What does a veterinarian do for a wound on a cat?
Most wounds are contaminated with bacteria, and often contain foreign material such as dirt, grit, or hair. When possible, your veterinarian will disinfect and stitch up the wound.
When to close a wound on a cat?
A contaminated wound that is more than a few hours old should never be closed without surgical debridement (removal of all the contaminated or dead tissue), and in some cases this may result in more permanent damage than treating the wound medically and leaving it open to heal.
When to bandage a wound on a cat?
The wound may be bandaged to protect it from further contamination, or to prevent your cat from excessively licking it. Daily bandage changes, as demonstrated by your veterinarian, may be required if there is a lot of discharge from the wound. Is any other medication required?
What happens if you have a puncture wound on your face?
Sometimes the location or the amount of skin loss prevents surgical closure or bandaging (wounds on the face or high up on the leg). Sometimes, puncture wounds or other trauma force bacteria deep into the tissues.
What happens when a cat has a wound on its tail?
If the skin surrounding the wound is loose, a pocket of pus will develop, forming an abscess. In areas where the skin is not loose such as the lower leg or the tail, the infection spreads through the tissues and causes cellulitis. “These punctures rapidly seal over, trapping bacteria from the cat’s mouth under the skin of the victim.”
Why does a cat bite look like a needle?
But cat bites are more likely to become infected. This is largely due to the shape of a cat’s teeth—particularly, the canine teeth that look like needles. Unlike a dog’s crushing bite injuries, cat bites create narrow but deep puncture wounds—with a pinpoint opening on the skin’s surface and a deeper hole underneath.
Why is there a puncture at the end of a scratch?
Sometimes there is a puncture wound at the end of a scratch that is not initially visible. A puncture results from a hole created by a sharp object of varying sizes. Depending upon how “dirty” the object is, these wounds can be the most susceptible to severe local infection.
How long does it take for a puncture wound to heal?
Puncture wounds heal very quickly so there is often nothing to see or feel, especially in the first few days after the bite. It may be possible to feel heat and swelling in the area of the bite.
