What is this? Skin condition pic attached.

[BabbleBee]

Hopefully the pic has attached.

Male cat, 8 years, no health conditions. Out of nowhere in November last year, he developed a wound on his neck which was treated with steroids and antibiotics. Within 48 hours it’s gone and drying up.

We’ve been to the vets several times since with the same problem. We can’t find a trigger - I initially thought he’d reacted to something from the housing development behind us but he’s not been out for weeks now and again he’s licked himself sore. The last wound was about 3 weeks ago and it seems every time the steroids wear off, it’s back. He’s now having amitriptyline and retinol capsules daily.

Any ideas??

Presumably they have checked that there aren't any foreign objects still in the area?

One of our horses years ago had a cut on her upper leg that wasn't serious, didn't need stitching or even any vet treatment at the time. Called the vet just for advice, then thought we had really properly cleaned it out & everything before treating it with antibiotic cream we'd had from the vets recently for a different horse (as advised on the call to the vet). Syringed it out with sterile water & everything. It seemed to heal up OK, but she kept rubbing it & taking all the fur off as soon as it started to grow back.

Got the vet in and he opened it up again, and found a tiny bit of twig or something that had stayed in the wound and the skin had healed over it. Removed that, stitched her back up & put more antibiotic cream on, she was 100% after that.

There wasn’t a cause of the first wound other than licking and / or scratching. Really can’t work out what’s causing it.

Could easily have got a thorn or prickle embedded?

It hasn’t been considered, I’ll ask at the vets to check. Thank you