If your cat goes outside, there's always the possibility that they could be injured. Bite wounds are one of the most common things for cats to come home with, especially if they aren't spayed or neutered. If your cat has come home in this condition or you want to know what to do if they ever do, here's a simple guide to follow.

Find and Contact Vet

Your first step should be selecting an emergency veterinarian to see. Emergency vets are not only open during hours that normal veterinary offices are closed, but they're equipped for extreme medical emergencies. This means that even if your cat ends up needing surgery, they'll be able to get the care that they need at your emergency vet's office.

Once you choose one, give them a call. Let them know that you're on your way and what's going on with your cat. This will allow them to prep a room for you and to ensure that the vet is available the moment you step in the door.

Prepare Yourself

You will need to secure your cat to transfer them safely to the vet's office. However, if your cat is hurt, there's a good chance that they're going to react violently if you try to pick them up. Put on long sleeves, gloves, and even cooking mitts to help protect yourself.

Wound Triage

If your cat is actively bleeding, you should do what you can to slow it down. If you have any, use gauze to press down onto the wound to help slow the bleeding. You can wrap bandages around your cat to secure the gauze and to keep pressure on it while you drive, if necessary. Once the bleeding has slowed or stopped, put your cat in their carrier and get to the vet's office.

The Vet's Office

Your vet will immediately examine your cat to check the wound. They may run an x-ray scan in order to ensure that there isn't deep damage to the bone. If the wound is superficial, it may be enough to clean it out and to bandage it. However, deeper wounds may require tissue removal to prevent infection, surgery, or hospitalization to ensure that your cat has enough blood and a steady supply of IV antibiotics

Bite wounds are extremely dangerous and getting help should never be put off. In addition to the danger of blood loss, bites carry infectious saliva that can make your cat very sick very quickly. Contact a vet, like Robert Irelan DVM, for more help.

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