Can you get a bone infection from a cat bite?
Cat bites tend to cause bone infections, I learned, not only because of the depth of the injury but also because most bites occur on the hands, where the bones and joints are accessible. In those cases, the wound must be cleaned out surgically.
Can you get osteomyelitis from a cat bite?
Cat bite wounds of the hand are frequently associated with soft tissue infection of the injured part. Osteomyelitis is a less common complication but the sharp slender fangs of the cat may predispose to this complication by causing deposition of organisms into underlying bone.
How serious can a cat bite infection be?
Cat bites with infections can become not only painful, but also red or discolored, and swollen. If left untreated, cat bite infections can spread to other parts of the body, causing a condition called septicemia (blood poisoning), which requires hospitalization. In rare cases, these infections can be fatal.
Why is my hand swollen after cat bite?
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).
How long does an infected cat bite take to heal?
They are highly likely to become infected. Most wounds heal within 10 days. But an infection can occur even with proper treatment. So be sure to check the wound daily for signs of infection (see below).
How do you treat a cat bite on the hand?
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.
Can a cat bite you in the hand?
Cats do too, and when they strike a hand, can inject bacteria deep into joints and tissue, perfect breeding grounds for infection. Cat bites to the hand are so dangerous, 1 in 3 patients with such wounds had to be hospitalized, a Mayo Clinic study covering three years showed. Two-third of those hospitalized needed surgery.
Can a cat bite cause a serious infection?
Cat bites to the hand can cause serious infections, Mayo study finds. The study, published in the February issue of the Journal of Hand Surgery, found that almost a third of the people who sought treatment at the Mayo Clinic for a cat bite to the hand during a recent three-year period had to be hospitalized.
Can a dog bite the hand that feeds it?
Rochester, Minn. — Feb. 5, 2014 — Dogs aren’t the only pets who sometimes bite the hands that feed them. Cats do too, and when they strike a hand, can inject bacteria deep into joints and tissue, perfect breeding grounds for infection.
What kind of bacteria is in a cat bite?
Bite wounds contain a mixture of bacteria from the cat’s mouth and from the patient’s skin, and cats’ sharp narrow teeth produce deep puncture wounds, with a high risk of infection and abscess. The most common organism found in infected cat bite wounds is Pasteurella multocida.
