Cat Scratch First Aid

Washing your hands is the first step leading to successful cat scratch treatment.

Cat scratch first aid.

Then rinse your wound with warm water and start cleaning the injured area with soap. First aid for cat scratches. Any bee sting or insect bite has the potential to cause problems ranging from a minor local reaction pain swelling or itching to a more serious one hives facial swelling vomiting trouble breathing and in rare cases collapse. Our family board cats in our house.

If the cat s owner is around instruct him or her to secure the cat. Clean your hands in great detail with warm or hot water for at least 20 seconds not forgetting the areas between your fingers and under the nails. Depending on the severity of the scratch and whether it was accompanied by a bite the animal may need to be identified and quarantined or tested for signs of disease such. If an unknown or feral cat scratches you levy recommends using the same first aid treatment but also enlisting the help of animal control or your local health department.

Animal bites and scratches even minor ones can sometimes lead to complications. If a cat scratches or bites you you need to act quickly to prevent. Besides the scratch providing an opening for germs to enter your body cats sometimes carry a bacterium called bartonella henselae even though most of them don t actually show signs of illness. Cats may bite or scratch if frightened or their kittens are threatened so leave them alone.

Some bites especially from cats can get infected by bacteria from the animal s mouth. Henselae is transmitted by fleas and when cats scratch at them this bacterium can get trapped under their claws when the cat scratches you there is a chance that same bacterium could enter your. We have at any time between 10 to 20 cats with us in our home. What you should do for a cat bite or scratch.

By mychelle blake cat behavior consultant. If not move the patient to a safe location. Taking proper care of a cat scratch is important as it s not uncommon for a simple scratch to become infected. Move one away from the other.

Next is a fever fatigue red eye joint pain and sore throat. They can coil around you alluringly but they also can scratch and bite. Cat scratches is just part of. Secure the cat or the patient or both.

The first sign of cat scratch disease in humans is usually a small swelling at the region of the cat scratch or bite followed by enlarged lymph glands in the armpits groin or neck. The following are common feline emergencies and instructions for first aid. If you live or work around cats it s inevitable that you ll get scratched one day even if it s just accidentally.