What to do if your cat bites you and breaks the skin?
Emily Wong What to do if your cat bites you and breaks the skin?
If a cat or dog bites you, you should:
- Wash the wound gently with soap and water.
- Apply pressure with a clean towel to the injured area to stop any bleeding.
- Apply a sterile bandage to the wound.
- Keep the wound elevated above your heart to prevent swelling and infection.
How do you treat a puncture wound from a cat bite?
First, you want to try to flush out as much bacteria as possible and then irrigate the wound with water. Next, wash the wound with mild soap and water. Slow the bleeding with a clean cloth and apply over-the-counter antibiotic cream if you have it. Then, wrap the wound in a sterile bandage.
What is the best antibiotic for a cat bite?
Amoxicillin with clavulanate is the current recommendation for antibiotic treatment for cat bites. In penicillin-allergic patients or those with penicillin-resistant strains, other alternatives are necessary.
Do doctors have to report cat bites?
Counseling patients and families about animal safety may help decrease animal bites. In most states, physicians are required by law to report animal bites.
Is azithromycin good for cat bites?
Based on the bacteriology noted in the study, alternative oral agents for the treatment of infections caused by dog and cat bites are suggested in Table 3….TABLE 3.
| Dog bites | Cat bites |
|---|---|
| • Azithromycin (limited data on efficacy) | • A combination of clindamycin (20 to 40 mg/kg/day divided tid) with a fluoroquinolone† |
Do all cat bites require antibiotics?
For infected bites, your doctor may recommend intravenous (IV) antibiotics until the infection clears. But most infected bites will only need oral antibiotics. Your doctor might also suggest a tetanus booster shot. This depends on how severe the bite is and your vaccination status.
What is the microbiology of infected human cat bite wounds?
The microbiology of infected human cat bite wounds is similar to that of wounds inflicted by dogs in that both are polymicrobial in nature (23, 96, 206). In a multicenter prospective study of 57 clinically infected human cat bite wounds (206), 63% of the wounds were a mix of aerobic and anaerobic organisms.
What is the rate of incidence for cat bites?
Cat bites account for 5% to 10% of animal bite wounds. 1 Cat bites occur most often in adult women, usually on the extremities. Almost all of these bites are self-reported as provoked. 2 Animal bite wounds are considered grossly contaminated; therefore, proper wound treatment is essential to prevent secondary infection.
What happens when a cat bite is punctured?
These punctures rapidly seal over, trapping bacteria from the cat’s mouth under the skin of the bite victim, where they can easily multiply. A similar type of injury happens with cat scratches: the extremely sharp, curved nails penetrate deep into the skin, essentially injecting bacteria deep into the puncture wound.
When should I see a doctor for a cat bite wound?
You should see a physician as soon as possible. Most cat bite wounds are small punctures that drive pathogenic bacteria deep into the skin. Left untreated, a serious infection can develop within twenty-four to forty-eight hours. Do I really need to see a doctor?
