PLEASE PRAY FOR ME: Cat Bite & Rabies Shots!

[moosmom]

Kim,

I got bit by a pregnant stray in Michigan (Remember that Ramanth??). It was a NASTY bite, down to the bone of my right pinky finger. I held it in hydrogen peroxide and put some antibiotic ointment on it and a bandaid. 24 hours later I had a red line going up my arm. Off to the ER. They wanted to do rabies shots and I said no. I told them it was a provoked attack (which is was, a stupid one on my part). They ended up giving me Augmentin, 10 tabs for 10 days at $10 a piece (no medical benefits). That did the trick.

I was in your shoes and my advice would be to take the Augmentin (if that is what the doctor prescribed) or whatever he gave you and forgo the rabies shots. But that is only MY opinion.

I'm so sorry for your pain, girl. It's one of the drawbacks rescue.

[kimlovescats]

Thank you for those who have responded in a supportive way. I just got home from the ER and getting 4 rabies shots. They didn't hurt at all but I was scared to death until that needle went in. The ER doctor was wonderful and told me to watch my hand very closely. They marked the level of swelling and redness on my arm with a pen so I can see if it goes further or reduces. If it spreads at all, I am to come right back to the ER. This is extra important since I am diabetic.

Time was the key here. By the time the cat could potentially have been caught, quarantined, euthanized, tested and the results back in ... I would have missed the safest "window" of time for starting my shots. So far, I feel fine ... just tired from the whole 24 hour ordeal and upset about the fate of this kitty who I only had hoped to help out. I will have to get shots on days 3, 7, 14 and 28 ... but only one shot each time.

Anyway, 2 of my vet's techs offered to take my bottle babies! I was grateful and relieved. After we got back home from the ER we took the kittens to the vet office. Then we we got back home again, the cat was IN THE TRAP! An animal control officer came out right away and took him away. The poor kitty was going nuts in the trap. I felt just awful and came inside and bawled my eyes out. Anyone on PT who thinks this didn't affect me has NO IDEA!

Kim

[Taz_Zoee]

Oh Kim, I got LES hearing about the poor cat. If anything, this is the HARDEST on you. And I would hope everyone here would understand that. We all see how much you help all the animals in your area (as I stated before). Sometimes things are basically out of your control. I know if there was anything you could do for that kitty you would have done it. But your health must come first or other kitties will not receive your loving care.

Hugs to you Kim! I hope you are feeling better real soon.

[caseysmom]

Can they test the kitty so you won't have to have more shots? I am so sorry you are going through this and I agree that does not sound like a safe kitty to be roaming your neighborhood, dangerous cats should be euthanized just like dangerous dogs.

[CathyBogart]

Can they test the kitty so you won't have to have more shots? I am so sorry you are going through this and I agree that does not sound like a safe kitty to be roaming your neighborhood, dangerous cats should be euthanized just like dangerous dogs.

The cat's head will probably be sent in, but it does take awhile to dissect the brain and determine if kitty has rabies, so it's probably best to go for the prophylactic rabies shots.

I'll be getting those soon too, just because I'm working in the clinic. Two weeks ago we had an employee badly bitten by a kitty with no rabies vaccine. BAD NEWS for kitty and his owner, as well as the poor kennel girl who was bitten.

[kimlovescats]

Can they test the kitty so you won't have to have more shots? I am so sorry you are going through this and I agree that does not sound like a safe kitty to be roaming your neighborhood, dangerous cats should be euthanized just like dangerous dogs.

They have to hold him for 3 days to see if an owner shows up. Then after that they have to send the tissue off to a lab for testing. I couldn't afford to waste time ... just in case. Some people don't realize that when a human gets rabies it is a 100% DEATH sentence!!! Don't mess around with bites!

Thank you, each of you for your support. I think the worst is over, just keeping a watchful eye on my hand for signs of the infection spreading. It's still painful and it hurts to type. I'll post an update tomorrow.

Kim

[Catty1]

Oh Kim - I hope you heal soon and am glad the vet techs are going to help your bottle babies!

I DO feel bad for the kitty...he MAY be dangerous, but if he is a stray, he could be sick or injured and had a "pang" just as you were reaching to pat him and ZOW!

I guess when they say they send tissue away...the kitty isn't alive any more....?

Big prayers for you and that kitty!

[krazyaboutkatz]

Kim, I'm so sorry to hear that this has happened. I'm glad that you're starting to feel better and I hope you make a speedy recovery.

[CathyBogart]

I guess when they say they send tissue away...the kitty isn't alive any more....?

It's the brain that gets sent in.

[critters]

Some people don't realize that when a human gets rabies it is a 100% DEATH sentence!!!

Luckily, that's not true, although it's a tough row to hoe. http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5350a1.htm

Don't forget soaks, with or without salt. I've always found that nuking water until it's almost "too hot," then soaking the part until the water doesn't feel warm anymore, and repeated as often as you can, to make a huge difference. If you're not squeamish, you can drain pus that way; regardless, it seems to ease the terrible swollen feel that I find so uncomfortable.

Good luck!

[kimlovescats]

Luckily, that's not true, although it's a tough row to hoe. http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5350a1.htm

Don't forget soaks, with or without salt. I've always found that nuking water until it's almost "too hot," then soaking the part until the water doesn't feel warm anymore, and repeated as often as you can, to make a huge difference. If you're not squeamish, you can drain pus that way; regardless, it seems to ease the terrible swollen feel that I find so uncomfortable.

Good luck!

Here is an excerpt from that link:

This case represents the sixth known occurrence of human recovery after rabies infection; however, the case is unique because the patient received no rabies prophylaxis either before or after illness onset. Historically, the mortality rate among previously unvaccinated rabies patients has been 100% (2). The five previous patients who survived were either previously vaccinated (3) or received some form of PEP before the onset of illness (4--7). As in this case, viral antigen was not detected nor was virus isolated from those patients; increased antibody titers detected in serum and CSF (inconsistent with vaccination alone) confirmed the diagnosis of clinical rabies. Only one of the five patients recovered without neurologic sequelae (4). No specific course of treatment for rabies in humans has been demonstrated to be effective, but a combination of treatments, which might include rabies vaccine, rabies immune globulin, monoclonal antibodies, ribavirin, interferon-alpha, or ketamine, has been proposed

Ok, so maybe 99.9999%.

[carole]

Oh Kim i am so sorry to hear this news, i hope by now you are feeling better and there are no nasty side effects, we are lucky in NZ we don't have rabies, but i sure have read a bit about it.

I can well understand how you felt about the kitty, i had to do a similar thing some years back, but it helped that the kitty was seriously ill, but it still made me feel so bad, i really feel for you and just know you cannot save all the kitties in the world, you certainly have done your bit my dear where that is concerned, Giant hugs to you and wishing you well again.

[Freedom]

Hey Kim, I'd never even given a thought to the bottle babies you have there! So glad something developed so they get the care they need.

Hope you are feeling better. And the hand stops swelling and starts healing.

If the cat is neutered, then it likely had a rabies shot at that time. No responsible vet fixes a cat or dog without giving a rabies shot.

I hope the owner shows up and clears all this up and the news is super all around.

As I've been bitten by my own cats, on 2 different occasions, after owning them for years, I guess I just don't get all worked up with getting bit by the ferals who may have some illness, the way perhaps I should.

[rg_girlca]

Kim, I had LES reading what happened to you. I thought, "What next can happen to this poor sweet girl." Well they say things come in 3's and you just hit your 3rd one, so this is IT for you. No more accidents or ill health for you for the rest of the year.

I pray that the cat doesn't have rabies, so you won't have to have any more shots. I'm also very happy to hear that the vet tech was able to take your bottle babies.

Prayers on the way for a full and speedy recovery. Please keep us posted on how you are doing.

{{{{{{{{{{HUGS}}}}}}}}}}

[Catlady711]

OUCH. I just now read this. Sorry you got bit. I've only gotten bit by a cat once but it got very infected quickly and hurt like a sonofagun. I was fortunate that she had a current rabies vaccination so I didn't have to endure the shots, which is good because I'm scared to death of needles.

I hope your bite heals without any complications.

I feel bad for the kitty but given the situation and current testing methods it couldn't be helped I understand. At least the kitty can be happy playing at the RB now.

BTW small miracle I know but one person is known to have survived Rabies.

http://healthlink.mcw.edu/article/1031002506.html