My 7month male cat has taken to scratching at his neck, I think perhaps an itchy 'hotspot'? Hes indoors so no fleas, no mange, my other male cat is fine so nothing contagious. When he was at the vet recently to be neutered they just said to not cover it and gave some antibiotics - I don't know if it was for that or the neutering. Hes scratched away the fur, but doesn't seem bothered or pained by the twopence sized 'wet' area which I'm guessing is the original 'hotspot' site - its not been infected, is very clean and not bleeding unless he scratches then its just a surface bleed and stops instantly when he does. I put inadine patches on and covered it, it healed it up to skin level, and now we're using cortisone cream and I've made a stiffened cloth collar which isn;t touching the neck (so it can breathe as much as poss) but prevents him licking or scratching at it. The fur is coming back around it, is just the original site that isn;t red or inflamed, just not growing back in and 'wet'. Still doesn't bother him, is more me, I want it to all grow back so I can remove the neck thing and he'll hopefully not itch at it anymore? Is it just habit and will take time to heal up (human impatience!) - as said, doesn;t appear to bother him painwise and his appetite, coat, eyes and nose are all shiny and healthy otherwise...Do I just need to wait patiently and is the cortisone cream a good idea? It does seem to be healing it up and taking the itch out? The photo is from when the inadine dressing and hated plastic cone were on, now there is no dressing and the neck brace style thing doesn't touch it, is stiffened enough to be like a flexi tube with space inbetween it and his neck (have attached it on a back harness under legs so its not attached round neck.
The first thing i would say is that I would apply regular flea and parasite treatment even if they are indoor cats as fleas and mites can still get in! Having said that, the neck is not a common site for flea problems so probably not involved in this problem.
The antibiotics that your vet gave were likely to be for the skin and not the castrate as antibiotics are not usually given after routine neutering so it sounds like there was an infection in that area of skin. Inadine will help if there is an infection and having a barrier so that the area cannot be licked is perfect. It's good that the area is healing and getting smaller but if it is still wet then it does sound like an infection could still be present.
As to whether the cortisone cream is a good idea, that very much depends on the underlying cause! It will take away the itch but may not be helpful if there is an infection.
To me it sounds like it is not healing as quickly as it maybe should so i'd have it checked over again by your vet incase more antiobiotics are needed.
Thank you! Didn;t realise this one had posted (very old computer can be slow and secretive!) Have reposted question with a picture of the wound and other neck cover thing! Will definatly get him to vet again, feel much more reassured now and as I won;t be as panicky and concerned with the neutering, will ASK them if they don;t tell me,lol!
Vet answer
Hello,
The first thing i would say is that I would apply regular flea and parasite treatment even if they are indoor cats as fleas and mites can still get in! Having said that, the neck is not a common site for flea problems so probably not involved in this problem.
The antibiotics that your vet gave were likely to be for the skin and not the castrate as antibiotics are not usually given after routine neutering so it sounds like there was an infection in that area of skin. Inadine will help if there is an infection and having a barrier so that the area cannot be licked is perfect. It's good that the area is healing and getting smaller but if it is still wet then it does sound like an infection could still be present.
As to whether the cortisone cream is a good idea, that very much depends on the underlying cause! It will take away the itch but may not be helpful if there is an infection.
To me it sounds like it is not healing as quickly as it maybe should so i'd have it checked over again by your vet incase more antiobiotics are needed.
Good Luck
Zoe
Thank you! Didn;t realise this one had posted (very old computer can be slow and secretive!) Have reposted question with a picture of the wound and other neck cover thing! Will definatly get him to vet again, feel much more reassured now and as I won;t be as panicky and concerned with the neutering, will ASK them if they don;t tell me,lol!