What happens if a cat scratches your wrist?
These wounds can sometimes sting, bleed, and even become infected. Both feral and domesticated cats may also transmit certain viruses and bacteria when they scratch human skin. Some of the possible health complications include: cat-scratch fever (also called cat-scratch disease)
What happens if a cat scratches you and draws blood?
An infected cat bite wound will be red, swollen, and painful, and the infection can spread through the surrounding tissues, causing a condition called cellulitis, or through the blood to other areas of the body, causing a condition called septicemia (often called blood poisoning).
When should I be concerned about a cat scratch?
Call your family doctor if you notice any of the following problems: A cat scratch or bite that is not healing. A red area around a cat scratch or bite that continues to get bigger for more than 2 days after the injury. Fever that lasts for several days after a cat scratch or bite.
Why is there a bump where my cat scratched me?
The first sign of a cat scratch infection is a blister or a small bump several days after the scratch or bite. It may look like a bug bite. Within a couple of weeks of a scratch or bite, one or more lymph nodes close to this area will swell and become tender.
What does an infected cat scratch look like?
The infected area may appear swollen and red with round, raised lesions and can have pus. A person with CSD may also have a fever, headache, poor appetite, and exhaustion. Later, the person’s lymph nodes near the original scratch or bite can become swollen, tender, or painful.
Can you get sepsis from a cat scratch?
A good cleaning and perhaps antibiotic ointment often takes care of the wound, but sometimes, these bites and scratches can result in a bacterial infection. Occasionally, these infections can trigger sepsis.
What diseases can you get from cat scratches?
Cat scratch fever, also called cat scratch disease (CSD), is a bacterial infection. The disease gets its name because people contract it from cats infected with Bartonella henselae bacteria….Who is at risk for cat scratch fever?
- cancer.
- diabetes.
- HIV or AIDS.
- transplanted organs.
Do cats have rabies in their claws?
Some cats get germs under their claws that can cause “cat scratch fever” and other illnesses, including rabies, tetanus, ringworm or other bacterial infections. These can be treated with antibiotics. However, before visiting the vet, you need to apply first aid to your scratch.
How can you tell if a cat scratched your arm?
If the scratch is on your arm, the glands in your armpit or near your elbow may become tender and swollen. A cat scratch or bite that is not healing. A red area around a cat scratch or bite that continues to get bigger for more than 2 days after the injury. Fever that lasts for several days after a cat scratch or bite.
How do you get a cat scratch off your hand?
Wash your hands using soap and warm (or hot) water for at least 20 seconds. Be sure to clean between your fingers and under your fingernails. Then rinse your hands well with clean water. [3] Rinse the wound. Use clean running water from your faucet to rinse the cat scratch and the area around it.
How do I know if my cat has scratch disease?
These are the most common symptoms of cat scratch disease: A cat bite or scratch that becomes reddened or swollen within a few days and does not heal or worsens over time Painful or swollen glands, especially under the arms (if scratched on the arm or hand), or in the groin (if scratched on the foot or leg)
Can a cat scratch cause an enlarged lymph node?
An enlarged lymph node in the armpit region of a person with cat-scratch disease, and wounds from a cat scratch on the hand. Cat-scratch disease (CSD) is a bacterial infection spread by cats. The disease spreads when an infected cat licks a person’s open wound, or bites or scratches a person hard enough to break the surface of the skin.