A cat bite may occur at any point when in contact with a cat and even cat owners can be bitten by their pets. If you get bitten by a cat you should know what to do and what antibiotics to take to prevent an infection.
Cat Bite Dangers
A cat bite may be dangerous, as this can cause an infection. The infection can be due to the bacteria that are present in the saliva of the cat. There are various microbes in the cat’s saliva, but typically, the infection will be caused by Pasteurella multocida, which will lead to pus accumulation, swelling and redness.
In addition to infections, if you get bitten by a cat that is not vaccinated, you may also be in danger of getting rabies, which is a rare, but often deadly disease that will affect the central nervous system.
Cat Bite Treatment
Not all cat bites get infected, but it’s important to follow a few essential steps to prevent the infection.
First of all, the bite wound should be cleaned with running water and antibacterial soap. After drying the wound, you may apply any type of over the counter antibiotic ointment.
The oral antibiotics are recommended only if the wound is deep or if there are signs that the wound may get infected.
Cat Bite Antibiotics
In cat bites, doctors will administer the following types of antibiotics:
- Cephalosporins
- Tetracycline
- Fluoroquinolones
Typically, the first choice of antibiotics for cat bites is a cure of penicillin, which is the most efficient compound to fight the Pasteurella multocida organisms.
However, if you are allergic to penicillin or this drug causes several side effects, you can talk to your doctor and get alternative treatment that may consist of:
- Ampicillin
- Doxycillin
- Ciprofloxacin
- Amoxicillin
The antibiotics may be administered for a short period of time (i.e. 3 to 5 days), or may be recommended for a longer time (7 to 14 days), if there are symptoms of an infection at the bite wound site.
If you suspect you may be allergic to some antibiotics, you can request a test prior to starting the cure with antibiotics.
Oral antibiotics are preferred, but if the infection is severe, the doctor will recommend injectable antibiotics, which are more effective. The injections will be administered over 7 to 10 days, once per day. The oral antibiotics may be taken once every 6, 8 or 12 hours, depending on the type of antibiotics prescribed.
The Antibiotics Won’t Protect against Rabies
It is important to know that the antibiotics will not protect you against rabies, if you get bitten by a cat that carries the disease.
The rabies shot should be administered if you get bitten by a feral cat or a cat that you don’t know and may not be vaccinated against rabies.
However, if you have already received a rabies vaccine in the past 3 years, you may not need any additional injections. In some cases, the doctor will recommend a vaccine booster, to make sure that you won’t get infected with rabies.