Cat abscess, can't afford vet. How long should I give Clindamycin?

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! You can give the probiotic while you are giving the clindamycin. The dose of clindamycin for dental abscesses is: 5.5-33mg/kg by mouth every 12 hours. He is receiving 25mg/kg, I hope this helps!

I am sorry to hear about your kitty. Unfortunately from these photos it does not appear that at home care is going to be appropriate anymore. I am concerned based on the picture that some of the tissue/skin around the wound could be devitalized/dying. He likely needs systemic antibiotics and wound care by a professional at this point. I would recommend looking at this site for info on ideas on affording veterinary care: https://www.humanesociety.org/resources/having-trouble-affording-veterinary-care . There may be a low cost clinic in your area associated with a human society or shelter that may be more affordable.

Hello, sorry to hear about Cleo. Clindamycin is an antibiotic and can cause nausea, vomiting, a decreased appetite, and diarrhea. You can contact your veterinarian to inform them about her reaction and they may be able to give her anti-nausea medications to control her signs. Additionally, make sure you are administering this medication with food to decrease the side effects. Hope this helps and best of luck.

There is really no home dental treatment, only home preventive care. If there is an abscessed tooth that infection can cause the jaw to get infected too if left untreated. There may be a tooth root exposed from a broken tooth. Really, he needs to see a vet and should be neutered too. Now, I realize that may not be possible where you are so if you absolutely cannot get him to a vet all you can do is try an oral antibiotic to hopefully correct any infection. Clindamycin is the best antibiotic to use for dental issues. I am only able to find it in tablet form. He may or may not eat it. If not, you will have to mix it with some canned cat food to see if he will eat it that way. I would give it for 14 days total. ( https://www.marshallspetzone.com/health-care/5511-7762-savavet-bioclan-25mg.html#/145-pack-3 ) Once you receive the medication, if you need help with dosing information you are welcome to post again.

On average we will prescribe this medication for 10-14 days, and anything over 21-28 days is not ideal due to the possible permanent effects on the bacterial flora in the gut. I hope that this helps! Take care. : )

I am so sorry to hear about Fritz. It is an unusual presentation for sure, as we commonly see abscesses around this area in cats but it is unusual to see them symmetrical (if that is what you are describing), we would also worry about an infection in the root of the tooth, lymph nodes, or salivary glands. Unfortunately your cat require veterinary care, this is not something you can treat at home. You will have to figure out a way to get him into a vet. This may involve finding a clinic that is lower cost- some humane societies or animal protective leagues have lower cost clinics available. Some clinics work with companies such as Care Credit to allow you to charge your bill and pay in monthly installments, and there are some funds for cases where pets need care and owners cannot afford it, or some people even pawn belongings or borrow from friends or family in these cases. You can read this article for more ideas on how to afford veterinary care: https://veterinarypartner.vin.com/default.aspx?pid=19239&id=4951489 . I would also recommend keeping him indoors until this clears up as with these wounds he would be predisposed to getting fly strike/maggots.

Poor Sonnie! Nearly any antibiotic can cause vomiting and diarrhea as a side effect, so I would not become overly concerned about that point. If Sonnie does develop this, call his vet and offer a bland diet of boiled white meat chicken and white rice for a few days to allow his stomach to settle. As for the dosage, clindamycin has a wide dose range when treating abscesses. Sonnie is currently receiving 16 mg/kg, and this range can go up to 33mg/kg. Continue following the prescribed directions and call his vet if anything changes for him. I hope that all goes well!