Two months ago my cat got a small sore on his neck. It looked like a burn, but then it started to spread.
He has been to the vet many times over the last two months but it keeps getting bigger. He keeps scratching it and licking it and so it is a continuous open wound.
He doesn't seem to be allergic to anything but he did get a tick bite around the time that all of this started.
Does anybody have any ideas on what it might be and how I can cure it?:

Please go to another vets for a second opinion on this. They may take a skin sample from your pet. It's hard to say what it is. What springs to my mind is mange but I am no vet. So for your babys sake go to a different vet for a second opinion . Glad you have been taking him so far !

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What has the vet done so far?

Tick Bites can occasionaly on occasions cause Allergic Reactions,

This might sound daft, But try using a cotton wool swab, With lukewarm salt water, It will help reduce the risk of infection.

Cats tounges have a natural antiseptic in the saliva anyway, the licking it is simulating what they would do in the wild, but can also keep it as an open woud as youve already said is happening.

You might be best of seaking a second opinion from another vet.
I hope i helped a bit

Hi,

Thanks for the quick reply !

So far the vet has tried a number of things.

Starting with a short acting steroid injection and some cream direct to the wound. This didn't work much as he (the cat ) just licked it off. The two creams used where Dermisol and Surolan.

The vet then did a biopsy because he was concerned that it could be a granuloma, but this has been ruled out. He was then able to go ahead with a long acting steroid injection which did work, in that the he stopped scratching/licking, however the effect wore off far sooner than the vet expected (less than a week).

We are now using a tablet form of the steroid but the sore is still spreading as he is still scratching it. We are about to resort to a protective collar to stop him from scratching it but just wondered if anyone else's cat has had a similar problem before?

Just some thoughts, which your vet may or may not have considered:
Could it be stress? Have you tried Feliway to see if that helps reduce the scratching?
Or, it could be a reaction to any spot-on wormer or flea treatment you've used? If so, stop using it.
Or, it could be general dehydration and dry skin, which causes itching? In which case, stop feeding dry food and switch to all wet (like Hi-Life pouches).
Or, the cat could be sensitive to something in the food, which brings out scratching? In which case switch to a good wet food like already mentioned.

Hope you manage to sort it out, it can't be pleasant for you or the cat to have this going on!

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