Expert: Jessica - 11/8/2009

Question
My cat's paw is swollen and she wont stand or walk on it. She only walks on three legs and just holds her front paw up and licks it. I took her to the vet and she said that it is an infection. The vet drained it and gave her a shot of convenia. That was on the 4th and I picked her up on the 5th and it's still just as swollen and she seems worse. She still eats a little and drinks a little,but she's definately not acting herself. Right now she is under the bed and wont come out. Is this normal and should it be taking this long to see an improvement. She is approximately 1 yr. old. She was a stray so I really don't know much about her and I'm very worried! How long should it take to see an improvement? Her temp was 105 at the vets office, too. Thanks. for your time!!!

Answer
Hi Michelle.  Convenia is a decent antibiotic for abscesses, but it doesn’t work in every case.  Considering that it’s the fourth day of treatment and the infection appears to have worsened, it’s definitely time to ask the vet for another antibiotic to be added in.  Unfortunately, that will mean you will need to give a medication orally.

You may also want to ask the vet about a pain reliever/anti-inflammatory if they didn’t send one home for your kitty.  I recently had my first abscessed cat bite, and they are insanely painful!  I can see why she doesn’t want to bear weight on it and why she’s hiding.  A pain reliever might have her feeling more like herself even before the antibiotic kicks in.

Finally, a foot soak, although very difficult, is a really good idea.  Your vet can provide you with some Chlorhexiderm solution.  This is a blue antiseptic flush that’s great for washing out wounds, excellent to keep on hand.  The vet can show you how much to mix with warm water to make a soak for your kitty’s paw.  Fill a cup with warm water and a little Chlorhexiderm (or alternatively, some antibacterial soap), and then hold your kitty’s paw in the cup for as long as you can.  Just a few minutes will help a great deal to draw out the impurities that are keeping her paw so swollen.

Hope she’s feeling better soon!

Jessica