Stitches

My cat's stitches are infected from her spay. What cream can I apply to help keep the infection at bay?

I am taking her to the vet in the morning. There is a slight odor from the area and there appears to be a small hole. It's a very crappy job I think. The skin is puffy as well. (This is the same vet who operated on my now deceased dog.)

Public Comments

1. it would be best for the vet to see it as it really is rather than with something already on it for treatment....wait so that he can see what is really going on. the cat is probably doing a lot of licking and you need to be careful about what she ingests.
2. I wouldn't put anything on the wound. Cat wounds need to drain to keep from forming abscesses. You could clean the area with a bit of peroxide, but don't put neosporin or anything like that on it. Could be that the vet pulled the stitches to tightly and that's why the skin is puffy, or maybe the cat's been aggravating the area. But don't worry, once the stitches come out, the area will heal. Taking her to the vet is the best thing.
3. You could use peroxide around the infected area but it may burn the cat a little bit. Put some on a cotton ball and then gently dab the affected area. Good luck with the Vet and after Kitty's checked out tomorrow, start checking on a new Vet. I just drove 4 hours last week to take my sick dog to a good Vet. Nothing too good for pets!
4. Do not put anything the vet hasn't prescribed on the cat! If you think it was a "crappy job" stop bringing your animals to that vet. Find a new one!
5. Try some triple antibiotic cream. It is commonly used on animals. It contains Polymixin B, Neomycin, and Bacitracin as antibiotics, and some contain hydrocortisone which can reduce swelling. (JUST MAKE SURE SHE DOESN'T LICK IT!) Use a very thin layer, and keep her from grooming it. After a while, wipe off any excess. If it looks like there might be an opening into the body cavity you may want to consider bringing the cat in sooner. Also, make sure the antibiotic cream does not go too far into the wound if it's deep. Yes, it would stave off infection, but if neomycin gets into the bloodstream in large enough quantities it can cause kidney toxicity. Good luck. Hopefully the veterinarian can debride the wound well enough.
6. Oh dear. Do you have to take her back to the same vet? I would definitely do it as soon as possible. if the vet has an answering service I would call them. If there is an odor coming from it, this means there is infection, and it may be internal. How long has it been since the surgery? As someone else stated, the hole could be good because you don't want it to close at this point until the infection drains out. The wound is going to need cleaning out. Unfortunately, peroxide tends to 'burn" the tissues, I wouldn't do it without talking to someone on the phone from a vet clinic. I would get it attended to as soon as possible. She is going to need oral antibiotics, too. I know ER vets are expensive, but I would get to a vet ASAP, and wouldn't hesitate to call the vet that did the surgery...he either has to have an "on-call" number or there should be a referral # on his answering machine. and when he started talking about the bill, I would start talking about the State Veterinary Board.
7. Take her back to the vet for the correct antibotitcs. In the mean time, clean the area with warm water and a gentle soap.
8. Don't put any creams or ointments on her at this stage. If there is discharge, use warm water and some gauze to clean her skin to prevent scalding. As there seems to be a hole there, it might be an idea if you can to get her seen tonight if possible. If more than one suture layer has broken down, and the hole goes right through into her abdomen there is a risk of things like peritonitis (infection in the abdominal cavity) or if the hole enlarges, herniation of her gut through the hole. How is she doing in herself? Is she eating and drinking normally? Is she bright and happy or is she quieter and a bit lethargic? If she's otherwise well, you should be fine to wait until morning, but if she is depressed or showing signs of illness you really need to get her seen before morning. If you're unhappy with the vet, go elsewhere. There's no point in you continuing to deal with someone if you feel that they're doing a sub-standard job.
9. If you are going to the vet in the morning, I would leave the incision just as it is. The vet needs to see and smell what is going on. Let him clean it and give her an antibiotic. How long has it been since she was spayed? The way stitches are done and pull the skin back together, it will have a puffy look. Is there redness around the stitches, does the area feel warm to the touch? You can use triple antibiotic cream on a cat, but I wouldn't at this point not knowing what the vet may prescribe in the morning. Purrs and prayers to you and kitty.
10. You should ask for the vet to give you some medicine to give to your cat. My cat got a medicine to givi in mouth and one to just clean the wound 3-2 times a day for a week. And it would be just fine ok.
11. You should make sure that the cat cannot reach the incision and chew and lick at it. It is mostlikely the reason its infected.......the surgery site will start to itch as it heals and cats as well as dogs will lick it ......make sure that she is eating well. I would not give it any ansprin or tylenol or Ibuprophen as they are toxic to cats. Maybe a warm compress to try and clean the area if she will let you.
12. GO TO THE VET DO NOT PUT ANY THING ON IT UN LESS THE VET SAID