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Cat abscess not healing.

Species: Cat
Breed:
Age: 8-11 years
About two weeks ago we took my cat to the vet, he has a abscess near his bottom, the vet has given him multiple antibiotics but nothing is working, the abscess is ozing and he is not eating or drinking much at all. we have tried to feed him everything, but nothing works, hes getting very thin. what else can we do?


Online vet, Dr. Marie

Dr. Marie replied:

This sounds very frustrating.

When I have a case like this when there is an infection that is not healing, there are several things that I want to do.

The first thing would be to do a test called a culture. This is where we put a swab inside of the wound and send it to the lab. The lab will tell us exactly what type of bacteria is present and what needs to be done to get rid of it. It's possible that Spike has an infection with some sort of resistant bacteria. If so, he may need either a special type of antibiotic or a combination of antibiotics in order for this to heal.

The next thing I would do is to test him for feline leukemia and FIV. These diseases will affect the immune system and can make it very difficult for infection to heal. Hopefully this is not the case because we don't have a cure for either of these diseases.

If none of these find the answer, then I would consider doing a surgery on this area. I have had some abscesses that don't heal because there is something stuck inside the wound. One case that I had like this, when I did surgery, I found a cat's tooth inside of the wound! Once the tooth was removed the abscess healed just fine.

---This question was asked in our Ask A Vet For Free section.---


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Disclaimer: Although Dr. Marie is a qualified veterinarian, the information found on this site is not meant to replace the advice of your own veterinarian. AskAVetQuestion.com and Dr. Marie do not accept any responsibility for any loss, damage, injury, death, or disease which may arise from reliance on information contained on this site. Do not use information found on this site for diagnosing or treating your pet. Anything you read here is for information only.

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Dr. MarieDr. Marie is a veterinarian who practices in a busy animal hospital in Ottawa, Ontario. She created Ask A Vet Question as a resource for good, accurate veterinary advice online. Dr. Marie treats dogs, cats, hamsters, guinea pigs, and rats. She has been a vet since 1999.

Is an online vet visit just as good as a trip to your veterinarian? No! But, many times, asking an online veterinarian a question can help save you money. While Dr. Marie can't officially diagnose your pet or prescribe medications, she can often advise you on whether a vet visit is necessary. You can also ask Dr. Marie for a second opinion on your pet's condition.