Meatwad’s Story
Grey and white, Domestic Short Hair, young adult Male Feline. Private owned pet.
Intake Origin: Lewistown, PA
History: Fractured right elbow, unknown etiology. Was seen at Emergency Veterinarian clinic and casted. When cast was removed 2 weeks later, it was discovered that Meatwad had pulled out the padding under the cast and created a full thickness wound to his elbow. Veterinarian had prescribed medihoney to wound, but treatment failed. Amputation was considered but there was not enough skin to create a flap. Owner contacted PCWC for consult.
Wound: Right posterior elbow, to included medial and lateral aspects from friction of cast. Full Thickness. Wound bed pink and red tissue. Moderate serosanginous drainage. Intake Wound dimensions 4 x 8 x 0.2 cm. Periwound intact with fur clipped.
Wound Treatment dates: Initiated 7/24/24, completed 9/25/24- 63 days
Wound Care products utilized:
– Vashe wound cleanser ( Hypochlorous Acid 0.033%) at every dressing change
– Prisma collagen Matrix with ORC and silver applications, silicone foam topper
– Vashe moist to dry gauze with stretch wrap topper figure eighted around neck
– Aquacel hydrofiber sheet with AG ( silver)
– Vaseline applied to periwound due to maceration from drainage
– Mesalt fiber to attempt to eradicate biofilm
– Vashe dwells with Vashe moistened gauze for up to 2 hours each dressing change
– Drawtex SAP (super absorbent dressing) to manage moisture
– Altrazeal Transforming Powder dressing
– Xeroform petroleum infused gauze
– Silicone bordered foam dressing toppers
– Elizabethan soft cone to prevent Meatwad from eating his dressing- Pica?
Concerns: Meatwad ate two pieces of his old dressings- Aquacel AG piece, and 2 x 2
Gauze. Fortunately, he had no ill effects and passed the dressings without complications. Wound was complicated by green pseudomonas biofilm. This required Vashe dwells to eradicate. Initial dwells were 5 minutes, but eventually extended to 60, 120 minutes. Elbow was a difficult anatomical site due to cat always laying on wound side so that he could stand up using his good arm to push off for standing. Dressing changes were painful if arm was abducted too much. Superficial friction wounds developed from skin maceration and dressings rubbing in armpit region with his arm movements. Used vaseline to control. Required custom t-shirts to cover dressings because Meatwad would try to eat his dressings. A seamstress volunteered her services to adapt baby swim shirts with zippers.
Outcome: 100% healed wound resolution via granulation, epithelialization scar tissue formation Fracture healed with arm fused in bent position. He is able to ambulate on 3 legs without issues. Arm will not need amputation as he can fully function.
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Last modified on October 2, 2024 at 1:34 am