Cat wound still has pus after vet visit. Should it be lanced or compressed?

Place an e-collar (cone) on him to prevent rubbing or pawing. Apply a warm compress for 5-10 minutes several times daily to promote drainage. Keep the area as clean and as dry as possible. Monitor for lethargy, vomiting, diarrhea, loss of appetite or fever. He will likely need antibiotics. Your vet may explore the wound to rule out foreign body or deeper abscess.

Oh my. Poor kitty. It seems this area needs to be cultured to see what kind of antibiotic will rid this infection for sure, or at the very least another class of antibiotic (i.e. fluoroquinolone) should be tried here. I would also not cover this for the future, to give it a chance to breathe an heal well. The area should also be investigated while Mickey is sedated to ensure there is no foreign body material underneath the skin that could be a source of chronic infection. If there is foreign material there, then it needs to be removed first in order for it to heal well. I hope this helps and best wishes with your kitty Mickey moving forward! Take care. : )

I recommend cleaning the area with a warm damp cloth to remove the discharge. Then you can apply a thin film of antibacterial ointment on it. Actually, now that it’s draining the infection his fever should break and this should heal quickly. It’s important to keep it clean and for the wound to stay open so the infection doesn’t stay under the skin. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Smudge.

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!

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.

It sounds like Kitu may have a bite wouldn’t abscess. These usually need to be drained and given antibiotics to resolve. In the meantime you may consider applying a warm water and Epsom salt compress to the site. This may help with discomfort and also may encourage drainage. I would still encourage you to have her evaluated by your veterinarian as soon as possible. Best of luck and thank you for using Pet Coach.

That could be ok but it is best to repost your question and attach a picture of it to have a complete and reliable advice from us. As you suspected, this presentation could be due to a trauma or localized spot of skin infection (likely to be caused by bacteria). Disinfection can be done at home with diluted hibiscrub or betadine or salted water baths (twice daily as long as needed). Buster collar may be useful as well to avoid any licking/scratching. all the pus must be removed and the wound must be flushed. Hope this answer was helpful, but please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further. Please find the time to give us a feedback about the consultation as that will be used to improve our service.