Cat bite! Owie!

[JoZ]

In keeping with the general suckiness of this week/month/year -- I was bitten rather severely on the hand by a barn cat yesterday. I took myself to the doctor immediately -- I know how serious a cat bite can be.

The doctor asked if the cat is up to date on shots (it is) and if my tetanus vaccine is up to date (it is). I was put on a course of antibiotics which I began this morning (did not get to pharmacy before it closed last night, unfortunately).

So my question is this -- the bite consists of two deep puncture wounds and two smaller scrapes. It is red and swollen, and a little bit of pus has already come out of one of the puncture wounds. I am keeping it clean externally, though I realize the punctures could have shot bacteria pretty deep inside. Should I assume the antibiotics will keep things from getting out of hand (as it were)? At what point should I go back to the doctor or emergency room based on what the wounds themselves look like?

[SevenDogs]

Not a medical professional here (hopefully, one will weigh in) but, the antibiotics should work. Since you just started them today, I would give them 24 hours.

That being said if it continues to get worse tonight -- absolutely call your doctor (answering service should be able to contact him/her). If it stays the same on a couple of doses of antibiotics and isn't getting better -- call your doctor (you may need different antibiotics). If you are getting red streaks going up your arm, you have trouble -- get medical assistance quickly.

I believe that soaking in hot water will help. I had a small wound get infected many years ago (red streaks and the whole deal) and I was put on antibiotics and told to soak it in as hot of water as I could stand several times a day to help draw out the infection (obviously without burning myself). It worked and I still soak wounds in hot water, if I think they are becoming infected. It actually made it feel better too.

If you still have concerns in the morning, definitely check in by phone with your doctor since it is Friday. You don't want everyone gone for the weekend.

Hope you feel better soon!

[BBowen]

It has been years ago, but I got a pretty bad cat bite in my wrist area. Called the emergency room and they told me to absolutely come in. The ER doc irrigated the wounds and started me on a round of oral antibiotics. She told me to come back early Sun. morning (got bit on Fri. afternoon). Went back on Sun. and the oral antibiotics weren't working and they admitted me to the hospital -- was that a shocker. She told me that if the infection set in to the wrist, I could need surgery to clear it up. They wanted to put me on intravenous antibiotics round the clock. To say the least, wrist got better, but I sure haven't pet any strange cats in a LONG time.

[MEP]

If you have " red streaks going up your arm" it may look like a rash. This can develop quickly so just be aware - I had that experience once (not from a cat bite), and the rash didn't exactly like the red streaks I was thinking of, so I very casually called my doctor's office and they told me to get down there right away. Another time I had a cat bite and I was given antibiotics at the emergency room, but had to get another prescription when it got very infected.

So, not to be an alarmist or anything, but don't wait around - if the antibiotic isn't working get to the doc asap.

Be sure to update!

[Indy-lou]

Good advice given here already. Don't under estimate a cat's bite potential to cause real problems.

[Ecks Marx The Spot]

Like everyone said, if it doesn't get better in a few days, recheck with the Dr.
I had to wait a long time one time to be seen ... and i had terrible streaks going up my arm. Not fun. If its not improving in 24 hours , you need to call!

[AKB]

Cats carry pasturella bacteria in their mouths. Pasturella causes rapid onset infections. This is why it is important to get antibiotics right away after a cat bite. I have seen cat bites become red and swollen 4 hours after the bite. Usually, a few days of Augmentin (amoxicillin-clavulanate) will prevent the infection or treat it if it is mild. In the clinic where I work, we give IV antibiotics (such as ertapenem) if the cat bite infection is more severe. If you have fevers, lots of swelling, big red streaks or other indicators of infection, you may need IV antibiotics. We also give a lot of rabies vaccine and a lot of tetanus shots after cat bites. Stray cats often bite people and then promptly disappear.

I would recommend that you call the doctor who prescribed the antibiotics and see if he or she wants to see you again.

[mkevent]

If the cat bite is near a joint, please get it checked to make sure there is no damage to the joint. I had a cat bite me on my index finger-went through the antibiotic course,etc but the uppermost joint (the tip of my finger) is disfigured and doesn't bend as easily as the rest. I wish I had a specialist check it out when I first got bitten-maybe something could have been done for it.

[NoDQhere]

I've had many cat bites over the years and they are serious. You should beg some Nolvasan (clorhexidine) from your Vet and irrigate the heck out of the punctures. I have always used small syringe, without the needle and "pushed" full strength Nolvasan into the holes, two or three times a day. Don't take any chances with cat bites. You can easily end up on IV antibiotics.

[JoZ]

MUCH better today! The antibiotics must have kicked in.

Even last night when I was concerned, the swelling and redness were confined to the area around the bite. (The cat got me in the fleshy area between thumb and forefinger... and I have fat little hands so there was plenty of flesh to get his fangs into.)

Today the swelling is down and much of the redness and pain is gone too.

[SevenDogs]

Very glad to hear that you are doing better! :)

[LockeMeadows]

Cats carry pasturella bacteria in their mouths. Pasturella causes rapid onset infections. This is why it is important to get antibiotics right away after a cat bite. I have seen cat bites become red and swollen 4 hours after the bite. Usually, a few days of Augmentin (amoxicillin-clavulanate) will prevent the infection or treat it if it is mild. In the clinic where I work, we give IV antibiotics (such as ertapenem) if the cat bite infection is more severe. If you have fevers, lots of swelling, big red streaks or other indicators of infection, you may need IV antibiotics. We also give a lot of rabies vaccine and a lot of tetanus shots after cat bites. Stray cats often bite people and then promptly disappear.

I would recommend that you call the doctor who prescribed the antibiotics and see if he or she wants to see you again.

I could not have said it better myself!

[JeanM]

Oooh, you guys are making me SQUIRM now.

A few years ago, a young stray cat was around my place. Friendly, definitely had been socialized with humans. I was sitting on my porch & decided I'd have to get him confined & eventually to a vet for the usual work, then get him adopted (I'd have loved to have kept him but my male barn tiger would have had no part of that).

Well, I was an IDIOT. Because he was happy to be petted as I was sitting with him, I tried to pick him up. STOOOPID, I know!! He, naturally enough not knowing me from Adam, bit my hand. Deep puncture in the back of my hand from one fang. Now here's where the stooopid really kicked in -- I didn't take myself to any doctor or ER. Yeah, I am squirming, you don't have to tell me what an idiot I was!!

I bled heavily (which may have saved me) & ran my hand under water for a while. For the next week, twice a day I soaked the hand in warm water & epsom salts & put antibiotic ointment on it. It healed, I didn't get sick ... despite myself :eek:

The cat, by the way, was easy to lure into my sunroom where he stayed for a few weeks , then went to the vet, then came home for another few weeks & was adopted to be a barn cat elsewhere, from where he disappeared forever within a few weeks. :no: