A cat scratched and what can you get from it. cat scratch disease

In the article I will talk about what consequences arise, and what to do if you were scratched by a cat to the point of blood. I will point out the diseases that cats can carry. I will describe what needs to be done and how to properly provide first aid after scratching an animal.

Cat scratches are common injuries that can cause a number of complications.

Don't underestimate pet scratches, they can affect your health. To protect yourself from possible complications, you should treat the wound. Be careful when petting not only a pet, but also a street animal.

First aid

If you have been scratched by a cat, you should immediately wash the damaged skin. This requires boiled water and soap, after the damage should be treated with an antiseptic.

It could be:

• miramistin;
• hydrogen peroxide;
• another remedy is an antiseptic.

Pay attention to the fact that the drug should not contain alcohol. The wound should be treated with alcohol-containing solutions only around the scratched area. If alcohol gets on it, you will burn the tissue. In the case when the wound is deep and the skin is severely damaged, it is necessary to apply a bandage.

When the wound dries up, wound healing preparations should be applied that promote skin regeneration. It takes several days to observe the damage.

When the wound is swollen and inflamed

If the wound is bleeding, and its edges are swollen and reddened, an ointment containing an antibiotic should be used. If you do not notice any changes and the ointment does not promote wound healing, consult a doctor immediately.

It is necessary to consult the attending physician if blisters and ulcers appear on the site of scratched skin. These symptoms may indicate a disease.

Benign lymphoreticulosis is an infectious disease that is common in animals. Fleas are carriers of diseases.

The pet itself is healthy, it transmits the infection through bites and scratches.

To avoid the disease, the pet should not allow their appearance.

If there is a small child in the house, do not leave him unattended with a pet. Through a scratch, a child can become infected with tetanus, watch the baby's wound for several days. If a tumor appears and the wound becomes inflamed, consult a doctor immediately.

Why are cat scratches dangerous?

Street cats occasionally scratch children, usually they flee. But if the child managed to grab a street animal, it will certainly scratch him, hoping to escape. With a scratch, a child can become infected with "" (BCC). A street cat is a carrier of this disease.

In 90-95% of lesions heal, there is no need for treatment. But in 5% the disease can progress. Where the cat scratched, the wound begins to fester. The baby's temperature rises to 39-40 degrees, the lymph nodes become inflamed. The treatment lasts more than five days, the doctor prescribes antibiotics.

Veterinarians say that this disease is also inherent in domestic cats that do not walk on the street.

Earth collects in the hollow claws of a domestic animal. After all, the animal can rummage where indoor plants are planted, collect dust and dirt.

In most cases, the scratches of the animal pass without a trace, especially on the hands, the wound heals. But in 5%, an animal can infect both a child and an adult. When the first symptoms of the disease appear, you should immediately consult a doctor.

Possible dangerous infections through cat scratches.

The cat is one of the most beloved pets. Many owners find them full-fledged and full members of the family. But in our time there are a lot of homeless animals that live on the street and can show aggression. Scratches or bites from such a cat, in some cases, are a serious danger to humans. The manifestation of aggression is sometimes found in pets.

Why are cat scratches dangerous for humans?

• The marks left on the body of the owner by cute cat claws are not so harmless
• Their consequences can lead to a serious ailment called cat scratch disease - "CTS"
• A cat with felinosis, having bitten, scratched or licked a person, can “reward” him with this bacterial disease
• Curved claws of a pet violate the protective layer of the epidermis, which contributes to the spread of pathogenic bacteria around the affected area
• As the disease progresses, painful enlargement of the lymph nodes occurs.

Video: The most dangerous scratches

Why do bites and scratches from a cat take a long time to heal?

• Unlike other skin lesions, cat scratches penetrate deep into the skin, tearing several layers of skin at once.
• Ragged wounds heal harder, and are much more painful for a person than even ones.
• A deep scratch forms a closed lesion, in which bacteria and microbes accumulate, brought in by dirty cat nails - this makes the wound difficult to access for treatment and treatment.
• The damaged area must not only be overgrown with new tissue, but also cleaned of infection, dirt, and when pus forms, the body will also have to deal with it.

How to quickly heal bites and scratches from a cat, cat claws?

Modern pharmaceutical remedies for bites and scratches of pets are available in the form of powders, ointments, liquids. Some of them help faster, others slower. In many ways, healing depends on the characteristics of the skin and the human body as a whole.
One of the conditions for speedy healing is the timely treatment of the resulting damage.
The simplest and most effective means is hydrogen peroxide.

• It is enough immediately, after receiving an injury, to apply this remedy to the wound, as the process of neutralizing harmful bacteria and blood clotting will immediately begin.
• In addition, peroxide at the cellular level heals the wound and quickly restores the epidermis.
• Thanks to these properties, the damaged area heals very quickly. A few days after application, there is no trace of a scratch.

Is it possible to get rabies, HIV through a scratch of a cat?

1. Rabies is transmitted only from a sick animal. When the virus of this disease multiplies, the cat becomes aggressive, saliva flows in a stream from the oral cavity. It is she who contains the rabies virus. Through the claws of an animal it is impossible to get infected, the virus can only spread through a bite or when infected saliva comes into contact with a scratch.
2. HIV infection through a cat scratch possible, but very small. This can only happen if:

• The cat will scratch with claws stained with fresh blood of the patient within 8 minutes after the blood with the immunodeficiency virus hits the cat's claws. Since it is such a period of time that the virus lives outside the carrier
• According to experts, feline HIV is not transmitted to humans in any form.

A cat scratched - irritation, inflammation and suppuration of a scratch: how to treat?

If the scratch is not treated in time and correctly, the inflammatory process begins in 1.5-2 hours.

If visible symptoms of inflammation are detected, we take urgent measures:

1. We disinfect the affected areas with chlorhexidine or miramistin
2. We apply a gauze bandage with Levomekol
3. After 3-4 days after the reduction of edema and redness, we stop treatment with Levomekol. We begin to lubricate the wounds with Solcoseryl ointment, at least 5 times a day
4. After another 7 days, we apply Contractubex or Mederma to the remaining scars. Rub 2-3 times a day until complete healing

Important: With severe inflammation, swelling, fever, the appearance of pus, after a few days, we turn to the doctor.

How to treat bites and scratches from a cat?

It is possible to reduce the consequences of cat bites and scratches, to prevent further inflammation and swelling, with the correct and timely treatment of the damaged area.

• First, we wash the scar with purified cool water and soapy water, preferably household.
• Next, we process it with a three percent solution of hydrogen peroxide. We repeat the procedure several times.
• Then we lubricate the edges with any alcohol-containing agent:

1. iodine
2. Fucorcin
3. Brilliant green

• Alcohol solutions should not get inside the abrasion, as this can lead to burns.

Video: The cat scratched his hand - what to do?

Ointments for cat bites and scratches: list, instructions for use

• Miramistin- has antiseptic properties. It is considered an ideal remedy for preventing the inflammatory process and the formation of pus in scratches caused by a cat. Apply the drug directly to the damaged area or to a sterile dressing 1-2 times a day. Application per day should not exceed 100 g. The duration of therapy depends on the condition of the affected area.
• Levomekol- has an antibacterial effect. The ointment contains an antibiotic that promotes the rapid healing of scratches and enhances the regeneration of the epidermis. Apply in the presence of suppuration or pathogens. Apply a thin layer on the abrasion, cover with a sterile bandage. Repeat the procedure one to three times a day.
• Rescuer- the most famous and popular balm for the treatment of any scratches.
  The drug, in addition to accelerating the process of scarring of the wound, anesthetizes well. Apply directly to the affected area at least 3 times a day. In the absence of an allergy to the agent, it can be used as needed without restriction.
• Solcoseryl- excellent, quickly healing cat scratches, tool. It helps to absorb oxygen by the cells of the epidermis, initiates the metabolic process in the damaged area, activating its recovery. A particular advantage is the ability to increase collagen synthesis, which has a huge impact on the traceless scarring of deep scratches.
  Use the ointment only on a dried wound in the healing stage. Since it does not have an antimicrobial effect, it cannot be applied to an undisinfected purulent inflammation. Apply a small amount to the treated wound, cover with a sterile dressing. Dressing is enough to do 1 time per day.
• Actovegin- an effective drug to combat inflammatory processes of the skin. Perfectly treats even very large and deep scratches. Apply directly to the wound, cover with a sterile bandage. Repeat the procedure until complete healing 1 time per day.

To avoid serious consequences after cat scratches, follow preventive measures for pets:

1. Visit your veterinarian regularly to monitor your health
2. Keep all necessary vaccinations up to date
3. Check your pet for fleas
4. Give the cat a claw point

If scratched stray cat:

1. Treat the wound as suggested above
2. Immediately go to the emergency room for anti-rabies therapy

Video: Cat scratch disease

Communication with cats is one of the few pleasures that almost every person can afford. And it's really amazing! They can simply be stroked, talked or played with. But games with cats are not always safe, because in addition to beautiful eyes, fur and good morals, the cat's paws are equipped with sharp claws. What to do if a cat scratched, and the injured place became inflamed and hurts - our veterinarian - Alexander Khamitov will tell.

Cat scratches are not so harmless. Any skin defect obtained from sharp claws must be treated! Even if the cat scratched you quite by accident, not from evil, unpleasant consequences can still appear. Therefore, when playing with cats, it is necessary to observe certain precautions, and in case of scratches, know how to give yourself first aid.

Cat's claws are a very formidable weapon.

Measures for disinfection and prevention of scratches:

1. It is necessary to wash the place scratched by the cat as soon as possible, even simple tap water with soap will do for this.
2. If the scratches are very deep in appearance, then they must be treated with some kind of disinfectant, such as hydrogen peroxide or an alcohol solution.
3. On shallow and mild scratches after pre-treatment, it is worth applying some kind of wound healing cream or just a herbal cream.
4. In order to prevent the entry of dirt and microorganisms from the environment into the wound, it is necessary to apply a light bandage. In addition, according to eyewitnesses, after that the pain subsides a little and there is less chance of accidentally “catching a wound” somewhere.
5. Over the next few days, you need to monitor the standing of scratches. As a rule, improvements are noticeable already on the 2-3rd day. Otherwise, if there is swelling, noticeable redness, soreness, or a rise in body temperature, you should consult a doctor, as these symptoms may indicate the onset of the disease.

As for point 5, then perhaps we are talking about such an unusual disease as cat scratches, or as it is also called scientifically -.

cat scratch disease

The fact is that the so-called bartonella stick lives in the saliva of cats, which, getting into the tissues when scratching or biting a person, reaches the nearest lymph node and infects it, as a result of which it becomes inflamed.

In the future, it enters the bloodstream and the infection spreads throughout the human body.

The insidiousness of cat scratch disease is that with a short incubation period (from 2 to 20 days), it develops rather slowly and sluggishly, and a person does not always take its symptoms seriously.

Symptoms of cat scratches

• Redness of the place where the cat has scratched.
• The formation of blisters with a clear liquid at the site of scratches, which gradually burst and a crust forms in their place.
• Enlargement of the lymph node closest to the scratch.
• Temperature rise.
• General malaise, weakness, headache.

In the inflamed lymph node, the process proceeds for about 5-6 months, after which the inflammation gradually subsides, and the enlarged lymph node takes on almost the same size.

Scratches are a common thing for almost every cat owner. They usually heal quickly and are forgotten almost immediately. But what to do if the cat scratched and the hand swelled up, but this did not happen before. Is it dangerous and how to help yourself in such a situation?

Possible consequences

At first glance, scratches do not pose any danger. Indeed, in most cases, they do not cause trouble, with the exception of an external defect. It is quite difficult to avoid scratches with constant contact and active games with a pet.

But scratches from cat claws can be dangerous. There is a disease called cat-scratch fever, or felinosis. It appears due to bites or scratches of cats. And if the hand is swollen after the cat has scratched, then it is highly likely that you are faced with this particular disease.

Main symptoms of cat-scratch fever:

• tissue redness;
• swelling of the injured area;
• bubbles with liquid on the surface of the wound and around it;
• swollen lymph nodes (nearby);
• increased weakness, drowsiness;
• headache;
• increase in body temperature.

Symptoms may not appear immediately after infection. The first signs may appear 3 days after the scratch has been applied. In some cases, more than a month may pass from the moment of injury to the onset of the disease. Therefore, often a person may not see the relationship between the onset of feeling unwell and the cat incident.

In most cases, the prognosis for recovery is favorable. But, in about 2% of those infected, complications may occur. Therefore, it is important to monitor changes in well-being after the cat has scratched, and consult a doctor in a timely manner.

Causes for concern

Cats quite often can scratch or bite their owners badly during games. It becomes almost a familiar part of communicating with a pet. Most often, the hands and fingers are affected, less often the legs and torso.

Closer attention to the scratch should be paid if:

• a street cat scratched;
• the scratch was caused by an unvaccinated cat;
• bleeding does not stop for more than 10 minutes;
• the wound hurts, blood, pus, ichor is released from it;
• bubbles appear in the scratch area;
• the skin around the scratch is swollen and reddened;
• the temperature rises;
• weakness appears;
• enlarged lymph nodes.

What not to do

If you have been scratched or bitten by a cat, then it is quite possible to provide yourself with the first necessary assistance on your own. But you need not to overdo it, as some actions can only aggravate the condition. To heal quickly and without consequences, remember that:

• You don't need to stop the bleeding. With the first drops of blood, an infection can potentially come out and inflammation can be avoided.
• Do not apply a tight bandage, and do not cover the wound with a dressing. This increases the likelihood of inflammation and suppuration.
• You do not need to remove the puffiness that has appeared on your own. Swelling of the tissues indicates a high probability of developing an infection in the place where the cat scratched you. Delaying seeking medical attention can lead to the need for serious medical intervention.

First aid and treatment

To prevent infection, and the hand subsequently does not swell, it is necessary to take first aid measures.

As soon as the cat scratched:

• Wash the wound with plain water, preferably using regular or laundry soap.
• Treat the scratch with a disinfectant (alcohol, hydrogen peroxide, chlorhexidine).
• Treat the wound with an antibacterial or healing agent (cream, ointment).
• Apply a light bandage with a bandage. It should serve as protection against possible re-injury, and should not be tight.

Within a few days, after the cat scratched, you need to monitor how the healing is going. In most cases, this happens quickly, and after one or two days the scratch is almost completely healed. But if the hand is swollen and reddened, then you should immediately seek medical help. This may indicate infection and the development of a pathological process. This condition must be treated promptly.

If scratched or bitten by a cat? The causative agent of the disease equally affects both animals and humans. At the same time, you can get rabies from a cat only through bites; infection never occurs from scratches. All this is due to the characteristics of the virus itself.

The virus is not able to survive in the open air. It also quickly dies in weakly alkaline or slightly acidic environments, but it can withstand more than a day in gastric juice and several hours in the intestines, so sometimes cats become infected by eating rodents that died from rabies. But rabies is transmitted from cat to human only through a bite.

Distribution and pathogenesis

The pathogen is transmitted by bites, after which the first sign may be itching in the area of ​​​​the bite. The virus multiplies on the cells of the nervous tissue, through which it is transmitted, gradually rising to the central nervous system (spine, and then the brain). In addition, the pathogen can also be carried with the blood or lymph flow, but this is only an additional way.

When a cell is damaged, the virus releases neurotoxins, which cause the symptoms characteristic of rabies. The pathogen affects all nerves, not just the central nervous system, in particular, it affects the nerve nodes of the salivary glands, which causes severe salivation. At the same time, it penetrates into the salivary glands themselves.

The incubation period in cats lasts from 3 days to 3 weeks, and in humans from 10 days to 2 months. The virus is found in saliva 8-10 days before the onset of the first symptoms. At the same time, there are cases when the incubation period was reduced to one day for a cat and up to 5 days for a person, or, conversely, was extended by several years.

Probability of infection

Even after being bitten by a cat infected with rabies, the chance of getting the disease is 30-50%. This is due to the fact that the virus remains on the wound itself for some time and does not penetrate inside, respectively, if a person has disinfected the wound, then the likelihood of infection is reduced. In addition, your own immunity also has an impact. In addition, the pet is not always able to bite through the clothes of a person.

If a person was scratched by a cat, then the chances are almost zero. The virus does not survive outdoors, including on skin or claws. But at the same time, you need to understand that the saliva of a sick animal often fills the entire lower jaw, dewlap, and sometimes gets on the front paws.

Contact of saliva on the front paw with an open wound (from a claw) can cause infection. But in this case, the virus will be weakened by exposure to UV radiation, and the contact will last a fraction of a second, so the amount of pathogen that has penetrated will be minimal. So infection through a scratch, although theoretically possible, but in practice this never occurs.

Symptoms in cats

Cats suffer from a violent form of rabies. A day before the appearance of a bright clinical picture, pets change in character, become either too sociable or too withdrawn. This period is dangerous because the cat's saliva already contains the virus, but the symptoms are not obvious.

Then comes arousal stage. At the same time, they behave extremely aggressively, attacking a person (and even the owner), dogs, and any other animals. With frenzy they tear chairs, sofas, carpets, the ground and the floor, they gnaw at all objects that come across their eyes, including inedible ones. Of particular danger to humans is the fact that cats often attack silently, so there is no way to prepare and fight back.

The last stage of the disease paralysis and death. First, there is an alternation of excitation and oppression, gradually the periods of oppression are stretched and become more frequent. At the same time, paralysis spreads to the whole body, first it touches the lower jaw and larynx (the cat cannot swallow), then the animal's legs fail. Death occurs due to paralysis of the respiratory center or heart.

Signs in a person

Rabies manifests itself in humans, as in all other animals. First, itching appears in the area of ​​​​the bite, pain and cramps in the muscles along the nearest nerves are possible. Usually, 1-3 days before a vivid clinical picture, a person is worried about hidden anxiety, unreasonable fear or severe melancholy.

Z then clear symptoms of rabies develop:

• hydrophobia- the inability to take a sip of water due to panic fear, the muscles of the pharynx and larynx convulsively contract even at the sound of pouring water.
• Photophobia- fear and pain in the eyes from the light, not even too bright. Man hiding in dark rooms
• Acousticophobia- panic and fear from any sounds, sometimes even a slight noise causes a strong negative reaction.

Paralysis gradually develops. First they touch the facial muscles, then they move to the arms and legs. In the end, paralysis passes to the vascular and respiratory nerve center, resulting in death.

Prevention

Preventive measures are divided into two groups: among animals and among people.

Prevention of the spread of rabies in animals:

• capture of stray animals;
• shooting wild animals near large settlements;
• annual vaccination of domestic dogs and cats;
• walking dogs on a leash and in a muzzle, cats on a leash.

Preventive measures - vaccination - among people are carried out only for risk group. This category includes veterinarians, representatives of the animal trapping service, cynologists.