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Treating a cat abscess at home

post #1 of 18
3/21/12 at 9:14pm
Thread Starter 

Due to a financal strain I do not have the money to take my cat to the vet. I just took my momma cat and her babies last week so I'm completely broke. I literally have $37.

 

I have successfully treated absesses before with epsom salt and warm water.

 

It always seems like such torture to the cat. Any other suggestions? I have been researching and a lot websites say just hot water compresses is that enough? Or should I at least soak the foot in a container of hot water?

 

Another website suggested Benadine.... Do you think that is better than epsom salt and can I get it at CVS?

 

The last suggestion I read was to squirt contact saline solution on it because its better concentrated than epsom salt.

 

I would love to know what you all think as well as any suggestions. Pharmacy doesnt open until 8 AM so in the meantime I'm going to just do the hot water compresses every 4 hours.

 

How much would a vet visit for this cost?

Thanks!

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post #2 of 18
3/22/12 at 4:43am
Thread Starter 

Just wanted to bump this up.

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post #3 of 18
3/22/12 at 5:15am

If your in the USA or Canada members won't be on for an hour or so yet.

 

Is there no vet that can do a price plan with you?.

 

She's bound to be in pain as well poor thing, so l hope someone can advise you more. But try ringing vets in your area to see if any of them do payment plans in the meantime

 

 

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post #4 of 18
3/22/12 at 7:32am
Thread Starter 

Thanks

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post #5 of 18
3/22/12 at 8:10am
I've treated abcesses with warm water and peroxide (but that was a long time ago and now peroxide isn't recommended--saline or Betadine would be better). But it is torture for the kitty. . .no way around that frown.gif. The important thing is to keep the abcess open so the nastiness can drain out and clean so it doesn't get infected.

You can get Betadine at CVS. I don't know if contact solution is the right concentration for a saline rinse, but they also sell pre-mixed saline wash at pharmacies.
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post #6 of 18
3/22/12 at 9:47am
Thread Starter 

I used hydrogen peroxide on a cat once and watched its skin literally melt away! The vet had never seen anything like it before. We actually lost him because of it. I still have so much guilt over that. And using hydrogen peroxide was what the vet instructed us to do!

 

I went out and got the bentadine. Of course this has to happen to my grumpy boy. He's the kind of cat that wants nothing to do with you unless hes in the mood, and its rare. So it's very hard to get the medicine on him.

 

I tried compress wraps with the benadine, that didn't work. He has a very loud growl and he scares the crap out of me. I try not to let it, but I always jump when he growls and hisses.

 

I ended up just dumping a solution of water and benadine over his leg. That was the best that I could do.

 

Oh did I mention that he is a solid black cat, so I can't even see the opening. I just see the swollen area and little drops of green pus.

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post #7 of 18
3/22/12 at 10:15am
It needs to open so the infection can come out. If you can't make it open (sometimes just soaking the dried pus off will do it, but sometimes it needs to be lanced), then you'll have to get the vet to do it. The infection could go systemic if something isn't done frown.gif.
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post #8 of 18
3/22/12 at 7:51pm
Thread Starter 

Will soaking it in Benadine make the abcess rupt or should I go get some epsom salt? Can I use table salt until the pharmacy opens in the morning?

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post #9 of 18
3/23/12 at 1:11am

Is there any reason for not taking the cat to the vets?  My experience of abcesses is that with antibiotics they clear up quickly and well.

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post #10 of 18
3/23/12 at 2:27am
Quote:
Originally Posted by OrientalSlave View Post

Is there any reason for not taking the cat to the vets?  My experience of abcesses is that with antibiotics they clear up quickly and well.

The member said she's short on finances so that's why l suggested finding a vet that does payment plans.

 

Can no one lend you the cash,  or have you nothing you can sell?

 



 

 

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post #11 of 18
3/24/12 at 3:28am
Thread Starter 

After soaking it for two days the swelling wasn't going down.So I picked the scab off. There was a hole the size of a pencil eraser. I drained all the pus out of it, about 2 teaspoons full. He seems much happier. He's still limping but he was cuddling and purring iwth me earlier. The past 4 days all he has been doing is hiding. So he's behaving like my normal boy again. Hopefully it starts to heel. How often should I wash it, treat it with benadine, and squeeze the pus out?

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post #12 of 18
3/24/12 at 4:07am
Please refer to the forum rules:

No online advice can replace direct veterinary intervention. If you suspect that your cat may be ill, please contact your vet immediately. You are welcome to look for advice in the health forum while waiting for that appointment, but never delay proper veterinary care waiting for Internet advice. Remember that cats, and especially kittens, are very adept in keeping pain to themselves and delaying treatment may cause irreversible damage.

The advice given here cannot take into account your cat’s previous history, and nobody here can give your cat a physical exam to check for any abnormalities. Please feel free to get opinions here, but take your cat to the vet, and discuss any possible solutions with your vet to get their expert, medical opinion first.
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post #13 of 18
3/24/12 at 11:10am

Mind you, these were the instructions given to me by my vet to treat an abscess that had been lanced and drained:

 

You should be flushing it, not just washing it, but I was told to soak and clean twice a day at minimum, more often if the cat tolerates it well, up to four times daily.

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post #14 of 18
3/28/12 at 7:26pm
Thread Starter 

Panther has started limping tonight. I went to try to drain it again and noticed that there's no longer an opening or a scab.

 

A vet is not possible until Monday. Is there anything that I can do? Should I try epsom salt?

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post #15 of 18
3/28/12 at 8:55pm
Thread Starter 

I held him down and found another scab on the back of his leg. I couldn't get anything out of it. Tomorrow I'm going to try some epsom salt. Hopefully that will be okay until Monday. There's no visible swelling, just his limping.

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post #16 of 18
3/29/12 at 3:27am

Can you not ring the vet for advice on using Epsom salts?. If they know your going to go on Monday i'm sure they'll advise you because the cats obviously in pain

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post #17 of 18
3/29/12 at 5:21am
If the abscess has closed up, your cat needs a vet, NOW. The poison from the infection is now going into the bloodstream. Monday will be much too late. Your cat needs immediate veterinary treatment, Today.

I'm praying your boy will be okay. But please, get him medical attention today.
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post #18 of 18
3/29/12 at 10:17am

I agree that your cat needs a vet ASAP. The only thing worse than an abscess is a closed abscess where the gunk has no place to go but further inside your cat. You can possibly treat an opened abscess, but you cannot treat a closed abscess yourself.

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