How to dry a wound in a cat

With a prolonged course in free-living cats, insects can enter the open purulent wound, which will clear the exudate from the wound, but will not allow it to heal. The result is an unpleasant picture – a deep, non-healing wound with an abundance of live fly larvae (that feed on dead cells).

How to treat a non-healing wound in a cat

The cat (just picked it up) does not heal the wound, it seems small – but scary and deep. Re-bandaging does not allow – takes off any bandage. I have ichthyolka – it muches. I rinse with chlorhexin, a couple of times I dabbed with Solcoseril – all licks it off. I think – peroxide to try to cauterize – and I do not know – whether it can be poured into the open wound? Will not burn it? Peroxide is ordinary, drugstore.

You can't give peroxide to a cat's wounds, only chlorhexidine. Take him to the vet and let him see the wound and tell you the best way to treat it.

Try a salvage (wound healing) cream. When I treat my cats' wounds with some medicine, I play with them for 15-20 minutes to distract them (so they don't lick the medicine off).

My cat (I recently took him in) has a wound that won't heal, it seems to be small, but it's deep and scary. Re-bandaging does not allow – takes off any bandage. I have ichthyol tonic – it muches up. I rinse with chlorhexin, a couple of times I smeared with Solcoseril – it all licks. I think – peroxide to try to cauterize – and I do not know – whether it can be poured into the open wound? Will not burn it? Peroxide is ordinary, drugstore peroxide.

We used to put propolis on it. At first we shaved around the wound and put a special plaster on it. Then we just put it on. It healed quickly.
But the cat had scratches, like an allergy to flea bites.

What kind of plaster, did you glue the wound completely? And did not peel it off? Was the propolis an alcoholic solution? Or the kind that beekeepers sell?

So that the animal does not take off and gnaw the bandage, buy a special clamp, they are sold in veterinary drugstores, it's like a big circle on the neck

You have to put a bandage on it so the cat can't take it off. The vets have them. Otherwise he will lick the wound with his tongue all the time.

Doesn't the cat have cancer? Don't throw your claws at me, I'm just making a guess. The wound is not healing, as you say.

Author, better take him to the vet. Who knows, maybe there is an infection, and you are spoiling here ointments.

Guest 7 – the cat is healthy and cheerful, with a good appetite. But perhaps the immunity is reduced – I do not understand why the wound does not heal. There was another one – that one has completely overgrown. To the vet probably – will have to carry. Bad – that the car is broken, that the bag for the transfer is not – to buy (the money is now scarce). For the cat will be so stressful – until we get on public transport to the hospital. And there in a queue might be a big dog – suddenly it will throw. Therefore we try to do it ourselves. The wound is 2 cm long and 5 mm deep. Maybe it's not such a serious problem.

Purulent wound in a cat.

So I want to cauterize with peroxide. It produces oxygen, which is destructive to putrefactive bacteria. And the reaction will go deep inside. I tried it on myself – when I was treating pimples, I cauterized a small pimple – it seems to swell up from the oxygen, and then the swelling goes down and the inflammation goes too. And it does not hurt (which is what worries me the most, I do not want to torture the cat).

Does the cat have cancer? Do not throw clogs at me, just made my suggestion. After all, the wound doesn't heal, as you say.

Our cat does. A malignant tumor on his paw, it won't heal. The cat is old, 16 years old.

It's cancer, never heals. Wounds like bursitis, cats heal on their own, chew out the pus and it heals on its own. I saw this happen to our backyard cat. She healed herself and then the hair on her paw grew back as good as new.

What kind of plaster, did you stick it all over the wound? And did not pull it off? Is propolis an alcoholic solution? Or the kind that beekeepers sell?

Our cat also took a long time to heal. he licked it constantly. the collar irritated him. of course he ripped off the plaster. but it went faster. we bought it on the advice of the vet. take the cat for an appointment, as if it had not gotten worse.

The wound may not heal if you have a staph infection. Get "chlorophyllipt" and smear it on. and you can drink it diluted.

Guest 7 – The cat is healthy and cheerful, with a good appetite. But perhaps the immunity is reduced – I do not understand why the wound does not heal. There was another one – that one has completely overgrown. To the vet probably – will have to carry. Bad – that the car is broken, that the bag for the transfer is not – to buy (the money is now scarce). For the cat will be so stressful – until we get on public transport to the hospital. And there in a queue might be a big dog – suddenly it will throw. Therefore we try to do it ourselves. The wound is 2 cm long and 5 mm deep. Maybe it's not such a serious problem.

If you value an animal, take it in a cab, don't spare any money. We are responsible for what we have tamed. Take it to the vet by all means. It can be anything, even worse, if even the wounds do not heal. Moreover, from the outside it is often not visible. I don't want to scare you, but my friend's cat was very frisky and happy, but she was jumping around with a cancerous hole in her belly till the last day. And you have something that looks like a hole, if it is already going deep.

Rules for treating wounds at home

Noticing any injury on the body of a beloved pet, you need to know how to properly treat a wound in a cat. Proper and timely assistance is the key to successful healing and the exclusion of possible complications.

The first thing the owner should carefully inspect the type of wound, then the hair in the area of the injury should be trimmed with manicure scissors. Possible foreign bodies from the wound are carefully removed – hair, splinters, prickles. If blood clots or purulent exudates are found, they must be removed carefully without damaging the crust inside the wound, so as not to cause trauma to the vascular walls and bleeding.

It is necessary to treat the open wound after thoroughly removing the dirt. Hydrogen peroxide is excellent for this purpose (it is better to use a 3% solution). A weak solution of manganese solution can be used. The edges of the damaged surface are treated with iodine solution or green.

An extensive wound requires a sterile cloth (preferably a bandage), without the use of absorbent cotton. This is due to the fact that absorbent cotton fibers can get into the wound, provoking additional complications in the form of suppuration.

Excessive bleeding from the wound after the bite is stopped by tourniquet or a well-compressed dressing. An injured artery and the accompanying pulsing of scarlet blood from the wound implies immediate tourniqueting above the injury. If the blood flowing from the wound is a dark, rich cherry color (venous), then a tourniquet is applied below the wound.

There is a helpful tip when applying wound dressings to cats. To prevent the animal from pulling or licking the bandage, the bandage should be previously dipped in a solution of chamomile or sage. The bandage should be changed regularly. Levomekol ointment will help accelerate the process of tissue regeneration. This antibiotic-based medication can not only prevent the reproduction of pathogenic microflora, but also eliminate pain.

Peculiarities of care and nature of feeding cats with wounds

How the wound will heal, and how the recovery process will proceed, depends on the owner's proper actions. The basis of recovery is proper care not only for the injured surface, but also for the animal itself (proper nutrition, hygiene procedures).

With uncomplicated wounds, the recovery process takes about 14 days, so the owner needs to be patient. The owner must prevent instinctive licking of the injured area, as a constantly wet surface is a great breeding ground for pathogenic microflora.

For this purpose, a special device – an immobilizing collar – is perfectly suited. The accessory is put on the animal's neck, and the cone formed around the muzzle helps to prevent licking of wounds. At first, the animal may be nervous, trying to pull the device off. But over time, the cat gets used to it and behaves normally with the collar.

It is important to make sure that the bandage is always clean and dry. If necessary it should be changed. You can ask for help from a veterinary clinic, where they will carry out all the necessary procedures with the animal, if the owner can not cope on their own.

Any changes in the wound – the appearance of blood, pus or deterioration of the general condition of the cat's body – should be notified to the veterinarian. You should not deviate from the treatment regimen prescribed by a specialist. Otherwise the pathogenic microflora will revolt, and complications will be much more serious.

Due to the high volume of incoming questions, free veterinary consultations are temporarily suspended.

Pre-hospital care

Many owners are concerned about how to treat a deep cut at home. In such a case, it is necessary to provide first aid and then show the animal to a specialist, who will determine whether or not stitches should be applied.

1. Assess the cat's condition – consciousness, activity, whether there is a gradual oppression.
2. Carefully examine the wound surface. Preferably, perform this manipulation with a helper to be able to fix the animal. Injuries that are more than 3 cm long and 5 mm deep without heavy bleeding are considered dangerous.
3. If the injury is minor and there is no need to take the pet to a doctor, the hair around the wound should be removed before treating it.
4. Damaged tissues should be washed with antiseptic solutions. These include a solution of furacilin, Rivalanol, chlorhexidine. If there are no pharmacy remedies at hand, the rinsing should be done with clean boiled water. In the process, all contamination and blood clots that have had time to clot should be removed.
5. To stop capillary bleeding it is enough to put a absorbent cotton moistened with 3% hydrogen peroxide or use water-absorbing antiseptic powders, such as streptocide.The same are used for treatment of soaking wounds.
6. If tissue treatment is necessary, various remedies can be used. Edges of wounds can be treated with green. The injured area should be treated with a special antiseptic spray, which creates a protective layer and fights bacteria on the skin. You can also use any healing ointments and creams, such as "911", "Spasatel", "Bepanten" (often found in homes where there is a small child). The use of iodine is not recommended.
7. If the blood loss is too great, it is necessary to show the cat to a specialist as soon as possible. A tourniquet should be applied above the injury for arterial bleeding or a tight pressure dressing for venous bleeding.
8. If after some time the wound has not healed, but has grown into an abscess or suppuration process has started, with obvious signs of inflammation and fever, you should immediately contact the veterinarian.
9. Bite wounds, lacerations and cuts require special staples or stitches to tighten the edges together.
10. If the abdominal wall is penetrated, immediate hospitalization is required! Bandage the cat's abdomen as tightly as possible beforehand.
11. The three golden rules for treating skin injuries are: "wet – dry", "dried – soak", "where the pus is, open it up". . The latter can only be performed by a qualified specialist.

How to treat a cat's wound at the veterinary clinic

The veterinarian will carefully examine the animal and determine the extent of the injury. If surgical intervention is required, it will be performed taking into account all the basic rules of asepsis and antiseptics. In the case where the doctor sutures, they will be removed after a week. In some cases, when dissolvable sutures are used (e.g. catgut) a repeat visit is not required;

1. If the wound is stitched, a drain is made sure to drain the blood and serous fluid. Often, there can be bacteria there. Otherwise, if drainage is not established, exudate accumulation under the skin can lead to serious inflammation.
2. For large lesions and in cases where there is dirt in the wound, a course of broad-spectrum antibiotics is prescribed to kill most germs. Vaccination with tetanus serum is also recommended.
3. Protective bandaging is done depending on the location of the injury. If the animal will be constantly licking or scratching the wound, you cannot do without a bandage. It is worth taking into account that closed wounds heal longer than open wounds.
4. If bleeding is profuse the vet will give a supplementary IV
5. Bites of rodents and other animals should be opened and thoroughly treated with antibacterial solutions. There are a huge number of pathogens on the teeth, which when bitten penetrate deep into the tissues and spread there.
6. The average recovery process takes from 7 to 14 days. It all depends on the level of tissue regeneration, the general condition of the cat and its immunity.
7. If the injury is serious and the healing process is supervised by a doctor, the treatment regimen may change to a more effective one.

If you have veterinary or medical experience

In such cases, you can go a little "bolder." But only if you really have some understanding of exactly what you are going to do! So, here's a list of activities that can be done at home

Wash the wound With a slightly warm, pinkish solution of potassium permanganate. Your task is to wash out of the wound canal all the debris that is there (and it is there for sure). It is desirable to rinse it not just with a stream: the liquid should go under pressure. The best option is to do it using a syringe with a needle attached. In case there is nothing like that at hand, you can use any spray gun. In any case, the force of the jet should be adjusted so that it does not hurt your pet.

After this procedure, you should Dry thoroughly (with the same towels) around the wound. If the wound is too deep, and its edges are uneven and "saggy", you should consider draining it immediately, as the wound canal will certainly be subjected to purulent inflammation. In no case do not experiment! At home, the most "technological" drainage is a gauze tourniquet soaked in balsamic liniment Vishnevsky.

Such a structure is easy to enter the wound canal cavity, such a drainage is very cheap and easy to make, it effectively draw away pus and other types of wound exudate. Note that the use of absorbent cotton in this "role", even wrapped in gauze, is strongly not recommended: the fibers of this material will certainly get to the very depth of the wound canal, which subsequently will only aggravate the inflammatory process. Also, do not overdo with the size of the drainage: it should be such that it can be easily extracted and inserted (damaged tissues will inevitably become inflamed and edematous, which can greatly complicate the treatment process).

Therapeutic techniques in clinical settings

Once again, let us emphasize – all of the above should be done only when the two factors are combined:

• You have some insurmountable reasons, due to which it is simply impossible to bring a sick pet to a veterinary clinic.

• You have veterinary or medical experience and know for sure that you will not make things worse by your intervention.

In all other situations, the animal should be taken to a hospital as soon as possible (especially after a fight with an opponent of a different weight class). There is no need to delay, it can lead to very serious consequences. So, what will a professional veterinarian do? First, he will necessarily perform surgery on the wound, removing crushed and non-viable tissues. This will facilitate further regeneration process and minimize the volume of exudate formed (and it will be secreted in any case).

In addition, the specialist will trim and "smooth" the edges of the wound. If its width is not too great, after that the drainage can be laid and stitched up. But this is only the beginning of a long recovery period, which very rarely goes "smoothly", and without complications at all.

First of all, the inflammatory process always starts. Since in these cases it is caused by the action of pathogenic and conditionally pathogenic microflora, broad-spectrum antibiotics in shock doses are used to stop the pathology. Sometimes anti-inflammatory corticosteroids can be used, but in reality such a need arises quite rarely. Well, except when treating deep wounds that are not particularly eager to heal.

Second, when purulent inflammation develops, the treatment involves constant changing drains.. Without it the wound canal will inevitably turn into a "sewer", which is fraught with many troubles. One of them is sepsis, which, as we know, can even lead to death or gangrene, after which your pet will surely lose a limb. So don't be lazy to take your pet to the vet for bandages more often.

What should you do if the wound has festered?

If a wound does get infected, it will take a lot more time to heal. Purulent, soaking wounds require more care and long-term treatment. Characteristic symptoms of an inflammatory process:

What to treat a cat if the wound is pus? Drugs to help with purulent, oozing wounds on the head or body:

• Furacilin. Fizzy tablets for making a solution based on nitrofuran. Active against staphylococci, streptococci, shigella, salmonella, E. coli. Furacilin solution is washed over the site of injury, soaked in a sterile dressing and applied to the wound.

• Baneocin. Antibacterial ointment, which includes two antibiotics – neomycin and bacitracin. These substances inhibit the synthesis of cell membranes and proteins of bacteria, they are active against streptococci and staphylococci. Baneotsin" ointment is applied in a thin layer to the open injured area and a bandage is put on top. It is forbidden to use "Baneocin" ointment for ear injuries or treat animals with renal insufficiency with it.

• Streptomycin. Powder for preparation of solution for intramuscular injections. It is an antibiotic of the aminoglycoside group of broad-spectrum, active against most gram-negative bacteria. The dosage is determined by the veterinarian.

When do I need to see a veterinarian?

Not all injuries can be treated at home, sometimes the cat's owners only need to provide first aid, and then the pet should be taken to the hospital. In what situations it is necessary to go to the veterinarian:

• Severe bleedingThe cat is bleeding heavily and cannot be stopped on its own. As a general rule, you should go to the veterinarian immediately if you are bleeding veins or arteries, otherwise there is a risk of massive blood loss from which the pet may die.
• The extent of the injury cannot be assessed or is too great. If meat and bone are visible through the laceration or incision, stitches are required.
• Fracture or damage to internal organs is possible. Dislocated limbs, head injuries, wounds sustained in a fall from a height – in these cases you should take your cat to the vet, who will take x-rays and an ultrasound. Additional diagnostics at the vet will show if there are more serious injuries than meets the eye.
• Complications due to infection. If there is an infection in the wound, a veterinarian should be consulted about antibiotic treatment.
• The cat got into a fight with a sick animal. Many feline diseases, such as rabies, panleukopenia, are transmitted by contact with an infected animal. The veterinarian will do tests and determine if the infection was transmitted to the injured pet.

The more severe the injury, the more attention the sick animal requires. Sometimes it is best not to delay, but to take the cat to the veterinarian immediately after the initial treatment, where it will receive all the care it needs.

In milder cases, the wound itself is covered with swabs soaked in synthomycin liniment or Vishnevsky balsamic liniment. These agents draw back pus or necrotic exudate. If for some reason it is not possible to apply an ointment, you can use a saturated solution of ordinary table salt or even sugar. The latter is also a strong preservative and in high concentrations inhibits the growth of bacteria.

It is also desirable to treat the surface of a wet wound daily with 3% hydrogen peroxide solution. This should be done very carefully, soaking a cotton swab with the medicine. It is important to try not to irritate and traumatize the cat unnecessarily. It is important to emphasize that in any case the licking and scratching of the wound should be prevented, especially when it is on the muzzle. For this purpose, a surgical (Elizabethan) collar is put on the pet's neck.

Types of wounds

The classification of injuries in cats is varied and depends on the following factors:

• scratched (more often on their own);
• bitten (by a mate, other animal, insect, snake);
• lacerated (when the edges are jagged)
• cut (when injured with a sharp object);
• gunshot wounds (caused by shooting at a cat);
• postoperative (when sutures are licked and edges are divergent).

• open (damage to the skin integrity is visible on the surface of the body and can be assessed with the naked eye);
• closed (trauma of internal organs with parenchymal bleeding from falls from height or blunt blow).

4.According to the complexity of the course of the healing process, wounds can be divided into:

Any disruption of the integrity of the epidermis in cats results in bleeding, which also depends on the depth and manner of injury. When providing first aid to an animal you must first differentiate the type of bleeding and stop it, and then proceed to antiseptic treatment of the wound.

• capillary (small blood loss, occurs with superficial wounds, stops quickly with tamponade);
• venous (dark-colored blood flows quickly and persistently, it is caused by deep or internal wounds, pressure dressing or a tourniquet is necessary to stop it);
• arterial bleeding (the most dangerous type of bleeding, as the blood flows quickly and quickly, occurs with gunshot wounds, traffic accidents, open fractures, deep wounds in the neck, tourniquet or squeezing the edges of the vessel is needed to stop it).

According to veterinary statistics, two types of wounds are most commonly encountered by cat owners:

• cat bites and scratches with dirty claws cause purulent wounds, the treatment of which is more time-consuming and requires a veterinarian's attention;
• deep bites and lacerations caused by dog and cat fights (these are the injuries that can disable an animal, cause loss of a limb or tail, and can be life-threatening for a kitten).

Rules for treating wounds at home

What to do at home if a pet comes home with an abrasion:

1. Open the wound surface to facilitate access: trim the hair around the injury, remove foreign objects stuck (clumps of hair, leaves, grass) with tweezers, wash the edges if they are dirty (it is better to wash with a sponge in the direction from the center of the wound outward). If cutting is not possible, use a damp sponge to spread the hair out to the sides.
2. Treat the wound (first apply an antiseptic for primary disinfection, then a drug to accelerate healing).
3. Cover the wound with clean cloths or bandages to prevent licking and contamination by pathogenic microflora.
4. Put a protective collar on the cat (this will prevent the dressing from licking and pulling on itself).
5. Rest the cat and don't let it out for a walk until it has healed.

If you need to treat a deep bleeding wound in your cat at home, you should do the following:

• Tamp the injury site with gauze and, if possible, apply a tourniquet (if the bleeding is heavy);
• Clean the wound from foreign objects;
• treat the wound edges with an antiseptic solution;
• cover the injured surface with a clean cloth or gauze;
• transport the animal to a veterinary station.

Superficial

Superficial wounds in cats include abrasions, scratches, first-degree burns (redness and increase in local temperature). Common places: on the cat's head, ears, neck and sides.

Such injuries in cats heal quickly enough (5-7 days), do not require stitches and do not leave scars. However, you need to treat them to prevent suppuration (especially if the animal walks freely and the weather is warm).

How to speed up wound healing

To speed up healing, you should strictly follow the veterinarian's recommendations. You can also use special prolonged-action wound healing wipes for cats, such as Antivtex. The use of antibiotics prescribed by the doctor will also help speed up the regeneration of the lesions.

In addition, the animal should be given complete rest and licking should be prevented. This requires the use of special collars, firmly fixed gauze bandages, which the pet can not remove itself.

Treatment with antibiotics

To prevent the accession of a secondary infection, antibacterial drugs are used. As a rule, the remedy is selected by the veterinarian depending on the abrasion. The exact dosage will also prescribe a doctor. Most often drugs of the tetracycline series, Ampicillin, Streptomycin are prescribed. For infection, Amoxicillin, Clindamycin or Benzylpenicillin are recommended.

To summarize, we can say that only a veterinarian can determine what to treat the wound of a cat for effective treatment. After all, the healing process directly depends on the correct choice of drugs. In any case, after providing emergency care to the pet, it must be shown to a specialist. Only a veterinarian can prescribe medications that will speed up the healing process and prevent secondary infection from joining.