OTC Topical Antibiotics for Cats?

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lilymarie

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Does anyone know of any good topical antibiotics made just for cats, such as when they get a scratch?

Here's my dilemma: Twice in the past year my cat has gotten a little scratch about, oh let's say, WAY, WAY smaller than the size of smiley (just a tiny, tiny scratch). I've tried cleaning with peroxide, used human type topical antibiotic creams, but they never work. Next thing I know my cat has a huge infected absess and needs to go to the Vet.

My cat has gotten two infected abscesses in the past year, cost for Vet treatment for two abscesses close to $800!!!!!!!!!!

This last time my cat got an infected abscess, the cost was $440 which included laser surgery for cleaning out the infection and stitches (the abscess seemed to mushroom overnight when it had just started out as a little teeny tiny cut or scratch.)

My roommate's cat and my cat get into little spats from time to time, but the cuts are so tiny, if I could only find an over the counter antibiotic cream made for cats I would be able to save quite a lot of money!!!!!!!!!

So, my question is: Does anyone know of an antibiotic cream or ointment made for cats that one can buy over the counter? (The OTC in my thread title stands for "over the counter")

Someone told me, Pet Meds on the internet, but one needs a Vet authorization to get that... so, I'm interested in getting some topical antibiotic treatment that will work for tiny cat scratches that I don't have to purchase with VET approval.

Something along the line of what we humans have called Neosporin, but I need the type that could be used for CATS.

Any suggestions?... these type of Vet bills are financially hurting me, and I also think they definately could have been averted had I had a topical antibiotic treatment to help a tiny, tiny cat scratch.

Also, if there is a topical antibiotic cream that you have used for cats, please relate how it worked for your cat and where you purchased it "over the counter" (over the counter refers basically to the types of medicines humans can buy without a doctor or pharmacy, such as cough syrup, aspirin, neospirin, etc.................)

Thanks for any advice, and blessings

My poor cat has had to endure surgery twice for a tiny little scratch that got infected. :cry:
 

fuzzyh

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Try the triple antibiotic ointment like Neosporin. I used Neosporin on a cat a while ago. Seemed to work pretty well. I also used the spray wound cleaner upon the same cat. Also, you can help with the abcesses by cleaning them out.

The cat that perform such techniques wasn't my own, but was the neighbors that left him. It seemed to work pretty well. But long term results I don't know about.
 
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Sabina41

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You may want to go with a Triple Antibiotic like Neosporin but your cat may still develop abscesses. Abscesses are the result of bacterial growth deep under the skin that was basically injected there by the other animal's teeth or claws. A topical antibiotic isn't going to reach that growth. The bacteria thrives under the skin for several days and then, like you said, the abscess appears seemingly overnight as a growth of pus and blood. Really your best option for avoiding abscesses is to keep your cat away from other animals that might scratch it. Topical antibiotics are great for topical problems, but abscesses start much deeper than that.
 
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lilymarie

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I've tried Neosporin, it's never worked for a kitty scratch. The abscess has always developed in other cats that I've had over the years, too.

My current kitty (she just turned 5) doesn't like to fight at all (she is very passive) and my roommate's cat (also female) is very agressive, even though they have known each other for over a year, my roommates cats still hates my cat.

And, For some reason, I've had little luck with Neosporin; hence the two surgeries my cat has had to undergo.

First question to fuzzhy: Where did you find a spray wound cleaner? I've never heard of that! That sounds like it might penetrate down deeper into the bacteria because of the fact cats have fur.

Second question to Sabina:

Sabina, it sounds like you have a lot of knowledge about cats, do you know why I can't buy a product called Animax without a prescription for cats? I don't see why the Vetrenarian Association cannot put out a special anti-bacterial/anti-fungal ointment for cats to be available without a prescription. I mean people need to clean any wound they might get... so why can't we have something OTC for our cats?

It's very expensive just to take a cat in to the Vet for an exam just for a tiny scratch, just in order to get the Animax.

Each time my cat has had the two surgeries, the Vet has prescribed Animax for her. It works great, and if I had had something like I think it might have spared my cat from surgery in the first place.

I just looked online again for Animax without a Vet prescription, and it is not available.

I just don't understand why people aren't allowed to get an antibaterial agent designed for cats without a prescription. People use them all the time to help heal a scratch or a tiny boo-boo we humans might get.

It doesn't make sense to me that I can't purchase this w/out a prescription???

Any other suggestions I could also try?

Neosporin, I've had no success with in regards to cats. On me and my cuts or scrapes, it works great! My cats I've had over the years, no. :(

p.s. We kept their claws cut short for the first few months to help eliminate this, so I don't want this thread to be about that. I'd like this thread to be about how to treat a cat wound, as most of us I'm sure already know how to prevent them. But, they happen, just like they do in us humans. So, that's what I'd like this thread to be about -- healing, not prevention. Boo-boo's happen; let's see what we can do about them if they do occur.

We could start a thread about prevention later.

Thanks for the input thus far!

p.s. Sabina, the tube point tip for the Animax is very long and very narrow that's why I think it can get under the cats skin to prevent the infection and/or cure the bacterial infection. But, why one can't buy that OTC I don't understand. It's the medicine PLUS the way the applicator tip is DESIGNED to make sure the ointment penetrates deep under and into the cats skin that seems to make it work.










 
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Sabina41

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Pet antibiotics aren't freely available for the same reason that human antibiotic creams aren't freely available. I guarantee that there are many human topical antibiotic creams that require prescriptions. People are guaranteed to overuse, misdose, use after expiration date, etc. Antibiotics are prescription only to protect the patient and the public at large. Believe me, if people had free access to all the antibiotics they want soon none of them would be any good because monster resistant strains would develop. Besides this, you're talking about two different types of antibiotics. Neosporin is meant for use on the surface. The three antibiotics that are in it (Neomycin, Polymyxin and Bacitracin) can have negative effects on human and animal tissue if internalized. This is another reason for regulating the use of antibiotics, especially stronger versions (which I'm sure animax is)--> Antibiotics are pretty good at only targeting bacteria but eukaryotes and prokaryotes still have many similarities and some antibiotics can be very harmful to humans and pets if taken incorrectly.

Really your best choice is to prevent scratches and bites as much as possible (bites are the more common cause of abscesses as the teeth contain more bacteria and go deeper than claws), if you notice a scratch or puncture shave the hair around the area and clean at least twice daily with a DILUTE hydrogen peroxide solution. Using it straight can be too strong, go for half-and-half with water. Just plain soap and water is good too.

Medications are prescription only for good reason- to protect your pet and to protect you.
 
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lilymarie

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Okay Sabina, I definately agree to a point, as some people do not know how to correctly use OTC medications. For instance, I am visually-handicapped and have taken medication and put it in the wrong place because the bottles looked the same to me due to their packaging with my low visions. For instance, I accidentally put nasal spray in my ears. I have eczema in my ears and the bottles are basically shapped the same.

There could also be a myriad of reasons one incorrectly uses an OTC mecication, such as do not understand or read English, another the print is to small.

BUT, my cat seems sicker since she had to have two surgeries! If something were available to those who properly know how to use it, such as I feel I would, then my cat would be healthy by being spared the second surgery.

She's slowly coming back to her oldself, but it took longer for her to heal this time.

So, I just feel really bad if she has to endure another surgery. I think there are Vets who could work with us and see that we will follow their instructions closely. But, do we need to run to the vet every time out cat gets a boo-boo? That would be silly as many heal, and some don't.

It's just a topical antibiotic cream for cats; millions of human use Neosporin everyday for their families cuts and scrapes.

However, if you say the tripple antibiotic Neosporin works; I'll give it a try. It can't hurt.

I think it's silly for my cat to have to undergo surgery every time a tiny cut turns into an abscess. I think the abscesses can be easily overted.

Keeping the cats apart works most of the time; but there is no "perfect" system in regards to those two.
 
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