Cat bite is it dangerous?

Question

if u get bited by little cats is it necessary to go to doctor?
i mean is cat teeth had a virus? thx

Answer 1

If you have not had a recent tetnus shot you need that if your bitten by a cat. Statistics show that 80 percent of all cat bites get infected. The most frequent type of bite is a puncture wound. If a cat bite bleeds fairly well, your chance of infection will be greatly reduced. The bleeding actually flushes some of the infectious saliva out of the wound. But, with their rather long pointed teeth, a cat bite is more frequently a puncture that doesn't bleed very much, or at all. If the bite is in a joint, such as a finger knuckle, your injury can prove to be even more serious with the possibility of inflammation and bone infection.

The basic rule is to cleanse the wound immediately. You can do this with any soap and hot water. An anti-bacterial soap is even better. Then, sterilize it with Betadine solution. This is surgical soap that kills just about everything. It's for external use only, and keep it away from your eyes. You can get it at any drug store in a liquid. . When you get home, soak the wound in Epsom salts or peroxide and warm water. The idea is to get it as clean as possible. This will reduce the possibility of infection and inflammation

It's highly recommended that you seek professional medical treatment for any cat bite. The bite can turn into a nasty, infected mess in less than 12 hours. Treatment includes an IV antibiotic and oral antibiotics. The most commonly used oral antibiotic is Augmentin, which is an amoxocillin and clavulanate mixture. Most cat bites contain Pasterella multocida bacteria, with some Staph thrown in, and these drugs best treat those bacteria.

Answer 2

Cat bites can be very serious, and often lead to infection (cellulitis), for a couple of reasons.

A cat's teeth are very sharp and pointy, so when they bite you, it's like a hypodermic needle depositing any bacteria in their mouths deep into the wound. Because the wounds generally don't bleed much because they're small, the bacteria often isn't washed out by blood. Also, because of the size and the depth, it's very hard to wash a cat bite thoroughly enough to prevent infection.

If you've been bitten, keep a CLOSE eye on the wound. If it starts getting red around it, get to a doctor ASAP. Cellulitis can be very serious, and can lead to blood poisoning and require hospitalization.

My cat bit me once several years ago, and as a result of two puncture wounds on my hand I was hospitalized for four and a half days on IV antibiotics while the doctors decided whether or not they needed to operate on my hand in order to drain it and relieve the pressure (fortunately they didn't have to operate).

Answer 3

If the cats are owned by a friend or pet store keep track of them for a week or so - if they get ill (if the kittens die) or if adult cats can't walk for instance/ or seem disoriented, go to an ER immediately. Yes, several types of diseases and parasites can be spread by cats. Cats are one of the cleanest animals (of all the things to be bitten by), so if this is your friend's indoor cats I would simply wash the bite with hydrogen peroxide or alcohol and make sure it doesn't get infected. If the cat becomes seriously ill get yourself to an emergency room immediately. Cats can transmit, among other things, rabies. If the cats are healthy you should have no problem, and in all likelihood the worst you have to fear is an infection due to not keeping the bite clean (if it is deep). Better than getting bitten by a dog or human, by far.

Answer 4

If a cat has bitten and you have a real puncture wound it will swell up and be very painful in less than a hour.

If this is the case you need antibiotics immediately. Human bites are just as lethal as cat bites so don't malign cats for having bacteria-ladden mouths.

If you have any redness or swelling in the next day you need to see your doctor immediately.

Answer 5

Wash the wound thoroughly with soap and warm water, then wipe it with an alcohol swab and bandage it. Unless it was a very deep bite, it should be fine and will start to get better in a day or two. Watch it closely, and if you notice it getting redder, or if it is still really sore, you might want to go to a doctor.

Answer 6

My own cat bit me and I ended up with an infection that was really ugly. Wash the bite with a good disinfectant and if it gets red or has anything oozing from it go to your doctor right away.

Answer 7

Years ago I got scratched by my cat I was trying 2 break up a fight between her & my dog I got cat scratch fever no joke I had 2 go thru a series of shots not fun at all plus alot of different meds.Watch for a line that goes up your arm it will be bright red or purple very bright if this happens get 2 a Dr ASAP.Good Luck

Answer 8

Yes, it is more common to get Cat Scratch fever from a scratch, but it can also develop from a bite. Check out this site. Hope this helps you.

Answer 9

50% of cat bites that are punctures get infected and require medication. Do not go to the Doctor until there are symptoms of an infection like redness or blistering, drainage, fever, red streak.

Answer 10

Cat bites are more dangerous than dog bites (DR told me)...I just got bitten by a dog and almost lost use of my right hand...
Clean it very well and watch it closely...if you feel ANY pain or see a red line moving up your arm get help asap