Tetanus Shots

[Maxine]

Hi,

Yesterday I took my 17 year old cat to the vet, as she was getting too thing, but eating a normal amount of food if not more. She was laying next to me, and my nephew went to pet her, and she almost bt him. I went to comfort her because I knew they drew some blood, and I could see she was not herself. She wrapped herself around my arm and latched on with her teeth. She left one fairly deep puncture wound. I washed it right away with soap and water, and pit peroxide on it. This morning it was red around the puncture, and my arm seems discolered slightly----a little splotchy, but not swollen.

I had my last tetanus in 1997. I don't want to get another fearing a reaction to it with all my other existing problems, and sesitivities. The redness seems t be fading some. I have also put on antibiotic ointment and alcohol. the one on the other side of my arm isn't deep, and looks fine.

Any sugestions? It feels like a bruise underneath, but as I said the redness seems to be fading.

Maxine :0)

[Rachel]

I would definitely give your doctor a call right away. If you did get tetanus from the bite then you need treatment very quickly.

I hope it heals soon for you.

Rachel

P.S. All of our sensitivities are different, but for what it's worth, I had a tetanus shot a couple of years ago and didn't have any problems.

[issie]

Tetnus comes mostly from rusty nails, etc. If you know the cat, it will probably be okay. It can however get a nasty infection. Watch it carefully.

[MightyMouse]

actually, tetanus is the least of your worries with a cat bite--cat bites can carry some really serious bacterial infection risk; usually if you've had a full thickness bite, even with good cleaning of the wound, you typically would be placed on an antibiotic as a precaution. You should call your doctor's office or go to the ER

[Maxine]

Doc isn't in today........ I do NOT want to go to an ER......I panic just thinking about it. The bite is near the wrist, and the area is warm----about the size of a quarte and a little swollen. I think she got a tenton. It's not a full thinkness wound......barely punctured. I don't understand why it got like this-----it's very rough. i'm having a horrible time with other issues----spine, ANS issues ect. I can't face going to an ER----I'll lose it.

You have to understand the ERs here........they treat woman like you know what........ Hopefully I can hang in there until tomorrow, and doc can call in an antibiotic if things haven't gotten better.

I have a house full----my sister in law is doing some landscaping, and I don't know what to do. My son is having us babysit the little ones too---age 2 and 6. I feel shaky as you know what. Just took a half of klonopin. I feel pretty horrible, and belly is way bloated...........

Maxine :0)

[Maxine]

As I said puncture wound isn't deep.........barely broke the skin. I think she got a tendon. It seems less red and swollen. It's looks like the infection is thinning out possibly----I hope and pray. It seems to hurt less also. Thanks for your replies and HELP----I appreciate it!

Trying to relax now-------------depressed, and tired of all my drama...........really, really, tired of it.......

Maxine :0)

[iheartcats]

I've had this happen (scared kitty, chomp)...and it was a small puncture wound. I kept it clean and dry and it was red at first (and sore). It calmed down after a couple of days. If it got worse, I would've made myself go to the doctor for an antibiotic just in case (and probably should have) but...you know how it is.

If you can call your doctor in the AM for advice, I would (as you can get an infection from puncture wounds...bacteria likes warm, deep places and from what I understand puncture wounds are ideal for that). Just to be safe. I was OK, but I remember it was sore!

[Maxine]

Thank you for your advice and support. I feel bad not thanking you earlier. I'm not myself, and feel very depressed lately.

there's no more redness around the wound other then the small puncture itself, and it's not deep. It had a little bump under it that has gotten a lot smaller.

It doesn't feel warm around the area any longer. The bite was really painful----- the worst I have had. She has given me love bites that have been a little strong---but she was very upset after having blood drawn, so this time she clamped on. It wasn't deep, but as I said I think she got a tendon ir bruised it underneath.

It's turns out she has hyper thyroid, and it didn't matter how much food she ate, she wasn't maintaining her weight. She's 17 years old, still jumping much higher then my other 5 year old male cat Spencer. She ate normally, and even played. It was strange that she was doing fine other then losing weight. I took her in the vet, and they said she seemed fine other then the weight loss. They did some blood work, and found she is in the very beginning of kidney disease, which wasn't a big problem----but the hyper thyroid explains the weight loss.

She will be on a prescription to slowly shut her thyroid down, and she was put on a high fat, low protein diet to avoid further kidney problems. She said her kidneys are tiny. The problem is that shutting down the thyroid could affect the kidneys more, so hopefully the new diet will help avoid that. She said the hypert active thyroid was masking the kidney problems.

My old girl Samantha seems happier now, and back to her sweet cuddily self. She rests her little head on my hand when I'm on the computer. She is the sweetest cat, and never given us any problems other then the occasional chase around the yard----lol. She'll still run out the door and run about 12 feet into the yard, or run around the back porch. I can't believe how high she still jumps.

I'm still watching the bite carefully, and praying for continued healing. I don't mean to sound paranoid, but I'm not up to handling an infection, and tetanus scares the you know what out of me.

I keep putting antibiotic ointment on it, and continue to clean it often while adding peroxide and alcohol before I apply the ointment.

Maxine :0)

[blhorn]

Maxine,

I was recently torn up (several punctures, scratches, etc...) by a wild kitten I adopted. When I went to the doc, he said its pretty standard to do antibiotics for cat bites.

So that is what I suggest you do, even if its getting better (better safe than sorry )just try to get into the doc as soon as you can with the holiday and all, but I wouldn't worry too much about it. I don't think you have to worry about tetnus, I think you mostly get that from rust...but ask the doc to be sure.

Hope you have a better time with the rest of the holiday.

Cheers

[Maxine]

Thank you blhorn.

I've been putting antibiotic ointment on it, and the wound itself is almost gone. I think my constant cleaning with antibacterial soap, peroxide, and the antibiotic ointment has helped a lot. However, my whole hand is so dry from the alcohol. time for lots of hand lotion.........

I'll call the doctor on Tuesday to see if he thinks he thinks I still need an oral antibiotic. Hopefully not, as those make me sick also. However, I'll take them if he feels they're necessary. I have not had a fever----average temp has been 97.7.

I just feel really overwhelmed lately from my health issues, and I think it's taking a toll on me. I need to get serious about resting better.

I didn't realize how serious cat bites can be. I was fine other then the pain when it happened on Wednesday afternoon, but on Thursday morning it felt bruised and sore still. There was a small area of swelling that got warm around the area which concerned me. It was like this Thursday, but got better little by little each day. Now I just need lots of rest, but can't right now with my two year old little granddaughter over. My husband is helping a lot, but I can't nap until she does. She's so smart--and so adorable. This morning my son dropped her off before he went to work. She came into the bedroom with my husband, and she walked up to the bed and handed me the bottled water, and said, "here's your water sweetie".

Here's my two granddaughter Mackenzie and Kaela together. Here she is trying on her mom's glasses. Here's the little 17 yearl old cat Samantha----the little biter..... (only once though)

Thanks again everyone!

[babettess]

Maxine,

You are not going to believe this but I was just bitten by a stray cat this evening. It has been hanging around sine last summer but we have no idea who it belongs to. It attacked one of my cats tonight and my daughter and I tried to get it to put it in a cage and she got scratched and I got bit. I cleaned the wound good and applied an antibiotic. I guess I will be going to the ER tomorrow as it looks like we might be getting tetanus shots and a rabies series. Like you, I am so depressed at this never-ending cycle of one thing after another. My daughter that was helping me tonight also has PoTS and EDs. We were quite a pair trying to get the stray cat caged and the get our cat out from under our steps where she was hiding. Our course we were exhausted after we were done and too tired to make a trip to the ER tonight. So I guess we will go tomorrow. I'm glad your wound is healing. I pray that mine heals quickly too and that my daughter and I don't have to take the rabies shots. With my allergies and sensitivities I am petrified if medicine and I can't imagine how scared I will be if I have to get rabies shots. I think its time I ask for a prescription of something to calm these old nerves along with my tetanus shot and whatever else I have to take.

Still hoping to see you next week in Baltiomore!!!

Babette

[iheartcats]

Maxine,

I'm glad you are feeling better about the bite. Samantha is a doll...she was just scared. Poor kitty. At least you know the cat who bit you (she's 'clean', has her shots, etc).

[Maxine]

Babette! Wow, I'm sorry this happened to you and your daughter! Let me know how you come out after going to the doc or ER.

Yes, a stray cat is a different story. I'll be saying a prayer for you both to get through this without any problems.

Thanks Cat Lady----------she's a good girl, she was just very sore. My nephew was petting her, and she doesn't like young kids. He's really 20 years old, but teenagers have jerky moves sometimes startling her. She doesn't like small children-----ages 3 to 10...somewhere around there, so I don't know why she nipped at my nephew Jeremy. I think she was a bit spooked about the whole vet visit. It's weird because she was very good at the vet, and the Doc there said she didn't even try to bite them. Maybe she was mad because I took her there and they poked her. She's never nipped anyone---not even young kids. She would hiss at little kids, and I think I know why. When we got her as a kitten, the tip of her tail was broken. They had a house full of little toddlers----it must have been a day care. One of the kids must have broken her tail.

I hope you and your daughter are doing OK now Babette.

HUGS to all of you who were so kind to offer your suggestions. The wound is almost gone, so I didn't call the doc. I think my constant cleaning, and the fact that I cleaned it right away, then used peroxide, and alcohol helped. The antibiotics may have helped too, but sometimes docs say topical antibiotics keep the wound too moist, and this is an invitation for more bacteria.

Maxine :0)

[sue1234]

Okay, I am NOT touching a cat if I see one this evening!!!

Hope y'all are all on the mend. I had to have the rabies shots back in the 1970s. We lived in Thailand at the time and a neighbor's dog had lightly bitten me. Being in a foreign country, the doctors decided I should get the shots.

[Maxine]

Thanks Sue1234!

Wow, what an experience for you!..........

Take care,

Maxine :0)

[blhorn]

Maxine,

No to be a pest, but when my new kitten bit me I totally submerged my hands in peroxide and also used antibiotic ointment then bandaged daily. My hands looked bit and scrached but not infected. Your doc may disagree, but mine said antibiotics were the standard even with the peroxide and all... You never know what bacteria was on the end of her tooth.

By the way she is a sweetheart!

blhorn

[Maxine]

Thank blhorn!

Right now the only thing left is a tiny scar-----AND believe it or not irratation where I put a bandaid. How crazy is that?! It itches there a bit, and it developed a rash shaped like the bandaid.

I have taken my my temperature for about 7 days, and it was always around 97.5----normal range.

My hands are so dry from using peroxide, alcohol, and antibiotic ointment. The ointment was only used on the small wound. My hands got so dry from washing them so much------------I bought some Honey House Naturals Bee Bar. It's a bar of bee's wax with lavender. I'll be using this to get some moisture back into my hands.

I did wash my wound right away, but I can understand why a doc would want to prescribe antibiotics. Fortunately, it looks like it's healing well. (knock on wood).

She's already looking better. She is on a special diet along with her medication to kill off her thyroid. She loves the new food, and eats a lot of it. She ate her Iams before, but this food has less protein, and more fat. The vet said she has to have less protein due to her low functioning kidneys. She said her kidneys were small.

Take care----and thanks again!

Maxine :0)