Cat scratch fever?

Hi all,
not sure which forum this is supposed to go into, so could a moderator please move it to the right place?

I was playing with Socks tonight and it got a little bit out of hand, and now I have a big scratch on the palm of my hand. I flushed it out with soap and water as soon as it happened, and then I put rubbing alcohol on it (it was all we had in the house), and Polysporin and a bandaid (wrapped around with gauze because it's really hard to make a bandaid stay on your hand!). What are the odds of CSF? I'm really scared because one of my friends got it a while ago... should I go to the doctor tomorrow or do you think it'll be okay?
thanks,
jenn (typing with one hand, lol.)

Okay, I did some research and I'm not freaking out anymore...lol.

Thanks, Vikki.
I will make sure to keep an eye on it.

Unless you are immunocompromised (ie: have something like AIDS), I wouldn't worry unduly about CSD unless you start feeling unwell.

To be honest, it's not something I've ever really thought about. I get scratched regularly. I was thinking recently that I must have a good immune system as scratches tend to heal really fast on me.

Hope this puts your mind at ease.

http://www.cat-world.com/Healtha-k.h...atch%20Disease

Julia.

I was worried about that also, because when I bathed Kahu, he dug his claws into my arm so hard that it was hard to get them out. But I quickly cleaned it and put rubbing alcohol on it. So it should be okay!

Thanks guys! I should know better to freak out all the time, but my friend Vanessa got really sick from it. I've been scratched before but never gave it much thought until I heard some nightmare stories. But I feel a lot better now.

Cat Scratch Fever???!!! I never heard of it. What happens? I expected to come to this thread and read something about Ted Nugent! :LOL:

Carrie-

CSF is a very serious affliction that affects a certain percentage of cat owners who are susceptible to the bacteria found in cats' claws and teeth. I had it once. I almost lost my arm, it swelled up so badly and I was hospitilized for months after I got scratched. As Vicki pointed out, your immune system has to be low when you get scratched for you to become infected. Think of it as a really nasty staph infection, because that is about what it looks like once it takes hold. It is not pretty and very scary.

Any time I get scratched or bit now, I pour bleach on the wound. Hurts like the dickens, but I never want to end up with CSF again.

Thats scary Hissy. *GULP* I remember I saw something on telly about someone with CSF and he went into a coma. Can you actually go into a coma?

I don't know about that. I suppose it depends on how much bacteria gets introduced into your system. My older sister also got CSF we both work with ferals. Nancy got it worse than me though, she was out of commission for over a year. Plus she got bit and scratched at the same time, years later they found the tooth of the cat that bit her imbedded in her bone!