News

The Blue Cross is urging people to make sure their pets are wearing safety collars after treating a cat that was badly injured.

Princess was rushed to our Merton animal hospital when her owner saw that her left foreleg was stuck through her collar and she was badly wounded.

She had been missing for a couple of weeks and she was much quieter than normal and had lost weight.

When the vet examined her she found that Princess was very dehydrated and had a deep, infected wound in her armpit.

She was given intravenous fluids, pain relief, antibiotics and wound management with the hope of eventually stitching up the wound.

That afternoon the staff at Merton gave Princess an anaesthetic to give the wound a good clean up and assess it fully.

Deputy head nurse Becky Dawe says: “We kept her in for continued treatment and repeated dressings every other day.

“A week after being admitted we were able to stitch it up. Wounds in this area can be notoriously difficult to manage and can often break down, requiring further surgery. Luckily in Princess’s case she did well and went home the following week after the drain had been removed.”

Princess, pictured here with her relieved owner, is now doing well.

Becky adds: “When a collar is stuck in this way because the cat can’t get it off it gradually cuts in to the skin and the longer it’s in place the more extensive and infected the wound will become.

“Your cat could be at risk of this type of injury if you don’t use a safety collar with a quick release mechanism.”

For more pet care advice, have a look at our free animal care factsheets.