[johnelk]

Our neutered tom has had a series of losing encounters with a neighbourhood cat (now gone) which have left him with a torn scalp. We have been to the vet several times to have him stitched up and the last time she cut the skin flap off and kept him in a cage for 3 weeks hoping it would heal over. It didn't, she gave up, and we have taken the cat home. He had a missing lump of scalp about 2 cm diameter with raw flesh showing. We kept him in a protective collar for weeks, but it didn't do any good and just made him miserable, so now we have taken it off.

He seems perfectly happy and normal, and washes the area with no sign of pain or distress. It does appear the gap is closing slightly in from the sides, but I am mystified as to why the open wound isn't healing. We occasionally wash it with mild disinfectant, and that doesn't bother him either.

Any ideas as to how to accerate the healing process? It's been like this for 3-4 months now.

[charlotte234s]

You need to take him to another vet, the vet shouldn't give up on the cat, they should seek more treatments. :(

Hope kitty gets better.

[froggy7]

Has the cat been checked for diabetes? I know that in humans one sign of diabetes is slow healing. Don't know if that is the same in cats, but it's a thought.

[johnelk]

You need to take him to another vet, the vet shouldn't give up on the cat, they should seek more treatments. :(

Hope kitty gets better.

Thanks, Charlotte. To be fair she didn't SAY she was giving up on him, I just sensed it. She said that in time it would heal. She has done an awful lot for him over the years, and I have confidence in her, and it is healing, but at glacier speed!

[johnelk]

Has the cat been checked for diabetes? I know that in humans one sign of diabetes is slow healing. Don't know if that is the same in cats, but it's a thought.

Thanks for the tip, Froggy - we'll have a look into that.

[rpg219]

Thanks, Charlotte. To be fair she didn't SAY she was giving up on him, I just sensed it. She said that in time it would heal. She has done an awful lot for him over the years, and I have confidence in her, and it is healing, but at glacier speed!

I think you should listen to her (your vet). Something similar happened to my cat once (not really sure if it was a fight or what), and it healed after about 2mo. I thought it would never heal. Not so sure you should wash it though... the cat's saliva will clean it better than human soap, unless you see infection. At that point antibiotics are needed.

Hope this eases your mind some :)