Spokane cat lovers know there are many key things to know about the treatment of cat wounds and to never use hydrogen peroxide. True, it does kill bacteria, but it can also raze healthy tissue. They use sterile saline to clean wounds instead. Once this is applied, they often use an antibiotic ointment such as Triple Antibiotic Ointment.
When you take your feline cat to the veterinarian for wound care, your veterinarian will more than likely recommend antibiotics whether or not the wound is infected. If the wound is not infected, this will prevent an infection from budding. Make sure to give your cat the full course of antibiotics prescribed, even if your cat seems to be feelings better.
Superficial Lacerations (cat scratches or cuts) are wounds in which the skin is not cut all the way through. They may be caused by sharp objects or by scratches or bites. They generally do not need stitches. Treat these kinds of cat wounds by cleaning them with sterile saline and then applying antibiotic ointment every day until the cut has healed. If you notice any sign of infection take your cat to the veterinarian immediately.
Herbalists say that wounds can be treated with herbs famous for their ability to reduce pain, minimize swelling and helping the healing process.
Deep lacerations, (open wounds), are cuts that go all the way through the skin. Unless they are very small--less than an inch-- will need stitches.
Depending on what the source of the injury was and the probability of infection, there are two ways it may be treated. If it was caused by a relatively clean object and the wound is clean and not showing any sign of infection, the wound will be cleaned and sutured. If the wound was caused by a dirty object, if the wound is dirty, or is showing signs of infection, a drain may be placed. A small tube or tubes are placed under the skin before it is stitched closed. Infection can then drain out of the wound while it heals. These, of course, can’t be done at home.
Puncture wounds are caused by animal bites or sharp pointed objects. They may or may not go through the skin, and it can be hard to tell if they do or not. If not, they can be cleaned and antibiotic ointment administered. If they do go through the skin, drainage may be mandatory. Wounds that appear minor on the outside of the skin can actually be quite serious underneath. If your cat is bitten by another animal, he/she should be taken to a veterinarian.
Abscesses are malevolent wounds. They are often the result of bite wounds and are common in outdoor cats. The skin heals over an earlier puncture in the skin, but the bacteria from the teeth of the animal that did the biting are still growing. The cat’s body generates a localized immune response and walls off the bacteria from the rest of the body, producing a thick yellow and red discharge. At first there is redness, pain, and swelling around the bite area. This gets worse until the abscess ruptures and the drainage is discharged. If you even slightly suspect6 your cat has an abscess, call your veterinarian right away. You could save a very valuable life
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