What to do if the cat scratched

Cat scratches – injuries are common and not always harmless. Underestimate fluffy favourites is not necessary – even a small scratch can become a source of serious troubles with health. To prevent undesirable consequences by using the timely processing of damages, but it is best not to force the cat to use claws and be especially careful when dealing with stray animals.

First aid for scrapes

Scratches caused by the cat, you should immediately rinse with clean cool water with soap, and then treated with antiseptic – miramistina, hydrogen peroxide, any other disinfectant intended for treatment of the skin.

Special care must be taken when using alcohol-based solutions tools, which include alcohol, can be treated only the area around the scratches or surface wounds. Bay alcohol a deep scratch, you can get a serious burn to the tissues.

If the skin is badly damaged, it is better to bandage it up. Wound healing and drugs that accelerate regeneration of the skin, can be applied when scraped dry.

You should watch the scratch for several days. If their edges are swollen and flushed, you can apply a topical antibiotic cream; if no effect from this procedure, it is better to consult a doctor. The appearance of vesicles and ulcers on the site of the scratch – the reason for an immediate visit to the doctor.

Even if the scratch caused an indoor cat, never going outside, does not exclude the possibility of infection – harmful bacteria can often bring along with street dust on the shoes the owners themselves. If wounds from stray animals, antiseptic treatment should be carried out as quickly as possible and carefully.

Dangerous than cat scratches

On the claws of cats, especially stray, can accumulate dirt, teeming with pathogenic bacteria. Damaged scratched through the skin pathogens enter the bloodstream and cause a variety of diseases – in this way you can get streptoderma, pyoderma, not excluded, and other diseases of the skin.

More frequent with this type of trauma infection benign lymphoreticulosis, otherwise known as cat scratch disease. In this disease inflamed nearest to the place of damage to the lymph nodes, possible fever, headache, General malaise. Inflammation of the lymph nodes with subsequent abscess and fistula formation can last for several months. In rare cases the nervous system is affected – possible inflammation of multiple peripheral nerves, cerebral meninges.

Rabies, which is often fear patients through scratches unlikely - the rabies virus-infected animal secretes saliva, so the threat is mostly bites. If the animal carapacea you looked and behaved suspiciously, it is better to consult a doctor even for minor injuries. Infection with rabies can specify such characteristics as aggression, rage, replaced by depression and lethargy, salivation, sagging lower jaw.