Agent S is a sleepy fellow so it was not unusual to have him cuddled up in some corner of the condo or on the couch, only to see him re-emerge at the end of the day for his meal.
Three weeks ago, however, after his meal and a poo, I noticed that his tail was wettish. I inspected his tail and noticed blood! My heart sank as Agent S, isn't the youngest of fellows, and blood is never a good thing.
On closer inspection, I noticed a tiny hole where the bleeding seemed to come from but I'm no doctor, and I hardly check out my furball's behind so I wasn't sure if a hole there was entirely abnormal.
I thought he might have constipation and had a forced poo, causing a rupture of some kind. Other than that, he seemed his normal self, healthily eating. It was already quite late at night so the vets would have been closed so I decided to bring him to Dr Dhillon the next morning.
The visit was a short one with Dr Dhillon getting up close and personal with Agent S and declaring that it was abscess caused by another cat's scratch. Agent L! She must have scratched him in one of their daily wrestling sessions. His meds and jab made me RM70 poorer but a relieved owner. I'll make Agent L do the housework to make up for it, I resolved.
Here's what Vetwest.com has to say about Cat Abscess:
WHAT IS THE TREATMENT FOR A CAT FIGHT ABSCESS?
Most cats require a general anaesthetic to effectively treat the infection. Once anaesthetised, the area will be shaved and disinfected. It may then be necessary to lance the abscess, which removes the pus, and then flush the wound with sterile saline. Sometimes, abscesses form "pockets" that need to be broken down by probing and flushing. Also the skin surrounding the wound can become necrotic (dead tissue) and may need to be removed.
Your cat may also need a plastic "drain" inserted surgically that allows for any further infection to drain away for the next few days. The wounds may also need to be sutured. Your cat will be given antibiotics and often anti-inflammatories that help to reduce the pain and the fever. An Elizabethan collar may be applied to stop your cat biting/licking at the wound or from pulling the drain. If not currently vaccinated against FIV or Feline Leukaemia, a blood test may be recommended in 6 - 8 weeks.
0 comments: