My cat's leg infection won't heal. Is amputation an option or what else?

Thanks for using Boop by Petco! You can try the antibiotics first. Usually a long course is needed when it is involving bone meaning having to give antibiotics for 4-8 weeks sometimes. If you would prefer to use medical therapy first, I would recommend they culture the wound so that they know which antibiotic would be best to use to treat this and use oral antibiotics instead of Convenia. Also, pain control medications are indicated to treat the pain. If no improvement is seen in that time frame, the toe amputation may be needed. You can use an e-collar to try to prevent licking which may delay healing. Good luck and have a great day!

He probably has a bite wound from another cat and now has an infection (abscess). You need to get him to a vet so, at the very least, you can get him some antibiotics. Leaving him with an infection is not a good idea especially on a limb. The infection can enter the bone and/or the blood and cause serious problems. Please take him to a vet ASAP. ( https://www.petcoach.co/cat/condition/abscesses/ )

I would also likely recommend amputation if the wound is not healing as the possible complications and pain involved would likely be much worse than the surgery. Cats do very well with three legs, especially if it is a young cat! If you would like another opinion I would recommend consulting with a boarded surgeon as they have more training in fracture repair. Good luck!

Hi, thanks for using Boop by Petco! Poor Stitch! I think you are doing the right thing. If her bone density isn't normal then she will have a hard time healing and it will take her longer, could be more painful and put her through more. Amputating the leg will be uncomfortable for her for 5-7 days then she will do great. Cats do well on 3 legs! I wish you the best!

Unfortunately, there is nothing you can do anymore at home for Ace because it's been over a month. This wound could be infected, and it's concerning that it keeps reopening bigger than before. He has to to see a vet for this, it may be infected and it likely does need to be closed by a vet for it to heal correctly. I can give you some resources that may help you afford a vet. You can see if your vet accepts payment plans, if there is a low cost clinic in your area, or you can apply for Care Credit online. There is also an organization called Red Rover that give grants for treatment of sick animals, and you can see if you qualify for one of their grants. Best Friends also has a list of resources that offer financial assistance on their website. http://www.humanesociety.org/animals/resources/tips/trouble_affording_pet.html?credit=web_id91754962 https://www.redrover.org https://www.carecredit.com http://bestfriends.org/resources/financial-aid-pets http://lessonsfromaparalyzeddog.com

Thanks for using Boop by Petco! This is indeed most likely due to the abscess. I would be suspicious that some of that pus and inflammation has migrated to the leg and is causing pain as well. At this point I think this may be require more investigation into the underlying cause of the abscess. I would be suspicious of foreign material that has migrated and is underneath the skin. If that is the case, surgery and possibly further diagnostics like a CT scan as well as long courses of antibiotics may be needed to treat this appropriately. A culture of this wound should be obtained if that has not been done to make sure that the correct antibiotic is used. I recommend that you have Spock reevaluated by your veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. Good luck and have a good night!

The picture appears to show either a tendon, ligament, or bone, though I can't completely rule out abscessed / infected tissue. Cats are usually great at healing from even deep wounds, however, it is likely to become infected without antibiotics and proper cleaning of the affected tissue. Your veterinarian will likely want to examine Little Foot for any other wounds or injuries, clean the area, and get him started on antibiotics. Your vet is likely to also place an e-collar on him to prevent him from licking at the tissue and slowing down the healing process. It is also important to consider how painful a wound that deep must be for Little Foot. Cats cannot take human pain medications, as they can cause severe liver damage, so your vet will probably want to address pain with a cat safe medication.

Hello and welcome to Boop by Petco. That mass is in an area that likely can be removed surgically, however it will depend on how deep it goes (does it only involve the skin, or muscle layers below. Also, it looks like it could be more than an abscess and might be a necrotic tumor. Ideally the mass would be removed 'en bloc' with 'margins' (3cm around and 3 facial planes deep). This is obviously a large surgery. The other option is to just remove the mass without 'margins' and send it away for histopathology. If your vet isn't comfortable performing this surgery, as it might become complicated, then I recommend you see a specialist. They might suggest a CT prior to surgery to determine the extent of it. There are options if you wish you pursue them, based on the information you have provided us. Best of luck with Freddy!

This lesion is very severe and requires antibiotics and proper wound care. The area surrounding the area affected must be clipped and disinfected appropriately and antibiotics (topical or systemic) are required.

You are entirely correct that Scribbles should see a vet. Limping itself can be an indication of pain, as cats do not usually avoid putting weight on one of their legs for no reason, so please make an appointment to have Scribbles seen by a veterinarian. Causes of the limping could be trauma, a muscular or nerve injury, a fractured bone, a tumour/mass, or a foreign body embedded in the leg, or infection as you mentioned. In the meantime I recommend keeping him in a crate or in a room where he can't run/ jump on anything, and putting an e-collar (cone) on him to help prevent him from biting/licking at the area. Pain medication meant for people can be toxic to cats and should not be used without checking with a vet first. I also recommend having both cats neutered to help reduce the risk of testicular cancer, unwanted pregnancies, and certain undesirable behaviours such as humping, aggression, urine marking, and "roaming" to look for females.