Cat bites

Re: Cat bites

Ilovehorses — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 17:04:37 GMT

Just a update, finished antibiotics last Sunday and all looking fine. Funnily enough we had a cat in today that had been bitten through carpal joint and vet was telling owner how bad it was if a bite is through a joint xx

Re: Cat bites

bongo — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 13:15:57 GMT

OMG always get antib's for cat bites. I got one once which wasnt prescribed them for straight away and went back after 24 hours, was in hosp v unwell on a drip

Re: Cat bites

Tracy Windler RVN — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 20:25:23 GMT

I've been given metronidazole AND amoxyclav at the same time by one over-zealous Dr, but I didn't complain. I found the metronidazole gives you that awful metallic taste in your mouth. Bleeuuuurggghhh!!

At the mo I'm on Penicillin for possible streptococcus, but have also been tested for Bartonella and another one that I didn't recognise, which I'm sure she said began with a "U"?? Any ideas on that one, guys? Oh, and I havn't even had any nasty bites recently????

Re: Cat bites

vickylianne — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 17:26:05 GMT

Always bother, with our clients we hand out information sheets to stress the importance and inform about diseases found in a cats mouth. Also we have had a couple of vets who have ended up in hospital having surgery on bites to their hands coz they were so bad.

Re: Cat bites

Ilovehorses — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 21:35:40 GMT

Very glad I got antibiotics! Even though they're making me feel very naseous :-( I'm very lucky with my GP, she's fab. Especially when I went to her two years ago with chest pains, was sent straight to hospital with heart rythym condition xx

Re: Cat bites

Anna Rayne — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 20:33:02 GMT

Definitely antibs. We've had two vets bitten in last 18 months, both ended up in hospital on iv antibs within 24hrs of being bitten. Both cases were near joints in the finger and hosp did exploratory ops. First one hadn't gone into anything major but was very close just a super swollen finger, 2nd vet had pus in a tendon sheath within 36hrs of being bitten! We are now super wary and its straight onto Antibs! Both took a long while to heal up.

The 2nd vets bite didn't look bad either at the time, seemed very superficial but appearances can be deceptive.

Re: Cat bites

Katie Mansfield — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 19:49:19 GMT

It's weird where I live. The nurse at my doctors asked why I wanted a tetanus booster, I told her I work with animals and she did it no problem. I got bitten by a dog yesterday, went to the doctor and he gave me A/Bs without question. My friend who lives in the next health authority area (only 5 miles up the road) was told she'd have to go to occupational health at the hospital to get a tetanus booster. They don't do it and sent her back to the GP. They wouldn't do it although the receptionist said she could have it if she paid and pretended she needed it for her hols. When she got bitten by a cat a couple of years ago the same GP refused her A/Bs and so did her local NHS walk-in centre. Her thumb got so infected she ended up in the hospital with a really nasty infection and very nearly lost it. I don't understand why some GPs are brilliant like mine, whereas others, like my friend's are next to useless.

K x

Re: Cat bites

Gemma Preston — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 17:18:54 GMT

Yeah. I always do.. scratches no but bites yes.. I have heard to many stories of people have deformed joints and toxic shock. Not worth taking a chance if I am honest.[quote user="Ilovehorses"]Got bitten through the thumb this morning, right by the bottom joint. Don't normally bother with scratches or minor puncture wounds but did call my GP to ask her to prescribe me some antibiotics. Do you bother?

[/quote]

Re: Cat bites

jamie — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 14:13:02 GMT

Thankyou lovelies I'll get on it :) x

Re: Cat bites

Ilovehorses — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 13:44:19 GMT

According to my GP nurse I've had all mine (I'm 36) but I asked to have another last year due to being in a high risk job. Nurse gave it to me but said if my arm went red around injection site it was my body showing it didn't need anymore. My arm was fine, so I'm now covered till 2020 xx

Re: Cat bites

Anonymous — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 12:21:54 GMT

I think the nurse I spoke to last time I got bitten said I had to have another one before i'll be covered for life, I've had 4 now, last one was last year when I was bitten I'm 31 so i'd say you should get one as a matter of priority, a man that lived just up the road from me died of tetanus a few years ago, he was a very keen gardener so it made me very paranoid that it's in the soil round here! I have a needle phobia, many tears, shakes etc but having seen a dog and, donkey and several horses suffer from tetanus I'd rather have the jab any day! I think you should give your GP a ring now!

Re: Cat bites

jamie — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 10:46:13 GMT

How often do we have it? I thought that once you had had a couple you were covered? is that not the case? Last had mine at 14/15 i think with my polio does that sound about right? Im 31 now eek!

Re: Cat bites

louise170388 — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 10:42:30 GMT

im on co-amoxyclav, another nurse got bitten (by the same cat! ) and was given different ones - not sure which. Iv also had augmentin twice before over the years!

Re: Cat bites

Sal the 1st — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 23:03:33 GMT

never get chance for it to go out of date round here - I am sure some of the medics hold shares in the stuff! last time I was 'offered' a tetanus you could almost feel the nurses disappointment when I said no mine is up to date. They even asked if was sure and I was absolutely certain it was up to date as I had only had it in the last month!

Re: Cat bites

Phrin Vernon RVN — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 22:50:12 GMT

[quote user="louise170388"]

I made a mountain out of a molehill on sunday, soon as she mentioned tetnus i was like :O noooo, she left the room to get it, i worked myself right up, she came back and gave it me and it was nothing? barely felt it haha *drama queen* well worth keepin upto date, the nurse couldn't believe I was a VN and had not had one since I was in school

[/quote]

I had to check my tetanus vacc status recently, and was a little worried to see it was about 7 years overdue! Oops!

Re: Cat bites

Ilovehorses — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 22:16:50 GMT

Louise - what antibiotics are you on?

Re: Cat bites

louise170388 — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 21:54:56 GMT

Re: Cat bites

Geniverger — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 21:46:02 GMT

[quote user="Gillian Mostyn"]

[quote user="Geniverger"]because it'll probably mean a tetanus injection and I am terrified of injections[/quote]

Tetanus is not a nice disease - if your vacc has lapsed you really should try to talk yourself into having one....any injury can allow it in...!!!

[/quote]

I'm pretty sure I am up to date, I had it at school when I was 16/17, and they last 10 years, so I've got another couple of years! I'll have a chat with my doc about what can be done re: nervousness. I just know I'll faint and then the doc will have to deal with that too!

Re: Cat bites

Ilovehorses — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 21:41:00 GMT

Thankyou, in 20 years of nursing amazingly I've never been bitten on the hand and because it's over the joint I'm a bit more concerned. Sure the antibiotics will sort it, they're making me feel horrible though, got a really weird metallic taste in my mouth. Luckily I'm up to date with tetanus, would rather have a nice sterile injection than a bite injecting lovely bacteria into me!!

Re: Cat bites

Gillian Mostyn — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 21:39:20 GMT

[quote user="Geniverger"]because it'll probably mean a tetanus injection and I am terrified of injections[/quote]

Tetanus is not a nice disease - if your vacc has lapsed you really should try to talk yourself into having one....any injury can allow it in...!!!

Re: Cat bites

louise170388 — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 21:34:51 GMT

As long as your taking you antibiotics you should find the swelling goes down quite soon. I started taking mine on sunday night, 2 days later and the swellings almost completely gone :)

look out for any redness that looks to be spreading, the swellings not going down/getting worse and for it going numb. If it doesnt start to feel better go back to your doctors, they may need to change your abs.. hope its feeling better soon!

Re: Cat bites

Geniverger — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 21:34:02 GMT

I'm terrified of being bitten by a cat; not because I think it'll hurt, but because it'll probably mean a tetanus injection and I am terrified of injections! (I am a massive hypocrite, I know...) I always faint, even from thinking about them too much. I wonder if my GP could give me some gas to calm me down a bit if I ever did need a jab? :D

Re: Cat bites

Ilovehorses — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 21:29:08 GMT

Thanks for replies. Thumb is nicely swollen and red today but it's not too painful unless I try to use it or move it too much. The puncture wounds have already healed over, even though I've tried to keep them open. Keeping a close eye and hope the antibiotics I've been given do the trick. What signs should I be concerned about?

Re: Cat bites

supamog — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 20:41:17 GMT

It's always tempting to leave it until it's too late! we have all been there, thinking well it wasn't very deep and it's not hurting just now.........wrong! I should have learned to take my own advice by now! Also i have a form which I photocopied from the VDS on what to do re cat bites and clients etc. It advises which bacterium is likely to cause problems as most GP's don't seem to have a clue. Apologies to any that do! Hope it gets better soon

Re: Cat bites

Ilovehorses — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 19:31:46 GMT

Oh and definately in accident book xx