cat bite

planetX

Not me - on the cat. My neighbours unneutered cats have struck again, and I've got a cat who has put himself to bed, with a sore paw and a temperature. So it looks like another abscess - the last one cost nearly 200 euro to have treated. This time though I'm completely broke, probably won't make the rent this month, and there's no way I'm able to pay for this. Has anyone any home remedies - or is it possible to get antibiotics without a consultation? Is it possible he'll heal up without needing the vet??

joyce2009

I know the feeling the last time my fellow was bitten i couldnt afford to take him to the vet as my daughter was sick and im afraid it was the doctor and not the vet i had to pay,,but from experience of other cuts and absoses ive treated with the vet the best thing you can do is keep the bite mark open,,, this will mean cleaning regularly with cooled boiled water that has a bit of salt in it and dont use cotton wool kitchen towel is fine,,try and not let it crust over ,,when you see that there is no more pus coming out may take a few days you can ease off the cleaning....But if there is any sign of a temperature of lack of eating or any other reactions i would bring him to the vet and explain that money is tight and most of them will let you pay a bit at a time...best of luck with him i hope its not too serious..

planetX

He has a hot nose and ears, and is staying in his bed. My vet has a big sign in the waiting room saying 'no credit'. I'm going to call and see if they'll sell me antibiotics.

joyce2009

Is there any other vet near by that might be a bit more sympathic???

poconnor16

As a second issue - have you had a word with your neighbour? Are their cats vaccinated? I notice you say 'again' and you cant exactly watch cats all day...but it must be an un-neutered tom thats attacking. If so, its their responsibility to spay their cat.

Re the money - try another vet, I'm sure one of them will treat and give you some credit. Good luck and hope kitty feels better.x

MsFifers

If you are in Dublin I believe the Blue Cross provide low cost vet care for people who can't afford it.

starfish12

http://www.bluecross.ie/mobileclinic.html

newmug

If a neightbours cat cost me £200, I'd bloodywell spay it myself with a 12 guage:mad:

Graces7

Interesting timing.. We needed antibiotics this week; cat with cystitis not yielding to cranberry. And we cannot afford a consultation.

The first vet we tried turned us away. We are not registered with a vet down here.
Had to have a referral from our last vet,, no way could antibiotics be bought OTC..

We tried a second vet and no problem. Just told them what is wrong and what we needed.

A ten day supply at 50 cents a tablet.

So shop around.

But yes re Joyce's post. If he is apathetic then he is in serious pain and will maybe need the wound lancing. Cats' mouths are filthy places. .I know that money is appallingly tight.. But that second vet would "probably" have helped with easy payments

NB we were told to use hot salt water, not cold.

carwash_2006

I dunno, cat bites can be nasty things. How well have you been able to investigate and clean the wound? They can hide nastiness deep inside, I would really try and get the cat to a vet.

However, €200 seems quite excessive for treating an abcess unless it was really extensive and possibly even needed an overnight in the vets. Do you know what the vet was charging you for? Is there alternative veterinary care that you could try? Or as OP's have said, are you in the Dublin area that you could use the Blue Cross.

If it is a really straightforward infection and you have been able to get a really good examination of it you could ask the vet if they could repeat the previous prescription without seeing the cat, although I wouldn't really recommend this if it can be avoided (make sure you stress your financial position).

Honestly if your vet refuses point blank to see an animal if you are completely stuck and can't afford to pay it all then and there, I would be inclined to look around for another vet. But do ask them before you assume, most of them have these sort of signs but if you explain your position a lot can be persuaded to take installments.

BengaLover

This has happened to one of my cats, we had 2 tabby sisters as rescue kittens.
One got in a very small tussle with a strange cat who came in the garden and same happened, swelled up and got infected, cat was not herself for a few days.
As a result, she went to the vets, who suggested a blood test, and it was confirmed that she had feline leukimia, hence her being prone to infections that would take hold very rapidly.

Maybe it wouldnt be a bad idea to have her tested, her immune system may be at risk, always good to know these things, not a cheap test though!:(

Graces7

BengaLover wrote: »

This has happened to one of my cats, we had 2 tabby sisters as rescue kittens.
One got in a very small tussle with a strange cat who came in the garden and same happened, swelled up and got infected, cat was not herself for a few days.
As a result, she went to the vets, who suggested a blood test, and it was confirmed that she had feline leukimia, hence her being prone to infections that would take hold very rapidly.

Maybe it wouldnt be a bad idea to have her tested, her immune system may be at risk, always good to know these things, not a cheap test though!:(

I don;t think that this is needful; and as you say costly. Any cat bite will tend to be infected. And will take hold very fast. I once intercepted a bite by accident that was meant for a cat and the infection I got was horrendous.

And it can indeed mean a GA and an overnight stay.

One cat almost died of a bite like that.

One of our cats once got stuck in a rabbit hole three days and somehting bit him on the jaw. That vet suggested that test as the cat was "thin and haggard".. the man did not listen of course.

OP if you do find a vet who like mine will let you buy meds, keep some in stock? We have lived in very rural areas where we did this. This man knew the problem and said that if it cleared in five days I would have stocks ready if she got sick again.

planetX

well buying antibiotics without a consultation was no-go. I thought the cat was a bit better, he had a big meal of chicken (sucker:D), but now he's not putting the foot down at all. I'm hoping the abscess will just burst and drain by itself....
otherwise I will have to bring him somewhere - problem is we're rural, no blue cross here, and to find a cheaper vet will mean a long drive. 200 euro was for a general anaesthetic, overnight stay, draining the abscess and antibiotics.

As for the neighbour... we've had words before. He's a bit mad, has a colony of cats breeding uncontrolled. There should be a law to throw at people like him:mad:

planetX

BengaLover wrote: »

This has happened to one of my cats, we had 2 tabby sisters as rescue kittens.
One got in a very small tussle with a strange cat who came in the garden and same happened, swelled up and got infected, cat was not herself for a few days.
As a result, she went to the vets, who suggested a blood test, and it was confirmed that she had feline leukimia, hence her being prone to infections that would take hold very rapidly.

Maybe it wouldnt be a bad idea to have her tested, her immune system may be at risk, always good to know these things, not a cheap test though!:(

yikes - but the vaccine covers that doesn't it. Mine are up to date on them.

planetX

Graces7 wrote: »

One cat almost died of a bite like that.

now I'm getting worried - can you elaborate?

Wisco

If there was a particularly bad infection, they could get septic from a bite abscess and die, but that's pretty uncommon in an otherwise healthy cat (ie, not FIV/FeLV positive). Shame you can't get antibiotics over the counter- many rural vets will provide this, especially large animal vets (they're more accustomed to dispensing antibiotics to farmers). Might be worth phoning around a bit more.
Once the abscess bursts, just flush it out daily- salt can inhibit wound healing, so be pretty sparing with it if you're going to use it. Warm water will probably make the job easier as cold water will be more uncomfortable for your patient, but temperature is pretty irrelevant in terms of healing properties.

Graces7

planetX wrote: »

now I'm getting worried - can you elaborate?

Infection enters the bloodstream simply; a cat's mouth is filthy and full of germs.

Even a healthy cat can only fight so much off. The times I got bitten - rescue work in one case - it was only a day before the red line started creeping up my arm. I had antibiotics in stock by then in case of that.

The last time this happened to a cat here, and I think it was a feral that bit him - he vanished, and I found him in a dark corner of the shed, hidden away to die. He had to go the the vet then to have the bite lanced. Anitbiotics then and I had to keep the wound open and clean.

If he will let you handle him, try to open the bite. And keep opening it.

But these bites can be too full of infection for a cat to fight. And this was a strong and healthy lad of mine.

Graces7

planetX wrote: »

well buying antibiotics without a consultation was no-go. I thought the cat was a bit better, he had a big meal of chicken (sucker:D), but now he's not putting the foot down at all. I'm hoping the abscess will just burst and drain by itself....
otherwise I will have to bring him somewhere - problem is we're rural, no blue cross here, and to find a cheaper vet will mean a long drive. 200 euro was for a general anaesthetic, overnight stay, draining the abscess and antibiotics.

As for the neighbour... we've had words before. He's a bit mad, has a colony of cats breeding uncontrolled. There should be a law to throw at people like him:mad:

Where are you? I was refused by one vet and tried another in a smaller town and no problem..... We are in West Cork.. if i had spare would post these to you, but wee cat here needs them.

As for the neighbour,, TNR?

planetX

He seems a bit better today - amazing what some chicken breast and a night in front of the fire can do:)
It looks like the abscess has burst - his paw is back to normal size. Bathing it didn't go down too well...
thanks for all the advice:)

joyce2009

glad it burst and hes feeling better ,,just remember to keep bathing it so it doesnt crust over till all the pus is gone cos it could fill up again,,, it needs to drain.Good luck:)

Graces7

planetX wrote: »

He seems a bit better today - amazing what some chicken breast and a night in front of the fire can do:)
It looks like the abscess has burst - his paw is back to normal size. Bathing it didn't go down too well...
thanks for all the advice:)

Ah that is grand news...Cats and dogs are so wholehearted about being ill; no putting a brave face on things.

miju

last time my cat had an abcess I shaved the area, cleaned it with boiled water and then covered it again to prevent him from licking it and lanced it myself and it cleared up no probs.was handy I've some training in that area though it's not too hard to do regardless.

planetX

miju wrote: »

last time my cat had an abcess I shaved the area, cleaned it with boiled water and then covered it again to prevent him from licking it and lanced it myself and it cleared up no probs.was handy I've some training in that area though it's not too hard to do regardless.

wow - don't know how you did that. This cat is very tame, has always been handled a lot, but no way could I do that without some kind of seditive involved. I guess he wasn't too ill if he was still putting up a fight. I don't think he'll ever forgive me for coming near him with water though:D

miju

Got used to handling my cats when one was near deaths door ages ago and I had to learn to put in drips to them and syringe feed , water him also because he had so many ulcers in his mouth & throath.
.so plenty of practice though did take a while for me to figure out the right way to position myself to hold him so he'd become submissive