My cat has a large, spreading abscess. Does he need emergency care?

It's hard to say if it can wait. Once an abscess is opened and draining, much of the risk of lots of pain and deeper infection is reduced. If you decide to wait, Mr. Fox needs to wear an e-collar to prevent further licking of the wound, since that will delay healing and spread infection. You can apply Neosporin or clean with warm water rinses, but don't use alcohol or peroxide.

Unfortunately, an abscess cannot be treated at home, Shivers has to see a vet for it. If it's ruptured, it needs to be flushed sterilely to prevent further infection from entering the area, and she needs antibiotics to treat the infection which are available by prescription only from the vet. She does have to see a vet as soon as possible for this, and it truly cannot wait until next week. I would see if a family member can take her to the vet this week since you are only home this week from school.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Yes, I do think that Bramble should see a veterinarian as he will likely require local therapy if it is an abscess with drainage and cleaning as well as oral antibiotics. At the same time, your veterinarian can check his eyes to see if they are also affected and treat accordingly. Good luck!

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.

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.

Considering that there are multiple problems, I think it would be worth a vet exam. Skin infections along with eye infections can indicate that something is off in the blood chemistry, or with the immune system. I don't mean to scare you, but it's best to just get it checked. A vet would be able to better assess Mya's condition and determine if any further testes or treatment is needed. It's possible that these problems could get much worse if left to heal on their own, so I wouldn't recommend that. In the meantime, the wound should be cleaned well by flushing with clean water for five minutes twice a day. I do not recommend putting any soaps or antiseptics on the wound right now, because it could irritate the wound and delay healing. I hope that helps and Mya gets better soon.

Hello, It appears that Jacoby may have a local infection, or abscess. This is an accumulation of pus that is generally treated with surgical drainage of the wound and a course of antibiotics. These are rarely life threatening, but the treatment may become more timely and complicated as the infection spreads. I also don't like to make infections on the head wait as they are so close to important facial structures. I would recommend trying to get him into a vet today rather than waiting as it will likely make treatment easier on the both of you. If your vet confirms an abscess, they will likely recommend a short anesthetic procedure to open the infection, and often drains are needed to be placed for the first few days to keep the wound from closing too soon and becoming re-infected. Antibiotic courses generally range from 1-2 weeks and often are available in both liquid and pill forms to make dosing easier. I hope this is helpful for you and Jacoby! If you have any follow up questions, please feel free to reach out to us. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!