Topic: Cat bite (me) should I go to the doctor? (Read 20379 times)

Mark · « **Reply #87 on:** February 24, 2009, 22:52:23 PM »

My mum is on Warfarin but we have never been put on it. I was last monitored at Barts Hospital around 2000 - I had an idea you are supposed to go back every so many years? - I will ask my mum.

Liza · « **Reply #86 on:** February 24, 2009, 22:41:52 PM »

Its my dad's fault I have it - he's the "carrier" so is his brother - my cousin has it also - but she is on warfarin all the time - I only had to take it for 6 mths until last October

Would make sense that's why you're bruised and taking a while to heal (assume that you're on thinners)........the hospital should monitor you more closely cos of it. But yes you really should try and stop smoking as that means you have 2 increased risks of clots, Factor V and smoking but I'm sure you've been told that a million times

Anyway I'm sure people don't want to know the facts out Factor V lol

Mark · « **Reply #85 on:** February 24, 2009, 22:08:53 PM »

The main drag (no pun) is that I get nagged even more for smoking

You are the first person I have "met" with it - in fact the forst person that has heard of it!

That has got me wondering if that is why my stomach is still bruised and sore 6 weeks after the op.

Liza · « **Reply #84 on:** February 24, 2009, 22:05:58 PM »

Not really related but I thought I'd let you know Mark you're not alone - I also have Lieden factor V thrombophilia - its a drag isn't it. But also a great excuse when the other half gives me a playful dab....don't I might get a blood clot lol

Mark · « **Reply #83 on:** February 23, 2009, 13:56:35 PM »

I have scratches all down my arms from holding Clapton for the vet just now

- luckily just surface ones as he was terrified but he would never hurt me intentionally (Unlike Willow

)

Janeyk · « **Reply #82 on:** February 23, 2009, 07:04:51 AM »

Quote from: Mark on February 22, 2009, 18:02:20 PM

When Willow scratched me at the vet the other week, the vet had hibiscrub and idodine handwash. She said the Iodine was the best but it would really sting - I opted for the Iodine. It wasn't that bad. Not sure where you can buy it though. Maybe Petmeds or somewhere?

I have bought iodine from the local chemist before. I've also had a few painful deep scratches which lasted a couple of weeks when Schui used to lash out, I put antiseptic on and they healed ok.

MooCat · « **Reply #81 on:** February 23, 2009, 01:18:05 AM »

Been scratched/bitten hundreds of times over the years never put anything on it and never had any problems.

Mark · « **Reply #80 on:** February 22, 2009, 21:29:36 PM »

I remember we used to have iodine burn cream in the first aid kit at home. I loved the smell of the box

- I was always after the orange flavoured junior disorin in a glass bottle with cotton wool in

Wibblechick · « **Reply #79 on:** February 22, 2009, 20:09:00 PM »

The more old fashiond type chemists might sell iodine - that said I found some in a Super Saver, too!!!

Mark · « **Reply #78 on:** February 22, 2009, 18:02:20 PM »

When Willow scratched me at the vet the other week, the vet had hibiscrub and idodine handwash. She said the Iodine was the best but it would really sting - I opted for the Iodine. It wasn't that bad. Not sure where you can buy it though. Maybe Petmeds or somewhere?

Millys Mum · « **Reply #77 on:** February 22, 2009, 17:39:36 PM »

Got any hibiscrub? Thats what i clean all my war wounds with and havnt had a problem yet...

Mark · « **Reply #76 on:** February 22, 2009, 09:21:16 AM »

It also depends on the severity. When Kylie bit me and my hand was swollen, the doctor in London just gave be steroid cream. My recent one one that needed ABs sound like yours Gillian where Willow had bitten me and the tooth went right inder the nail. It was so painful and the edge of my nail went purple.

Susanne (urbantigers) · « **Reply #75 on:** February 21, 2009, 23:53:55 PM »

If it's still swollen tomorrow see if you can find an NHS walk in centre. Anti biotics are generally what you need with cat bites due to the bacteria in their mouths.

Gillian Harvey · « **Reply #74 on:** February 21, 2009, 23:37:36 PM »

Thanks

- havent got any of those things! oops, the cats' medicine chest is better stocked than mine LOL!

Quote from: Yvonne on February 21, 2009, 20:43:41 PM

Depends how bad it is. I had a cat bite on my hand, it became infected and my hand and arm up to my elbow swelled. I had a course of antibiotics and a tetanus jab and was off work for a week, the pain was really bad - throbbing like mad.

Ouch, that sounds nasty Yvonne!

Yvonne · « **Reply #73 on:** February 21, 2009, 20:43:41 PM »

Depends how bad it is. I had a cat bite on my hand, it became infected and my hand and arm up to my elbow swelled. I had a course of antibiotics and a tetanus jab and was off work for a week, the pain was really bad - throbbing like mad. Just keep an eye on it tonight and see how it is tomorrow.

Wibblechick · « **Reply #72 on:** February 21, 2009, 20:14:30 PM »

Hydrogen peroxide - fizzes a lot and takes out any "yuck" - stings like crazy but seems to do the trick .....

Its good for splinters too

Christine (Blip) · « **Reply #71 on:** February 21, 2009, 20:00:16 PM »

Got any iodine? Or Betadine soap?

Gillian Harvey · « **Reply #70 on:** February 21, 2009, 19:50:43 PM »

Revived this thread, just checking to see if there's any magic treatment for cat bites LOL! - my lovely, placid, sweet and gorgeous Sam bit me last nigt - no, he didnt mean any malice, its just that he's not been very interested in having the handful of biscuits I give them all at bedtime, so I decided he could have some strips of raw beef instead. Stupidly, I hadnt reckoned on all the others thinking, hey, we've just got biscuits and HE's got beef? So, fighting them off, while trying to hand-feed Sam this beef, my thumb somehow got into Sam's mouth, he thought - beef, and clamped his fangs down one through the side of my nail, the other through the fleshy part of my thumb - oh, the pain

. Now it is swollen and sore, bit of germolene and it should be fine?

Mark · « **Reply #69 on:** February 12, 2009, 20:52:02 PM »

Quote from: MrsR on February 12, 2009, 20:40:29 PM

AR

OH says I am a magnet for injured animals - even on my birthday in July on a day trip to Rye, I ended up taking a seagull into a vet

(although they turned me away

)

MrsR · « **Reply #68 on:** February 12, 2009, 20:40:29 PM »

Glad your hand is doing well.

Did you manage to find the cat?

I know what you mean about a full time job as when I worked heavily for AR in London years ago it took me over and I had to step away.

Mark · « **Reply #67 on:** February 12, 2009, 19:43:03 PM »

I'm not bothered about a few scars

I am a mass of scar tissue anyway

She is sneezing as I type so I will phone the vet in the morning. I am so behind on Uni work but stuff it - my babies come first

Not only that, This morning, I heard a cat mewing before I went to uni - came home at 6pm and still heard it. OH said it sounds in pain - I have been hunting in a derelict garden but can't locate it - I don't know why I posted that on this thread but just to say that worrying about cats is becoming a full-time job

swampmaxmum · « **Reply #66 on:** February 12, 2009, 09:48:57 AM »

glad to hear you are on the mend. The trouble with heaters and central heating is that if they have a bit of a respiratory problem, it gets worse when they huddle up to the heaters, but with this winter we're having can't exactly blame them. You could put a tealight olbas oil burner or just a steam one near where she's huddling to see if it helps a little bit?

Sonnie · « **Reply #65 on:** February 11, 2009, 07:50:40 AM »

Hi Mark,
glad the hands are healing, ive started using vitamin E and wheat-germ oil on the scars and they are fading a bit now!!! (i had a huge deep scratch on my right arm and a couple of friends thought i was self-harming!)
just an idea!!!

Janeyk · « **Reply #64 on:** February 11, 2009, 07:43:28 AM »

Glad your hand's healing

Poor Willow

Schui won't use beds at all but he taken to sleeping on top of the sofa by the radiator and we think it is what has improved his sinuses and snotty nose no end (he does tend to keep falling off though

)

Mark · « **Reply #63 on:** February 10, 2009, 22:39:55 PM »

Healing almost done thanks

=I think the ABs wored really well. The finger still looked bad at the weekend but I managed to nibble all the dead skin off in biology class today

and all new skin underneath. I wish I could say the same for Willow - she is still coughing & sneezig and huddling up near heaters

Sonnie · « **Reply #62 on:** February 10, 2009, 09:32:42 AM »

Quote from: Millys Mum on January 30, 2009, 17:31:47 PM

Quote from: Gill (sneakiefeline) on January 30, 2009, 17:23:28 PM
I know there was someone on here recently that got badly bitten on both hands and had septicema, actually was wondering last night whether she managed to catch her missing cat wwho did this..............so behing in posts may have missed it.

Yep Sonnie has felix back, he turned up at home of his own accord and has been neutered and chipped

Yeah it was I who managed to get attacked by her own cat!!!

Although we have had cats for 4 years now, and I have been scratched or nibbled when they were all younger, being bitten as bad as I did was such a shock to me. I had bathed my hands in TCP three/four times a day, and still ended up with septic hands.
Im all healed up now, and have some beautiful scars too!!!
How are you healing up mark?? ok i hope x

clarenmax · « **Reply #61 on:** February 02, 2009, 19:45:23 PM »

Sorted

Mark · « **Reply #60 on:** February 02, 2009, 19:41:38 PM »

Iwas stressing but then realised that at worst, I can get the tablets myself and skip the skills (Mostly maths) lecture

I will just go in for biology

clarenmax · « **Reply #59 on:** February 02, 2009, 19:37:28 PM »

If you can get them tomorrow if oh is working from home, then I imagine that would be OK, albeit slightly late with the gap between tablets.

Would probably be alright though as they would still be in your system?

Mark · « **Reply #58 on:** February 02, 2009, 19:00:54 PM »

Help!

I forgot to go to the chemist for the balance of the tablets today

I have 2 left. One for tonight and one for the morning. I won't be home until at least 6pm tomorrow by which time it will be closed. OH may be working from home tomorrow and could pick them up for me which would mean me taking the lunchtime one at 6pm - about 3 hours late. If he does have to go in, the earliest I could pick them up is Wednesday afternoon as I do 1/2 day at uni on Wednesdays.

Really annoying - I wish I had gone to Boots now where they would have given me the whole lot at once.

MrsR · « **Reply #57 on:** February 01, 2009, 17:41:42 PM »

Good - I'll back off now and leave you to heal in peace

Mark · « **Reply #56 on:** February 01, 2009, 17:39:31 PM »

Ay Ay MrsR

- I heard that one of the main reasons that bacteria have developed a resistance is due to people not completing courses?

MrsR · « **Reply #55 on:** February 01, 2009, 17:36:38 PM »

Mark glad its getting better and please do complete your whole course of antibiotics - if you don't the ones you have already taken become irrelevant and you may as well of not taken them.

Mark · « **Reply #54 on:** February 01, 2009, 14:25:27 PM »

Well I have some mobility back in the finger. I had heard somewhere that the 3rd day is usually when you start seeing improvements with antibiotics. The swelling has gone down quite a bit but I know I need to finish the course. Annoyingly, our local chemist only had 12 tablets in stock to I have an IOU to get the others tomorrow. I swore I wouldn't go in there after he basically called me an alky when I went to pick up my stomach meds

With hand movements, he said I needed to do a bit less

Pinkbear (Julie) · « **Reply #53 on:** February 01, 2009, 14:18:13 PM »

I have only just seen this - just goes to show what attention I pay.

Mark, I'm so sorry to hear about poor you and poor Willow.

Yes, you can feel quite ill following cat scratches and sometimes not get symptoms until weeks afteward, so always best to have a good clean and monitor things carefully. I have heard it's rarely fatal unless the animal is also carrying some other kinds of batteria as well.

For geeks....

http://www.patient.co.uk/showdoc/40002245/

For everyone else...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cat_scratch_fever

Susanne (urbantigers) · « **Reply #52 on:** January 31, 2009, 13:33:04 PM »

Quote from: Millys Mum on January 30, 2009, 16:36:38 PM

Has anybody actually ever caught tetanus from a cat bite?

When I got bitten by Magpie (at the vets before he died) they sent me to A&E fior antibiotics. They said that the hospital would probably insist on giving me a tetanus but I didnt really need that. The main thing was the bacteria in a cats mouth and why you often need antibiotics. The vet said that when they get bitten by a cat they just prescribe themselves some antibiotics but obv they couldn't do that for me.

MrsR · « **Reply #51 on:** January 31, 2009, 13:16:26 PM »

Quote from: Mark on January 31, 2009, 13:12:46 PM

Thank Nikki - who who have thought our Tiny little Willow could do so much damage

It was my Sylvester who bite my dad but then he did try to get in the midle of 2 cats fighting - silly man!

Mark · « **Reply #50 on:** January 31, 2009, 13:12:46 PM »

Thank Nikki - who who have thought our Tiny little Willow could do so much damage

Janeyk · « **Reply #49 on:** January 31, 2009, 13:08:12 PM »

Quote from: MrsR on January 30, 2009, 17:12:25 PM

A scratch wont really cause septicemia as its not deep enough but needs a damn good clean out. Not all bites turn septic but the risk is :hug:huge. The have been bitten but hit the fleshy skin part whereas my dad got bitten through the middle of his hand and that turned very nasty indeed. Its always best to get a deep bite seen to medically as animals especially dogs and cats carry a scarey amount of bacteria in their mouths.

However a scratch on someone with low immunity, etc can cause very nasty indeed.

thanks for the info

MrsR · « **Reply #48 on:** January 31, 2009, 13:03:10 PM »

It will swell and thats normal unless it swells to a stupid amount or you loose feelings in your fingers or hand or it starts to get tingley. If you have a finger more swollen than the other press down on the nail and release and watch to see how quick the colour returns under your nail. If you start feeling nauseous, your temp going up, etc all these things just keep an eye out for.

I am sure its fine though sweetie just me going into A&E mode!

Author Topic: Cat bite (me) should I go to the doctor? (Read 20379 times)