Injury healing

[RCOR]

Hi everyone

Warning - photo attached (healing wound)

Hoping someone with cat/injury experience can help. Our cat came home with a nasty injury nearly two weeks ago. Required a vet visit and collar for a week. When we first took the collar off on Sunday she started licking the site (probably mad itchy) and she slightly opened a part of the wound again. We put the collar on again for a few more days. We took it off last night and clearly she had a great time 'getting at it' overnight. I think she's just pulled off the (sorry for anyone eating) scab. Would anyone with more experience know? I think the purple is maybe the stitching material used.

I'd be grateful for any thoughts. She seems content enough and not licking at it as much this morning. Will go back to the vet later if necessary.

(photo under review)

My vet always say we b take the collar off once the stitches are out, but MrCat does not cooperate with that. We have to keep the collar on until the last scab is gone, otherwise he ferrets at it so much that he causes a new wound.

During this period between stitches out and collar off, we rub the wound regularly with a damp cloth. It seems to satisfy his need to scratch, while speeding up getting rid of the scabs.

From bitter experience, I'd advise keeping the cone on until the wound is healed to a degree that the new skin is strong enough to withstand licking.

My cat had a wound that wouldn't heal because he kept getting at it and it got infected and it was a total fucking nightmare.

I wouldn't necessarily take her back to the vet, it'll probably heal OK if you stop her bothering it. But be vigilant for signs of infection since you know she's licked it.

After several setbacks with the healing process back to square one, we were eventually militant about keeping him from accessing the wound even for a second. We didn't let him at it until it looked liked this. Thankfully that was the end of it!