My cat's cheek abscess won't heal, still infected with pus?

Hello. If your veterinarian has no cultured the lesion, it is time to do so. Mac may have a resistant bacterial infection, or perhaps, even a fungal infection that may require a change in medications. Another concern is there could be a foreign object that penetrated the skin & is causing these recurrent infections. A grass awn, or even a broken claw can basically disappear under the skin creating chronic infections. I would probably start with an x-ray to see if anything is visible & submit a sample for culture & sensitivity. Last resort would be to open the area, explore & possibility biopsy some of the tissue to understand why this is not healing. Good luck & thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly 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!

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.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Windsor. Based on your description, it sounds like he has an abscess under his skin. I typically treat these with surgery to lance the wound and flush out the pus. I then place a temporary drain to allow continued drainage of any residual pus. This allows you to flush the drain at home with a disinfectant solution. I continue the antibiotics and usually do use Clavamox. He will need to see his veterinarian again. You can try warm compresses in the meantime. I usually use a warm washcloth for 5 minutes three times per day. I hope this information helps!

I am sorry to hear about your kitty. Unfortunately from these photos it does not appear that at home care is going to be appropriate anymore. I am concerned based on the picture that some of the tissue/skin around the wound could be devitalized/dying. He likely needs systemic antibiotics and wound care by a professional at this point. I would recommend looking at this site for info on ideas on affording veterinary care: https://www.humanesociety.org/resources/having-trouble-affording-veterinary-care . There may be a low cost clinic in your area associated with a human society or shelter that may be more affordable.

HI, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Poor Pussy Cat! I recommend having him rechecked as soon as possible. My worry is that the bite wound is now a closed abscess and needs to be lanced so it can drain. Antibiotics have a hard time penetrating a puss filled pocket. I would not recommend waiting a week. I hope this helps and I wish Pussy Cat a speedy recovery!

Hello, and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Sorry to hear about Misha's persistent issue! I would definitely advise that you have Misha seen by a vet. If this is truly an abscess, it may require a course of antibiotics to fully clear - otherwise it will likely continue to wax and wane as you've observed, and could become even worse if the infection is allowed to remain. It's also possible that Misha's issue is not a straightforward abscess - she could have another issue such as a cyst or tumor/mass, or even a foreign body (such as a thorn) that could be leading to a secondary infection. Your vet will be able to help determine what specifically is going on with Misha, and from your description I suspect your vet will likely put her on a course of antibiotics to help her heal. Hope this helps!