History: Indoor-only cat, known to fight with feline housemate. Cat presented lethargic, anorexic and hyperthermic for past 48 hours.
Clinical Exam: Cat depressed; rectal temperature 103.9 F, lymphadenopathy noted. Notable area of swelling around right side of jaw/cheek .
Diagnostic Findings: CBC results included elevated white cell count and increased PCV; blood chemistry results showed no significant findings; Feline leukemia virus (FeLV) tested negative, feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) tested negative.
Diagnosis: Cat Bite Abscess
Treatment: Sedation, clip & clean wound, lanced wound (expanded current wound opening), flushed wound, Penrose drain placed, administered injectable antibiotics, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory pain reliever and subcutaneous fluids, reversed sedation, released patient with prescription antibiotics and pain medication.
Patient Recommendations: Restrict access to wound through use of buster collar; monitor appetite and behavior/activity level. Continue to keep cat strictly indoors to prevent contamination of current wound as it heals, restrict interactions between housemates to prevent grooming of wound by other cat. Housemate should be tested for FeLV and FIV to ensure negative status, and this patient should be kept separate from other cat in home until housemate's FeLV/FIV disease status is known.
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Client Education:
Cat Bites: Bite wounds are a major cause of injuries, especially in free-roaming animals. Cat bites tend to be small, penetrating wounds that frequently become infected and must be treated as an abscess with culture, debridement, antibiotics, and drainage. Dog bites have a more varied presentation. Because of the slashing nature of dog bite injuries, the major tissue damage is usually found beneath the surface of the wound. While only small puncture marks or bruising may be evident on the surface, ribs may be broken or internal organs seriously damaged. The animal should be thoroughly examined and stabilized before definitive wound care is begun. The wound should be surgically extended as far as necessary to allow a thorough examination and determination of its extent before a decision on the repair can be made. After a proper assessment, debridement can be performed. Complete wound closure is usually not recommended because the sites are usually contaminated. Closure can be accomplished with drains, as a delayed closure, or by second intention depending on the extent of the injury.
Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV): FIV is contracted through close cat-to-cat contact: fighting, mating, grooming and once contracted is fatal. Infected cats should be confined indoors to prevent spread of FIV infection to other cats in the neighborhood and to reduce their exposure to infectious agents carried by other animals. FIV-infected cats should be spayed or neutered. They should be fed nutritionally complete and balanced diets. Uncooked food, such as raw meat and eggs, and unpasteurized dairy products should not be fed to FIV-infected cats because the risk of food-borne bacterial and parasitic infections is much higher in immunosuppressed cats. Wellness visits for FIV-infected cats should be scheduled with your veterinarian at least every six months. Although a detailed physical examination of all body systems will be performed, your veterinarian will pay special attention to the health of the gums, eyes, skin, and lymph nodes. Your cat's weight will be measured accurately and recorded, because weight loss is often the first sign of deterioration. A complete blood count, serum biochemical analysis, and a urine analysis should be performed annually. Vigilance and close monitoring of the health and behavior of FIV-infected cats is even more important than it is for uninfected cats. Alert your veterinarian to any changes in your cat's health as soon as possible.