My senior cat has a painful lip lesion. What should I expect?

I am very sorry that Kitty has his sore near her lip. Thank you for proving pictures, it is difficult to know precisely what caused this lesion it may have been a cat scratch, a traumatic puncture from for example a fence, or possible a primary skin like feline acne, or allergic disease. At this stage it appears to be slightly crusted and inflamed and I would suggest a trip to the veterinarian. The vet will most likely clean the wound and debris any necrotic material. The vet may also send home pain relief, anti inflammatory medications and / or antibiotics. The vet will also be able examine the area and reach a diagnosis. Best of luck to you both and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Callie. When she had her dental cleaning, did she have dental x-rays or any teeth extracted? It is in the correct location to be a tooth root abscess. If the whole tooth was not completely extracted meaning that a portion of the root was left behind, the infection will not resolve. X-rays should be taken to ensure all of the tooth was appropriately extracted. If this was done and the lesion is still present, then I would recommend a skin biopsy. This will ideally tell the origin of the skin disease such as autoimmune disease or skin cancer. You may also condiser submitting a sample for culture to identify any infection. I hope this information helps!

It's hard to see what is going on from the photo. Bumps on the lips/chin can be a number of things, including feline acne, infections under the skin, allergies, etc. If Leo has trouble getting to the vet, I would definitely look into the sedative option, or see if there is a house call service near you that can come to you. Both of these options are a great way to make veterinary care a little easier. Since bumps on the chin may require having a sample taken of them to determine it's cause, sedatives may be needed regardless to ensure everyone is safe and calm during the procedure. Until you can get to the vet, I would continue to monitor the area for additional changes, keep it clean and dry, and if it is itchy or bothersome, place an Elizabethan (cone) collar on Leo to keep her from rubbing the spot which can lead to more irritation. If she's wary of the carrier, working on getting her used to it by leaving it out at all times and tossing treats in it/feeding her next to it may help make it a little easier if you do need to use it.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Cleo. I recommend that she sees her veterinarian. Her lip lesion appears similar to a condition known as an indolent ulcer. This can be the result of an allergic disease such as to her diet or fleas. She needs to be treated soon as if this is the case, the lesion can be harder to heal the larger it gets. I hope this information helps!

The lesion on Bamboo's lip is quite prominent. It could be due to infected hair follicles, an indolent lip ulcer (although the photo does not quite look typical of this), or a benign or malignant mass. Since this lesion has grown fairly rapidly over just a day or two, she should be examined by a vet sooner rather than later. The vet will likely need to perform a fine needle aspirate, whereby they will draw out a sample of cells with a needle (it's quick and relatively painless!) so that they can be examined microscopically. From there, the vet will be able to determine if Bamboo should be started on a course of antibiotics or if she will need to have this lesion surgically excised. I hope that all goes well!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This looks like it is due to the tooth causing pressure on the gum causing this ulcer/lesion. I would agree with your veterinarian in that they probably need to sedate or put under anesthesia to be able to better evaluate this region. Then they can treat it accordingly. If it is found to be dental disease, they can correct it then. Best of luck!

Hi, If I read the pic correctly with the anus above it to the left, the lesion may be a perianal fistula. In cats, where these fistulas are quite rare, the problem is usually in the glands or anal sacs. Perianal fistulas are unpleasant and painful, and require veterinary treatment such as antibiotics, so please take her to the vet sooner than later.