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My 9 year old female Himilayan has a large, oval crater shaped wound to the right of her anus (open, gaping wound) about an inch long and a little less than half an inch wide. I will call her vet first thing in the morning. I want to know what to expect treatment wise and if there is anything I can do for her tonight. She has been hiding under the bed the past few days (unusual), but no scooting, etc. She has had brownish droplets of fluid around her litter box for the past three years and her vet has expressed her glands twice (helps for a few months but then comes back). She was last seen by the vet in June (glands were not expressed then). I'm worried about the size of the wound, the cost, and what the treatment will entail to fix it (hospitalization because it's so big?). Any info would be great.

Submitted: 457 days and 7 hours ago.

Category: Cat

Value: $9

Status: CLOSED

Age: 9; Female; Breed: Seal Point Himilayan

Already Tried:
Nothing has been tried yet- just discovered the wound a half hour ago. I just weighed her and she weighs the same as her vet check up in June, but the wound is now oozing blood, still gaping open. She gets upset if I try and move her hair away from the area to peek- don't know what I could do for her without making her upset/in pain.

Posted by AthenaRVT 457 days and 6 hours ago.

Answer

It sounds like it could be an anal gland abscess.

(Least expensive)
The vet can do conservative treatment which would consist of clipping up the area and cleaning it with surgical scrub, giving an antibiotic injection and sending home antibiotics for you to give at home and possibly some pain meds

(More expensive)
The other treatment the vet may do which will cost more would be to sedate the cat, clip and clean the area, probe the abscess to see if there are any deep pockets and possibly suture a drain into the area so bacteria (puss) will drain out. They will give an antibiotic injection and send home antibiotics for you to give.

The treatments will run you about $200-$400

(Most expensive)
If it turns out to be something more serious like a rupture anal gland then your cat will have to go into surgery to repair it. That will cost about $600-$1000 depending on how bad the rupture is and how long it takes for the vet to repair it.

Overall both situations are painful so you may want to ask for some pain meds to be sent home with you.

457 days and 6 hours ago.

Reply

I'm confused, what's the difference between an anal gland abscess and a ruptured anal gland? Do they both have open, gaping, inset wounds? If an anal gland abscess ruptures is that a ruptured anal gland?

Posted by AthenaRVT 457 days and 6 hours ago.

Answer

An abscess is caused by an infection in the anal gland...and the abscess itself is separate from the actual anal gland. So if the abscess ruptures it does not necessarily mean the actual gland has ruptured

A ruptured anal gland is when the actual gland ruptures and no longer has a contained pocket in which it store the anal gland liquid

Here is a pic of a anal gland abscess

http://www.familyvet.com/Cats/138.JPG

Is that what your cats behind looks like?

457 days and 6 hours ago.

Reply

Somewhat similar, I think the depth of the wound is similar, but it's not pink like that. It is more red, but she's not leaving bloody marks anywhere when she sits.. so I don't know if the red is muscle tissue or blood. Here's some photos of it- I didn't realize there was a difference between an abscess rupturing or the actual gland rupturing, I assume it looks different if it's the actual gland that ruptures??
http://share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=0KauGrds3Yu9g

Posted by AthenaRVT 457 days and 5 hours ago.

Answer

The reason the pic looks so pink is because that abscess has already been cleaned up. That is what your kitties will look like after the vet cleans it and she starts the antibiotics. I had a cat in my hospital on Saturday with an anal gland abscess that looks exactly like the pics on the link you sent. So now I'm sure it's a ruptured abscess not ruptured anal gland.

If the actually gland ruptures it's a whole different ball game ( and much more expensive)
So yes, it does look very different. I was not able to find a pic on line to send you...i only have a pic in a surgery book I have from school.

Edited by AthenaRVT on 8/22/2008 at 12:10 AM

457 days and 5 hours ago.

Reply

Do they need to be stitched shut based on the abscess' size? I would think an open wound like that in that area would breed infection. And I would guess stitching it shut will be costly.
Thanks again for your time, it's definitely worth the fee, just for overnight peace of mind until I get her to the vet tomorrow :o) Last question.

Accepted Answer

Abscess are left open so air can get in and puss can drain out. Sometimes a vet will stitch part of it closed if they have a abscess that they actually have to lance open and put a drain in. Since this abscess is already open I don't think they will suture anything closed.

Accepts:
Expert:	AthenaRVT
Pos. Feedback:	98.6 %
Answered:	8/22/2008

RVT, licensed in the state of Ca

AS Degree, ER Nurse, Orthopedic Nurse, 10 Years Experience, Exclusive Work at Feline Only Hospitals

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I'm confused, what's the difference between an anal gland abscess and a ruptured anal gland? Do they both have open, gaping, inset wounds? If an anal gland abscess ruptures is that a ruptured anal gland?

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Accepted Answer

Abscess are left open so air can get in and puss can drain out. Sometimes a vet will stitch part of it closed if they have a abscess that they actually have to lance open and put a drain in. Since this abscess is already open I don't think they will suture anything closed.

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I'm confused, what's the difference between an anal gland abscess and a ruptured anal gland? Do they both have open, gaping, inset wounds? If an anal gland abscess ruptures is that a ruptured anal gland?

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Accepted Answer

Abscess are left open so air can get in and puss can drain out. Sometimes a vet will stitch part of it closed if they have a abscess that they actually have to lance open and put a drain in. Since this abscess is already open I don't think they will suture anything closed.

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