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The number of people choosing cats as pets is increasing every year. Unfortunately, sometimes there are situations when misunderstanding arises between a person and a cat. Cases where children become victims of cats are especially dangerous. So, what to do if a child is scratched by a cat? This can lead to the animal using its main weapon, its claws, for defense or attack. The cat's claw is quite a powerful attack tool. This is facilitated by simple care, the unpretentiousness of the domestic purr, and the ability to comfortably keep the animal even in a small apartment.
Do not forget about the danger that scratches from a pet pose to children, especially when an eye is damaged. Please note that we are not talking about deep skin lesions that resemble wounds. Abrasions almost invisible to the naked eye, inflicted on a child by a playful or angry animal, can also cause serious harm.
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Processing rules
As a rule, a cat gets an abrasion on the street while defending its territory or during the period of sexual heat. The injuries received can be of a different nature.
Weeping wound
Wet ones are treated dry, provided that the pet does not remove the bandages. If there is purulent exudate, you can apply a gauze pad soaked in a hypertonic solution of table salt or Vishnevsky ointment to the wound. But such treatment will be successful only if tissue regeneration is going well.
If there is no improvement, then surgery should be resorted to to resect the necrosis.
Weeping wound on a cat
Deep
If the wound scratch is deep enough, then treat it with a solution of Chlorhexidine or Miramistin, carefully inserting the nozzle of the bottle into it. Inject Levomekol ointment into the cavity using a syringe without a needle. Procedures must be performed 2-3 times a day until complete healing. You should put on a special collar for your pet so that he doesn’t injure you further by licking her.
In any case, try to get an appointment with a veterinarian as soon as possible to adjust the treatment.
Wound on paw
Open
The first step is to treat the surface with hydrogen peroxide. If the sore is large and without purulent discharge, then you can treat it with Novocaine solution for pain relief, just by pouring a little on it. Then you can sprinkle streptocide powder on it, it disinfects and promotes speedy healing.
Large open
Bleeding
The first step is to stop the bleeding. To do this, clamp the surface with your hands or bandage it tightly. You can also apply a tourniquet above the injury and attach a note indicating the time of application. The tourniquet should not remain on the cut for more than 2 hours. For shallow wounds, treat with hydrogen peroxide.
Do not use disinfectants as they can cause severe irritation and slow down healing.
After emergency measures are taken, the animal should be taken to the clinic for treatment.
Bandaged Paw
With purulent discharge
Hydrogen peroxide or chlorhexidine are suitable for disinfection. To prevent the spread of infection, you can give an injection of an antibiotic, for example, Sinusol 50 mg. The full course of treatment is 7 days.
If there is pain, heat, swelling and hyperemia in the area of injury, you should contact a veterinary clinic. This may indicate the development of an abscess, which requires professional treatment.
Superficial
Initially, you should wash the wound with hydrogen peroxide. Then treat with Baneocin or Neosporin. It is recommended to apply ointments up to 3 times a day. If possible, try not to cover the wound sore with a bandage. With air access it will heal faster.
On the surface of the skin
Burn
Treatment of burns depends directly on their severity. Initially, you need to apply a cold compress to the damaged skin for 20 minutes. Then treat it with a weak solution of potassium permanganate or anti-burn ointment. Then apply a sterile gauze bandage.
After this, it is necessary to show the animal to a doctor to prescribe effective treatment.
Bald spot on head due to burn
If meat is visible
Initially, you should treat it with 3% hydrogen peroxide. Afterwards, you can apply brilliant green around the wound surface, and sprinkle the wound itself with Baneocin or treat it with Sanotol spray. After this, apply a sterile gauze pad and immediately contact a veterinarian.
Torn to the meat
Why are cat bites and scratches dangerous?
Often bites and scratches from pets go away without serious consequences. But unfortunately, it happens differently. Any injuries to the skin can lead to serious health consequences, such as:
- suppuration;
- blood poisoning;
- deadly diseases such as tetanus.
Bites and scratches are familiar to all cat owners.
There are symptoms to look out for if you have recently been scratched or bitten by a cat:
- temperature;
- swelling of the hand or other injured area;
- bleeding from the wound does not stop;
- the wound hurts a lot;
- the bite site or scratch began to fester.
If such manifestations occur, you should immediately seek medical help.
Often people delay going to the doctor, hoping that the symptoms will disappear on their own. But you can’t hesitate, since spontaneous recovery is extremely rare, and usually without medical help a person only gets worse.
How to speed up wound healing
To speed up healing, you should strictly follow the veterinarian’s recommendations. You can also use special long-acting wound-healing wipes for cats, for example, Antivtex. The use of antibiotics prescribed by a doctor will also promote rapid regeneration of damage.
In addition, it is necessary to provide the animal with complete rest and prevent licking. To do this, you need to use special collars and tightly secured gauze bandages that the pet cannot remove on its own.
Suture after surgery on a cat
When do you need a doctor?
As already mentioned, in some cases you will have to consult a doctor. The already mentioned symptoms will be a signal to seek medical help:
- swelling at the site of the bite or scratch;
- swelling of the hand or other bitten limb;
- bleeding that does not stop or renews;
- elevated temperature;
- numbness of the injured area;
- wound suppuration;
- loss of consciousness.
In general, temperature can be a signal from the body to fight bacteria. However, if it is accompanied by swelling, this is always a bad sign. A tumor is a signal that the body cannot cope with an infection (and this could be, for example, dangerous tetanus or pasteurellosis), and it requires help, the type of which only a physician can determine. You cannot self-medicate.
A hand swollen after a cat bite is an alarming symptom
In addition, you cannot avoid going to the doctor if the mobility of the bitten limb is difficult. It is extremely rare, but there are cases when an animal damages tendons with its teeth. In this case, only a surgeon can help.
To get urgent help after a cat bite, if it is impossible to get a number to the local surgeon or it is night outside, you should contact the trauma center.
Even when there are no negative symptoms, you should go to the doctor if the cat that bit or scratched was a stray. In this case, you need to seek help immediately after carrying out primary medical measures. Street animals are always a breeding ground for all kinds of infections, so you will need a rabies vaccination and, possibly, other medical measures at the discretion of the doctor. In principle, pets can also get rabies if they come into contact with other animals, walk on the street, or go to the countryside. You should especially sound the alarm if your cat is drooling or foaming at the mouth (a symptom of rabies) or has bitten for no reason.
A rabid cat cannot be cured, so the pet needs to be vaccinated in advance
The author of the article had a sad experience of hand swelling after being bitten by a domestic cat. Self-medication did not bring results, and on the fourth day I had to go to the emergency room. The doctor treated the wound, gave me an anti-tetanus injection, prescribed antibiotics and gave me a referral for a rabies vaccination. However, at the City Anti-Rabies Center, where vaccination is carried out, the author was reassured: since the cat was born and raised at home, without contact with other animals and without being on the street, there is no danger. In all other cases, vaccination would have to be done.
Video: Doctor talks about pet bites
Treatment with antibiotics
Antibacterial drugs are used to prevent secondary infection. As a rule, the remedy is selected by the veterinarian depending on the abrasion. The doctor will also prescribe the exact dosage. The most commonly prescribed drugs are tetracyclines, Ampicillin, Streptomycin. For infection, Amoxicillin, Clindamycin or Benzylpenicillin are recommended.
To summarize, we can say that only a veterinarian can determine how to treat a cat’s wound for effective treatment. After all, the healing process directly depends on correctly selected drugs. In any case, after providing emergency care to your pet, it must be shown to a specialist. Only a veterinarian can prescribe medications that will speed up the healing process and prevent secondary infections from occurring.
Manifestation of disease in humans
The incubation period, that is, the period from the penetration of the pathogen into the body until the appearance of the first clinical signs, can last several weeks. In this case, the scratch seems to have healed, but again makes itself felt by the inflammatory process:
- suppuration;
- bloating;
- the presence of a bubble filled with cloudy liquid.
The mechanism of disease development is as follows:
- from the site of injury, the rod penetrates the lymphatic system;
- from there, through the blood and lymph flow, it enters the nearby lymph node;
- this in turn becomes inflamed and increases in size, leading to a painful reaction.
In addition to enlarged and painful lymph nodes, the patient feels exhausted, suffers from headaches, and the temperature may rise. The most interesting thing is that the symptoms go away as unexpectedly as they began: at one point the person feels absolutely healthy.
In very rare cases, the disease takes on a generalized character, when almost all lymph nodes are affected: they are several times enlarged, painful and inflamed, in some cases purulent inflammation occurs.
In addition, damage to the liver and spleen, the nervous system is possible (signs of inflammation of the brain, radiculitis, etc. appear).
In cases where the stick gets into a person’s eye, for example, with a cat’s saliva, unilateral conjunctivitis develops:
- mucous membrane is red and swollen;
- small bubbles are visible on the cornea;
- the regional lymph node located in the ear area reaches enormous sizes;
- the lymph node becomes suppurated and bursts, forming fistulas on the skin.
Prevention of bites
Healthy indoor cats usually control the strength of their warning or playful bites. A deep wound from a pet can be obtained in the following cases:
- the cat was angry or hurt;
- the cat was fighting with another animal, and the owner tried to separate them;
- she was offended by something and decided to take revenge on the owner (this is typical of exotic breeds, such as Siamese cats);
- the cat was frightened, for example, by the noise of a vacuum cleaner or water;
- leg bites can occur because the cat is “hunting” or playing (this is typical for young animals); If a person's skin is thin and sensitive, the bite may be painful.
It must be remembered that cats are independent animals that have their own boundaries. Unlike dogs, they do not obey their owner one hundred percent and can show character, so in order to avoid bites, you should not tease the cat or try to play with it when it is not inclined to do so. This is especially true for Siamese cats or those with an admixture of Siamese blood. The author of the article lived with a Thai-Siamese cat for many years, which regularly made quite strong bites, not only on the hands, but also on the face, neck, and legs of the owner. The reason for this could be fear from loud noises, resentment (for example, when the owner was absent for many days) or a bad mood of the pet, which, with the help of bites, tried to protect itself from the advances of a person and show that it was not in the mood to play.
Siamese beauties are often biters
Young children who are in contact with the cat should be closely supervised. By trying to play or cuddle the furry cat, they may unintentionally cause pain to the cat, to which the cat may react with deep bites and scratches.
Based on the above, bite prevention involves proper behavior with your pet, which must correspond to the situation, breed and temperament of the cat. Your cat should also be vaccinated against rabies. This must be done if you plan to take it to nature, if the pet walks on the street or comes into contact with other animals that can carry the disease.
The above is also relevant in order to reduce the risk of deep scratches. If the nails are too long, the cat may cause deep damage to the skin by accident. That's why your pet needs a scratching post. You can also have your nails trimmed by your veterinarian; You can do this yourself, but the procedure is responsible, so it is advisable to learn from an experienced person.
Possible consequences of bites and scratches
As a result of damage to soft tissues by a cat, infection with the following infections is possible:
- Rabies. The most terrible disease that can be contracted as a result of an animal bite. Usually the incubation period is from 2 to 12 weeks, but sometimes the first symptoms can appear after 5-10 days. Symptoms: headaches and muscle pain, pain in the bitten area, even if it has already healed, fever, fatigue. Then aggression, convulsions, delirium, fear of light and fear of water are added. In the last stage, paralysis occurs. The disease is fatal and has no cure once symptoms appear. The only way to avoid rabies and save your life if bitten by an infected animal is to get vaccinated on time. The standard period is three days from the moment of the bite.
- Tetanus. The second most dangerous disease, which is rare, but can be acquired by a bite or scratch. The incubation period lasts from several days to a month. One of the first symptoms is usually pain at the wound site, even if it has already healed. Other manifestations of the disease: cramps of the masticatory and facial muscles, swallowing disorders, hardness and tension of the neck muscles. In the future, such convulsions spread to the entire musculature, and breathing and heart rhythm disturbances occur. Coma and death are possible. The disease is treated in the intensive care unit.
A cat's claws and mouth contain a wide variety of microbes.
- Pasteurellosis. A cat can infect this disease without biting, but simply by licking damaged skin. Symptoms appear within 2–12 hours: swelling, redness and tenderness of the bite site, as well as diarrhea. In some cases, pasteurellosis pathogens cause pneumonia or lung abscess, eye infections, meningitis, and sepsis. Treated with antibiotics, the prognosis is favorable if treatment is started in a timely manner.
- Streptococcal infection. Most often, it is streptococci that get into wounds from cat bites. Symptoms appear after a day or more, and include swelling, pain and redness of the bitten area, as well as various chronic inflammations. Treat with antibiotics.
- Staphylococcal infection. Manifestations of staphylococcus infection also occur a day or more after the bite. Redness, swelling, suppuration of the wound, and fever may appear; complications include pneumonia and sepsis. Treated with antibiotics.
- Sporotrichosis. A fungal disease that is quite rare. An infected wound does not heal and the lymph nodes may become swollen. Treated with antifungal drugs.
It is almost impossible to become infected with HIV through a cat bite, since it lives outside the human body for only 8 seconds. For a hypothetical infection to occur, a cat must bite an infected person until the blood bleeds, and then immediately bite a healthy person, also damaging his blood vessels.
There is a disease called cat scratch disease (CSD). Its scientific name is felinosis. Children, elderly people and people with weakened immune systems are most susceptible to the disease. You can become infected through scratches and bites, or through a cat licking damaged skin. The incubation period is from two weeks to three months. Typical symptoms: edema, swelling at the site of the scratch, its suppuration, as well as fever, weakness, and a general painful and broken state. The disease is always accompanied by enlarged lymph nodes; sometimes individual nodes can suppurate. There is an atypical form, characterized by eye damage. Very rarely, felinosis can develop complications: polyneuritis, meningitis, encephalopathy, damage to internal organs. Usually the disease ends in self-healing with the emergence of immunity. In any case, if symptoms occur, you should consult a doctor, since deadly diseases can have similar manifestations.
A typical symptom of felinosis is swollen or suppurated lymph nodes
The listed diseases, in addition to rabies, can also be carried by domestic cats. Since they are carriers, animals often have no symptoms. And they can become carriers of infection after being bitten by fleas, which are able to jump into the apartment even from the landing, or even in childhood, from their mother cat.
If any illness occurs, always tell your healthcare provider about any recent cat bites or scratches. They may be related.
