My cat has an open, crusty head wound. Should I go to the ER vet?

Hello. If you have or can purchase a skin antiseptic, one with either 2% chlorhexidine or 1% povidine iodine, then you can gently clean this 2 times daily. Antibiotics would hasten healing, & if the wound is not looking better by early next week, I would consider a veterinary visit. But by keeping this clean, it will heal, & yes, this has the look of a typical cat bite abscess, so he did get into an argument with another cat. Thanks for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

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!

Ouch, poor Eddie! Unfortunately, it's impossible to fully assess this wound's severity from a picture alone. The wound itself looks fairly large and appears to be covered in a hair-crusted scab. The challenge likes in how deep the wound goes under the scab, and if it penetrates into the tooth roots, jaw, or salivary glands. To answer your question, yes, Eddie does need veterinary attention. Since he's afraid of people, it's likely that he will need to be sedated in order for your veterinarian to examine this wound. Your vet will need to determine the depth of the wound, and at a minimum, will need to clip the hair around the wound and clean it with an antiseptic cleanser. I fully expect that they'll prescribe an antibiotic or give a long-acting antibiotic injection, as it's likely that this wound is also infected. Try to get to the vet as soon as you can - preferably within the next day. Until your vet appointment, be sure to put an e-collar (cone) on Eddie to prevent him from scratching at this area, as that will make matters worse. Best of luck and I hope that he heals quickly!

Hello and thank you for reaching out to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I agree, the abscess appears to be very open, which in a way is a good thing. This allows the wound to drain openly, so Lilly doesn’t get an accumulation of infected fluid under the skin (an abscess) again. I think the answer to your question about having her seen sooner depends on how the wound has changed since your veterinarian last saw it. Each veterinarian manages these wounds a little differently. If how it looks now is similar to how it looked at your last veterinary visit, and Lilly is otherwise acting healthy at home, she may not have to be evaluated sooner than her next appointment. If, however, the wound had changed dramatically (is more open, has a different colored fluid exuding from it, has a foul odor) then I recommend Lilly be seen sooner. The only bandage I would recommend would have to be placed by a veterinarian under light sedation, and this is called a “tie-over bandage”. These protect the wound from becoming increasingly more contaminated, and allow for relatively simple bandage changes while the skin in the wound heals. I hope this is helpful! If you have any further questions, please feel free to enter into a consultation with me; I would be happy to assist your further.

Hi there and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to address your concern. Judging from the picture, this could be a ruptured abscess or secondary to self trauma from him scratching at the area. I would recommend having him examined by a veterinarian so that the most appropriate treatment recommendations can be made. He will need the hair clipped from around the wound and the wound cleaned. I would also recommend an antibiotic and anti-inflammatory. I hope this helps. Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further.

This looks like it could likely be a ruptured abscess. These usually need antibiotics to resolve. I would encourage you to consider having him evaluated by a veterinarian soon. In the meantime you can clean up using a warm water and Epsom salt compress. I would do this several times a day. Best of luck and I hope he improves soon. Thank you for using Pet Coach.

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Poor Stormy! I would shave the fur away from the wound then clean it well with water and a mild soap (avoid hydrogen peroxide). Then apply triple antibiotic ointment twice daily. The most important thing is to have Stormy wear and E-collar to prevent licking and keep him indoors. He should see a Vet as soon as possible to at a minimum get antibiotics but to also see if surgery is required to close the wound. I would call your local SPCA to see if they offer a low cost Veterinary clinic. I hope this helps and I wish Stormy a speedy recovery!