Advice needed - Cat has swelling on leg that has now burst and leaking!

[aviator]

So my cat had a limp for a few weeks, I took him to the vet, check up and x rays done on leg and chest and they couldn't find any broken bones. Vets initially thought it was a sprain/pulled muscle or similar but he hasn't responded well to medicine, (anti inflammatory) and his limp has got worse, not better.
His microchip has travelled down to his leg where the problem is/ The vets think the microchip could be the problem but have also said they think it unlikely as its in the soft tissue. Yesterday I noticed a huge swelling around the site of the microchip and I have booked an appt but not until Monday. Just now I have noticed the swelling has burst and is leaking pus - the swelling had no punctures or similar on it until now. Cat is happily licking it all off. Is this ok? (Obv HE is not ok), but I cannot stop him licking it off, I've tried holding him and wiping what I can but he's getting scratchy and has run off now hiding under the bed. Someone told me infections in cats can react badly very quickly. I don't know what to do as vets is emergency only on Saturdays. Do you think he will be ok until Monday and will the pus be harmful to him.

[Borninthe60s]

Get him to a vet today.

[TondelayaDellaVentamiglia]

wrap him in a large towel, leaving out only head and offending leg and at least rinse off the pus, it will help to have someone else to assist, and if possible to put the leg through a hole in the towel first, just be careful not to wrench his leg as you wrap the rest of it around him.

just use plain warm water, or if you can make up a salt solution....1 scant table spoon to a pint of kettle (boiled) water

Can you phone the vet to see if they would prescribe anti-bs for him without seeing him and for you to take him in on Monday??

[aviator]

It seems to have stopped 'flowing' for the moment and he is resting under the bed. I'm trying to get through to the vet to ask, but the line is busy. Do you think any other vet will sell me antibiotics as the emergency care one related to my vets is really far away. (Newbie to pet ownership here so not sure how vets work).

[Themodernuriahheep]

You can contact any vet. We sometimes use the in house one at our local pets at home store. You may end up paying more but IMV it's worth it.

Get him seen to straight away.

[Fluffycloudland77]

Pets at home have vets and will see you.

[Stillunexpected]

We had something similar and were advised by the vet to bring our cat straight in as cats' tongues are very abrasive and contain lots of bacteria so will very easily cause infection in a site of a wound.

[SecretNutellaFix]

Yes, please try and get to an emergency vets- my girlie bit herself last year and her leg got badly infected becasue she kept licking it.

[aviator]

Thanks for the replies, I didn't know that about Pets at home - I just spoke to them and they said to clean it with cooled boiled water as best I can and drain any more pus (if he lets me) and that as long as he is eating and drinking (which he is) in their opinion he should be ok until the appointment on Monday for antibiotics.

[Themodernuriahheep]

Hmm, good you've been in touch, but personally I'd still take him in before Monday it's well over 24 hours and you don't want him to get blood poisoning.

[Borninthe60s]

How's he doing X

[Lonecatwithkitten]

Once the abscess has burst and the pus drained away risk of body wide infection reduces dramatically.
Under the new regulations tied in with the change in the law relating to dogs and microchips all vets are legally required to reported suspected adverse reactions to microchips including migration.
If you were my client I would be actively pursuing the microchip manufacturer to investigate your cats problem. As whilst migration is not uncommon, clinical symptoms such as lameness due to migration are very rare.