Looks like I’ll be going to the doctor tomorrow. I have a minor bite wound from pilling a highly uncooperative, very sick cat this morning (one of my own). I cleaned it, put antibiotic ointment on, and covered it. It’s already red and warm.
All of this, annoyingly, also means that I can’t take my biologic medicine tomorrow and will need to delay until I’m off antibiotics.
What bad timing. just as you are about to take your biologic.
I can sympathise as we had to pill the cat recently twice a day for 3 weeks. Ended up wrapping her in a towel and it took two people to do it - poor cat and poor us.
Hope you’re back on deck soon.
Are you sure that’s how it goes? I’m not questioning your thoughts as such, just didn’t realise that a bit of infection required antibiotics … or is it really nasty? Seeking to educate myself on this as much as anything, seeing as I’m very accident-prone!
Good luck Stoney, heal well!
Cat bites very frequently get infected, more so than dog bites. I spoke to my rheumy and she said definitely hold off on the Enbrel and go get it seen.
Update- it’s definitely infected, as the whole finger is swollen, and the wound is looking a bit like an abscess. I soaked it in warm water and it drained a bit. I’m on antibiotics for 7 days, and will be holding the Enbrel this week.
The doctor let me know that I should watch out for cat bites. Yup.
Stoney! Sorry you’ve got to delay the Enbrel, but you want that bite to heal up. I think you did the right thing: you called the doc to ask. I had an infected ingrown toenail once, went to a walk-in clinic (or in my case, a limp-in clinic). The doctor gave me abx, and suggested I delay my Enbrel. I did. I mentioned that when I was at the PsA clinic and the doc wasn’t too impressed: he asked me please to ask him next time something like that happens. He doesn’t feel it is always necessary to delay the biologic.
Calling the rheum (or in the case of our friends in the UK) the rheum nurse is the right thing to to, I think.
I hope this heals well for you. A sore finger is miserable.
Yup, cat bites can be very nasty.
Their mouths are full of millions of bacteria and particularly, _Pasturella multocida _ which can cause infection of a bite wound, painful swelling and abcessation. In extreme cases this can develop to cellulitis and even sepsis so should be thoroughly washed and immediate medical advice sought if there are any signs of infection. And that is standard advice even before you factor in our PsA treatments.
The reason that even a relatively gentle bite can cause a problem is because their needle like canine teeth puncture deep into the skin and transfer the bacteria straight in to the vascular dermis where it can rapidly spread to surrounding tissue. Chlorhexidine or iodine washes are well worth keeping in your first aid cupboard if you’re in contact with animals.
I remember when I was first dx’d and started treatment the rheumy team nearly had heart failure when they found out I worked with cats (and owned several too). I’m still here to tell the tale.
Get healed soon, Stoney, and tell that kitty that I’ll be on the next plane across the pond for future tablets … I take no prisoners as many cats can attest!
I’ve switched him over to crushed tablets in water for now @Jules_G. Murray’s a good boy. . . . he’s just really sick right now and not eating independently. It’s funny. My rheumy knows that I have my own cats and volunteer with a rescue but has never said anything.
I had a cat scratch and I had to hold off my embrel until the I finished the anitbiotic. Is your tetnuis shot updated?
Yup. I had a week of antibiotics and had to hold off on my Enbrel. And my last tetanus shot was nine years ago, so I got that updated too.