4th ed., Gainesville Fla.: Barmarrae Books; 2003. . If you dont know the rabies status of the animal, try to locate it and call animal control. Mr. H noted a progression of redness and swelling over the past three days, and admitted inconsistent use of the sling. And while cuts. Dont try to capture the cat yourself. and But bewareyour cat can make you sick. He described a nonradiating pain in the tip of the second digit with limited flexion. When the injury has occurred, wash the wound with soap and then apply antiseptics. J Hand Surg Am. If you suspect youve been bitten by a bat, its important to seek medical attention as soon as, Healthline has strict sourcing guidelines and relies on peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical associations. Use for phrases Nine patients (Group B) presented later than 48 hours. You may need to begin rabies treatment if the cat thats bitten you shows any rabies symptoms. We do not control or have responsibility for the content of any third-party site. Not all cat bites lead to infection, but enough do to warrant caution. Here's how. Can antioxidants supercharge your brain power? If you decide to delay medical care, watch closely for signs of infection. . In most cases, bites that were positioned directly over the wrist or another joint were more likely to result in hospitalization than bites to soft tissue, the researchers said. The Conscious Cat is a comprehensive resource for conscious living, health and happiness for cats and their humans. Before The study showed that administering antibiotics failed in 21 of the 193 patients, who later received treatment in the hospital. Lim JS, et al. There is not very much bloodflow to the tendon sheath. Additionally, cats' mouths carry a large number of bacteria which can cause serious infections in bite wounds. An infectious disease consultation was ordered. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there are only 1 to 3 cases in the United States each year. The hand should be splinted in the functional position and elevated. 2017 Dr. Brandon P. Donnelly Dr. Brandon P. Donnelly | Board Certified Orthopedic Surgeon. official website and that any information you provide is encrypted If you have been bitten by a cat, seeyour doctor or visit anurgent care facility. J Hand Surg Am. Brought to you by Merck & Co, Inc., Rahway, NJ, USA (known as MSD outside the US and Canada) dedicated to using leading-edge science to save and improve lives around the world. According to a study in the New England Journal of Medicine, the average patient with a cat bite first noticed their infections about 12 hours after the bite. What is the potential risk associated with cat bites? doi: 10.2106/JBJS.OA.21.00084. We cannot answer questions about whether your bite needs medical attention in the comments section. Tenderness along the course of a tendon suggests spread to the tendon sheath. Does vitamin D play a role in your risk of dying from cancer? On physical examination, BP was 118/80, pulse 106, respiratory rate 20 breaths per minute, temperature 99.9F, and pulse oxygenation 98%. For 14 percent of these patients, outpatient treatment with antibiotics didn't work and they needed to be hospitalized. Therefore, its important to get an infection from a cat bite treated. From the November 01, 2010 Issue of Clinical Advisor, Continuing Medical Education (CME/CE) Courses. for two weeks. (2016). o [ abdominal pain pediatric ] 1984 May;63(3):133-54. The CDC says that the incubation period for rabies (time between exposure and the appearance of symptoms) can be weeks to months. Which means there are very few white blood cells to fight the bacteria, and they have an easy time infecting your tendon cells. (2016). If left untreated, cat bite infections can spread to other parts of the body, causing a condition called septicemia (blood poisoning), which requires hospitalization. Bliss 101 Registered User regular. Mr. H. was then sent for immediate orthopedic surgical evaluation. Bothun said she waited one week after her black cat, Mr. Binks, bit her hand to go to Saint Mary's Hospital, part of the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. Rabies is caused by a virus and can be transmitted by bites and scratches from an infected animal, often a dog. Your sharp, long teeth can leave deep punctate injuries. Once symptoms are present, rabies is typically fatal. Cat bite; animal bite; infection. Can low vitamin D increase risk of cancer? Bothun said she still feels pain in her wrist and does not have full movement. You should also teach children how to properly handle pets and to make sure they arent doing anything to unintentionally hurt or scare a cat. J Am Acad Orthop Surg. A dogs powerful jaws and blunt teeth tend to leave a larger wound, but they dont penetrate as deeply. 2014 Feb;39(2):286-90. doi: 10.1016/j.jhsa.2013.11.003. Sources: Babovic N, Carlsen BT, Cayci C. Cat Bite Infections of the Hand: Assessment of Morbidity and Predictors of Severe Infection. 2022 Oct;35(5):498-499. doi: 10.37201/req/009.2022. In severe cases, surgery may be . Results: Cat bites are about twice as likely as dog bites to get infected. Brandon P. Donnelly, MD When To Worry The wrist or any joint in the fingers are usually the worst places to be wounded - and that's just where most people get bitten by cats. Millions of people are bitten by animals every year, mainly by dogs. Ellis R, et al. Our website services, content, and products are for informational purposes only. Diabetic fingers with established peripheral neuropathy were more likely to undergo amputation. Unauthorized use of these marks is strictly prohibited. In fact, the infection rate from a cat bite is fairly high. Unauthorized use of these marks is strictly prohibited. Accessibility While 3-18 percent of dog bites become infected, another study reported a staggering 28-80 percent cat bite infection rate. A doctor will likely prescribe antibiotics to fight off the infection. In the study, researchers identified 193 Mayo Clinic patients with cat bites to the hand from January 1, 2009, through 2011. Rapidly Progressive Infection of Hand After a Cat Bite. This site needs JavaScript to work properly. Mr. H was discharged the next day and told to return to the infusion center every day for the next two weeks for IV Rocephin. Please login or register first to view this content. The list above outlines the symptoms of an infected bite. (2018). Please enable it to take advantage of the complete set of features! The researchers said 57 of the patients who were bitten needed to be hospitalized, but only 36 had been admitted immediately after seeking medical treatment. Immunocompromised people are at a higher risk of developing a severe infection from these bacteria. Mean length of hospital stay was 3.4 days in Group A, and 9.2 days in Group B, (p < .01). The bacteria injected by a cat bite can include a strain common in animals and particularly hard to fight with antibiotics, he says. Cat bites are serious! She said what followed was eight weeks in and out of the hospital, two weeks of surgery every other day to flush the infection out of the wound and remove infected tissue, and antibiotics to treat the rampant infection. Mr. H was unable to perform full flexion of the second digit. Diagnosis of Ligament and Tendon Conditions in Cats A regular cat bite that just breaks the skin isn't really anything to worry about. Treatment for wrist tendonitis can include rest, icing, anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), hand therapy, and cortisone injections. You may have to try a few different chemical and nonchemical approaches to get rid of bedbugs, especially if you have a large infestation. Tendons can rupture and may require surgery. The PubMed wordmark and PubMed logo are registered trademarks of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Debridement including removal of foreign material associated with open fractures and or dislocations; skin, subcutaneous tissue, muscle fascia, muscle, and bone (11012) Debridement; skin, subcutaneous tissue, and muscle (11043) Debridement; skin, subcutaneous tissue, muscle, and bone (11044) Excisional preparation or creation of recipient site . In the case of dogs and cats, thats not always the case. Patient demographics, medical history, physical examination findings, laboratory values, and long-term follow-up data were collected. PEP isnt generally needed if the cat isnt showing signs of rabies, but the cat should be monitored for at least 10 days to be sure. For an infection to set in, bacteria need time to get settled and multiply in your body which is why there is a delay between a bite and any infection symptoms. - dog bite: - consider viridans strep, pasteurella multocida, bacteroides, fusobacterium, capnocytophaga; - prophylactic treatment: augmentin / amoxicillin or with allergy ( cipro + clindamycin) Sbai MA, et al. Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. 2005 - 2023 WebMD LLC. . Instead, call the animal control office in your area. In more extreme cases, redirected aggression can cause a cat to lash out at her guardian and cause severe damage. Check for signs such as bruising, punctured skin, bleeding, and objects stuck in the wound. Source: Bacteriologic Analysis of Infected Dog and Cat Bites. Cat bites to the hand can be especially dangerous since tendon sheaths and joints are close to the surface in the hand and cat bites penetrate deeply. Some bruising may develop, but the wound should heal within a week to 10 days. Wound cultures were significant for Pasteurella multocida. You need to remove the . Open wound of wrist, hand and fingers ( S61) S61.451A is a billable ICD-10 code used to specify a medical diagnosis of open bite of right hand, initial encounter. Copyright 2014 American Society for Surgery of the Hand. To care for your wound at home, follow these steps: If the following symptoms occur, seek medical attention: If you have a pet cat, make sure to take them to regular veterinary visits to stay updated on vaccines. If the wound is bleeding, dont stop blood flow; in fact, try to encourage bleeding by gently pressing the area around the wound. Tendon rupture: When a tendon separates from the tissue, in part or completely, it is supposed to be attached to, a tendon rupture occurs. doi: 10.1097/GOX.0000000000003778. Nelson CA, et al. Dog bites take about twice as long to set in. Immediately wash the wound under running water. National Library of Medicine The right arm was placed in a sling for elevation of the extremity. J Hand Surg Am. An infection from a cat bite can lead to more serious complications if not treated right away. Source: The management of bite wounds in children--a retrospective analysis at a level I trauma centre. cat bite wrist tendonjameel disu biography. According to a Mayo Clinic review of records for 193 cat bite victims, 36 were immediately admitted to the hospital, where they stayed an average of three days. She said because she was uninsured the hospital wrote off some of the bill but she is still making payments. The small but deep puncture wounds are. BP was 120/78 mm Hg, pulse 98 beats per minute, pulse oxygenation 97%, temperature 98.8F, and weight 290 lbs. Cat Bite Cellulitis Nadia F. from ePlasty. Tendon necrosis and rupture; Hand dysfunction; Amputation; Systemic infection ~75% of cases are associated with antecedent injury. (See also complex read more .). Stay away from stray or feral cats. If the cat who bit you was not current on his rabies vaccination or was a stray with unknown vaccination status, you may need to undergo prophylactic treatment for rabies. Though cats are soft and cuddly, they may bite or scratch when theyre spooked. Nerve injury: It's possible for the nerves to be damaged when a cat bites you. Pediatrics in review. Common symptoms are localized bone pain and tenderness with constitutional symptoms (in acute read more . Signs and Symptoms Signs that your bite may be infected include: Swelling Redness Warmth Continued pain beyond 24 hours Drainage from the wound Signs that your infection may be spreading include: Red streaks up the arm or forearm Swollen glands around the elbow or in the armpit Fever Tiredness Night sweats Shakes (2014). 28 Dog bites cause approximately 0.4 percent of emergency department visits and account for 60. Cat bite - what to do? Tendon and tissue damage. When cats do bite, the majority of the time it's a bite on the hand or the wrist. Dawn Bothun, of Minnesota said a bite on her hand turned into an eight-week hospital ordeal and $150,000 in medical bills. Misunderstanding this risk has led to a worrying number of hospitalizations, as patients require surgery to clean wounds or remove tissue thats become infected. He said people tend to ignore cat bites because they are so small, but they can lead to a laundry list of medical treatments. Risk factors associated with hospitalization included smoking, immunocompromised state, and location of bite over a joint or tendon sheath. Most cat bites are treated with antibiotics, with penicillin being the most commonly used drug. Any time the skin is punctured, you will experience some level of discomfort, but this initial pain should subside. If the patient is allergic to penicillin, clindamycin 300 mg orally every 6 hours can be used. Cat-scratch disease in the United States, 20052013. Some people need surgery, though. "I thought I could manage them on my own but I couldn't move my wrist after a week.". All rights reserved. Small but deep punctures there led to a higher risk of hospitalization than bites into soft tissue, according to the study. Bethesda, MD 20894, Web Policies Bats are one of the most common carriers of rabies. A three-year Mayo Clinic study of nearly 200 cases between 2009-2011 found that one third of patients suffering from cat bite infections were hospitalized and two-thirds of those patients required surgery. Frost Bite most commonly injures your ears and nose. Epidemiology SUNDAY, Feb. 9, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Cat bites may look less serious than dog bites, but beware: They can cause dangerous infections, particularly when they involve the hand, new research indicates.