WWQP Bulletin Board Chat

More on cat bites

Jane, I'm so sorry about your horrible experience with the cat bites.
How are you doing?
After working 30(sigh) years with cats at the cat clinic we take cat
bites very seriously. I think there are a couple reasons they are so
susceptible to infection. Their teeth are small & can penetrate deeply
and most importantly because they are small they seal & heal very quickly
trapping bacteria deep under the skin while often the surface of the skin heals.
This is how the cellulitis & ensuing infection begins. Cat's can carry bartonella
bacteria (the cat scratch fever bacteria) & it can be transmitted from cat to cat
by fleas, so it's not uncommon & is being diagnosed more easily now with better
testing methods.
The most important thing you can do after getting bit is to head to the tap
& run cold running water hard & fast while squeezing the bites & running water in
them until the pain is unbearable! We do this for probably 5 minutes.
Obviously the cat didn't have Rabies but I think all hospitals have to report bites
to animal control & they have to proceed in a standard way.
Are you on zithromycin? Just curious.
I hate getting bit, but i still think I'd rather get bit by a cat than a dog.....
in a veterinary situation you usually get more warning from cats than dogs
that you are about to get nailed.

Sounds like a wonderful trip Doris. Was the weather good?

Boy, I just don't know what we did to deserve this warm sunny spring. It has
been glorious & I should have my yard in order, but oh no....it's just endless.

No quilting time lately, so that's why I have to talk about cat bites.

Congrats on the weight loss Jean, good for you.

We have strawberries! I'm in heaven & they are even on the diet!

Jill

posted by Jill from Portland @ 5:04 PM