Cat with bump on head

My long haired tabby named Blaze, goes in and outdoors recently developed a bump on the top of his head. The bump seems to have a small red hole on top -- I tried to treat the bump over a period of three weeks and finally took him to the Vet. The Vet cleaned and shaved the affected area. It's round, about the size of a nickel with a small hole on top. He gave me antibiotics, a plastic collar and said it could be Crypto. I've been cleaning it several times per day with Hydrogen Peroxide and Benodine. I went to several sites to view what Cryto looks like and its definitely not Crypto. My Blaze has been on antibiotics for three days and it's gone down slightly, but not much. I'm not sure about our new Vet as he busy treating numerous animals at any given time. Blaze has been eating and now sleeping alot. He's a great cat.

Has anyone experienced or seen anything like what I'm talking about? I took some pictures, but misplaced my carmera cord.

Concerned pet owner

Suzanne

Originally Posted by Suzmad

...I'm not sure about our new Vet as he busy treating numerous animals at any given time....

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If I were in your position, I'd be listening to my "gut feeling" - more importantly, acting on it and finding a competent feline Veterinary practice.

This site, a list of Vets with proven feline diagnostic/treatment skills might be helpful...at the very least, I'd be looking for a cat-only practice.

My first thought was a botfly, also.

A second possibility is a sebaceous cyst. Wickett used to have them, and they would occasionally break open and drain some.

I was thinking too, botfly ......which is "cutebrera fly." My cats have never experienced but years ago I read, on a cat health forum, someone whose cat had this:

http://www.petplace.com/cats/cutereb...ats/page1.aspx

http://vetmedicine.about.com/od/para..._cuterebra.htm

If this is what it is, the hole will never close and the lump will never go completely away UNTIL the larva is completely removed. In the second article it seems to say that after 30 days the larva will leave, on its own, the hole and then go about turning into a fly.

Says it's very important, as seems understandable, that when it's manually removed, that it's removed in one piece; to leave piece of it in there can then cause infection and prevent healing.

I'd print off these articles and take to a NEW vet. Amazing that folks on a cat health board could instantly come up with a likely diagnosis and your vet seems very, um, lost.

Let us know how it goes.

Hey guys...thanks for your input. I appreciate the feedback. Blaze still has the lump on his head. The scab on the top of the lump has dried up and peeled off, but the lump is still there. I think its an infected "something" as his eyes are draining mucos/fluid periodically. I've gone through all of the antibiotics. I called the VET to follow up and he suggest now surgically removing the lump. I think its a larva/bug of some sort, waiting to finish doing whatever its doing in his skin. It's not Cryto for certain... We reside in a very wooded dense area with all types of bugs and critters. Blaze enjoys running outdoors and tired of wearing the cone around his neck -- he's so brave and quite a remarkable cat. What do you all think? How should I treat this infected lump -- It could be the blot fly. Should I try to remove it myself? Or just warm towels on the area for another few days?

Any feedback would be helpful. Any recommendations to Vets in the Pasadena, California area would be extremely helpful.

Suzanne

Originally Posted by BLAISE

If I were in your position, I'd be listening to my "gut feeling" - more importantly, acting on it and finding a competent feline Veterinary practice.

This site, a list of Vets with proven feline diagnostic/treatment skills might be helpful...at the very least, I'd be looking for a cat-only practice.

Click to expand...

Blaise --- You are so right. I'll check out your link to feline focused vets.

Suzanne

I just received the notification of your first reply...my heart sank when I read it.

Am I ever glad you found my suggestion!

I think that you nailed the lumpy squirrel theory. I went to the links that you provided and sure enough, it looks like the exact same lump on Blaze's head. Even though the scab peeled off the hole on the top is now moving. Its actually scary.... I cleaned it again and printed out all of the on-line material and plan to visit the Vet in the AM. If you could figure this out with my half written email, why couldn't my high end Vet provide this as a possibility. My back yard is filled with squirrels.

Thank you so much. I will not try to remove it, but I can see the parasite moving in his head.