has burst (the pressure is relieved) . Do not give any human pain medications as these are often very toxic to cats. Best of luck with Littlecloud!

Most likely this is an abscess due to a bite by another cat based on your description. A snake bite would have in most cases swollen instantly and caused serious pain and additional problems. Unfortunately this is a condition that requires systemic antibiotics to treat. You will need to get your cat to a vet for treatment. You may look to see if there are any low-cost clinics around you. Sometimes the local humane society or APL or ASPCA will have a lower cost veterinary clinic. You may find out if any of the clinics in your area offer a payment plan or allow the use of Care Credit which is credit line for medical costs you can apply for. Or you may need to ask family or friends to help out. This website may provide some other ideas/resources: http://m.humanesociety.org/animals/resources/tips/trouble_affording_veterinary_care.html In the meantime you can help the abscess to drain by applying a warm compress (like a clean warm washrag) to the area for 5-10 minutes a few times daily and cleaning any drainage away afterwards. The longer you delay treatment by a vet the more expensive the issue may become to treat.