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Bite Wound Abscess
A localized pocket of infection that forms when a bite wound heals over on the surface, sealing bacteria inside. Extremely common in outdoor cats that fight. The abscess incubates, generates fever, then ruptures with foul-smelling pus discharge.
Key Facts
- Most common in outdoor cats from cat fights
- Common locations: facial cheeks, legs, base of tail
- Signs before rupture: fever, listlessness, appetite loss, tender swelling
- After rupture: foul-smelling pus drainage, raw skin area
- Treatment: lance and flush if unruptured, antibiotics, warm compresses
- Convenia (cefovecin) injectable antibiotic lasts 2 weeks — avoids oral dosing
- Test for feline-leukemia-virus and feline-immunodeficiency-virus 60+ days post-bite
- Ensure rabies vaccination is current — bites transmit rabies
- Most heal within one week; larger abscesses take longer
- Large abscesses may need surgical drain placement