Dog attacked my cat. How do I check for internal bleeding and care for wounds?

Question

My beloved cat was attacked yesterday by an Airesdale puppy. The vets in my town were closed yesterday & today, and even though my cats wounds appear superficial; I really want to make sure there's no internal bleeding. Naturally he's been stand-off-ish since the attack, and has been sleeping off the trauma. From what we can tell, he's got cuts on the back of his neck, his ear, his hips, his bum area & his hind leg. Slight limp. He's pretty responsive today, though not quite as lively. Pet's info: Cat | Mixed Breed | Male | neutered | 7 years and 11 months old

Destini R. Holloway, DVM · Accepted Answer

Poor guy. Typically internal bleeding in the abdomen will cause bruising along the belly, in many cases. Also pale gums can indicate internal bleeding, along with severe lethargy and a lack of appetite. So unless you are seeing these things he likely doesn’t have any internal bleeding going on. However, dog bites tend to get infected, so it’s best to have him seen soon for antibiotics and wound management. You can also clean his wounds with Betadine diluted 50:50 with warm water to help deter infection. Keep an eye on him tonight and tomorrow and get him seen first thing Monday if that is your only option for vet care. If he seems unstable (mostly the symptoms I mentioned above) at any point, then an ER vet visit is highly recommended. I hope that Blackjack is able to recover well. Best wishes and take care.

Dog attacked my cat. How do I check for internal bleeding and care for wounds?

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