Does this need a vet? (Picture)

[sphinxster]

I'm not sure how or where she did it.

It's causing her to limp and she's licking it a lot.

She's got her normal appetite and isn't out of sorts.

DH thinks we should call an ambulance and I said to leave it a couple of days and monitor.

Closest vet has a waiting list for new patients

Second vet seems more helpful.

Cats are well known for hiding it when they're in pain. I'm pretty sure the vet will want to give her antibiotics for a wound like that.

I hope she feels better soon

Go with second vet, cat will be in pain with a wound like that.

Vet said bring her in first thing in the morning and not to feed her incase she needs sedation. We'll keep her in one room tonight and give it a clean before bed (she never uses her litter tray over night).

Did the vet see it?

No, just a phone consultation.

Most vets are open til 8/9pm now. You should be able to get a routine appt tonight. It doesn't look superficial in the photo and definitely needs flushing and stitching. If you have described it as superficial that might be why they've booked you for the morning. I'd call back and ask them for an apt tonight.

Did you say superficial wound on the phone?

Seriously, that needs seeing to as a vet on this thread has stated. I'm not sure why you are minimising it

That will need stitching.

Do you have a cone you could put on her collar to stop her licking it?
Or something to reduce her being able to get to it easily?

She may nibble at it trying to clean it

DH spoke to the vet and just said wound without a description. He said she was limping. Vet said first thing tomorrow. We've just moved to a very rural area and this is our only option for vets who deal with small animals.

I can put some gauze on to stop her getting at it. Or a baby sock?

Dame I'm not minimising, you have no idea the history of my cat or my pet ownership so don't imply things about her care - this particular cat has had multiple surgeries on a throat tumour so we know what she's like when she ill and have cared for her wounds a lot. She is loved dearly. If I wanted to minimise I wouldn't have posted for advice.

DH says the vet said tomorrow because if it does need treatment then she'll need sedation. Hence first thing tomorrow and nil by mouth.

I think most vets would say tomorrow would be fine , it looks clean and it's not bleeding .

Ok

100% needs stitches immediately. Sorry to be harsh but can you not see that? Very open to further damage and infection.

Please help your cat.

It would be nice to get pain relief and antibiotics on board asap.
Will likely need flushing and stitching under GA tomorrow

I don't think there's any need for people to be questioning the OP about her care for her cat. It will wait until the morning.

I don't think I'd be able to sleep if one of mine had a wound like that. It's very open/gaping. Even if it's a long drive, could you not take her to a vet tonight?

As Cozie and other posters have said, cats are experts at hiding pain. Also they'll still purr whilst discomfited, in order to self soothe.

I hope you find a solution.

If the vet themselves said to bring the cat in in the morning then that's what you do.

I believe purring has not been got to the bottom of, but I do believe it can be an indication of distress.

Hope she's OK and it heals well.

I'd go early in the morning.

The cats leg is hardly hanging off though, and the vet said to bring it in tomorrow. The cat isn't going to die from not being seen now immediately tonight

The vet doesn't know what sort of wound it is as the OP's dh gave no description so no that's not 'what you do.'

No,probably won't die but some pain relief might be nice,don't you think? Do legs need to be hanging off before we get animals seen to?

How did you get on at the vet op?

Thanks for the level headed responses, floralnomad, wetsthefinger, memoires, lotsonumbers

She wasn't showing any signs of distress or discomfort last night. She was sprawled out on the sofa in her usual spot. The limp had reduced this morning and she was fairly pissed off about not being allowed breakfast.

The vet gave her a shot of antibiotics to cover her for 7 days. We're going back on Tuesday to check the healing and if it's still open, she'll have stitches under general anaesthetic.

I'm glad I didn't take her anywhere last night. A 40-50 mile car trip would've stressed her out and not achieved anything.

I accidentally cut my cats neck once cutting a knot off. It was a tiny hole (about 1mm) and didn't bleed. I panicked and took her straight to the vets who said it needed stitching under GA. she came back with a huge wound and a £200 bill. (Wound was clean and didn't need debriding or tidying up . Found out later that superficial wounds like hers was didn't need stitching at all!