Skin infection

Missy-Moo has a very unusual bacterial infection in the skin of her belly. Two weeks ago she visited us with lots of 'pepper-pot' draining holes on her belly. The skin was thick and spongey. She hadn't complained to her family about it but they noticed she was spending a lot of time keeping herself clean.
After surgery to remove the worst of the inflamed and infected skin and to take samples to send to the lab she started on antibiotics that we thought might be effective against the most likely causative bacteria.
Two weeks later the lab has found the culprits but hasn't identified them or found the most appropriate antibiotic for her yet.
Today we took Missy-Moo's stitches out and her belly is looking much, much better. Her owner commented that she has been playing more and is getting back to her happy self.
Missy-Moo is not impressed with daily tablets, but will have to continue with them for many weeks yet. If she stops too soon the infection could flare up again.

Momo's war wound

Momo's had a bad week. His mum found him shivering under a bush on Thursday morning. When she coaxed him inside he didn't feel much like breakfast and curled up in front of the fire. He'd eaten dinner on Tuesday and gone out for a stroll around his domain feeling as fit as a fiddle. By the time his mum found him he had a fever and was very miserable.
When she took him on her lap for a cuddle he snuggled up until she rubbed his head - OW!  He sprang onto the floor and under the couch.
His mum realised something was very wrong and whisked him in to see us. We found a tiny wound on his head and extracted a claw. Poor old Momo had taken on an intruder in his garden. No wonder he had a headache - an abscess was forming under the wound.
We started treatment straight away. Blood tests and observation proved that it was a fresh wound so we clipped and cleaned it, started strong antibiotics (cats' mouths contain some very nasty bacteria that love the airless space under the skin) and gave him something for the headache.
Because Momo's owner had found him soon after the brawl and the wound was fresh we didn't have an abscess to lance. The earlier we can treat cats after a fight the less likely it is that a general anaesthetic and surgery will be necessary.
Cats are most active finding mates and defending their territory in late winter and spring. Poor old Momo had got caught up in the annual feline fight festival. His mum is going to keep him indoors after dinner and through the night to try and prevent another episode.