Dealing with a cat wound can be a stressful and upsetting experience for any pet owner. There are a variety of cat wounds that can result from accidents, illnesses or fights with other animals. Owners may be able to care for relatively minor wounds at home using safe and trusted remedies. For more serious or emergency cases, immediate attention from a veterinarian may be required in order to prevent permanent damage. Knowing how to identify the severity of a cat wound can help owners make the best decisions regarding treatment.
There are a few key tips for owners who are preparing to care for a cat wound. The most important is to try to control any bleeding.
Arterial Bleeding
Arterial bleeding is the serious bleeding that follows damage to an
artery. It's usually observed as bright-red blood that spurts from a
wound. It is difficult to control and may indicate a life-threatening
emergency. Although professional medical attention is recommended to
treat such dangerous wounds, an owner may have to respond quickly in an
emergency situation. After restraining the cat, apply pressure with a
clean, preferably sterile material like gauze over the wound, followed
by the application of first-aid bandaging cloth.
If pressure
fails to stop arterial bleeding, you may need to apply an emergency
tourniquet. Some experts advise using this procedure for arterial
bleeding of the tail or leg region. A tourniquet can be fashioned from
a cloth or roll of gauze that's wrapped around a bleeding limb. The
wrap is then tightened by hand or by using a stick that is twisted into
the looped material. Tightening should continue until the bleeding
stops. Experts also suggest loosening a tourniquet after 30 minutes for
a period of two to three minutes. This allows blood to flow to the limb.
Venous Bleeding
Venous bleeding of a cat wound is less threatening than arterial
bleeding, but is still in need of attention. With clean or gloved
hands, restrain an injured cat before attempting to control this kind
of bleeding. Pressure should then be applied to the wound using a clean
cloth or sterile medical gauze. The cloth or gauze should then be
gently secured with comfortable material like first-aid cloth bandage
rolls.
In treating both kinds of bleeding, owners are advised
not to pour hydrogen peroxide onto the wound. Doing so can make it even
harder to control the bleeding. Wounds that have recently clotted
should not be rubbed, wiped or irritated, since clots keep injured cats
from losing additional blood.
Dressing a Wound
Once the bleeding has been controlled, it's important to clean the wound in order to help prevent infection. With clean or gloved hands, wipe the edges of the wound with a sterile cloth that is moistened with water. Water can then poured along the wound to flush out any dirt or debris. Antibiotic ointment like Neosporin can then be applied to the wound. Cloth or gauze followed by first-aid cloth bandage roll and tape can be used to dress the wound.