URGENT: Got stabbed with needle used on sick cat

Hello there! So I spent the last hour panicking and scouring the Internet for information, and apologies for writing here but the Expert section of the Forums are closed!

Mainly, my 3-4 month kitten got the Feline viral rhinothraceitis thing (from what I could hear from the vet and the cat's symptoms, sneezing, nose runny, eyes teary), the virus is called Herpesvirus 1. It's Saturday, and the vet that I know well was closed so I took the cat to another vet I haven't heard about before. The man was kind etc., but upon giving the kitten a shot of pennicilin, the cat moved, the needle came out from the kitten's neck and stabbed me in the hand. It didn't go in too deep, but deep enough to perforate my skin and start bleeding. Took about 2-3 pieces of gauze with alcohol for the bleeding to stop. From what I could see immediately after the stabbing, the needle also contained some cat blood...

Sadly I left the vet in a hurry after the incident, and didn't think too much of it because we put alcohol on the wound (and the guy didn't say much about it... he said it's nothing), but then again, how can I be sure??

I'm trying to find information about herpesvirus 1 getting inoculated in humans and what this causes, but very little info! Is there a qualified vet here that could offer me some expert advice? I read somewhere that the virus ends up in the bloodstream of cats very rarely, but on the other hand I read some stories about accidental needle stabs and the people receiving tetanus shots because they arm would swell and hurt.

The vet whom I trust has turned off his cell phone and I can't reach him.

Help me, please! 

THANK YOU!

D.

Humans and cats can both get herpes viruses, but each species has strains that are specific just to them, meaning the cat herpes can't infect human cells and vice versa. So you're in the clear on that front!

The problem with puncture wounds is that it's easier for bacteria to get trapped in there versus a superficial wound. Tetanus shots are often given because the bacteria that causes tetanus thrives in that kind of anaerobic environment. Any bacteria that got transferred by the needle into your wound could potentially start an infection, but the chances are lower if you cleaned it out well. When a puncture wound becomes inflamed, painful, red, or oozes, those are signs that an infection is happening and you'll likely need antibiotics, so those are symptoms to watch for. The good news is that penicillin is an antibiotic, so perhaps that being in the mix reduces your chances of infection even further.  If you're concerned, it's probably best to go to a human doctor rather than a vet for this.

(I'm not a vet, just for clarification, but I don't know if there are many active members on this forum who are.)

Hi Molly!

Thank you for your advice, a lot! I feel calmer now... My dad is actually a human doctor. But I can't reach him this afternoon for some reason... Would you know which antibiotics are more suitable for the prevention of pet-related diseases? I have Amoxicillin based one and another one, Cefixime based, supposedly stronger?

If you know, of course, if not, I can wait until my dad returns or something. You've helped me a lot already!

Thank you once again. 

I would wait on the antibiotics until you've talked to your dad or a doctor, just to be safe. Although stuff like this is easier to treat sooner rather than later if it does get worse, it takes a few days for an infection to really take hold, so you won't be at risk by waiting a few hours.

i would see a doctor immediately just to be safe..

I have stabbed myself while giving vaccinations from time to time.  I just flush it out with hydrogen peroxide and go on with my life.  I'm still alive and I'm 72 now, so take a deep breath, don't panic, there's plenty of time to deal with infection if it starts to infect, and it probably wont.  Get out the peroxide.  It goes inside and makes little fizzy bubbles as it washes out anything that might be in there.

Red Top Rescue said:

 
I have stabbed myself while giving vaccinations from time to time.  I just flush it out with hydrogen peroxide and go on with my life.  I'm still alive and I'm 72 now, so take a deep breath, don't panic, there's plenty of time to deal with infection if it starts to infect, and it probably wont.  Get out the peroxide.  It goes inside and makes little fizzy bubbles as it washes out anything that might be in there.

Click to expand...

Hello Red Top, 

Do you think it might be too late to apply the hydrogen peroxide? It's been almost a day since then, and it's a smallish dot-wound, like from a needle, you see. Just a pink spot... Would it make sense to put hydrogen on it now? Thanks.

And I thank everyone else too for the helpful advice. Maybe I'll get a tetanus shot this week... do you think a tetanus shot would be warranted? The needle had penicillin in it, and was sterile before entering the cat. The only way I'd imagine I'd get exposed to the tetanus thingie is if the cat had some dirt on the fur or on the skin underneath it, so it then grabbed some particle of dirt and poked it inside me. But this is highly improbable... Still, my father mentioned it as a precaution, because they'll be going away for a week or two and in case I do suffer a tetanus attack they won't be at hand to help me. 

I get scratched all over by even stray cats almost every day, yet no tetanus yet. Opinions?

My vets have recommend to never use Hydrogen Peroxide clean/flush out a wound. They say it actually causes bacteria to be entrapped.

They recommend using plain old soap and water or alcohol to clean.

Betadine is good to use as well

Wouldn't hurt to get a tetanus shot if you're not up-to-date. Other than that, don't worry about it. I think infection is unlikely, since the needle had antibiotics in it anyway, and was sterile before he stuck it through the cat. Of course keep an eye out for signs of infection, but I feel like it's not a big risk