~ cat scratch disease??? ~

Posted by Barb @amberpep, Oct 11, 2018

About 10 days ago I took one of my cats to the Vet ... he hates to be put in a crate and he's huge - 18 lb. I "burrito" him, but he often wiggles out. This time when he wiggled out he scratched me in 3 places, one on my forearm, one on my leg, and one on my left upper arm. I didn't think too much of it. Then a few days later there was what looked like a small pimple on the one on my upper arm, so I cleaned it out, and it bled and bled. I got it stopped, cleaned it with hydrogen peroxide and then antibiotic ointment, covered it well with a bandage overnight. Next morning it looked like a blood blister. I tried cleaning it with alcohol, and again it opened and bled and bled. I got it stopped and again went through the same routine, using alcohol, antibiotic ointment and a bandage. Next day, it was back again. This went on for several days til I stopped trying to clean it out, just patted it with alcohol, antibiotic ointment and a bandage. Then I tried to let it air out over night, but it still looks the same. It's like a 1/8"+ size blood bump, and the area around it, about 1/4 ring is somewhat red. What does this sound like to you all? I'm thinking of going to the doctor tomorrow, but he's always full, so I'll go to one of those Med. Express places, but you have to pay up front there for the whole thing. Please, anyone .... any ideas what this is and could I cure it on my own?
Thanks much,
abby

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Ethan McConkey, Moderator | @ethanmcconkey | Oct 12, 2018

Hi @amberpep. Those symptoms sound awful and very confusing. It’s great that you have decided to go to the doctor for further examination. I see in other posts you have made that you believe this to be cat scratch fever.

Here is some more information on cat scratch fever or cat scratch disease that I thought you may find interesting:
https://www.healthline.com/health/cat-scratch-disease#symptoms-in-cats
https://www.cdc.gov/healthypets/diseases/cat-scratch.html
@jenkie and @jlfisher56 both have experience with cat scratch fever and may be able to help you figure out what this is.

Have you had a chance to go to the doctor or MedExpress yet? What did you find out?

barbarn | @barbarn | Oct 12, 2018

@ amberpep My opinion is GO!!! to whatever place you can get in, even if you have to pay up front! You've been treating it yourself for several days, it sounds like it is not improving - possibly getting worse - perhaps you need a prescription for an antibiotic.

John, Volunteer Mentor | @johnbishop | Oct 12, 2018

Hi @amberpep, this happened with my wife also. One of our cats that doesn't like to be picked up swatted her on the arm and had redness around it. She went to the doctor and was given some antibiotics which cleared it up after a few days. So I would definitely make a doctors appointment as soon as possible. Pssst...those kitty claws are always in the litter box digging around ☺

Barb | @amberpep | Oct 12, 2018

In reply to @ethanmcconkey "Hi @amberpep. Those symptoms sound awful and very confusing. It’s great that you have decided to..." + (show)

Hi Ethan .... thank you so much for your input. Now today it seems to be drying out and not looking so awful. I'll wait another day or so before I decide what to do.
abby

Barb | @amberpep | Oct 12, 2018

In reply to @barbarn "@ amberpep My opinion is GO!!! to whatever place you can get in, even if you..." + (show)

Thanks barbarn .... It seems to be drying out now, so I think I'll wait a day or so. I do think if I opened it, it would bleed and bleed again though. But, since it seems to be drying out, I'll wait a day or two.

Barb | @amberpep | Oct 12, 2018

In reply to @johnbishop "Hi @amberpep, this happened with my wife also. One of our cats that doesn't like to..." + (show)

Thanks John .... Since it seems to be drying up, I'll wait or two. If by then it's not gone, I'll go. I've never had anything like this before.
abby

Barb | @amberpep | Oct 13, 2018

About the same but I know if I bumped that lump in the middle it would bleed again. I've still got the headache and also fatigue. I'm still not sure at all what to do since it seems to be improving some.
abby

Barb | @amberpep | Oct 13, 2018

Well, I finally went to the doctor, and while it looks like it's drying up, she said that if somehow the top again gets bumped off, it will bleed as badly as before. And I am to watch the other 2 places where he got me. It is Cat Scratch Fever which explains the headache and extreme fatigue. She gave me a tetanus shot, and Rx's for 2 different antibiotics. She said my headache and fatigue should begin to improve in a few days.
Thanks everyone.
abbt

John, Volunteer Mentor | @johnbishop | Oct 13, 2018

In reply to @amberpep "Well, I finally went to the doctor, and while it looks like it's drying up, she..." + (show)

That’s good news.

Ethan McConkey, Moderator | @ethanmcconkey | Oct 13, 2018

@amberpep that's great that the doctor was able to help! Please let us know how the prescriptions work out. Hopefully, as you said, the headache and fatigue improves in a few days!

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