What's causing my cat's neck skin fold infection? Should I see a vet?

Hi. It is hard to tell in the photo where this is, or if it is a mass or flat. But, this area appears to be very infected. There is some swelling there as well. So it could be a mass that is secondarily infected. Skin infections can occur from bacteria, funguses, parasites, chronic irritation to an area (like a skin fold), trauma to an area, or a mass that is oozing and causes the immediate area near it to become moist/irritated and secondarily infected. There are some metabolic, endocrine, and immune disease that can cause a pet to have a harder time fighting infections. Fom this photo and without more history, we can't tell you what this is exactly, and what the treatment would be. But those are some possibilities. I recommend getting Sammy seen and have that area looked at and treated so that he can be more comfortable. Good luck.

It looks like she has a skin infection or an allergic dermatitis. You could bathe her with a medicated cat shampoo and see if that helps. Otherwise, she should be examined by a vet for treatment. She may need an antibiotic, anti-histamine, and/or a corticosteroid to treat.

Hello. That looks like a moist and sticky bacterial infection, but a proper diagnosis would come from a hands on examination with your veterinarian. It would be best to have him looked at ASAP, but in the meantime....the main goal is to clean the area and try to keep it dry. You can use some dish soap and water to gently clean the area, then wipe excess soap away and dry it . Do not rub or scrub the tissue very hard as it is probably uncomfortable. Your veterinarian will need to prescribe the appropriate antibiotic to eliminate the infection. Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I'm sorry to hear Ringo has a wound on his neck. Based on your picture, it does look like he might have a skin infection of some kind, even possibly from a ruptured abscess. Does he go outside? I would recommend having him evaluated by his regular veterinarian to have area clipped, cleaned, and assessed to determine what may be going on, and what treatment (antibiotics, anti-inflammatories, or possible surgical repair) may be needed to resolve it. If he goes outside and the wound may have come from an unknown animal, I would also recommend his rabies vaccine be boostered as well. Good luck!

You need to take him to a bet asap!! His skin is terrible! It looks like it is infected with yeast, bacteria or mange mites, but i suspect it is a combo. It neefs treated with an antiparasite, antibiotics, medicated shampoo and antinflammatories. Do not attempt to treat at home, it is way beyond that.

These areas on the skin look very suspicious of a ringworm infection or bacterial infection. Ms Pussington needs to be seen by a vet to get this looked at and treated. This won't respond to any at home treatment unfortunately. I would recommend scheduling an appt soon for her. In the meantime you can try cleaning the area with Betadine diluted 50:50 with warm water to provide a topical antiseptic clean. Nothing else should be placed on these wounds. She will likely need a skin scrape/cytology to identify the underlying pathogen and then treatment based on what the cause is. I hope she feels better soon.

Hello, and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Sorry to hear about Misha's persistent issue! I would definitely advise that you have Misha seen by a vet. If this is truly an abscess, it may require a course of antibiotics to fully clear - otherwise it will likely continue to wax and wane as you've observed, and could become even worse if the infection is allowed to remain. It's also possible that Misha's issue is not a straightforward abscess - she could have another issue such as a cyst or tumor/mass, or even a foreign body (such as a thorn) that could be leading to a secondary infection. Your vet will be able to help determine what specifically is going on with Misha, and from your description I suspect your vet will likely put her on a course of antibiotics to help her heal. Hope this helps!