Advice please.

**ChrisH** · 12-01-2004, 07:18 AM

I took Ebby to the vet yesterday because of a 'injury' to her tail -http://67.15.70.205/talk/showthread....862#post928862 - and I was told to bathe it daily in order to keep it clean. Well, I did, but despite what the vet said I'm not sure if it is the right thing to do.

I know Ebbs had been licking/biting it last night because there were spots of blood in her room but when I went to bathe it it was dry and kind of healing over. After bathing it, extremely gently, it is bleeding again. I am thinking of ignoring the vets advice, what do you all think?

Chris
p.s. In the attached picture, on the left is before bathing and on the right is after. It isn't very clear and you can't really see that it's bleeding but it may at least give some idea of what it looks like.

**rosethecopycat** · 12-01-2004, 07:45 AM

What are you bathing it in? Antiseptic solution would be the best. You want to get the most 'bang for the buck' by washing it. Taking germs off of it will help it heal over.

Can you dry it off good?

Anyway to keep her from getting at it as it drys off and gets harder?

I know the dreaded E collar(cone over the head) would be one thing that works, but I hate to use those things.

**catlover4ever** · 12-01-2004, 07:58 AM

Can you take Ebby back to the vet and have your vet shave the fur off the tip of her tail. Any time any of my cats have had an abscess to their tails I have the fur shaved off this way you are not having to contend with the her fur getting in the way. Having her fur gone would probally make it easier for you to bath her. The fur could be "pulling" and that could be what is making her bleed after the bathing.

The shaving of the tail does not hurt them at all...they do tend to get upset about the noise that the electric shaver makes.

Ebby licking her tail is good for the wound....cats have a natural "antibiotic" in their saliva.

How about after the bath you gently wrap her tail in gauze....it would keep her from licking it so much.

Then there is always the "E Collar" but I really do not like using those.

**catmandu** · 12-01-2004, 08:29 AM

You will probably have to shave the tail,at the Vets,so they can get,to the wound,a lot easier,and properly treat it.

**Tubby & Peanut's Mom** · 12-01-2004, 03:43 PM

I can see how you would be double guessing the vet's advice. Looks like a good owie she's got going there.

What if you, instead of washing it, put some Neosporin or other antibiotic treatment on it. I don't know if that would work so good though, because she can lick it off.

I think at the very least a call to the vet would be in order, just to see what they advise.

Hope your little tail heals real soon sweety Ebby.

**ChrisH** · 12-01-2004, 05:33 PM

Thanks everyone.

It may not seem like it but while we were at the vets she did trim the hair back a lot, I think I may try and trim it back a little more. I'm afraid taking her back to the vets is not an option at the moment.

Just been checking on her owie and it looks like she has been leaving it alone. I think I will have to keep on bathing it (salty water) as the vet said and just see how it goes.

Thanks again.

Chris

**rosethecopycat** · 12-01-2004, 10:33 PM

Can you get the blue solution? It is antiseptic.
Here it is called Nolvasan.
It is inexpensive, and it helps.

**Dasha** · 12-01-2004, 11:18 PM

I had a cat that had that once and the vet had me pour a little um.... betadine think I got it right, its a brown colour, and it worked GREAT. Doesn't burn them or inch them. Doesn't make it bleed either. It cleared hers up really fast. I would try it for her booboo there.