I have noticed my cat has been excessively scratching and grooming her right side of her neck. She has loss of fur around the area and scabbing. How can I treat it before her vet appt. Pet's info: Cat | Mixed Breed | Female | spayed | 5 years and 3 months old | 10 lbs

Gently clean the area with warm water and antiseptic soap. I'd put an Ecollar on Kiko to try to keep her from scratching at it further. First put a bandage over the wound to prevent the collar from rubbing up against it. I hope this helps.

It looks like an almost healed wound, but I'd have to inspect it a bit closer to be sure. In this case, it's best to gently clean the area every day to help it heal and keep it from getting infections. I would just gently wipe the area with a cloth soaked in warm water for two minutes each day. Do not use any soaps, antiseptics or creams as these can irritate the skin and delay healing. If the wound is not getting better, or appears to be getting worse, then it's best to have your veterinarian examine her and advise on the best course of treatment. As a side note, I see some dark debris suspicious of flea dirt in the hair surrounding the affected area. I would make sure that she doesn't have fleas and/or is on flea treatment. Below is a good article about fleas. https://www.petcoach.co/article/5-tips-to-get-rid-of-fleas/ I hope that helps and all is well with Cleo.

Poor Princess. You are right that this is most likely a reaction to fleas. Fleas can cause a nasty allergic reaction therefore, causing a lot of itching, licking and chewing and resulting in a bacterial infection and ulcerations as seen in the picture. I would consider using a different flea preventative as most flea collars do not work very well. I would talk to your vet about some of the options they have. These would be the most effective. Also, fleas do not live on the pets but in the environment so make sure you also treat your house and yard for fleas. For her skin, you could try to give her benadryl twice a day and also put a cone collar on her to prevent excessive grooming. See link below for benadryl dosing. You can try some coconut oil on the wound. You can also give her a medicated bath twice a week using a cat friendly chlorhexidine shampoo. If she isn't improving, I would have your vet take a look at her. Your vet will be able to ensure there isn't anymore more complicated going on. They will also be able to get her started on antibiotics and a stronger allergy medicine like steroids if needed. I hope this helps! https://www.petcoach.co/canigive/cat /benadryl