The Dangers of being scratched by a cat – Have you ever been scratched by a cat? If Yes, you probably will feel temporary pain and ignore it even though it could cause complications. It may seem trivial and harmless. However, actually get scratched by a cat can cause disease. Cat scratches or cat bites can cause disease, known as cat scratch fever.
These diseases caused by cat scratches can cause serious complications. How can that be? Cat scratch fever, a disease that appears due to scratched by a cat. Cat scratch fever also known as cat scratch disease (CSD) is a bacterial infection due to get scratched or bitten by a cat.
You can experience this disease from bite or scratches of cats infected with Bartonella henselae. Even this bacterial infection can from the bite of a kitten.
You can also become infected with this disease if the saliva of an infected cat’s entry into an open wound or touched the white part of your eye.
In addition, the bacterial infection from this cat could be carried by fleas and spread to humans via bites or scratches. The disease cannot be transmitted from human to human.
Cat scratch fever can have serious complications such as heart function disorders and brain damage when left untreated. Other side effects include headache, fever, and swollen lymph nodes.
The dangers of being scratched by a cat
Symptoms of a cat infected with bacteria
Cats infected with the B. Henselae bacteria is generally do not cause symptoms or cause a cat sick. This is the reason that you cannot always find out whether the cat is the carrier. The cat may have these bacteria from an infected flea. In very rare cases, humans can be exposed to the bacteria directly from fleas.
Common symptoms of cat scratch fever in humans
- Bumps or blisters are used as bite or clawed cats.
- The lymph nodes that swell in the place of a bite or gets scratched by a cat usually occurs 1-3 week.
- Fatigue.
- Headache.
- Mild fever.
- Stiffness.
Less common symptoms of cat scratch fever
- Lost appetite.
- Weight decrease.
- A sore throat.
Rare symptoms that can be associated with a more severe version of the disease. These symptoms include:
- Back pain.
- Abdominal pain.
- Joint pain.
- The rash.
- Prolonged fever.
- Bumps or blisters can occur on the skin at the site of infection 3-10 days after exposure.
- Other symptoms, such as the lymph nodes that swell, it may not happen for a few days or weeks. The lymph nodes that swell occurs usually between one and three weeks.
Treatment of cat scratch fever
Since most cases of cat scratch fever happens are mild, doctors will not always prescribe treatment. If symptoms are moderate to severe, your doctor will probably prescribe antibiotics. Home treatment for conditions including rest for a few days at home and taking medication pain reliever sold freely, if lymph nodes are painful or very soft.
You can also use over-the-counter anti-inflammatory drugs like ibuprofen or naproxen sodium to reduce swelling and pain. Hot compresses can also help. To deliver a very toned gland and pain, your doctor may insert a needle into it gently and drain the liquid.
If you have problems with your immune system or symptoms you haven’t disappeared in two months, the doctor will probably prescribe antibiotics. This can prevent the infection spread to other places in your body, such as the liver or bone. You may need to take medication for a few months.
Thank you very much for reading Dangers of being scratched by a cat. So don’t ignore it when you get scratched by a cat because the chance of complications can occur, so do the above for prevention and treatment.
