If you do get a cat bite, youll likely find out pretty quickly if its going to get infected. A three-year Mayo Clinic study of nearly 200 cases between 2009-2011 found that one third of patients suffering from cat bite infections were hospitalized and two-thirds of those patients required surgery. Dawn Bothun, of Minnesota said a bite on her hand turned into an eight-week hospital ordeal and $150,000 in medical bills. Medicine (Baltimore). You need to remove the . Time from bite to presentation, white blood cell count, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, and C-reactive protein values at presentation were not associated with hospitalization. Savu AN, Schoenbrunner AR, Politi R, Janis JE. Puncture wounds from a cat bite have a high risk of infection. Data included patient demographics, anatomical site of injury, microbiology results, method of treatment and surgical outcome. These bites may look harmless, but it is important to take immediate medical action after the initial injury. Patient demographics, medical history, physical examination findings, laboratory values, and long-term follow-up data were collected. Tendons and ligaments in the hand are especially delicate. and transmitted securely. If the bite or scratch hasn't penetrated the skin, the chance of infection is minimal. A tetanus shot was administered. "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Look at the bite to evaluate how severe the victim's condition is. He graduated magna cum laude with a degree in biological sciences fromCornell University. Puncture wounds tend to heal quickly, but a very deep bite can leave a scar. Please note that by doing so you agree to be added to our monthly email newsletter distribution list. Painful and swollen lymph nodes for more than 2 or 3 weeks. Conclusions: However, they can also bite or scratch if spooked or if they get defensive. del Mar Amador M, et al. The researchers studied nearly 200 cat bite cases that occurred between 2009 and 2011. The patient appeared ill and uncomfortable. Mr. Hs medical history included hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, and tobacco abuse. of dog bites, middle-aged women were the most common victims of cat bites to the hand, according to the Mayo Clinic study. . All rights reserved. The treatment of such infections often requires hospitalization, intravenous antibiotic therapy, and operative treatment. After receiving his medical degree fromLouisiana State University (LSU) Health Sciences Center in New Orleans, where he was awarded the Orthopedic Surgery award. Cat bite: an injury not to underestimate. Cat bites may look small, but they can turn into serious problems. 2014 Feb;39(2):286-90. doi: 10.1016/j.jhsa.2013.11.003. In the case of dogs and cats, thats not always the case. Read on to learn more about symptoms and how to prevent bug bites. "Every time they would stitch me up after flushing the wound the infection would just get worse. Cat bites are exceptionally dangerous and prone to infection because a cat's needle-like teeth can push bacteria deep into flesh, tendons and joints. On physical examination, BP was 118/80, pulse 106, respiratory rate 20 breaths per minute, temperature 99.9F, and pulse oxygenation 98%. Occasionally an infection can cause tendinitis, especially infection from a cat or dog bite to the hand or a finger. Animal bites that dont break your skin, as well as scratches that just graze the surface of your skin, have a minimal risk of infection. Cats carry many bacteria in their mouths capable of causing infections in bite wounds. Animal bites on your hand and fingers are common, especially from pets like dogs and cats. Patients with clenched fist injuries tend to wait hours or days after the wound occurs before seeking medical attention, which increases the severity of the infection. According to Poison Control, CSD is usually not serious, but people with weakened immune systems are at risk of developing a more serious infection. Small but deep punctures there led to a higher risk of hospitalization than bites into soft tissue, according to the study. While five- to nine-year-old males are the principal victims of dog bites, middle-aged women were the most common victims of cat bites to the hand, according to the Mayo Clinic study. "We don't play like we used to," Bothun said. You should not use this information in place of a consultation or the advice of your healthcare provider. You should be especially careful if the wound is around your wrist area. The average length of stay for these patients was 3.2 days. Bacteria can be potentially seeded down into joints and tendon sheaths, far away from where it would be immediately noticed. Mean duration of antibiotic treatment and length of hospital stay were significantly longer in Group B (p < .05). These red streaks are from the infection traveling down your lymph system. When they bite you, they are essentially injecting bacteria deep into your skins tissue. PEP isnt generally needed if the cat isnt showing signs of rabies, but the cat should be monitored for at least 10 days to be sure. (2016). "Dogs' teeth are blunter, so they don't tend to penetrate as deeply and they tend to leave a larger wound after they bite," study senior author Dr. Brian Carlsen, a Mayo Clinic plastic surgeon and orthopedic hand surgeon, said in a clinic news release. INTRODUCTION. Positive tactile response to the digits of the right hand was achieved. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there are only 1 to 3 cases in the United States each year. Infection in these tissues can be very painful and difficult to treat. It can be caused by overuse and repetitive movements like texting, playing video games, or writing. Pasteurella multocida infections. . Wound cultures were significant for Pasteurella multocida. Cats dont have more bacteria in their mouths than dogs. Dog and cat bites to the hand: treatment and cost assessment. Disclaimer. . Wear thick protective gloves when handling an injured or stray cat. . "Cats' teeth are sharp and can penetrate very deeply. Though these injuries are typically not life-threatening. Dry the bite first, to help the Band Aid stick. This site is not intended to and does not provide medical advice, professional diagnosis, opinion, treatment or services to you or to any other individual. COVID-19 Screening in the Pediatric Emergency Department. A doctor or nurse will wash the wound thoroughly, trim away any dead tissue, and apply antibiotic ointment. Cats, meanwhile, have sharp teeth and that dramatically increases the risk for a cat bite infection. And your cat loves you (in its own fashion). for three to five days. In todays blog post, Dr. Brandon P. Donnelly discusses why the risk of a cat bite infection has become a growing concern. Cats are also the main reservoir of Bartonella henselae, the causative agent of cat scratch disease, which was confirmed in the presented patient by serological examination. To assess the overall morbidity of cat bites to the hand and identify risk factors for hospitalization after such an injury. A red area around a cat scratch or bite that continues to get bigger for more than 2 days after the injury. loss of sensation in . If left untreated, cat bite infections can spread to other parts of the body, causing a condition called septicemia (blood poisoning), which requires hospitalization. An initial assessment of early cellulitis and right-hand pain secondary to the cat bite and fall was made. Animal mouths contain a lot of bacteria which is why you want to wash it out with soap and water for around 5 minutes. Learn more about rabies in humans here. Rapidly Progressive Infection of Hand After a Cat Bite. It's the worst animal in the UK to be bitten by. Human and other mammalian bite injuries of the hand: evaluation and management. Part 2 Seek Medical Care for Severe Bites 1 Go to the doctor if your bite is too serious for you to care for it adequately. and thats just where most people get bitten by cats. Practical Review of the Management of Animal Bites. 2002 Jan;34(1):22-9. doi: 10.1055/s-2002-22103. An official website of the United States government. From furniture, scratching posts, beds and toys to food dishes and litter boxes, youll find everything you need for your feline family members.View the Product Guide. Mr. H was sent to radiology for an x-ray to rule out fracture, dislocation, and signs of osteomyelitis. Would you like email updates of new search results? Bone or joint pain, abdominal pain (without fever, vomiting, or diarrhea), or excessive tiredness for more than 2 . Zoonotic disease: What can I catch from my cat? "I thought I could manage them on my own but I couldn't move my wrist after a week.". Use interactive toys to play with your cat instead. Brandon P. Donnelly, MD When To Worry The wrist or any joint in the fingers are usually the worst places to be wounded - and that's just where most people get bitten by cats. Pediatrics in review. A dogs powerful jaws and blunt teeth tend to leave a larger wound, but they dont penetrate as deeply. The Conscious Cat is a comprehensive resource for conscious living, health and happiness for cats and their humans. You love your cat. . o [ pediatric abdominal pain ] tenderness or pain under your elbow or armpit due to swollen lymph nodes. Emergency Medicine 46 years experience. Clinical findings suggestive of the need for hospitalization include location of the bite over a joint or tendon sheath, erythema, pain, and swelling. more serious symptoms of an infection, such as fever or muscle weakness. Eight out of ten cat bites will become infected, experts warn, as moggies inject bacteria into the tissue when they sink their teeth into their victims, causing blood poisoning. Read More, The Conscious Cat Product Guide features all of the best products for cats and cat lovers. Plast Reconstr Surg Glob Open. By joining Cureus, you agree to our Benson LS, Edwards SL, Schiff AP, et al. 6. Cats bite mostly on hands, arms or legs. A 29-year-old woman with fever after a cat bite. In fact, the infection rate from a cat bite is fairly high. The fear is that bacteria from the person's skin or from the cat's or dog's mouth gains access to a part of the body that is like a freeway for the bacteria to spread quickly the tendons. Cat scratch disease (CSD) (also known as cat scratch fever) is an infection caused by the bacteria Bartonella henselae. 2020 Jul 23;12(7):e9357. The bacteria injected by a cat bite can include a strain common in animals and particularly hard to fight with antibiotics, he says. HHS Vulnerability Disclosure, Help Human and animal bites. Plast Reconstr Surg Glob Open. Brought to you by Merck & Co, Inc., Rahway, NJ, USA (known as MSD outside the US and Canada) dedicated to using leading-edge science to save and improve lives around the world. [Hyatt, 2017] Patients often present 2-5 days after an injury. Tendon rupture: When a tendon separates from the tissue, in part or completely, it is supposed to be attached to, a tendon rupture occurs. Unauthorized use of these marks is strictly prohibited. While 3-18 percent of dog bites become infected, another study reported a staggering 28-80 percent cat bite infection rate. When you buy via links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission at no cost to you. When the bite is on the hand (and other research has shown that up to 85 percent of cat bites occur on the hand or wrist), the puncture may easily pierce a joint or the membrane sheath. "I washed the wounds on my wrist and put antiseptic on them," Bothun said. The site is secure. Dawn Bothun, of Minnesota said a bite on her hand turned into an eight-week hospital ordeal and $150,000 in medical bills. The best way to know if youre dealing with bedbugs is to look for evidence of them in your home. These findings should increase concern for a severe infection and warrant hospitalization and urgent consultation with a hand surgeon. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed in any form without prior authorization. Conscious Cat is reader-supported. Please enable it to take advantage of the complete set of features! Do not allow kittens and young cats to play with your hands. Once symptoms are present, rabies is typically fatal. She said because she was uninsured the hospital wrote off some of the bill but she is still making payments. Because cats have extremely sharp teeth, their bites penetrate the skin easily and cause small but deep wounds. Mr. Hs right-hand wounds were cleansed with antibacterial soap, betadine wash, and sterile water rinse. In most cases, bites that were positioned directly over the wrist or another joint were more likely to result in hospitalization than bites to soft tissue, the researchers said. Please confirm that you are a health care professional. Cat Bites: Dont Take Them Lightly (Info & Treatment). Musculoskeletal and Connective Tissue Disorders, Amoxil, Dispermox, Moxatag, Moxilin , Sumox, Trimox, Biocef, Daxbia , Keflex, Keftab, Panixine, Cleocin, Cleocin Ovules, Cleocin Pediatric, Cleocin T, CLIN, Clindacin ETZ, Clindacin-P, Clinda-Derm , Clindagel, ClindaMax, ClindaReach, Clindesse, Clindets, Evoclin, PledgaClin, XACIATO, Acticlate, Adoxa, Adoxa Pak, Avidoxy, Doryx, Doxal, Doxy 100, LYMEPAK, Mondoxyne NL, Monodox, Morgidox 1x, Morgidox 2x , Okebo, Oracea, Oraxyl, Periostat, TARGADOX, Vibramycin, Vibra-Tabs. At the hand, where cats most often bite . Mr. H. was then sent for immediate orthopedic surgical evaluation. Bothun said she still feels pain in her wrist and does not have full movement. Millions of people are bitten by animals every year. There are a few people, that develop severe allergic reactions to flea bites and can get irritated by a single bite. In more extreme cases, redirected aggression can cause a cat to lash out at her guardian and cause severe damage. Of course, if the cat's fangs go in very deep, this could be worrisome and worth a doctor's visit! What are are the Differences between Cat and Dog Bites? This site needs JavaScript to work properly. Apparently, cats have a bacteria in their saliva that aids in their digestion, which can be lethal if it gets into a human being's blood stream. Close more info about Pain, tingling, and limited range of motion after a cat bite to the finger, Lori L. Henderson, DNP-c, MSN , APNP-BC, and Teri Kaul, PhD, APRN, Botched cryotherapy procedure leads to painful bullous lesion. 2019 Dec;53(6):341-346. doi: 10.1080/2000656X.2019.1637750. Victims should be especially concerned about the risk of a cat bite infection if they develop swelling or inflamed skin. Felines' sharp teeth can inject harmful bacteria deep into joints and tissue, doctors warn. Keywords: However, play it safe by washing the area thoroughly with soap and water. The second digit of the right hand was mildly edematous with five nondraining puncture wounds noted: two puncture wounds located between the proximal interphalangeal (PIP) and metacarpophalangeal joint of the second digit and three on the palmar aspect of the right hand.