Swelling on cat's paw pad???

[rachael84]

My polydactyl cat has part of her paw pad swollen (but it isn't an ingrown toenail). We have taken her to the vet, and he just keeps telling us we need to pay for a biopsy to find out the problem. We gave her antibiotics for about 4 days, but it didn't help. It didn't increase in size within 2 weeks, but just yesterday she started picking at it and has been bleeding all over the house. I'm pregnant and can't be using cleaner to clean the carpet all day long. We want to get another opinion on what can be done before we see another vet. Do you know what could have caused this, and how to heal it? I'm assuming it's itching if she keeps gnawing at it. I just looked at it before for the first time in almost 24 hours, and it looks like the swelling has gone down quite a bit. Is it possible she popped whatever it was? 

I can take a pic if that will help. I just don't want to take her BACK to the vet for them to tell us yet again to pay $300 for a biopsy when I'm told there's only like a half chance they'll find the problem. Just want to see if anyone else's cat has had this problem too. 

 

[rachael84]

This is stressing me out & depressing me, and i'm pregnant-- I can't be cleaning her blood up all over the place with cleaner. 

 

[faery]

Question, is it just blood coming from the wound or is there any pus with it as well? Any smell to it? That sounds like an abscess, which would explain the oozing and swelling. If she has something stuck in the pad antibiotics will only help with the infection, not the actual foreign body.

In the case of an abscess caused by a foreign body hold a warm cloth over the sore for a few minutes until you can clearly see the wound. Flush it would with saline solution and see if you can get what ever is stuck in there to come out (do not pick at the cats paw or you could make it worse). If that works use an antibiotic ointment on the wound and *try* to keep it covered. You may need to clean the pad after your cat uses the litter box.

 

[lillydsh]

How bad is the swelling? Is there any object stuck in the foot? Sometimes paw swelling can be a sign of allergies. Is the fur around the paw or on the foot loose at all? Unless the paw looks infected, you probably don't need to see a vet.

 

[rachael84]

I don't think anything is stuck. We've had a vet look at it a few times. No puss, just blood. It looks like the swelling went down a bit since it bled, but I don't want this to be an endless cycle. I hope we get an answer soon, because it's causing fighting among my husband and I, plus I can't be cleaning/stressing about this being pregnant! it's causing lots of turmoil, and of course not to mention pain/stress for my cat.

 

[rachael84]

 
How bad is the swelling? Is there any object stuck in the foot? Sometimes paw swelling can be a sign of allergies. Is the fur around the paw or on the foot loose at all? Unless the paw looks infected, you probably don't need to see a vet.

The vet measured the swelling-- it's about a centimeter wide and long. Would a picture help? But would it bleed if it were an allergy? 

She actually had this a couple of months ago, but it wasn't swollen then. The pad just looked irritated and was bleeding on and off, though not nearly as bad as last night when it suddenly happened again.

 

[faery]

If it's an allery she could have chewed at the foot to ease the irritation. That would cause the bleeding, and perhaps some of the swelling. Any chance she's stepped on something (chemicals)?

 

[lillydsh]

Examine the paw under good light. Sometimes stingers can be very hard to see. It's best to clip any hair away from the wound. Clean the paw with mild soap and water. Then, apply Neosporin. Bandage and change every three days. If this hasn't fixed the problem within 2 weeks, I would suggest going back to the vet.

 

[rachael84]

Only problem is the vet put a heavy duty bandage on her, and she still ripped it off within 3 hours. Part of me is wondering if she might have cut it on the edge of our new tile floor in the kitchen (where she is often). There are a few tiles with fairly sharp edges. Do you think that's a possibility? but it wouldnt be an infection, because the antibiotics didn't work.

 

[peaches08]

If the vet says biopsy it, then the vet sees something suspicious. I'd opt for the biopsy.

 

[rachael84]

So many people are telling me there have to be other options. We're seeing another vet for a second opinion. Someone told me if it's an abscess, they would just drain it. 

 

[rachael84]

I also want to mention she's acting her normal self and eating fine.