My friend's cat has a scraped paw. Can I treat it without a vet?

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.

You can strongly recommend to the owner that he/she bring the cat to their veterinarian for an exam. That paw looks painful and possibly infected. The cat will need an exam, x-rays (to diagnose fractures), bloodwork, antibiotics and pain management. An e-collar (cone) will prevent licking and chewing. You can't legally do anything since you are not the rightful owner. If you do, you risk litigation if the cat takes a turn for the worse. If there is no owner, contact your local animal control officer or humane society.

You can try making an Epsom salts soak (directions for dilution with warm water are on the package), which will help to cleanse the toes, and hopefully give Maki some protection against infection - but she might not tolerate it well. You can also purchase an e-collar, which will keep her from licking, as this often causes secondary infection. You can show this to your parents - if the skin is truly peeled back, it's likely that Maki is quite painful (imagine how that would feel) and needs veterinary care in order to protect the area, prevent infection, and treat the pain. You might tell them that dealing with this now, rather than later, may be less expensive, as foot injuries can easily get complicated in cats, since they use a litter box, and infection is common.

If you can't treat her at home because she won't let you then you will need to get her to a vet for treatment. They may have to sedate her to provide treatment. If you want to try at home, you can soak the foot in warm Epsom salt water for 5 minutes 3 times a day (if she will let you). This should draw out the infection. The other option is to use this wound spray. She won't like the spray noise, so you can douse a cotton ball with the solution and then wipe it on the wound. ( https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/product/vetericyn-cat-wound-and-skin-hydrogel ) If she is licking the foot you will need to get her a cone to wear. No matter what you put on this to treat it, if she continues to lick, it won't heal. Remember, the cone must be long enough to go past the end of her nose or she will still be able to lick the foot. You can buy these at your local Petco or other large pet shop. Also, keep her indoors until healed. Hope this helps.

Ouch! From the picture it looks like maybe a ruptured abscess and not just an injury. I would encourage you to have him seen by your veterinarian In the meantime soaking in warm water and Epsom salts maybe helpful and make him more comfortable. Best of luck and I hope he improves soon.

Anything you apply will likely be licked off and ingested. This could further complicate his condition. If a vet visit is not possible now, you can try soaking the paw in a diluted Betadine or chlorhexidine (Hibiclens) solution twice daily. Dry it thoroughly afterwards. An e-collar (cone) is your best bet at preventing licking which could delay healing. If this doesn't work, Thor will need to be seen by your veterinarian. He may need antibiotics to resolve any infection and pain medication to manage discomfort. Do not medicate him at home without the advice of your veterinarian.

Ouch, poor Pritzy! Thank you for providing pictures of this wound, as it helps with my answer to you. I don't see any pus, and it doesn't look particularly red, swollen, or deep. Based on that, this is something you can try to treat at home. I would gently clean the wound with warm water and antiseptic soap. To keep her from licking at it, you can put an Ecollar on her. You can get one at a pet store or make one at home. I will put a link below on how to make an Ecollar at home. Keep the wound clean and dry, and monitor it for signs of infection. If you see redness, swelling, warmth to the touch, or pus, then it is infected and she will need to see the vet for antibiotics to treat it. Good luck, I hope this helps :-) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ffR-LzyW1M