A cat may seem like a small domestic pet but her claws can be harmful if they break into the skin. A bite from a cat gets you infection easily if not vaccinated properly. In this situation, the answer is “YES”, you should refer to urgent care services after a cat bites you.
In the U.S. 42.7 million households own a cat as a pet whereas 73 million cats are still unowned or stray. As cats are so prevalent in the U.S., there is also a large number of cases of cat bites and injuries arrives too. Seeing the severity of the animal bite injuries we at Texas Specialty Clinic provide urgent care services.
The cat may seem like a small creature with everything in her tiny but here is a thing that we should be aware of her small, little teeth are enough (too sharp) to give deep wounds into the skin of a bitten person.
What can be the symptoms of a cat-bitten person?
A cat has 200 strains of bacteria in its mouth which could mean there are several types of infection one could get after a cat bite. The most common among them is an infection caused by Pasteurella multocida bacteria. After being bitten by a cat you can check for the following symptoms :
- Blisters around the wound can be seen after a few hours of the bite
- Redness and draining pus
- Swelling and pain in the wound
- Inflammation
- Warmth
- Fever
- Diarrhea and vomiting
- Stomach pain
- Headache
- Muscle and joint pain
- State of confusion
What to do after a cat bite?
It is recommended to show your wound in urgent care but in between, you can provide first-aid to the patient. Follow these basic steps at home before going to urgent care.
- Clean the wound by washing it gently under running warm water for a few minutes
- Use a cotton pad to slow down the bleeding
- Apply an antiseptic or disinfectant if have any
- Cover the wound with a sterile bandage
- Now, see a doctor for further check-ups
- After the examination, keep changing bandages many times a day
- Follow the doctor’s prescription attentively
- Pay attention to your wound till the recovery for any sign of infection, fever, swelling, or pain of any type in between the procedure
If you or your near one got bitten by a cat then seek urgent care services at Texas Specialty Clinic.
Diseases That Can be Carried Out Through a Cat Bite
A cat’s mouth is filled with hundreds of bacteria that can cause multiple infections if bitten or scratched. Its teeth are also very sharp and can give a deep cut into the skin. All these can lead to releasing multiple bacteria through the skin into the body. Let’s see what diseases a cat carries along with her.
- Pasteurella multocida is a type of bacteria found in a cat’s mouth and spread into infection after a bite or scratch.
- Cat scratch disease is caused by Bartonella henselae bacteria. When a cat is already infected with it.
- Rabies is a fatal virus if not treated on time but it very rarely gets into serious situations.
- Tetanus is a serious infection that can be due to Clostridium tetani bacteria.
Treatment of Infection from Cat Bite
A doctor in urgent care will perform all the first-aid services discussed in this blog for example washing, cleaning, applying antiseptic, and then putting a bandage on, etc.
Other than these;
- Antibiotics for cat bites can be oral medication or injected intravenous (IV)
- Tetanus booster
- Surgery or stitches
Start the treatment as soon as you get bitten by a cat. Tetanus can be fatal and take your life too if the infection spread out to the whole body. A cat’s bite is considered more infectious than a dog’s bite.
Urgent care services are the best available option for the treatment of all types of animal bites and Texas Specialty Clinic has all these facilities available at one call away. Hence, to book an appointment dial (469)545-9983.