My cat is limping with a bleeding paw sore. Does he need a vet?

Oh goodness, that looks like a deep infection. It could be bacterial or fungal, but I suspect more likely bacterial. He needs to see a veterinarian for an examination and treatment plan. However, in the meantime if he will allow you to soak his foot in warm water and Epsom salts that may be soothing and beneficial. Best of luck and I hope he improves soon. Thank you for using Pet Coach.

Hi there and thank you for using pet coach to address your concern. The cut appears to be all of the way through the paw pad on the affected foot. I would suggest having this wound looked at by your vet if you can so that Bobbi can receive antibiotics and receive proper treatment. However, if you are unable to get to your vet, you could try and keep the foot clean using a diluted Betadine solution (mix Betadine with saline to get a weak brown tea color) and use this to clean the Wound. I would then switch to a different litter such as yesterday's news so that he is not getting fine litter sand in the wound. I would monitor the area for signs of swelling and discharge as this is going to be highly prone to infection. If you notice any signs of infection I would get him to your vet as soon as possible. I hope this helps! Please feel free to contact me with any other questions or concerns you may have. I am also available via phone or text based consultation if needed.

Poor guy. It seems he likely injured the paw again. If it hurts this bad, then I worry about a fracture as well. I would recommend not touching the area and getting him to your local vet as soon as you can. If you cannot tonight, then taking him to any vet that is open tomorrow morning (after hours clincis likely are) would be the best thing to do for Pooh Bear. You may want to investigate the home to hopefully find out where he is likely getting his injuries from. If he is an outdoor/indoor cat, then its best to have him neutered and/or kept indoors to help avoid further injuries. Intact male cats tend to pick more fights when they are outside, than neutered ones. I hope that your furry friend gets his injury resolved soon! Best wishes and take care.

Hi, and thanks for your question. Even though a picture would help to understand better the underlying cause, This presentation could be due to a trauma or localized spot of skin infection (likely to be caused by bacteria). A check up, appropriate disinfection and possibly antibiotics (oral, topical or in a shampoo formulation) are needed to solve the problem. Disinfection may be started at home with very diluted hibiscrub or betadine or salted water baths. Buster collar may be useful as well to avoid any licking. Hope this answer was helpful, but please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further. Please find the time to give us a feedback about the consultation as that will be used to improve our service.

Poor Nemo! If the cut appears superficial and is not bleeding and doesn't seem excessively painful, you could opt to monitor him for the next few days to see if it heals on its own. You can apply some Neosporin or other antibiotic ointment to the area as well if Nemo will let you - just distract him for a few minutes afterwards so he doesn't immediately lick it off. If he is still limping after 2-3 days, or if the area around the cut begins to look red or swollen, then I would recommend taking him to the vet to have it checked. He may need prescription antibiotics or other medication to help it heal properly.

Poor kitty. Unfortunately the photo is too dark to really get a good look at the paw. I do see some crusting there though, which leads me to think this is just an infection and not likely skin cancer. Feel free to repost another photo with a second forum question, with better lighting to verify. If it is just infection, then you can try soaking the paw in Betadine diluted 50:50 with warm water or Chlorhexidine solution 3% diluted into a light blue mixture to help clean this antiseptically. Then a vet visit will be needed to get Cream on some antibiotics (oral or injectable). I hope that Cream's foot heals well soon! Best wishes and take are.

Hi there and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Judging from the photo, this looks quite mild so I would not be concerned about this. You can switch out her litter to something such as Yesterday's News so that it is not painful to walk on. I would also apply a topical ointment such as Sentry wound cream (can be found at Petco) and apply twice daily for 3-5 days. This should heal fine on its own. If you begin to notice swelling of the foot or pus coming from the area, then I would take her in to be seen by a veterinarian so that the most appropriate diagnostic and treatment recommendations can be made. I hope this helps guide you in the right direction. Please let me know if you have any further questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further.