Am I getting sick????

I don't have any symptoms except for a very swollen gland on my left side of my neck... It really hurts and is getting worse.

I did get bit by Zoey when I was giving her pill for giardia last week. I was stupid and stuck my finger in her mouth and she clamped down hard with her rear molars across my finger. It hurt and bled bad..... It is still healing. I am hoping this is not related to her bite and is a simple cold.. no other symptoms of a cold yet

Sounds like you are fighting some kind of infection. I'm surprised it only hurts on one side; when my lymph glands hurt it's always on both sides. Have you had the mumps?

This is the first time I have only had 1 swollen gland.. it's weird. Usually the signs of a cold will soon follow. This has been going on for 2 days and getting worse. I have not been sick this year so far...

I think I had the mumps when I was a child.

I've never had them swell, can't even remember them doing that as a child. ...I've hauled cats off to the vet at the slightest change though. I suggest if you suspect it's going to be bad or just want to make sure it's not something more serious, that you go to the doctor too. Maybe you can catch whatever it is and won't end up suffering as much?

Last year, I had only one lymph gland in my neck swell up and a round of antibiotics called a "Z-pak" took care of that. I had so much energy, too - guess I was fighting an infection & didn't realize it (and I hadn't even been bitten by a cat).
Sending healing prayers and vibes that you get over it soon

I've had throat infections before where only one side swelled up. Two last year alone. gargle with salt water or disprin as a temporary measure. I reckon if they're not going down get an antibiotic from the doctor. I'm not a fan of antibiotics usually but you don't want it dragging on and developing into a chest infection!

It probably is a cold that my body is trying to fight.. With all the awful colds and flu going around. As the day goes on I am feeling weepy and wanting to cry over little things, which is a signal that my body is fighting something bad.

I got scared that it was related to her bite cause I haven't really had any other symptoms, and I was beginning to think it was cat bite type sickness. I had that happen to me years ago but it was a different infection involving the wound itself.

Unfortunatly I have to try to ride this out cause I don't currently have medical insurance. If it gets bad enough I will go to Doctor. I am hoping my body wins this fight.

Thanks for the healing vibes

I'm having that right now. It's my left tonsil that hurts and the left side of my nose keeps getting stuffy but that's it. I thought I was coming down with a cold but it's been 2 days and so far nothing. I've been taking 1 tylonol (sp) when it hurts too bad and drinking milk to help coat my thoat and just trying to keep my throat moist.

Vibes that it's nothing serious!

I don't want to scare you, but several years ago I had cat scratch disease and my first symptom was a swollwn gland on the right side of my neck. I ended up in the hospital for a week and had to have surgery and a tube in my neck for a week with iv antibiotics. Personally, I would err on the side of caution and see a dr asap. IF that is what it is, the longer you put it off, the harder it is to fight the infection. Good luck! (BTW, I was also bitten, not scratched)

Originally Posted by spudsmom

I don't want to scare you, but several years ago I had cat scratch disease and my first symptom was a swollwn gland on the right side of my neck. I ended up in the hospital for a week and had to have surgery and a tube in my neck for a week with iv antibiotics. Personally, I would err on the side of caution and see a dr asap. IF that is what it is, the longer you put it off, the harder it is to fight the infection. Good luck! (BTW, I was also bitten, not scratched)

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Oh dear that must have been awful. What are the other signs you got from this sickness so I will know what to watch for?. I am still just having really bad soreness and swollen gland in left side of neck.

Well, it started out as a swollen gland and just kept swelling until I couldn't even turn my head. There was also fever and I just felt worse everyday. The fever didn't come on for a few days and by that time it was pretty bad. I just felt worse with every passing day and they couldn't figure out what was wrong at first. It wasn't any fun. I hope you don't have that and start feeling better soon. I'm really paranoid about cat scratches and bites now, and if swollen glands are involved I would see the Dr.
Feel better

spudsmom - Was there no redness or swelling around the wound?

abbycats - How does your bite look? Any redness? A line traveling up from it? I would think the back teeth wouldn't be quite as bad since they would tear more then puncture, but mouths are nasty. You could try soaking it, but if the infection has spread enough that your body is trying to fight it off that much you'll probably need antibiotics.
Chances are if you go in and do inform a doctor about the bite they may want to do a blood test to check. I know that will be pricey, but you have to take care of yourself.

If you're in the US you may be able to apply and qualify for help with prescriptions, walmart has a program to help get common prescriptions cheaper.

Originally Posted by strange_wings

spudsmom - Was there no redness or swelling around the wound?

abbycats - How does your bite look? Any redness? A line traveling up from it? I would think the back teeth wouldn't be quite as bad since they would tear more then puncture, but mouths are nasty. You could try soaking it, but if the infection has spread enough that your body is trying to fight it off that much you'll probably need antibiotics.
Chances are if you go in and do inform a doctor about the bite they may want to do a blood test to check. I know that will be pricey, but you have to take care of yourself.

If you're in the US you may be able to apply and qualify for help with prescriptions, walmart has a program to help get common prescriptions cheaper.

Click to expand...

Well, The wound does have red swollen area. Where she got me was on either side of my finger nail. The wound doesn't look infected but it is red and cracking open. She punctured my finger where it bled pretty good. I have to work today and if I feel bad I will try to come home early and go to doctor. If not my husband is going to take me tomorrow if I don't feel any relief. My gland is still swollen and sore today. You would think it would start getting better. I think I am on day 3 of this. I have an old fashioned thermometer that is useless(reminder to me to get new one).
I got bit many years ago on my rear thigh right by my butt that got really infected(long story) and they had to treat me for pasterella(sp)and had to drain the wound. It was awful, but I never got a sore gland from it. I know how nasty bites can be.

If this was a cold you would think it would start already with other symptoms.

I agree that you should be seeing as doctor - even if the wound doesn't look infected - it most likely is. I've just had a very nasty kitten bite heal up (it's left me with a rather pretty pink scar on my knuckle, by the way) and I had swollen glands from that (as well as a finger like a pork and beef sausage!) although it was the gland that blew up first. Get to your doctor and get those antibiotics in you before it gets worse.