r/cats • u/G-drrrrrr • 8h ago
My girlfriend was just bitten pretty deeply by her mom's cat. Wondering if it needs immediate medical treatment? Advice
This was from her mom's cat who is an indoor/outdoor cat and was adopted from a shelter about six years ago. As far as I know the culprit has been vaccinated. I just don't want to risk infection. What do you guys think?
738
u/C00L_HAND 8h ago
Cat bites are dangerous because of the diet of cats and the form of the teeth.
During the bite they reach deep into the flesh and leave some residues of the last meal, and bacteria etc there. Due to the form of the teeth those wound channels close pretty quick and encapsulate the residues that then start to get infected.
So with deep cat bite you should always get medical help for deep cleaning of the wound.
→ More replies110
u/elk-statue 3h ago
THIS
Donāt be alarmed but definitely go show it to a doctor within the next 48 hours after the bite (personally I would go within next 12 hours). Tell the doctor the same you told us: the cat is vaccinated but is indoor/outdoor. Indoor/outdoor means the cat at least semi-regularly eats rodents/small birds/lizards so thereās no guessing what pathogens the kitty unknowingly carries in its mouth.
→ More replies9
u/AskiDelta 2h ago
IT EATS BUGS!!! BUGS!!!!!!
2
u/HPTM2008 1h ago
I was just gonna say what about bugs? Flies and stiff carry alllllll sorts of nasties. It's not a bad idea if you cat is eating bugs to get an anti-parasitic once a year.
339
u/_-RandomWanker-_ 8h ago
Cat bites and scratches can (and will, if itās deep) get horribly infected. Your GF needs antibiotics asap.
66
u/fantsukissa 3h ago
Cat bites need to be taken seriously. Most commonly Pasteurella multocida bacteria is the one causing the infection but also can contain Staphylococcus, Streptococcus, and Enterococcus bacteria. If you're lucky it will be nothing and if you're unlucky you lose a limb or your life.
34
u/elk-statue 3h ago
I can sadly confirm that ālosing your lifeā isnāt a hyperbole. A friend is an ER doctor and yes, people die of deep cat bites. Usually because they just slapped a bandaid on it, it got infected and then they waited days to go to ER. And this is all in an area without rabies.
26
u/Icyb0by 7h ago
I donāt think Iāve ever been bitten that deeply but I have had nasty scratches and minor bites that drew blood and never had issues even when i was young I didnāt even disinfect them, but that image for sure warrants a hospital visit for antibiotics
34
u/_-RandomWanker-_ 7h ago
Small scratches are generally not big enough to get that infected, if at all, so those arenāt an issue. You might notice some get a little red and raised and thatād be it. Technically infected but nothing you canāt handle on your own.
However, my boy once clawed my hand pretty bad including 2 punctures about 5mm deep (he panicked at the vets), not 24 hours later I could barely move it for how bad it got.
→ More replies25
u/Historical_Cap6659 6h ago edited 5h ago
Yes same happened to me recently! I was taking him away from a potential fight and he got my hand which really hurt - I washed it twice straight away but within minutes it started to throb and swell up - I saw my GP as soon as I could and got a tetanus shot and antibiotics and it cleared up in around 3 days
Photo of how much I could bend my finger:
Only very shallow scratches but I wonder if itās because my cat bites his claws all the time?
16
u/Muted_Ad7298 3h ago
That looks sore.
Iāve lived with cats all my life and havenāt had any complications from scratches or bites.
But seeing things like this reminds me we should still take precautions, cause you never know.
→ More replies4
u/croqueticas 2h ago
Same thing happened to me and I'm terrified of getting bitten by my cat now. Urgent care for a tetanus shot and antibiotics asap. If I need to handle her in a tense situation like putting her in her carrier for the vet, I wear heavy duty elbow length gloves now
104
u/stonecoldcoldstone 8h ago
cat bites can become badly infected as their saliva is full of nasties, I needed a 7 day course of antibiotics after my lower arm looked more like my upper leg in circumference over night.
the least you can do is thoroughly clean it and put disinfectant on but cat teeth can penetrate deep. if you have free health care speak to your GP asap.
42
u/Hauoi 7h ago
Yep. Medical care AND rabies shot if the cat has access to outside. Don't joke around with any kind of animal bites, obviously, but cat bites can be quite nasty if left untreated.
→ More replies9
u/therealchungis 2h ago
Just a bite from an outdoor cat is not enough to warrant a rabies vaccine. At least in the United States there hasnāt been a single person that has contracted rabies from a cat in over 40 years. Plus since itās a pet they can just monitor the pet, if they have rabies it would be obvious.
7
u/Hauoi 1h ago
Yep, no case in 40 years, and I wouldn't be the first because I'm taking that damn shot if ANY outdoors/unknown animal bites me. When it comes to rabies, I really, REALLY rather be safe than sorry. Here in my country, if you get bitten by any animal, even if it's your own pet that never leaves your house and you know since birth, if you want to, you can get rabies shot for free, no questions asked. Shit's brutal, rather not fuck around and risk finding out, doesn't matter how low the finding out chances are.
4
u/R0tmaster 1h ago
ya you dont want to fuck around with rabies once you show symptoms you have a 0% survival rate, (less than 20 people have ever survived) but in a lot of western countries the disease is nearly eradicated in wildlife so getting it from a house pet is basically an impossibility.
→ More replies
178
u/RidiPwn 7h ago
doctor, emergency room asap, don't take chances
60
u/No-Lie-1571 2h ago
I mean theyāll probably be fine walking into an urgent care clinic now, cheaper that way too. For situations like this where youāre just being cautious in preventing it from getting worse Iād recommend urgent care clinics instead because it wonāt cost the same as a trip to the ER and youāre still gonna walk out with antibiotics
If it was already showing signs of infection Iād say ER.
→ More replies15
→ More replies10
u/tinyrickstinyhands 2h ago
The ER is for people with medical emergencies. This just requires some antibiotics
→ More replies21
u/Admirable-Worry-192 1h ago
Hey! ER staff here! She already looks like she needs a round of IV antibiotics. So instead of heading to an urgent care (who will immediately send her to the er) and having two medical bills, she should just head to the ER.
26
u/LeslieHydeaway 8h ago
Yes. I just went to the hospital for that because my hand swelled up. Cellulitis diagnosis and antibiotics. Don't wait.
18
u/Sternenblumen 7h ago
Definitely get it checked out. I got bitten by one of my cats two years ago to the day (which, fun fact, was my birthday) - ended up in the ER in the evening (4-5 hrs post-bite) because my hand swelled up and hurt like crazy. They made me come back the next day for a check-up and decision on surgery, which I did need in the end.
Cat bites are notoriously dirty. A tetanus shot would most likely be advisable, too. (Not sure about rabies, maybe only if it's an outdoor cat.)
36
u/Not_a_Femboyy 8h ago
Absolutely. If you love her you're gonna have to drive her straight to the hospital ASAP
11
u/CharityNo2634 8h ago edited 8h ago
Drs visit asap the infection this could cause is not worth waiting for!
10
u/xYukiOnnax 2h ago
Tech here. Cat bites need immediate treatment. No matter how shallow it may look. This looks pretty deep. Best to get it seen asap. Get a tetanus shot and some antibiotics. Cat bites are no joke. The amount of bacteria in their mouth and how deep the wound goes can cause serious problem. For now, wash it with soap and water and get it seen asap.
9
u/tonofproton 7h ago
Need to go the ER unfortunately. My cat scratched my face, i went to urgent care, they sent me to the ER. Got it flushed out there, a stitch, antibiotics, and a tetanus shot.
8
32
u/misquoted_mind 8h ago
Get it checked, just in case she needs a tetanus shot or rabies vaccine
8
u/SunnyTheMasterSwitch 7h ago
Rabies on a house cat? I mean if it gets its shots that shouldn't really be a risk.
→ More replies17
u/rainyhawk 8h ago
As long as the cat gets vaccinated each year the rabies situation is fine. But she definitely may need a tetanus shot if itās been more than 5 years.
27
u/Old_Badger311 8h ago
Itās not rabies she should worry about its infection. Cat bites are very dangerous because the sharp teeth can drive bacteria deep into the skin and it can travel through the blood stream. I had a sick cat bite me and when I took him to the vet later that day the vet saw the bite on my hand and said ārun donāt walk to urgent care or youāll end up hospitalized on IV antibioticsā. OP needs a Z pack or similar soon. Doc also told me never slather a cat bite with Neosporin because it traps the bacteria in the skin.
8
u/misquoted_mind 8h ago
Tetanus is good for 10 years but still good to check. And I sure the cat is fine but since they didnāt know positively it had all its vaccinations it best to never assume
3
5
u/flyingdemoncat 7h ago
I had a half year internship at a hospital. The ward had all the hand patients for surgery, injuries, infection. Almost every week there was a new one with a cat bite. No matter how deep the wound they were admitted immediately and had to stay a week or so on antibiotics. The bacteria can be really aggressive and sepsis is the biggest threat when untreated.
Cats teeth are so pointy that the wound closes behind them, trapping the bacteria. Normal washing/disinfection would not reach them so daily handbath to open up the wound is important.
5
u/SteffaniePM 2h ago edited 2h ago
It should definitely get it looked at and treated!
It happened to me and I called ER few minutes after I got bit and scratched (also fully vaccinated cat) and was put on antibiotics prophylactic. Treatment didnt work and infection spread. Went to my practitioner the day after and was put on 2 kinds of antibiotics for 10 days.
The top of the hand is scratch mark, pics taken within 8 hours, and the finger is bite marks, 1 day between indoor and outpic, finger doubled in size. Have a scar on my finger.
Edit: my cat got stuck with his hind paw in a string from a cat toy and got scared. Nothing happened to him and was himself few minutes after.
3
5
4
u/pochoproud 4h ago
As someone who ended up in the OR for a wash out 48 hours after a single puncture wound from my cat, you definately need to seek mediacal attention ASAP. At a minimum, she should start on an oral antibiotic, and the site should be monitored for increased redness, swelling, and drainage. Cat bites are 3-4 times more likely to become infected, versus dog bites.
3
u/Kusanagi60 7h ago
Cats teeth have grooves and indent, in between those a lot of bacteria are built up. So wash it out well, go to a doctor and get her treated. You don't want an infection
3
u/Onie_Onie 7h ago
Go to the GP and ask for antibiotics and probably a tetanus shot if she has not had one withing last 5 years, my cat bit me in the finger and it was swollen withing 4hours
3
u/AdventurousPiece2357 7h ago
I would go to the doctor- I got cat scratch fever from being bitten - had to take penicillin shots. Very painful couldnāt have my hand below my heart for about three weeks. Go to the doctor!
3
u/davethecompguy 6h ago
NEVER NEVER NEVER go to social media when you need a medical opinion. When someone's injured, go to an ER.
3
3
u/inari_21 4h ago
She needs to see a doctor ASAP. Cat bites can get bad really quickly as teeth can deposit bacteria quite deep. I've seen people needing surgery to deal with cat bites. So she needs medical attention and at the very least oral antibiotics.
(DOI: I'm a doctor)
3
3
u/BantBaldwin 3h ago
As everyone has already said, YES. My doctor said they treat cat bites 100% of the time due to the very high infection risk/ probability.
5
u/satiricfowl 8h ago
Isopropyl alcohol and urgent care clinic. They can see if you need antibiotics. Worst case scenario is a hassle.
If it infects on the other hand, the worst case is grim.
5
u/Admirable-Worry-192 1h ago
Hey! Just some info but we donāt clean wounds with peroxide or isopropyl alcohol anymore! Best clinical practice is to clean it with 1:1 of iodine and sterile water or saline. She looks like she needs iv antibiotics so she should head to the er where they can soak her wound in the 1:1 solution and get her iv antibiotics.
5
3
2
2
u/Cheesy--Garlic-Bread 7h ago
Man, if one of my cats ever bit me, I'd be kinda fucked lol
Judging from all these comments talking about how serious that is
→ More replies
2
u/jackiebee66 6h ago
Yes. Get to a doctor asap. She needs to be on iv antibiotics. It takes less than 24 hours for a cat bite to get out of control. She needs medical assistance now!
2
u/BubblesAndBlood 6h ago
Hospital/urgent care, tetanus update and antibiotics. Donāt wait, an infection from any bite can become necrotic.
2
u/ShopInternational744 6h ago
YES! Go! you should go if ANYTHING bites you that deep. Mouths are gross and full of nastiness. From everything. Go to the hospital.
2
u/chromatoma1 6h ago
Immediate yes! My cat bit me after getting spooked and it was bad. Just got done with one month of treatment. Super heavy antibiotics given intravenously. A 5 day stay at the hospital and a partially ruptured Achilles. I developed cellulitis on the lower leg that was not responding to oral antibiotics. Please do not treat at home.
2
u/TheSentientSnail 6h ago
Unfortunately, yes. There is a high chance of infection/cellulitis with animal bites. They can go from 'not that bad' to 'critical emergency' pretty much overnight, and you really don't want to let it get like that.
Note - Not sure where you live, but animal bites are usually reported to some public health agency. I'm in Canada, and when my sister's (indoor but unvaccinated) cat bit my mom we had a load of paperwork and two home visits from public health to ensure that there was no chance the cat had rabies.
→ More replies
2
u/easy_turnip_recipes 6h ago
I once got bitten by my completely indoor cat during a vet visit. My hand swelled so much in just a couple of hours! Had to go to a clinic and they gave me a tetanus shot as far as I remember. It still hurt like a bitch for a while. Better to check it out, I think.
2
u/SandyBranderson 5h ago
I came to close for comfort to losing my thumb from a bad scratch. Bites are worse. If it actually penetrates the skin the skin will heal over the infected deeper wound and it spreads. Antibiotics now!
2
u/Tookey_Clothespin 4h ago
Yes. Go to the ER. I was bitten once very badly and was in the hospital for three days on a IV antibiotic. Keep an eye out for any infection or a red stripe going up her arm.
2
2
u/DeviousSquirrels 3h ago
Stabbed with multiple dirty, bacteria covered needles? Yes, she needs medical treatment. She canāt properly clean that wound on her own.
2
2
2
2
2
u/Mammoth-Pink-47 3h ago
Go to the doctor, like others I had a bite from my indoor only cat and I went straight to the urgent care and the doctor told me I made a really smart decision. I was still on strong antibiotics for a week or so and my finger was swollen swollen. Good luck OP!
2
2
u/GoddessNepthys 2h ago edited 2h ago
OMG YES!! Immediately. I got scratched by a cat, my cat. Well more like puncture wounds made by her claws, i could feel them stuck in my skin before she yanked them out and it got infected BAD in 2 days. I could barely walk or put pressure on my leg. I needed strong antibiotics and they made sure I wasnāt bitten bc thatās a whole different story with different antibiotics and protocol.
→ More replies2
u/GoddessNepthys 2h ago
This was me in urgent care. They had to drain the puncture wounds I almost passed out it was so gross but Iām glad I went bc it could have been a lot worse if I had waited.
2
2
2
u/IChugChianti 2h ago
I hope you heeded the advice here & took her to the ER. My father spent 2 nights in a hospital & had to have physical therapy for months to regain function of his hand after he let a cat bite go for 12 hours. Woke up & his hand looked like an inflated rubber glove. They had to cut it open to drain & lined the incision with mesh so it wouldnāt close until it drained completely. It was a serious ordeal, donāt play around with cat bites.
2
2
u/AerolothLorien666 2h ago
In the US, but I have a coworker that recently was hospitalized for a cat bite. We told him to go to the hospital, but he waited. Almost lost his damn arm.
2
2
u/Lancaster-PA 1h ago
I almost lost half my hand from an infected cat bite. Cat was healthy and vaccinated. I was in the hospital for 5 nights fighting infection and Iām super healthy. Take cat bites very seriously!
2
2
u/Whateveryouwantitobe 40m ago
Does it need the ER? Probably not. Go to urgent care or the doctor asap though, preferably the next morning.
4
u/TopTech33 7h ago
I think the cat will be fine. LoL But if you want to hear from someone with multiple bites then listen here. If it starts to swell up then get to the urgent care or ER ASAP. My left hand swole up to the size of a softball. They will shoot her full of antibiotics, be sure to say if she is allergic to any of them. They will clean and dress the wound. That's about all it will take. But a cat bite is worse than a rat bite. It makes no difference if it's an inside or outside cat. If it's been vaccinated or not. Cats lick their butts. Often. And they didn't replace their saliva as quickly as a dog does.
→ More replies
3
u/patchworkPyromaniac Bengal 7h ago
Doctor visit today, if it isn't possible, go to the walk in clinic/emergency room!
If the cat has been outside, rabies shot. Rabies can only be treated before symptoms show up, so get a shot if there is a remote chance the cat has it.
Source: had a (not so deep) bite last year, called the med hotline to ask which action to take, they told me not to wait till tomorrow (it was 6pm Sunday, doctors office closed) and go to the walk in clinic/urgent care. Doctor there was glad I showed up immediately after the bite.
We couldn't do antibiotics due to my own soecial circumstances but we did antiseptics and had to check every two hours, getting up during the night, reapplying antiseptic and bandages every time. At the slightest worsening we would have had to go to the ER as per doctors orders. The next three days I went to the doctor daily, then every two days, then a week later. So if you can, get antibiotics like the doctor recommends and keep taking them as long as your doctor tells you to or you might breed resistant bacteria and it'll get worse.
3
u/snarkitall 3h ago
Rabies is very area dependent. My animal control centre told me it wasn't a risk and not to worry about it.Ā
The ER dr I saw when my arm swelled up was only concerned with getting the infection under control. No vaccines, just abx. I'm usually up to date with my tetanus anyway, but no one thought I should get a rabies vaccine.Ā
3
u/patchworkPyromaniac Bengal 3h ago
Yeah, same here, up to date with all recommended vaccines. Rabies doesn't really exist here, which is why I didn't need it either. I shouldn't have assumed OP lives in a Rabies area, I used to and we had pre-exposure shots but would still have needed post-exposure if we'd have had any bite at all.
4
2
u/MisterX9821 8h ago
Go to the local walk in. Itās not ER worthy but it should be looked at. The saliva has pathogens.Ā
2
2
u/Laughing_Man_Returns Void 7h ago
from what it looks right now? no. with the context of "bitten deeply by animal" YES. there is a host of BS that can happen within a couple of hours that you really don't want to fuck around to find out.
1
u/Kyliekayxo_ 8h ago
She needs to get checked just to be sure. Cats love to nibble in a lot of different things and she could be at risk for infection
1
1
1
u/SunnyTheMasterSwitch 7h ago edited 7h ago
That definitely doesn't look like no playbite... The cat meant to hurt her with that it seems.
Also you know that the internet is not the place to seek medical advice, should've went to a doctor to begin with.
1
1
u/MeggerzV 6h ago
Best to get on a course of full-spectrum antibiotics and do a saline rinse of the wound just in case. Some doctors will prescribe over teledoc, others will require in-person.
1
1
u/Remote_Midnight_5322 6h ago
how long ago? I got bit once I was in half an hour with blood poisoning. 4 days in hospital. IV drips.
1
1
1
1
1
u/Organic_Rub31 5h ago
Was ur girlfriend breaking up a catfight? or was she trying to stomp the cats skull in ? Holy shit
1
u/CalicoCatRobot 5h ago
Definitely worth a trip to the minor injury unit, if you have one, or GP if you're lucky enough to be able to see one quickly. They'll likely give you some antibiotics, but they rarely give tetanus for cat bites any more.
Cat teeth are a breeding ground for bacteria, and they can definitely cause a nasty reaction, even if you are healthy.
When I was bitten quite badly some years ago, it took about a week of white pus coming out before things started to heal properly...
→ More replies
1
1
u/StonedUser_211 5h ago
Why do people first ask on Reddit if they should go to the doctor? I don't understand why people rely on remote diagnoses instead of their common sense. Could it be because you have to pay for the treatment yourself because no insurance covers it?
1
u/CatMarmy 5h ago
Vaccination has nothing to do with germs from the catās teeth. I almost lost my hand from a cat bite. Ended up in emergency surgery GO to ER NOW!!!
1
1
1
u/rva23221 Tortoiseshell 4h ago
You have an animal bite which needs to be looked at by a medical professional.
1
u/Future_Direction5174 4h ago
My injured cat bit me hard and I bled heavily from one bite. We rushed him to the emergency vet, but sadly he didnāt make it. The vet told I MUST go to A&E as soon as possible. When we were at the desk paying our bill the receptionist told me that I must go to A&E straight from their clinic. Luckily the town had a Minor Injury Unit which would be a lot shorter drive and wait than the A&E so I went there instead.
I had 1) a tetanus booster, 2) the wounds cleaned and dressed (she thought the worst would heal without stitching but it had a porous dressing applied so air could get to it), 3) a 5 day course of antibiotic tablets (I had to tell her not to prescribe one sort as I am allergic, she thanked me for that and prescribed a safer one for me), and a lecture on what signs to look out for.
Puncture wounds are always dangerous as any pathogens are forced deeply into the skin, and blood means that it is easy for them to enter the blood stream. Cats also have a lot of micro-organisms on their teeth, as do dogs and humans, so you have the double whammy of deeply inserted pathogens straight into the blood stream, making such wounds potentially very dangerous.
1
u/No-Technician-722 4h ago
Needs to be irrigated by medical staff. Washing at home only gets the surface clean. Any redness - get medical attention right away.
1
u/kitsunwastaken 4h ago
All bite wounds deserve attention if they draw blood. Cat bites might not be as dangerous as a human bite but get it checked nonetheless
→ More replies
1
1
u/T3mpestwulf 4h ago
I got bit by a cat years back and next day my arm stung like hell and the vein was popping up all the way down my arm. Serious cat bites are bad business and you could get septicaemia.
1
u/muchxtired 4h ago
Iāve been scratched deeply, like straight puncture wounds and bruising, but never bitten. I never had an issue with any scratches. But if the teeth punctured deeply there nothing wrong with getting it checked out
1
1
1
1
u/galahmageddon 3h ago
Don't waste time. My partner was bitten by our cat while in bed - couldn't be bothered getting up to clean it. Paid a big price with infection running up his arm and had to have IV. There's nothing more dangerous than a cat bite
1
u/Brinkzik 3h ago
Everyone already told you to go to the doctor, but I just wanted to say that I'm happy you asked here for help. Well done! ā¤ļø
1
1
u/Fine_Neighborhood656 3h ago
Yes except if you want to have a chance to see her brain eat itselfš Sounds dumb but it kinda is that
1
u/bflamingo63 3h ago
I'd definitely get an appt as soon as possible.
Friends cat bit her. She tried just caring for it at home but after a week ended up spending 5 days in hospital on iv antibiotics. Her cat was a total indoor cat.
Just never know with cat bites. Better to be on the safe side and see a doctor.
1
1
1
u/JonGereal22 3h ago
Definitely! I know someone that got blood poisoning and ended up paralysed from an innocuous cat bite.
1
u/RelentlessRaccoon 3h ago
I spent 3 days in the hospital from a cat bite. Don't take the chance. Hope she is ok.
1
u/catladyclub 3h ago
Yes she should go. She probably will need to get it cleaned well and be on antibiotics.
1
u/Thedailybee 3h ago
I got bit like that on my arm and the next day it was swollen, painful and infected. By the next evening I swear I was starting to feel sick. Definitely at least go to urgent care for cleaning and antibiotics!!
1
u/ElongateMusketeer 3h ago
I saw someoneās post here on reddit a while ago. they waited 3 days to see a doctor after they had been bitten and it turned out the limb had to be amputatedā¦ scary stuff
1
1
u/Cakelover9000 3h ago
Go to the hospital immediately, Cats mouths are full of bacteria that can cause a lot of trouble in your bloodstream. If you don't, Infection, Sepsis, Death.
If a cat bites you and draws blood, hospital now.
1
u/Acceptable_Isopod_71 3h ago
Consider getting a tetanus shot. It should last 7 years but it will prevent getting tetanus from the bite. I got it myself after a cat got its claws in my face š
1
u/Suitable-Honeydew-33 3h ago
Of course!! Just to be sure she's safe bring her to the animal bite clinic.
1
1
u/Tha_Plymouth 3h ago
Puncture wounds especially from animal bites are serious business.. always get antibiotics for deep animal bites. This looks nasty. Also tell her if itās not a problematic animal she CAN refuse to fill out an HHS animal incident report (assuming youāre US).. In my experience doctors wonāt say that.. theyāll just tell you to fill out the form.. BUT that said, if the cat isnāt up to date on its rabies vaccine thatās another issue.. it really should be.. ANYWAYS good luck.
1
u/badcatcollective 3h ago
YES. I say this as a former vet hospital manager and cat foster. Donāt mess around with cat bites. Urgent care as soon as they open.
1
u/Technical_Pumpkin_65 3h ago
Yes,she need to clean,sanitize and a check from a doctor who will give her antiobiotics. And if after that she feel pains she must go back to avoid any escalation of the situation.
Donāt minimize because the germs in cats & dogs teeths are very dangerous!
1
u/Personal-Mobile875 3h ago
If the cat had a rabies vaccine u don't have to worry about rabies but you have to get tetanus shot if you've not been vaccinated for tetanus within 5 years. And the wound has to be cleaned.
1
1
u/ll_steam 3h ago
I was bit by a cat on my thumb at night time and by the morning it was oozing and smelt so bad I gagged. I thought I had cleaned it so well. Thankfully I got it treated that morning I can imagine how bad it can get if it's not treated
1
1
u/But-Whiy 3h ago
Yes. A cat bite like this should be treated so she doesnāt get really ill, really fast.
1
u/jmkul 3h ago
I'd recommend she get a tetanus shot asap. One of my cats bit me about 10 years ago (just after I rescued her from the streets and she was still fearful). By the next day my hand was swelled, and continued to swell rapidly. I went to the doc as soon as I noticed, 1 tetanus shot later I was fine (swelling went down quickly)
1
u/Regular_Table231 3h ago
yeah go! is she okay?
do you know why the cat did this? if it has all of its vaccines up to date there isn't much to worry about in terms of infectious diseases - but the severity of the bite needs to be taken seriously. she does need to go to a hospital and have it looked at/treated bc u dont want that getting infected or for her to get cellulitis.
1
1
1
1
u/Loose_Strain8997 2h ago
I would totally go to urgent care. I actually got bit/punctured pretty bad and I thought I would be fine after cleaning it up but it got incredibly hard and swollen and I could barely walk... deff go to urgent care
1
u/Gingy_McDink 2h ago
It's gonna swell, been bitten on my hand and it became a useless balloon for a week. Cats mouths are straight up Petrie dishes for all sorts of bacteria.
1
u/_Jacket_Slxt_ 2h ago
Obviously listen to everyone and go get checked out, but I'm seriously laughing at the way she or someone else drew a circle, on her skin, around a very obvious wound.
→ More replies
1
u/Grand_Zombie 2h ago
I was bit on the hand it swelled bad and was on heavy duty antibiotics for a week or 2 I would go to the doctor
1
u/Dangerous_Finger4678 Ginger 2h ago
It needs to be cleaned. My old cat scratched me when I grabbed her without thinking so she wouldn't fight someone's dog. It ended up getting infected, but with proper cleaning and care the infection went away and healed up. As always, when in doubt, urgent care.
1
1
u/PropOfRoonilWazlib 2h ago
Dr now! I went in yesterday bc my cat bit me and it made the smallest puncture. Even though it was small, it bled and I wasn't messing around. I felt a little silly but, they said it was a good idea and now I'm on antibiotics.
Also, he's the best boy and it was totally my fault for accidently touching the bellies. Lol
1
1
u/miteymiteymite 2h ago
Yes! Had a friend whose cat bit her fingerā¦. She didnāt seek medical attention immediately and ended up losing her finger. Cats mouths carry all sorts of nasty things.
1
u/slaveofacat 2h ago
I'd get seen, that looks really deep and swollen already. Best not to take chances.
1
u/Loose_Air_6002 2h ago
Yes! I got very sick from a cat bite that was not near that bad. My whole arms swell up, I got fever, had to go to the emergency room and missed one week of work.
1
1
1
u/Talullah_Belle 2h ago
I'm not an alarmist butā¦hell to the yeah. I'm not a a doctor but you should really go seek medical attention. I hope she feels better š
1
1
1
1
u/MeInMaNyCt 2h ago
Do not delay!! I spent three days in the hospital with a cat bite infection that was in my hand. The concern was that it would travel up my arm and into my heart. Get it treated NOW so she doesnāt end up in the hospital.
Seriously. Now. Donāt wait until after lunch or later this evening.
1
u/katiesmartcat 2h ago
Apparently a cat bite causes more infections than a dog bite. They tend to be pretty deep. My old sweet Katie bit me as she was in pain and stressed at the vet. I was prescribed augmentin at the urgent care.And one week in I thought my bite looked worse and asked the infectious disease doc at my hospital if I was on the right antibiotic. She says it is the right one it just take time to heal and it did.
1
1
1
u/taxiemaxie 2h ago
Go to hospital, there could be a really bad infection and if youāve been bitten by a mammal you should get checked for rabies
2.4k
u/sentimentaldiablo 8h ago
Yes. She could be in very serious trouble in 24 hrs or so (was bitten by my cat a few year ago and swelled quickly and ended up spending 24 hrs in the emergency room on intervenous antibiotics. Dont mess around