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How to Bandage a Cat Paw: 4 Vet-Approved Tips

September 4, 2024

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A Few Words of Caution
Before You Start
Tips to Bandage a Cat Paw

Cats are curious and playful creatures, which may result in them getting injured. When a cat injures their paw or a limb, it is very important search pressing veterinary care. Your veterinarian will take correct care of the wound and will suggest quickly wrapping it up in a bandage.

Depending on the extent of the harm, your vet could counsel hospitalizing your cat for a number of days or discharge them for dwelling care with clear directions on managing the wound and the bandage, and common checks to make sure there aren’t any problems related to bandaging or therapeutic.

It will be difficult to bandage your cat’s paw or leg as a result of they’ll simply pull the bandage off, not cooperate, or chew on the wound. However, figuring out methods to handle a bandage in your cat’s paw or limb is an effective talent to have in your arsenal of methods for being a reliable and loving pet proprietor.

Here are some phrases of warning, adopted by 4 helpful ideas for bandaging a cat’s paw.

A Few Words of Caution

Maine coon cat having its paw bandaged Image Credit: Ermolaev Alexander, Shutterstock

Your vet will very not often ask you to put a bandage in your cat’s leg. There are a number of causes for this. Your cat could very simply chew on or take away the bandage, and younger cats and kittens could also be too curious and even ingest items of the bandage materials. This can result in digestive points and even a gastrointestinal blockage in some circumstances, so cats with a bandage often even have an Elizabethan collar (e-collar) or are supervised as greatest as doable to keep away from these mishaps.

Another purpose why bandages ought to solely be positioned by veterinary professionals is the danger of issues going unsuitable. For instance, bandages can get moist, making them tight in your cat’s pores and skin and underlying tissues. If they don’t seem to be eliminated instantly, they may trigger vital ache and discomfort to your cat, who will attempt their greatest to take away them by chewing, they usually could trigger the pores and skin and tissue beneath to expertise necrosis from a compromised blood provide. This can also result in an an infection, characterised by a really disagreeable odor coming from the bandaged space, with the presence of discharge, and even resulting in pores and skin peeling off.

But it will possibly get even worse than this. Sometimes, if the bandage is simply too tight for days, it will possibly additionally result in necrosis of the delicate tissue and even fingers and toes. This signifies that they both have insufficient blood provide or lose it completely, resulting in the tissue dying off. This may also be very uncomfortable to your kitty and predispose them for sepsis, resistant bacterial infections as a result of extended antimicrobial therapy, and repeated surgical procedures if any affected tissue must be eliminated. When vets place a bandage in your cat’s paw or leg, they may need to get your cat again in for checks and rebandaging fairly incessantly, often each 48 hours.

There are just a few uncommon events when vets could place bandages in your cat’s paws or legs. This is often after orthopedic surgical procedure or to stabilize a fracture. Wounds are not often bandaged, as they’re more likely to worsen beneath a bandage, and customarily are left uncovered whereas the cat is handled systemically with antimicrobials and painkillers. The cat will even typically put on an Elizabethan collar.

Finally, the uncommon occasion you could be requested to put a bandage in your cat’s paw is within the case of a sudden trauma or bleeding. This will likely be instructed by your vet, as a really momentary measure to forestall ongoing blood loss whereas attending to the vet clinic. For this event, and to know bandages in cats, in case your vet has positioned one after surgical procedure, let’s dive into extra element.

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Before You Start: Items Needed for First Aid

Cat with a first-aid kit Image Credit: absolutimages, Shutterstock

As already mentioned, in case your cat has a bleeding wound, name your vet to allow them to know you’re coming, and place a brief bandage in your cat’s wound, so you may get to the vet clinic with some extra peace of thoughts. Ideally, you’ll need to maintain a number of important gadgets readily available within the dwelling for cat first help, or you should utilize a number of the supplies out of your first help package:

Sterile bandage
Gauze
Medical tape
Scissors
Antiseptic veterinary wound cleansing resolution or saline
Adhesive bandage
A pair of gloves

Wear gloves when managing a cat’s wound to maintain it as clear as doable and reduce the danger to your individual well being, significantly in case you have any cuts or abrasions in your arms. Make certain the antiseptic resolution is a pet-grade vet-approved drugs in case your pet licks it or can ingest a few of it. Otherwise use saline to rinse the wound earlier than bandaging if doable, in case you really feel it’s contaminated with grime or hair. If the wound is pretty clear, or simply bleeding, don’t waste time on rinsing. Bandage it as greatest as doable, and head to the vet.

If your cat has a fractured leg, don’t try to put a bandage, as your cat will likely be very painful and will attempt to chunk you. Instead, get them to the vet instantly.

Keep all of those bandaging supplies in a clear, dry, and waterproof container to make sure you have them prepared and straightforward to entry in an emergency.

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The 4 Tips to Bandage a Cat Paw

1. Cleaning the Wound

This is one thing your vet will do, oftentimes together with your cat beneath an anesthetic, to allow them to be snug and pain-free, permitting the vet to do an intensive clear and rinse. Many wounds will even require suturing. In some cases, your vet could suggest so that you can clear or rinse some wounds at dwelling, in case your cat permits it, however these wounds are more likely to keep opened, fairly than bandaged.

In that case your vet will offer you clear directions on methods to handle a wound, and when to anticipate your cat again for a recheck. Wound cleansing is often carried out by gently rinsing or washing the realm with a material soaked in a vet-approved diluted antiseptic resolution offered by your vet or saline resolution. Make certain to make use of a delicate material or cotton ball and keep away from scrubbing the wound.

After cleansing the wound, usually you’ll not want to use any topical therapy, as cats are infamous for making an attempt to lick the whole lot off. It will likely be crucial that your cat is resting, often in a crate relying on the kind of their harm, or be restricted to a single room, with minimal train. They are more likely to put on an Elizabethan collar if the wound is in an space they’ll attain for licking.

Observe the wound no less than twice day by day, for any indicators of irritation, redness, discharge, swelling, malodor, or indicators of opening up, by which case you’ll need to hunt veterinary consideration earlier than your scheduled vet appointment.

2. Bandaging the Wound

vet wrapping cats injured paw with bandage Image Credit: VGstockstudio, Shutterstock

If your cat has a bleeding wound, that is actually the one time so that you can place a bandage. Otherwise this must be carried out by a veterinary skilled, because the problems related to insufficient bandaging could also be very extreme. Depending on the kind of wound, you should utilize some sterile gauze to absorb any of the blood earlier than inserting a bandage e. You can safe this with a little bit of medical tape.

Then you’ll take the sterile bandage and gently however with reasonable grip wrap the wound. Take the bandage from the underside of the paw, together with the entire paw and never leaving any fingers or toes our, and wrap it round in a sequence of loops and hold transferring up and across the paw till you find yourself above the wound . Then wrap again to the underside and safe with tape. This creates a type of stable cocoon across the paw that will be tough to rub or simply unravel as a result of it has a little bit of friction holding the bandage in place. Make certain it’s not too tight so you may place no less than one finger comfortably beneath the highest of the bandage.

If the bandage is simply too tight, this may minimize off circulation and trigger extra hurt than good. Use good-quality medical tape to maintain the bandage robust. If the bleeding is coming by way of the bandage, add one other layer and make it a bit of bit firmer, however get to your vet as quickly as doable. They will have the ability to cease the bleeding.

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3. Keep the Bandage Dry and Clean

Now we get into the house care directions, for the uncommon cases your vet could suggest sending your cat dwelling with a bandage, often after an orthopedic process. It is necessary to maintain the bandage dry and clear. To do that, you may make certain your cat’s meals and water bowls are barely raised, so they can not knock them over as simply, and it goes with out saying, a cat with a bandage and/or with an Elizabethan collar shouldn’t be allowed in any technique to go outdoors. The threat of them stepping into life threatening bother is excessive. If at any level, the bandage will get moist, it’s necessary to take your cat to the vet right away, for the bandage to get replaced.

It can also be necessary to test the bandage recurrently to ensure it isn’t too tight or free, that there isn’t any discharge coming although it, or a foul odor related to it.

4. Keep Up With Regular Bandage Change Appointments

Vet looking for swelling in cat paws, pododermatitis prevention, health checkup Image Credit: Motortion Films, Shutterstock

Finally, it is very important keep in mind to by no means miss your cat’s bandage change appointment. These are often each 48 hours or could possibly be a bit of bit longer. During the bandage change, your vet will test the wound to ensure it’s therapeutic correctly and that there aren’t any indicators of problems. This is commonly carried out beneath sedation.

The vet could take samples for tradition and sensitivity as a way to select the suitable antimicrobial therapy, they might repeat your cat’s x-rays if they’re monitoring bone therapeutic after a fracture restore. Afterwards, they gives you clear data on how the wound is therapeutic, and on any new dwelling care directions and additional checkups.

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Conclusion

Bandaging a cat’s paw throughout a bleeding harm could be a daunting and disturbing process, however with the precise data and preparation, it may be carried out with ease. Remember, it doesn’t need to be good, it simply wants to scale back the bleeding, when you get your cat to the vet. By following these 4 ideas for managing a bandage in cats, you may be certain that your cat’s harm is monitored, permitting you to choose up any early indicators of problems. However, in case you really feel not sure about something relating to your cat’s harm or the bandage, don’t hesitate to succeed in out to your vet.