Pixel got hurt!!! Advice? (this is long, sorry...)

zorana_dragonky

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I had company over last night and Pixel was being friendly and sweet, and there was nothing wrong with her. I went to bed fairly late (around 2:00 am) and was up by 8:00 and DH was petting Pixel and noticed a bright red spot between her shoulder blades. There was fur still covering it and it was smaller than a dime.

Still, I was worried about her so I called my vet as soon as the office opened (9:30), and they let me know that my vet was out on vacation until next Friday! Poop! But then gave me a number to another local vet that is helping my vet's clients until she gets back. So I called the other vet's office and let them know that it appeared to be a scrape or sore, almost between her shoulderblades and it was VERY fresh and they told me to clean it with cool water and that I could apply Neosporin, and the only Neosporin that I have is the +Pain Relief kind, so I mentioned that to her, and she asked me to read off the active ingredients, and then told me that the stuff that relieves pain is not good for them, so perhaps I should go purchase regular Neosporin!

I had class at 10:00, so I went in to class and turned in my assignment (an algebra class) and told my professor that I wanted to pick up some meds for my kitty and make sure she didn't need to see the vet and she just told me to go on home and take care of her (I don't miss class and DH and I have an A in her class!), so I went to Wal-mart and bought some regular Neosporin. I came home and used a soft washcloth and cool water and cleaned the wound, and then applied some Neosporin. She was very good for the cleaning, but as soon as I put the Neosporin on she FREAKED OUT! She started running around all crazy and trying to lick and lick and lick the spot (that she can't quite reach) and scratching it with her back foot! So I cleaned it again (cool water) to get rid of the Neosporin but she was so mad!

I had a lunch date with my MIL, so we went to lunch with her and when we came home she was still acting very upset and "crazy", licking and scratching. The wound is now much larger, over quarter sized!!!! I called the vet again and explained what had happened, and they told me that I probably still didn't need to bring her in. They said the wound is fresh and not infected yet. It needs to be kept clean and DRY so it will heal and I need to do my best to keep her from scratching it and make it worse. She told me not to put Neosporin on it again because it aggravated her so much, and not to try to cover the wound because it will just stress her out and she will wiggle out of whatever I put on it. If I suspect infection in the next few days, I should bring her in for a check up and an oral antibiotic. She also suggested I attempt to calm her down by providing some of her favorite food, and that I should use soft cotton to clean it.

SO, I used soft cotton facial squares and cool water to carefully dab it clean and dry it (she is a trooper) and then provided some tasty tuna juice, which Pixel LOVES (I gave some to Bamf too, he is being so good today!) and she does seem to have calmed down some. She is now hiding under the couch and napping, and I am leaving her alone because she cannot scratch herself under there. Even though I have cleaned it, it is still very bright red like it is seeping fresh blood still!!!

Does anyone have any advice for me? I am so worried (I am a paranoid meowmy
). Please give us vibes that this wound heals quickly and does not become infected. I have no idea how she could have done this to herself! I hope she is okay. I have attached a few photos in case they help with advice.

Thanks everyone.


This one is to show size relative to Pixel.


Here is a close up.


And an even closer up.
 

katiemae1277

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oh gosh! that looks ouchie
have you recently applied flea preventative? other than that I have no clue how she could have gotten that. I think if you keep it clean that it should be ok, it looks like it is just on the surface and should heal quickly too
 

white cat lover

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I've seen scrapes like that from kitty "tussles". Ophelia's done that to a few kitties in my house. I always have panalog on hand - and just apply that to the wound 2x a day for 7-10 days.
 
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zorana_dragonky

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No, I have never used any flea preventative. I guess I didn't think they needed any because they are indoor only kitties in an upstairs apartment. I did check her for fleas and I don't see anything.

White cat lover, what is Panalog and where would I get it?
Perhaps I can go pick something like this up and use it to carefully clean her with the soft cotton pads. I have considered that it could be that Bamf is the culprit in this case. They like to tussle and have all their claws (and Bamf is a bit of a biter, too). Their claws haven't been trimmed recently, so he could have scratched or bitten her and then she scratched it up with her back foot, itching it.

She is up in her cat tower sleeping now. I want that thing to dry out and her to calm down, so I am glad to see her relaxing.

Thanks for the vibes!
 

mai_kitties

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I would really try the Neosporin again. My Max scratches himself bloody sometimes and I use the Neosporin on him. He hates it but it does not actually hurt him such as stinging. What he does not like is the feel of the ointment on his fur. He does whatever he can to get it off.

Just use a very thin layer and try to avoid getting it all over the fur. It really does help heal up scrapes and reduces the chance of infection. Just don't use it more than a few days and if you see no noticeable signs of the scrape getting better than take her in.
 

white cat lover

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Panalog is the same as Animax ointment - it's something you get from the vet. It can be used for ear infections, abcesses, "simply" wounds like what you pictured on Pixel, etc.

It's basically the same as Neosporin, just more multi-purpose & for pets specifically.
 
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zorana_dragonky

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Actually, I have actual Animax from when Bamf had an ear infection last summer. Would it be safe to use that? Should I call the vet and bug them again? (LOL) I am afraid to put it on her because the texture of the Neosporin aggravated her so much that she started running through the apartment scratching and licking and twitching.
Anyway I do have Animax and the Neosporin without pain relief now.

Perhaps I will let her finish her nice nap and then see what I can do...
 

white cat lover

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Animax is basically the same thing as Panalog. I would let her sit for a bit, then perhaps try some on that. Go ahead & bug the vet again - I do it all the time!
 

carolina

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Another good one to prevent infections and take away the sting is Bactine - applied 2x/day is nice because it disinfects, prevents infection, and doesn't keep the skin from breathing... If you apply Neosporin, make sure to apply a very thin coat, just a little tiny bit, so the skin continues to breath.
 

rang_27

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When does your regular vet come back? I would want my kitty seen too, I tend to be a worrying Mom too.

It looks to me like a skin irritation like a food allergy, or your poor baby got a good chunk of hair pulled out & it pulled the skin off too?
 

laureen227

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Originally Posted by Rang_27

When does your regular vet come back? I would want my kitty seen too, I tend to be a worrying Mom too.
me, too - altho, on my Pixel, a sore like that appears from a herpes flare-up if i don't catch it early enough... but my Pixel's herpes symptoms are unusual.
 

mschauer

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Originally Posted by white cat lover

I've seen scrapes like that from kitty "tussles". Ophelia's done that to a few kitties in my house. I always have panalog on hand - and just apply that to the wound 2x a day for 7-10 days.
That looks exactly like the wound Zara gets from Toby occasionally. Same place even. He bites and pulls out a tuff of fur. Really PO's me.
He hasn't done it in a while, maybe he's finally outgrown it.

If it got bigger, he may have chomped on her again.
 

lmunsie

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awwwwwwwww I'm so sorry that happened! I would be paranoid too
I don't know if they can get hot spots there, but that looks like a hotspot kismet had. It started out looking like a small scratch and turned into the size of a quarter and looked like an open wound!! I didn't apply anything because she would react the same way pixel did, I just washed it with cold water 3X per day and tried to keep her from irritating it and it went away. If she is crazy licking it, you might consider getting her a cone for a day or two when you're not home just so she doesn't make it worse, it'll help heal. Keep us posted! goodluck!
 
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zorana_dragonky

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Originally Posted by carolinalima

Another good one to prevent infections and take away the sting is Bactine - applied 2x/day is nice because it disinfects, prevents infection, and doesn't keep the skin from breathing... If you apply Neosporin, make sure to apply a very thin coat, just a little tiny bit, so the skin continues to breath.
This morning when I talked to the other vet's office, they suggested instead of just water to use a little hydrogen peroxide and then rinse it with water. I did that this afternoon and it does look cleaner. She didn't like it though. I should ask about Bactine. I am thinking about taking her in in the morning anyway, even though the office keeps telling me I don't really need to...

Originally Posted by Rang_27

When does your regular vet come back? I would want my kitty seen too, I tend to be a worrying Mom too.

It looks to me like a skin irritation like a food allergy, or your poor baby got a good chunk of hair pulled out & it pulled the skin off too?
My vet doesn't come back until NEXT Friday, not tomorrow but Next Week!!!!
I think she did get the hair pulled out with skin, during a fight with Bamf. That is our suspicion now.

Originally Posted by laureen227

me, too - altho, on my Pixel, a sore like that appears from a herpes flare-up if i don't catch it early enough... but my Pixel's herpes symptoms are unusual.
Well, we believe (the vet and I) that Bamf and Pixel both do have chronic herpes, since they have the sniffle snots all the time, although we have not actually done a snot culture. We just provide L-lysine supplements all the time.

Originally Posted by mschauer

That looks exactly like the wound Zara gets from Toby occasionally. Same place even. He bites and pulls out a tuff of fur. Really PO's me. He hasn't done it in a while, maybe he's finally outgrown it.

If it got bigger, he may have chomped on her again.
I actually think that is exactly what happened.
I found a clump of fur where I saw them wrestling the night before. We think he bit her and pulled out a little tuft of fur and then it irritated her so much that she started to scratch. When we first discovered this yesterday morning, it was smaller than a dime. Now she has scratched it into quite a large wound. We have been watching her like hawks since yesterday afternoon (slept in shifts...) and grab her foot any time she tries to scratch. She can't keep scratching it like that!!!

Originally Posted by lmunsie

awwwwwwwww I'm so sorry that happened! I would be paranoid too. I don't know if they can get hot spots there, but that looks like a hotspot kismet had. It started out looking like a small scratch and turned into the size of a quarter and looked like an open wound!! I didn't apply anything because she would react the same way pixel did, I just washed it with cold water 3X per day and tried to keep her from irritating it and it went away. If she is crazy licking it, you might consider getting her a cone for a day or two when you're not home just so she doesn't make it worse, it'll help heal. Keep us posted! goodluck!
Oh I am. DH keeps telling me that it will be okay but I have called the vet's office 5 times now (even though they keep implying I don't really need to bring her in for it... I will probably give in and bring her in anyway tomorrow just to make myself feel better). She keeps trying to lick it, but she can't actually reach the spot where it is with her tongue. That is why she keeps scratching it with her back leg (I think). I have trimmed her nails carefully as short as I can safely make them and now we are on keep-Pixel-from-scratching vigilance. It's like an all-nighter for school only easier because I want to make sure she doesn't scratch herself. We have gone through a four pack of Monster lo-carbs already.

Here are updated pictures:

Yesterday evening, looking terrible:


Just a minute ago:


Close up, it is looking better. The slight yellowing is from the Animax ointment on it:


She is sleeping here on my desk.



Bamf is keeping us company in his bed next to the printer:



Thanks for the vibes and advice everyone. I
TCS.
 
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zorana_dragonky

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Oh, there is something else I am worried about. She has not been eating very much (presumably because she just feels so dang crappy). Last night she ate some dry food, she ate the tuna juice yesterday, this morning I hand fed her dry kibbles until she stopped eating them and she drank a lot of water! She also got more tuna juice (the water from a can of tuna) and we had some tuna with our lunch today.
We have given her several treats (they are like jerky, so it is just adding some meat supplements, the Wellness pure treats). She usually eats more but she IS eating and drinking, just with encouragement.

She wants to spend almost all of her time sleeping. Since she doesn't scratch while she is sleeping, that is good, but I worry about her. I don't believe she has used the litter box since yesterday morning sometime. Next time she wakes up I am going to plop her in the box and see if she uses it. I am worried about her eating enough and using the box.
Poor baby.
 

laureen227

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Originally Posted by zorana_dragonky

I have trimmed her nails carefully as short as I can safely make them and now we are on keep-Pixel-from-scratching vigilance.
Thanks for the vibes and advice everyone. I
TCS.
if you have some soft claws, you could put them on her back feet [i don't usually, but you can] & that might help, as well.
 
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zorana_dragonky

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Originally Posted by laureen227

if you have some soft claws, you could put them on her back feet [i don't usually, but you can] & that might help, as well.
I did think of this, but I don't have any and the stores in town don't carry them. The closest place I could purchase them is just over an hour away.
I may go and get some tomorrow anyway depending.

Just hope she gets better! I carefully sat her in and then near the litter box a bit ago and she would have none of it. Not using the potty is worrying me.
 
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zorana_dragonky

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I just wanted to update everyone.

We decided to take Pixel to the vet yesterday, for peace of mind more than anything. I didn't want to go because my regular vet is on vacation until next weekend, but I made an appointment at a different vet (that my vet's office recommended). They did turn out to be very, very nice. The doctor and his techs were very friendly and didn't have any problem answering my questions. They also told me a bazillion times how pretty Pixel was.
It turns out that my vet used to work for the vet we went to yesterday, and they are still friends. So that made me feel not so bad about taking her to a different vet!

The vet said that the wound is acting a lot like a hot spot (just like I thought, and some of you folks too!), and that explained the itching a lot. He said that hot spots release a lot of histamines right beneath the skin. Pixel got a shot of an anti-inflammatory/anti-histamine of some type (I asked the name of the drug but now I don't remember, it started with a D) and she also got an antibiotic shot. Now we have to give her antibiotics orally (a liquid) twice a day and keep using the Animax ointment. She doesn't mind the Animax (feels better than Neosporin I guess) but she HATES the antibiotics. It is hard to hold her to squirt them into her mouth, even with help, and we want to be careful because of her injury. Yuck.

She is not scratching as much now, but she has been wearing baby socks on her back feet, secured with not too tight ponytail holders. It takes her a while to get the socks off (last night she kept them on all night!) so she doesn't scratch during that time! I hope it heals okay. It still looks horrible to me, but I don't know if I am one to judge.

Also, she seems to think that now she has permission to sleep on my desk whenever I am in this room, since I had her up her on Wednesday and Thursday so I could grab her scratching feet. Oh well, I lost a desktop and Pixel got a new bed, right?
Naturally I let her sleep there whenever she wants to.
 
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