My cat has an open wound. How do I clean it, and can I use Nolvasan?

Hi Linda. I'm sorry to hear that Bugger has squamous cell carcinoma. If you're cleaning the wound simply to remove any build up of discharge, then saline alone is sufficient. However, if you're looking more for antiseptic properties, cleansers like chlorhexidine (Hibiclens is a trade name) or betadine are more effective. Either of these should be rinsed well with water. With that said, if his SCC is near his eye, avoid other cleansers, as they could cause eye irritation. Generally speaking, I try to avoid medications containing neomycin in cats because many cats can react poorly. Additionally, the dexamethasone may help minimize some inflammation, but is likely to delay any healing. Ultimately, your best option is to establish a care protocol with Bugger's vet since I don't know the extent of this lesion nor its location. In the meantime, you can stick with saline cleaning if the lesion is near his eye, or switch to the antiseptic cleansers mentioned above if the lesion is elsewhere. I hope that everything goes well.

Hi there and thank you for using pet coach! I typically recommend mixing Betadine and water until you get a light brown mixture and use that to clean wounds. If it is a superficial scrape then it will likely heal but if there is a flap of skin or the wound looks to be deep, it will need veterinary care most likely. For superficial cuts and scrapes I recommend zymox topical ointment or vetericyn spray gel. I hope this helps! Please let me know if you ha e any other questions or concerns.

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.

Poor Salem! You can gently clean the area with warm water and antibacterial soap. Hydrogen peroxide can be quite irritating to the tissue and actually causes healing to take longer in many cases, so I don't recommend using this. Neosporin should not hurt anything if you want to try it, but most cats will groom off any topical medication like this that you use. If needed, you can place an e-collar (plastic cone) on Salem so that he cannot continue to lick at the wound and make it worse. If it does not seem to be improving in the next 2-3 days, it would be best to see a vet as he may need prescription antibiotics to treat the sore.

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!

Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. I recommend calling Zildjan’s veterinarian if the wound is not healing well. Be sure you are only cleaning as directed by her veterinarian. Some antiseptics or cleaners can inhibit healing. Do not use hydrogen peroxide to clean wounds daily.

Hello and welcome to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Those wounds need to be cleaned properly, possibly sewn up, and it looks like Nosh needs antibiotics as well. I recommend bringing her to a vet as soon as possible, as she likely will continue to scratch and cause more damage. If you can get an E-collar on her, and if it will prevent scratching and isn't just irritating the wound itself, then you can do this as a temporary fix until you can get her to a vet. Best of luck with Nosh.