Open wound on chin/bottom of mouth

Hi, - new to the forum mega cat lover here...

One of my 4 cats "Scrappy" (1 of 2 garage cats) developed an open wound under his chin. I noticed a cut, or "hole" in the bottom of his chin a week or so ago, and thought it to be some sort of injury. Scrappy has FIV, but the wound seemed to have heeled rather quickly leaving just a small scab.

However, tonight I was shocked!. I noticed his chest fur was all "pink", and when I looked under his chin I notices a huge gash/hole ! It looks really really bad.

I have some left over pink antibiotics, so I put that in some food, and he lapped that all down, so I got a nearly full (small) bottle of that pink stuff to give him.

I patted the open wound down with a warm, wet paper towel smeared with a dab of Johnsons & Johnsons first aide cream, and he didn't seem to mind that at all (whereas he would "yelp" when I got close to it last week).

I was also able to dab/smear some Neosporan on it just now without any problems.

Scrappy is an old orange tom cat that was abandoned and abused cat that I took in a few years ago. He has lots of scars on his head, and missing 3 of his 4 fang teeth. He turned out to be the most loving cat of all (but I do keep him out in a heated garage). I'm concerned for him. What could have caused this, and how best should I care for this wound?

I took some pics just before I cleaned the wound up for him.

Warning: if open wounds gross you out, don't open these links. (they are not that bad, but figured I'd put that warning out just in case)

http://i405.photobucket.com/albums/p...3/100_1013.jpg

http://i405.photobucket.com/albums/p...3/100_1014.jpg

Here is a picture of "Scrappy" a couple of years ago after I've took him in and fattened him up some, and he was looking pretty good:
http://i405.photobucket.com/albums/p...SC00621_13.jpg

This cat is the most loving, and "rubby" cat I've ever seen. He follows me around everywhere when I'm working in the yard (when the weather is good), and I think he is just so happy to have gotten a second lease on life with me taking him in and loving him. He loves being out in the garage with me.

I'd like to see if it starts to heal on it's own a few more days before taking him to the vet. Is this a good idea ?

Thanks in advance !

MM3

What is a "warble" hole ?

Yes, he does go out, but not for long. Lately, when I come home, I come in thru the garage door, and he'll run outside for a bit, then come back in to hang out with me in the garage. The weather is cold and rainy in Seattle now, so he'd rather just hang out with me in the garage as I work on re-loading shotgun shells for my other hobby - skeet shooting. When I'm out there, he can't seem to get "close" enough to me, and just hangs out on a stool next to me.

Thanks, - I'll see if I can get him to the vet today. But now that it broke open, I wanted to see if it would heal on it's own, but I'll see about a vet appointment.

MM3

Back from the vet with Scrappy. Poor guy, I really feel for him..

Anyways, the vets says it's an abscess, and that the infection channels
run all the way up thru the jaw to his lover fang teeth which have been
broken off and flush with the gums back from his abused and abandoned life
(which we are both trying to forget).

They said that he needs surgery to dig out the lower fang teeth stubs, and
to possibly cut out some of the infected abscess tissue and sew it back up.

With his FIV, they had to draw blood to check on that, and to see if he is
able to be put under.

They sent me home with antibiotics, some eye ointment for his constant runny
eye, and put some flea medcine on him since he needs to be 100% flea-free for
the surgery. Surgery is scheduled for Tuesday morning, and the estimate for
today plus all of the surgery stuff is about $600.

I have to think that I'm doing the right thing, and that I'm not going to hand
up creating a on going surgury pain situation for him after surgery. They
talked about some pain meds, and other post-op items that they will go over
after the surgery. I've never had to deal with anything this evasive, or
extensive with any of my other cats, so I hope I'm doing the right thing.

I just want him to be as happy, content, and loving as he used to be, and not
take anything away from his quality of life.

They shaved part of his neck to draw blood, but not around the wound. I'm not
sure they cleaned out the wound, but I would think that they did. They also
didnt tell me how best to care for the wound until next Tuesday. I didn't look
at his wound when I came home, as all I wanted was to get him home as soon as
possible. Lasst thing I wanted to do is to go tilting his head backwards after
all he's been thru today.

I hope all will go Ok Tuesday, - I want the best for him. I turned the heat
up in the garage, and he appears fine and comfortable, and sitting on my
spool at the workbench with his paws curled up under him, and purring, so I
think he's fine for now. He is struggling to eat the dry food, and reefs his
head really far to one side as to chew on some back teeth on one side. He
loves the wet food, and I have some pouch-food I use for treats, but I'll
let him have what he wants.

Thanks for the support!
MM3

Thanks for the well wishes. No, - they didn't give me any pain meds now.
Like I said, he doesn't appears to be in any pain. But then again, how would I know? He lets me touch his wound, but I don't know if his overall jaw, or mouth, or anything is else is sore, hurting, or painful. Would a cat purr if in any sort of pain I wonder?

Thanks,
MM3

Thank you for the kind words, and information.

There is no problem keeping him in the garage, - he mostly wants to be in there any how. It's carpeted, heated, 2 litter boxes, sleeper cups, and a few stools which is just loves to hang out on. When he was better, he usually just ran out of the garage out to the driveway, and up on the porch, and comes right back in within a few minutes, - never really goes too far. But you are right, - don't want him wondering off.

Never had to pill him, but his appetite is so good, crushing up pills in his food shouldn't be a problem (or at least what I think).

They did give me a bottle of that pink antibiotic liquid. I hate that stuff, - I've had it for the other cats. I guess it tastes like bubble gum, which if you think about it, is pretty stupid, since I've never known a cat to be attracted to bubble gum (of all things). Hopefully mixing it with the food isn't a bad thing. And man, do NOT get that pink stuff on the carpet, - it is the only thing that will truly stain the carpeting, - it will NOT come out (of anything for that matter).

So we'll see. He seems a little out of it today, and I hope he hangs in there until Tuesday. I'll keep you posted. I did get some new Hydrogen Peroxide, and I read in one the the threads here that a 50% mix with water on the wound would help, and I have dapped some NeoSporan on it too.

MM3

Well, that be the case, ole Scrappy will think he's died and gone to heaven, as he goes NUTS when I bring out wet food for him. So this should not be a problem. It's hard watching him trying to eat that hard dry food, so yeah, I'll keep him on the canned stuff.

MM3