Expert: Dr. Louis N. Gotthelf - 9/13/2005

Question
Dear Dr. Gotthelf,

We have a 1 year old cat who developed a 1cm linear area on the skin between the pads of his right foot that had scabbed over and had a necrotic smell.  Our vet postulated that it was a traumatic injury, prescribed amoxicillin bid, and it did indeed heal with eventual sloughing of the scab. The cat never seemed in any discomfort, did not lick the area, and never limped.

Now for the interesting part!  A week or so later, the left foot developed exactly the same problem, but this time the center pad is slightly swollen.  It seems highly unlikely the cat would suffer a laceration or other trauma to two different paws in the same area between the pads within weeks of each other. This is a total house cat who never goes outdoors.

We have put him back on amoxicillin the last 48 hrs while awaiting his appt with the vet.

Question: Is there a dermatological or other condition of the paw that would present like this?
We would like to have done our homework, with your assistance, so we can talk intelligently with the vet.

Many thanks in advance for your help!

Cindy

Answer
This sounds either like an abscess that closed up before it drained out all the way or a foreign body like glass or a plant thorn that is lodged in the foot. Ask the vet to change the antibiotic to clindamycin, as amoxicillin does not kill some of the anaerobic bacteria in abscesses in cats.  The wound may need to be re-opened and flushed out.  Ask the vat about that.