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Cat wound still has pus after vet visit. Should it be lanced or compressed?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Cat | American Shorthair | Male | unneutered | 2 years and 5 months old | 10 lbs

Took my cat to the vet for an infected wound that's not draining on its own. The wound was drained by the vet but only put on Clavamox. The wound seems to be filling with more pus. Should the wound have been lanced? Should I be doing hot compresses? I don't see how clavamox with clear up the pus solely on its own.

1 Answer

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Ana M, DVM

Veterinarian

Published on June 13th, 2018

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Windsor. Based on your description, it sounds like he has an abscess under his skin. I typically treat these with surgery to lance the wound and flush out the pus. I then place a temporary drain to allow continued drainage of any residual pus. This allows you to flush the drain at home with a disinfectant solution. I continue the antibiotics and usually do use Clavamox. He will need to see his veterinarian again. You can try warm compresses in the meantime. I usually use a warm washcloth for 5 minutes three times per day. I hope this information helps!

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