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Abscesses in Cats

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Abscesses in cats usually occur under the skin and are not life threatening. The vast majority of these abscesses DO NOT need antibiotics.

Symptoms:

  1. Localized swelling, usually hot to the touch and often feels like there is a fluid filled pocket
  2. Open, bloody, draining hole (this is after the abscess has opened and started draining).. At this point you may be able to treat at home with hot packing and flushing.
    1. People often think their cat has been cut if the abscess is open and bleeding, when in fact, it opened from the inside to allow the pus to drain out.
  3. Fever (100-102.5°F is normal, 103.5°F. and higher is a significant fever)
  4. Limping, if the abscess is on a leg or foot

Treatment:

Most abscesses will readily heal by:

    1. Lancing and draining the abscess, leaving a large opening for the abscess to continue to drain (the veterinarian will do this)
    2. Hot packing the abscess twice daily
    3. Flushing the abscess with a disinfectant such as chlorhexidine (diluted by adding 2 ounces chlorhexidine into one gallon of water) or a 1:20 dilution of chlorine (bleach)

Western Medical Therapy:

The typical approach is to anesthetize your cat. In many cases, the abscess can be drained without anesthesia. Then the veterinarian will drain the abscess ("lance it"), flush out the pus and often place a drain in the abscess to keep it open and they will place the cat on an antibiotic. The antibiotic is almost always useless; abscesses heal because of the draining and flushing, followed by hot packing and repeated flushing at home, not by the use of antibiotics. We recommend no antibiotics be used, unless there is cellulitis spread through the area (the entire leg for example will be swollen, not just one area, and thus not localized into a pocket), or the abscess is deep in muscle tissues.

Some abscesses become chronic and the following therapies will be helpful in resolving these difficult cases. Our complementary therapies will also be very helpful for cats that are treated at home when the owner is already educated on how to manage cat abscesses.

Complementary Therapies

Chinese herbs

    1. Paris 7-I.T.M.

Homeopathic remedies

We only sell low potencies without a phone consult, 30C and lower. To purchase homeopathics you need to call our staff. To contact us, Click Here.

    1. Silicea
    2. Ledum

If abscesses are chronic or recurring, boost the immune system:

    1. Power Mushrooms
    2. Immuplex

If antibiotics are used, repopulate the intestines with beneficial bacteria:

    1. Bacillus coagulans (formerly Lactobacillus Sporogenes)
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