Cat incision after 10 days

[LillieBear]

My cat had to have an emergency spray around 11 days ago. She ended up getting a slight infection somewhere in between which the vet treated her with antibiotics and everything seemed to be normal. The vet mentioned she had been licking her incision and was experiencing a suture reaction and that was another reason why she had a lump. Today everything seemed fine until a few hours ago when I went to check on her incision. I noticed a bit of red blotches on her incision. Should I be worried? I mean I already am but I’m wodnering if this is expected? Like I said, today makes day 11. I feel like the vets are getting annoyed with how much I call with my concerns and I guess I just need more outside opinions. I’m so worried for my sweet girl.

 

[LillieBear]

I apologize for any mistakes. I even messed up the title with how much I rushed through this. I’m new to this site and I’m not sure how to edit these.

 

[FeebysOwner]

Hi and welcome to TCS! Do not worry about how many times you feel you need to consult with the vet. If they don't like it, shame on them. I am wondering if she has got a bit of a rash from liking her incision. I wouldn't worry about what the vet thinks, and would call them, sending that pic to them so they can see for themselves.

You may have to use a cone or a onesie to keep her from licking while that heals - ideally with some meds the vet recommends.

You can also try a home remedy with chamomile tea. Buy chamomile tea bags - you can find them in most any grocery store and generally speaking those are Germain - you don't want English or any flavorings or additives. Brew a bag in water, cool the liquid to room temp and then apply some to that area with cotton balls or a soft cloth. Chamomile tea is a soothing and healing agent, as well as having anti-bacterial/anti-fungal properties. It is safe for your cat to ingest if that should happen.

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[LillieBear]

Hi, thank you so much for your response and advice! Her redness ended up going away after a few hours. But I can’t help but to have anxiety over the lump. The vet had said it was a suture reaction but my overactive mind keeps getting scared that everything that is happening is somehow “not” normal when it could very well be fine. Talking to the vet doesn’t seem to help me because their responses are always the same by saying they just don’t know. I think I need a new vet but it’s so hard to find one around me. But this lump is firm but it’s not huge or anything really and it hasn’t gotten any bigger since the vet had checked it out. It’s only been 12 days so should I expect this to still be here? How long does this usually last?

 

[LillieBear]

I forgot to mention that she has something that protects her from licking the incision so I doubt she’s been licking it ever since we got her the antibiotics from the last infection when she didn’t have anything protecting it. As for her behavior, she seems to be doing just great! She’s active and lovable, has an even better appetite than ever before and uses the bathroom fine. I’m really hoping these are all good signs to point out that her recovery is finally going smoothly

 

[FeebysOwner]

I am glad the redness went away. It does seem odd that it would just disappear unless there was something going on before that was acting as an irritant that is no longer happening. But, the fact that it has dissipated is good news.

Regarding the lump, there is such a thing as a 'suture reaction', so I'd take the word of your vet. I can take days to reduce in size once it appears. As long as it doesn't grow in size, leak/ooze, or become painful to touch, I think you will find it diminishing over time. If you want, for your own peace of mind, you could call the vet and ask how long suture reactions tend to last and what to look for that would suggest something else is gong on.

 

[LillieBear]

I’m not sure what caused it or what made it go away but if I had to guess I would think maybe she had been scratching herself through her cloth that she’s wearing and accidentally scratched at it? I couldn’t find those cat suits that lots of people recommended so I was advised to make some sort of snug sweater through a sock or a legging. I felt the sock was a bit tight on her and so I went with a bigger legging that fits her so it doesn’t squeeze her but stays on.

Okay thank you. I did end up finding out that these reactions that cause the lumps can take weeks to heal. She does go back to the vet tomorrow for her recheck so I’m hoping everything is fine. Thank you so much again for your advice.

 

[stephanietx]

It is also common for a lump to appear as the incision heals. That's usually scar tissue build up from the healing going on. It will go away, but keep watching the incision site for any draining/weeping or excessive redness. It looks like she's on the road to recovery.