Tabby cat came in today with an abscess on his head, right below his ear.
An abscess is a very common site in veterinary medicine. As scary as they look, an abscess is only a collection of pus in an inflamed and swollen area. They are formed when the body's immune system is attempting to fight off an infection in the tissue. Abscesses can form anywhere on the body however some of the most common places they are found are on the face or on the tail. One of the more common ways for cats or dogs to get an abscess is through a bite, usually from a fight with another animal. The teeth penetrate the skin and leave behind some nasty bacteria.
To treat this, the doctor first shaved and sterilized the area. Next, a blade is used to open the abscess and drain the pus out of it. Once it appears to be completely empty, gauze with chlorhexidine scrub is used to clean the abscess out, as not to leave any bacteria that could possibly reinfect the site. The abscess is left open to drain.
The doctor prescribed Clavamox to the patient. Clavamox is an oral antibiotic that can kill a wide range of bacteria. This drug was prescribed to make sure that any left over infection in the abscess would die.
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