Fighting cats. Vet?

[Mo]

A couple of years ago Pat had a huge ulcer burst under his chin. Vet stitched it & gave him antibiotics. Said it was a cat bite. Cost £350
A few weeks ago there was another, the other side. No stitches needed this time but antibiotics and bill of nearly £100.

Now he has a mark on his back. Looks like another bite. I'm wondering how many more. And if I should rush him off for antibiotics every time I notice evidence of a scrap.
What with all the talk of antibiotic resistance, as well as the cost, and hassle (he doesn't like the journey).

[wendy]

To be honest Mo.

I would take him. Cat bites are terribly lethal.
Full of bacteria, far worse for infection than dog bites.

[Trev62]

"The major concern of all animal bites is infection. When an animal bites, bacteria from its mouth can enter the wound and begin growing. An infection can cause pain, tissue damage, or even life-threatening problems. The seriousness of a bite depends on the location, type of animal and whether a foreign object is stuck in the wound.

Infections occur more frequently in cat bites because cats have sharp, pointed teeth that cause deep wounds. The skin usually closes quickly over the bite, trapping bacteria. However, quick and proper treatment often can prevent or minimize the risk of infection."

I have copied the above from a fact sheet regarding bites, one of our dogs was transported to us here and on arrival we found she had multiple infected bite wounds on her back and legs, due to the infection that had already set in most of the skin on her back decayed. Thankfully effective treatment by the vets here and us having to constantly wash and treat the wound she recovered but she still bears the scars today so from my view, any bite requires immediate attention.

[sandy]

Aw MO poor old Pat have you any idea who the culprit is? A new cat on the block maybe for it to be happening so often.

[Mo]

Well that's another £50 down.
She said it didn't look too bad this time, gave him antibiotic injection.
On the way home he opened the bag half way through the 5 min journey. I didn't see him go out when I opened the door - started wondering if he could possibly have jumped out of the car though all windows were shut.

Till the next time.

[Richard]

Always a problem, almost all wounds on cats turn into an abscess.

I took Big Ron to the Vets in the car a couple of years ago and the abscess burst on the way there...the smell !!

But, better safe than sorry.

Richard

[Freeranger]

Have you found him, Mo? I've been worried.

[Mo]

Yes, I saw him in the garage, after I'd hunted in the car - just didn't see him go past me when I opened the door.
His back seems fine too, another scar.
Next doors gardener spoke to me yesterday saying was the tabby bothering Pat, as he'd seen them and couldn't decide if they were fighting or playing.