Need advice on this open wound, (not for the faint of heart)

[Yzma]

The vet says that it's okay to let this heal as an open wound...
My concern is not so much that it is open, but that ...
well logically, for a wound to heal don't the two sides need to be placed against each other?
It's clean, no infection... But how can it heal when it's hanging open like that?
The vet says there will be too much humidity if we bandage it (we live in the tropics)...
There are stitches that you can not see in this picture that are in fact healing well...
Please let me know what you think...

I need to know soon, before tomorrow morning when we go in to the vet...

The history of this case can be read up here:
http://www.cathelp-online.com/phpBB2/vi ... php?t=2079

I'll be online for a while... please let me know asap

Here's a picture...
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[melissaranks]

Wow. Poor kitty. Do you mind if I ask what happened??

I'm pretty sure if you leave that open and keep it clean it will eventually just scab over (kind of like a burn) and then become a scar. I don't know if the fur would grow back on a wound like that though. Poor baby.

[Mona]

WOW!!

I just do not feel right about this. It is wide open to infection from litterbox and other.

What caused this bad of an area? I would get another opinion if it were my cat. I am sure Traci and Davet can offer more expert advice on this.

Good luck to you.

Mona, HOneybun and Chloe

[melissaranks]

Ooh, good thought above. I didn't think about the litter box thing. Did your vet tell you to use shredded paper for the litter? I don't know if it would matter seeing as wear the wound is, it could get infected just from him going to the bathroom. Poor thing, that looks like it really hurts. hmmmm. I'd opt for the second opinion as well.

[Guest]

The history of this case can be read up here:
http://www.cathelp-online.com/phpBB2/vi ... php?t=2079

Yes we're using shredded paper and taking her back to the vet as soon as she defecates.

[Yzma]

The history of this case can be read up here:
http://www.cathelp-online.com/phpBB2/vi ... php?t=2079

Yes we're using shredded paper and taking her back to the vet as soon as she defecates.

Sorry, i forgot to log in, but that post was actually by me, well i really hope Davet and Traci get to see/read this before i have to go into the vet tomorrow...

Like i said earlier, i'm most concerned about the fact that the two sides that are supposed to heal together are so far apart... But then, i'm not an exoert and that's just how i feel from a lay persons point of view...

[davet]

if this were one of my patients, i might, just might, undermine and bring the edges a little closer but it will heal as it is by what is known as second intention or granulation...over time the two edges will migrate and come together and leave possibly a black scar but it will heal...depending on what part of the country you live in you have to be carefull of maggets or screw worms, ie warm climate.. but it will heal open and might be better that any surgical intervention...takes time.....

[davet]

in fact, looking at the pic again it is already starting to granulate...don't fool with it...let nature do it...

[Yzma]

Davet, words can not express how relieved i am to read what you just wrote and that my vet is doing the right thing... so glad to hear it... so so glad... i did read somewhere that cat skin tends to heal faster than the internal tissue ... so it's not hopeless then?

actually we live in kuala lumpur and on the 19th floor of an apartment block... we are keeping her air conditioned and there are no flies up here anyway... what are screw worms?

how do we know if we are at risk from them... ?

and the vet has mentioned good granulation... so you don't think that she should be bandaged up, or anything like that then?

and yes... nature is grand but pretty ooozey too

[Mona]

I was just wondering if Pyometra was ruled out or other infection internally without being spayed.

Please keep a close watch on her. I do hope this heals fast .

Mona, HOneybun and CHloe