Cat has throat cancer wound, no vet. How to provide home care?

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.

Unfortunately it sounds like a very aggressive tumor and it is not likely to heal, for open wounds i usually like to use Green clay, i apply it on the wound 2-4 times a day but in this case i am not sure it will help.

It definitely sounds like Halo needs some medical attention. If that's not possible, try to gentle rinse it with a very mild soapy water and rinse well. Then put an e-collar on him so he can't lick it, and keep him inside to try to keep it cleaner. It sounds like the wound might already be infected, but it could possibly heal on it's own if kept clean. Being a young guy works in his favor here. Good luck!

The best things that you can do include cleaning the wound with an antiseptic soap (such as chlorhexidine or betadine) and keeping an e-collar (cone) on your cat to prevent any skin damage from scratching. If you do not have an e-collar at home, this link provides some tips to make one at home: http://dogsaholic.com/care/homemade-dog-cone.html. Your vet will be able to evaluate the extent of the wound and start antibiotics. I hope that all goes well!

This appears to either be a very severe wound with infection and dead tissue (the black areas) or a tumor. Without veterinary care, I think it is unlikely that this will heal or be cured on its own. At the very least, this type of wound needs to be cleaned up, and the cat needs to be on systemic (oral or injectable) antibiotics, as well as appropriate pain medications. However, it is likely that (if this is just a bad wound), it will need surgery to remove the dead tissue and help with healing. If this kitty isn't able to eat and you cannot afford veterinary care, then I would strongly urge you to surrender him for humane euthanasia rather than let him suffer.

That's a complicated recommendation to give, especially since we don't know the type of cancer. It is possible that local excision could be curative. It is also possible that after local excision and a diagnosis from histopathology, we find that amputation is needed. In my opinion solely based on the pictures, I would probably remove the tumor and not try to get aggressive clean borders and wait to see what the tumor is before doing anything more drastic.

Please trim the fur so you can keep an eye on the wound and so the fur doesn't get stuck in it. Clean the area with hydrogen peroxide. I can't tell from the photo but if there is dirt in it you can flush the area with warm water. I wouldn't put anything topical on it if Truffles is licking the area. Using a restraint collar will stop the licking and then you could apply a thin film of antibacterial ointment on it, not deep into the wound. Keeping the area open and draining for a few days will prevent an abscess, a puss pocket under the skin. If Truffles stops eating or the area is very red and painful then he will need a veterinary exam and antibiotics. These wounds are not usually sutured as that traps in the infection. Cat wounds usually heal quickly when they are clean and open to the air. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Truffles.