My cat's leg is swollen and painful, can't see ankle. What's wrong?

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Possible reasons to explain this change include a foreign body getting stuck somewhere in the paw, a fracture, a soft tissue injury with accompanying inflammation, among other possibilities. I recommend that you have Mennu evaluated by a veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. Good luck and have a great day!

If you cat goes outdoors, this is very likely the result of a cat bite. It is amazing how small a cat bite wound can be, but under the skin, infection is building up. Have Coco evaluated tomorrow by your vet because if this is a bite wound, the sooner antibiotics are started, the sooner she will start feeling better. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Hi there and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to address your concern. From your description it sounds as though Teva sustained this injury from trauma. It is tough to say when the initial injury was not seen by anyone. It sounds as though the wound is infected and Teva being on antibiotics is good so that it resolves. If it does not resolve, I would recommend culturing the wound to see if there are any resistant bacteria that need to be addressed. I hope Teva makes a speedy recovery! Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further.

Hello and thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. It probably is an infection affecting most of the leg. It is an emergency. Please, try and call your local emergency service if your regular vets don't have any appointments.

Unfortunately there are no OTC medications for this issue that would be safe to give Boots. The swelling could be caused by many things, including a small fracture, muscle strain, puncture wound, infection, insect bite reaction, problems with lymphatic flow, etc. Check her skin and between her pads for any punctures, wounds, or bruises. You can try gentle massage to help move any fluid present and an ice pack wrapped in a thin towel for 15 minutes at a time. If the swelling doesn't go down soon, she should be checked out by a vet.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This is indeed most likely due to the abscess. I would be suspicious that some of that pus and inflammation has migrated to the leg and is causing pain as well. At this point I think this may be require more investigation into the underlying cause of the abscess. I would be suspicious of foreign material that has migrated and is underneath the skin. If that is the case, surgery and possibly further diagnostics like a CT scan as well as long courses of antibiotics may be needed to treat this appropriately. A culture of this wound should be obtained if that has not been done to make sure that the correct antibiotic is used. I recommend that you have Spock reevaluated by your veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. Good luck and have a good night!

Hi, thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. The kitten needs medication, I recommend taking it to a veterinarian as it sounds like it needs antibiotics and possibly pain medication as well. Do not give any human medications as many are toxic to cats. Depending on exam findings, the vet may recommend xrays as well if they suspect significant trauma to the leg. Best of luck, I hope she recovers quickly.