Dog /Cat bite

Re: Dog /Cat bite

BengalcatRVN — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 12:50:51 GMT

Worked with cats for years and have never had an infection following scratches! HOWEVER, being bitten by insects have caused cellulitis, once in my leg (had to have several days off as couldn't walk) and once in my arm. Both times I have had antibiotics, the 2nd has left a mark on my arm :(

Re: Dog /Cat bite

littleblue — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 11:56:26 GMT

My boyf, who is allergic to ferret saliva, got bitten by a nasty ferret the other day (owner shouldn't have had it running about, it bit a few other people too!) and lucky for him it swelled up nicely. So it was a trip to the doctors the next day to get some antibiotics and possibly anti-histamine meds... the doctor didn't even know what a ferret was. I had to show him pictures on my phone and explain to him that : "No, it's not like a guinea pig, it's a carnivore."
Ended up getting some anti-histamine for him but doc refused to prescribe antibiotics! Cleaned it nicely with iodine at home and eventually the swelling went down after some days... have a feeling it would have got better quicker with antibiotics...

Re: Dog /Cat bite

fnewboult — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 23:52:45 GMT

Glad to hear that it's just swelling, fingers crossed it goes down a bit soon and that it doesn't take too long for you to get use back! Some of the stories on here are slightly scary! I feel lucky that thus far various A&E departments have actually taken me seriously when I've turned up with animal - related injuries (or in one case after splashing neat trigene in my eye, oops!). When I had a ferret try to eat my finger and it swelled up like a balloon (took me weeks to be able to move my finger and months for it to go back to looking like a finger and it felt numb / tingly for a while) I had xrays, antibiotics and a pressure bandage put on all without having to so much as murmur (only thing was less than impressed about was that they did not clean the wound up at all before they put the dressing on, kept quiet about this cos I'd already blathered it in hibiscrub and ran it under the tap before going to A&E & didn't really want to have it poked at anymore!). I did get a few odd looks I'll admit but think most of them worked it out seeing as I was still in my uniform wearing my "student VN" badge! Think I must be down as someone who does stupid things anyway; turned up in A&E & nearly fainted in reception a few years ago after got kicked in the head by a horse (very good that time too... even got eye drops even though they couldn't see any damage to my eye). I have had umpteen scratches and a few very superficial bites from cats and have never been to doctors for them, would be straight off down to doctors or A&E if I got a bad one though just cos I'd rather waste a bit of everybodies time than end up with a horrible infected bite.

Re: Dog /Cat bite

NuttyNu — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 19:25:49 GMT

I will be honest and say I have had many cat bites (From own pets and had a 12yr cat with a dislocated jaw munch on my finger as he couldn't open his mouth enough to let me take my finger out!) and I didn't go to dr's and it was all fine.

I do think sometimes people go and force drs to give antibiotics when actually there is no need for them. I also understand there are some times needs for them and dr;s don't like to give them until it is bad so I can see both sides of this case.

The only time I have had a bite get infected was my own cockatoo who bit into my muscle below my thumb. took me about 10days before I would go to see somebody (Have a hate of going to dr's!) as I didn't like them. OK so it took just over 2 months to get full use back but never been for anything else along those lines.

I tend to only go if it looks infected after a few days... Not ideal or the right way but I prefer to see if it will go down on its own first!

Please note: I would advise clients to seek help and not "wait and see"!

Re: Dog /Cat bite

bongo — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 18:45:20 GMT

got bitten once by a cat and refused anti b's as didnt look infected, told to go back the next day and my hand looked like a boxing glove, had to have shed loads of antib's then , bet they wished they have given them me from the start. I know some practices have a letter which if someone gets bitten to send to hosp with them saying that they need antibiotics because of all bacteria in dog and cat mouths etc.

also i sometimes often wonder if I'm feeling a bit icky i try and think back to whether i have had any bad scratches incase it could be a touch of cat scratch fever

Re: Dog /Cat bite

chanel clydesdale — Sun, 13 Nov 2011 22:00:37 GMT

OK guys,so I went today and had my hand examined and x-rayed.......its not bitten into my joint but so much soft tissue damage and swelling that its constricting movement in that region so should be ok once swelling reduces. Appears may have slight nerve damage though as have constant tingling feeling as end of my thumb so that may or may not go away apparently. I have to continue with my antib's, keep strapping it up and have epson salts? to try and help reduce swelling. Hopefully my hand returns to a normal size soon as so difficult to do things with just one!! Thanks for all your post guys :-) I run away from hospitals as much as I can and was practically forced there today but it has put my mind at ease xx

Re: Dog /Cat bite

salliee5 — Sun, 13 Nov 2011 15:18:42 GMT

Without a doubt get yourself to A&E, better safe than sorry and if you don't it may work out a lot more expensive in the long run. Your health is never worth the risk.

Re: Dog /Cat bite

FINNIGAN — Sun, 13 Nov 2011 12:55:32 GMT

have been bitten twice by dogs and 3 times by cats, our vets insist we go straight to docs for antibiotics all the time, afraid i wouldnt hang about ever!!!

Re: Dog /Cat bite

F1chick — Sun, 13 Nov 2011 12:46:17 GMT

I would go. I got bitten by a cat over a joint a few years ago, didn't seem that bad, went to my OOH GP and got AB's. Next day, redness tracking up my arm and I ended up in a infectious diseases unit having been referred by my GP on IV AB...................................celluitis, was in for 3 days

Re: Dog /Cat bite

Emma Purnell — Sun, 13 Nov 2011 12:22:33 GMT

I would go, if only to be safe. Your finding it hard to type now? Imagine if it gets worse and you can't work for a couple of weeks!!

Let us know how you get on, I am worrying about you!

Re: Dog /Cat bite

chanel clydesdale — Sat, 12 Nov 2011 22:39:40 GMT

Will do, thanks :-) never had something so painful, had a few dog bites and nothing like this!

Re: Dog /Cat bite

Dippy — Sat, 12 Nov 2011 22:36:29 GMT

Better to get it sorted now and have to take a day or two off than let it get out of hand (no pun intended!) and be out of action for a lot longer. Hope you get it sorted and the pain's not too bad. Keep us posted.

Re: Dog /Cat bite

chanel clydesdale — Sat, 12 Nov 2011 22:33:44 GMT

Hey yeh ive tried as much as I can lol, extremely hard whilst working but doing me best lol.....its so annoying you take NHS for granted till you dont have it anymore. The sling is a good idea so gonna do that, hopefully swelling will reduce but if not down by tomorrow I dont think I have much of a choice :-(

Re: Dog /Cat bite

Dippy — Sat, 12 Nov 2011 22:23:27 GMT

Short term (until you decide whether to go to A&E or not), can you make a makeshift sling and keep the hand as high as possible ie up towards your shoulder? Or if just sitting, keep your arm raised in some other way. If it's not the infection/redness that's the issue but more the swelling, it needs to be able to drain downwards. Probably stating the obvious as we're all medical here but not sure what you've done so far in terms of stuff like that (other than the bandage!)

Re: Dog /Cat bite

Gemma Burden RVN — Sat, 12 Nov 2011 21:18:35 GMT

I would definetly get it looked at if its swollen and painful. I worked with a nurse that had a nasty bite and she ended up having to have time off of work where she became ill from it, so I wouldn't risk leaving it.

Re: Dog /Cat bite

chanel clydesdale — Sat, 12 Nov 2011 20:58:09 GMT

Ok so im bumping this post as need some advice....I was badly bitten by a cat yest several times on my hand by my thumb and the top of my hand. My doctor over here(living in cayman)is one of my clients so understands the risk cat bites can carry so instantly gave me clindamycin antib's to take. Since then my hand has become so swollen i cant move my thumb and its extremely painful! It isn't bruised or anymore red than yest its just the swelling that has increased. I now have it bandaged up as its the only thing that relieves some of the pain but i'm not sure what to do next, is it worth a trip to a and e? I dont really wanna go unless necc cos here you have medical insurance which only pays 80percet of cost so its not that I cant afford to go, I would just rather avoid it if I have to....what do you guys think? Im a huge baby when it comes to me and not very good at doing the right thing when it comes to my own health lol....oh and its taken me forever to write this with one hand :-D

Re: Dog /Cat bite

Nicola Smith — Fri, 27 May 2011 17:45:38 GMT

I had a really bad bite dog bite few years ago - bit and ragged my arm. Went to hospital and they just cleaned it and gave me tetanus and wouldnt give me abs - ended up really bad - arm in sling on erythromycin and metronidazole with daily wound flushes - took weeks to heal and still have scars and numb areas from it.

Also had a cat bite that turned into an abscess - it was pounding and couldnt sleep with the pain - know how the cats feel when they get abscesses now!!

Re: Dog /Cat bite

kaz84 — Fri, 27 May 2011 12:39:27 GMT

last year a cattle dog bite my ankle right down to the joint 3 times...... pretty much mauled it. I went to the doctors and he was just going to scrub it with iodine and wrap it. I had to demand for antibiotics and even told him what i needed. Amoxycillin and metronidazole and he told me only to use them if I start to get cellulitis. a few hours later you bet the cellulitis spread and the swelling starting to move up my leg. He didnt even mention anything about pain management, xrays, ultrasound or physio. I wasnt happy so I went to my doctor that I trusted the following day who advised me to start the ab's, have a xray, ultrasound all up my leg to rule out any blood clots and do intense physio for 6 months..... even now i still get pain from it and still need ongoing physio. My best advise is just tell them what you need and go with your gut instinct. Only you can look out for whats best for you!

Re: Dog /Cat bite

emmRAR — Fri, 27 May 2011 09:58:24 GMT

I had a really nasty cat bite and was sent to A&E, arrived with my hand all bandaged, and when I told the receptionist I'd been bitten by a cat she gave me a blank look and said 'Play biting?' in a really patronising tone! I was livid!

Re: Dog /Cat bite

Sal the 1st — Fri, 27 May 2011 08:36:23 GMT

you would definitely know if it was a bite into a joint - my finger was roughly 3 times the size it should have been and had to be opened twice to relieve the pressure and restore circulation

Re: Dog /Cat bite

Julie-Anne Wilson — Fri, 27 May 2011 08:31:50 GMT

[quote user="Phrin Vernon RVN (just need badge!)"]

[quote user="Sal the 1st"]

' these things often look worse than they are and tho they are a bit sore they usually heal without my help'

[/quote]

I mentioned 'zoonosis' to a nurse once - got a blank look and had to explain!

[/quote]

Same thing happened to me with a doctor a few years ago. I'd been bitten by a tiny kitten and my hand had swollen up, when I mentioned the possibility of zoonoses he had no clue what I was talking about. How does a doctor not know these things?

I got a week's course of Augmentin the other week when I got mauled by a cat at work. It's mostly healed now except my pinkie which still hurts, I'm thinking the cat actually bit into joint.

Re: Dog /Cat bite

Phrin Vernon RVN — Fri, 27 May 2011 00:26:07 GMT

[quote user="Sal the 1st"]

' these things often look worse than they are and tho they are a bit sore they usually heal without my help'

[/quote]

I mentioned 'zoonosis' to a nurse once - got a blank look and had to explain!

Re: Dog /Cat bite

Sal the 1st — Thu, 26 May 2011 23:28:33 GMT

I remember working with a nurse ?Bognor way who was bitten on the back of her leg getting out of the way of a snappy dog, not desperately deep, didnt bleed much - she cleaned it up and went to casualty on the advice of the boss. They cleaned it again, stuck a primipore on it, stuck a tetanus jab in her arm and sent her back to work.

The next day - Vomiting, diarrhoea and shaking in a lot of pain from the bite and vet took her to A+E.She was given i/v antibiotics and underwent emergency surgery to remove a large amount of her calf muscle which saved her life (necrotising fasciitis).

OK so not every bite results in such serious infection but how many bites are taken seriously? I lost the mobility in my index finger on my right hand for upwards of 6 months following a cat bite into a joint - I did go to GP with it the day it happened and he didnt prescribe anything because ' these things often look worse than they are and tho they are a bit sore they usually heal without my help'

Re: Dog /Cat bite

Phrin Vernon RVN — Thu, 26 May 2011 22:30:01 GMT

Not a bite, but saw a cat for neutering a few months ago, chatting with owner on admit, and she said that the cat had scratched her son, who had ended up in ICU! Hospital cultured bartonella, so cat scratch fever - scary stuff!

I can't remember the details, but all the vets discussed it.

I've heard of cat scratch fever of course, and always advise clients who get scratched or bitten to see the doc, but that case was a shock!

Also worked with a VN who got a dog bite, infection tracked up her arm, she ended up in hospital. She was allergic to loads of antibiotics, so at one point the docs gave her the option of amputation! She declined, treatment worked, and thankfully she was fine.

Re: Dog /Cat bite

Fuzzyduck — Thu, 26 May 2011 19:18:47 GMT

I got a nasty bite 2 weeks ago and got co amoxy clav. The bite then got worse and metronidazole was added in a day later, cant believe the doc sent her away with nothing! I wouldnt leave without getting something