Peroxide and Cats?

Jessie got a small scratch on her paw pad. I tried to dab it with peroxide
on a cotton ball, but she was having no part of it. DH suggested putting
some peroxide in a small bowl and then dipping her paw into that. I didn't
want to get her fur soaked in peroxide - I know licking off the little bit
of peroxide that would be applied with a cotton ball wouldn't hurt her, but
licking off the amount that would be soaking the fur of her foot might.

Does anyone here know if peroxide, in any amount, will harm a cat if
ingested?

CatNipped

"CatNipped" wrote in message
...
Jessie got a small scratch on her paw pad. I tried to dab it with
peroxide
on a cotton ball, but she was having no part of it.

I think I would use a very small amount of alcohol if I didn't have anything
from the vet.

"Diane" wrote in message
...
In article ,
"CatNipped" wrote:

Jessie got a small scratch on her paw pad. I tried to dab it with
peroxide
on a cotton ball, but she was having no part of it. DH suggested putting
some peroxide in a small bowl and then dipping her paw into that. I
didn't
want to get her fur soaked in peroxide - I know licking off the little
bit
of peroxide that would be applied with a cotton ball wouldn't hurt her,
but
licking off the amount that would be soaking the fur of her foot might.

Does anyone here know if peroxide, in any amount, will harm a cat if
ingested?

I've read in a text for nurses not to use peroxide as a disinfectant (on
humans). It's ineffective, and there's potential for it to get into the
bloodstream. I would use something else.
--
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Message board: http://www.slywy.com/phpBB2/
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I used to use hydrogen peroxide to cleanse my own wounds -- it seemed to
"bubble out" any dirt. However, my doctor later told me *not* to use it
because cuts and abrasions may not heal as well if proxide is used. He
recommended Betadine instead, and I notice that Megan says that is also what
she uses for her cats.

MaryL

MaryL wrote:
"Diane" wrote in message
...
In article ,
"CatNipped" wrote:

Jessie got a small scratch on her paw pad. I tried to dab it with
peroxide
on a cotton ball, but she was having no part of it. DH suggested putting
some peroxide in a small bowl and then dipping her paw into that. I
didn't
want to get her fur soaked in peroxide - I know licking off the little
bit
of peroxide that would be applied with a cotton ball wouldn't hurt her,
but
licking off the amount that would be soaking the fur of her foot might.

Does anyone here know if peroxide, in any amount, will harm a cat if
ingested?

I've read in a text for nurses not to use peroxide as a disinfectant (on
humans). It's ineffective, and there's potential for it to get into the
bloodstream. I would use something else.
--
Web site: http://www.slywy.com/
Message board: http://www.slywy.com/phpBB2/
Journal: http://slywy.diaryland.com/

I used to use hydrogen peroxide to cleanse my own wounds -- it seemed to
"bubble out" any dirt. However, my doctor later told me *not* to use it
because cuts and abrasions may not heal as well if proxide is used. He
recommended Betadine instead, and I notice that Megan says that is also what
she uses for her cats.

MaryL

That's what the docs at the wound care clinic say. Never use peroxide
on a wound, especially if it's trying to heal. It destroys new cell
growth. Weirdly enough, they use honey on certain infected wounds.
Honey has low-level hydrogen peroxide properties and other
healing/antibacterial qualities. It's not regular honey out of a jar, I
think it is specially filtered or something for pharmaceutical use, but
it's still honey made by bees.

Sherry

wrote:

That's what the docs at the wound care clinic say. Never use peroxide
on a wound, especially if it's trying to heal. It destroys new cell
growth. Weirdly enough, they use honey on certain infected wounds.
Honey has low-level hydrogen peroxide properties and other
healing/antibacterial qualities. It's not regular honey out of a jar, I
think it is specially filtered or something for pharmaceutical use, but
it's still honey made by bees.


I'm surprised they said to never use peroxide on a wound. I do when the
wound is new and/or dirty. I especially us it on cat bites or scratches.
It is an excellent cleaner. It does destroy any scabbing that's trying
to happen, so I just use it the first time. After that, I use an
antibiotic cream or alcohol.

Rhonda

Rhonda wrote:

I'm surprised they said to never use peroxide on a wound. I do when the
wound is new and/or dirty. I especially us it on cat bites or scratches.
It is an excellent cleaner. It does destroy any scabbing that's trying
to happen, so I just use it the first time. After that, I use an
antibiotic cream or alcohol.

Rhonda

I think the whole "don't use peroxide" thing has been blown out of
proportion. Peroxide is ok to use if you use it once or twice - the
problem arises when you use it over and over time after time on the
same wound. The problem with commercial antibiotic creams being used
on cats is that they cause the wound to go anerobic because they are
usually in a petrolatum base/carrier, which block air from getting to
the wound. Cat wounds (especially bites) are notorious for becoming
infected with anerobic bacteria. You (general you) should always use a
topical antibiotic prescribed by a doctor like Tresaderm, which is in a
non-petroleum base. If you don't have any available, and the wound is
small it is acceptable to clean the wound once with peroxide to help
stop the bleeding, and then allow it to dry. The cat will lick it to
keep it clean. Puncture or larger-sized wounds should be seen by a vet
because the potential for abscess is great.

-L.

"CatNipped" wrote in message
...
Jessie got a small scratch on her paw pad. I tried to dab it with
peroxide
on a cotton ball, but she was having no part of it. DH suggested putting
some peroxide in a small bowl and then dipping her paw into that. I
didn't
want to get her fur soaked in peroxide - I know licking off the little bit
of peroxide that would be applied with a cotton ball wouldn't hurt her,
but
licking off the amount that would be soaking the fur of her foot might.

Does anyone here know if peroxide, in any amount, will harm a cat if
ingested?


I don't use peroxide on cats. Get a bottle of *veterinary* betadine
solution (turquoise squeeze bottle). Your vet will probably give you some
to hold you until you order a bottle. In a pinch, you can use human
betadine- diluted 1 part to 10 parts water.

Phil

"Rhonda" wrote in message
...
wrote:

That's what the docs at the wound care clinic say. Never use peroxide
on a wound, especially if it's trying to heal. It destroys new cell
growth. Weirdly enough, they use honey on certain infected wounds.
Honey has low-level hydrogen peroxide properties and other
healing/antibacterial qualities. It's not regular honey out of a jar, I
think it is specially filtered or something for pharmaceutical use, but
it's still honey made by bees.


I'm surprised they said to never use peroxide on a wound. I do when the
wound is new and/or dirty. I especially us it on cat bites or scratches.
It is an excellent cleaner. It does destroy any scabbing that's trying
to happen, so I just use it the first time. After that, I use an
antibiotic cream or alcohol.


According to my doctor, peroxide has come under suspicion lately
as a carcinogen. That is why we are hearing more and more that
we should use other things to clean wounds. That said, it is
excellent for cleaning wounds that may be infected primarily
*because* it destroys tissue. So if a wound is infected it
essentially eats up the infected tissue. However, beyond a
single application, you don't want to destroy tissue every
time you disinfect a cut.

My dentist told me never to use it as a mouthwash, for
precisely that reason. He said, "I can tell when patients'
are using it, even dilute, because I can see their gum
tissue sloughing off." So, it works as a disinfectant
but a little too well in that it kills healthy tissue. I therefore
never use it as a mouthwash but almost always if I think
a cut looks infective: once or twice. Then it's alcohol or
neosporin.

-L. wrote:

Rhonda wrote:

I'm surprised they said to never use peroxide on a wound. I do when the
wound is new and/or dirty. I especially us it on cat bites or scratches.
It is an excellent cleaner. It does destroy any scabbing that's trying
to happen, so I just use it the first time. After that, I use an
antibiotic cream or alcohol.

Rhonda


I think the whole "don't use peroxide" thing has been blown out of
proportion. Peroxide is ok to use if you use it once or twice - the
problem arises when you use it over and over time after time on the
same wound. The problem with commercial antibiotic creams being used
on cats is that they cause the wound to go anerobic because they are
usually in a petrolatum base/carrier, which block air from getting to
the wound. Cat wounds (especially bites) are notorious for becoming
infected with anerobic bacteria. You (general you) should always use a
topical antibiotic prescribed by a doctor like Tresaderm, which is in a
non-petroleum base. If you don't have any available, and the wound is
small it is acceptable to clean the wound once with peroxide to help
stop the bleeding, and then allow it to dry. The cat will lick it to
keep it clean. Puncture or larger-sized wounds should be seen by a vet
because the potential for abscess is great.

-L.


I actually was speaking more about cat bites and scratches on humans,
but don't think I was very clear. Sherry was talking about not using it
on any wounds in general.

I always use it on myself for cat scratches and bites, it's one of the
best ways to cleansers to get those nasty cat germs out of there! I
have been using antibiotic cream after that, but sounds like the cream
is not a great idea.

On cats, we sometimes use peroxide depending on where it is, then we
usually use betadine. Luckily, we haven't many cat boo boos.

Rhonda

Diane wrote:

In article ,
Rhonda wrote:

I'm surprised they said to never use peroxide on a wound.

It's ineffective and potentially dangerous, and there are antibacterials
that work better.

Peroxide is just for cleaning the wound, I apply an antibacterial afterwards.


Why do you say it is ineffective?


Rhonda