tetanus from cat scratch? reassure me please..

[scarlett175]

Bean had a fight with Mac the cat this morning and lost

resulting in 2 minor scratches on her foot, there was blood visible but not actual bleeding, and I ran it under water straight away but wasn't sure what else was best to put on it. She is 11 months and didn't even notice by the way, but it is a bit red and puffy looking and making me worry...

I called NHS direct who said not to worry unless it gets weepy or enflamed but it looks red as its new/sore?? could it be infected with tetanus??

[ches]

If Bean has had the DTaP (Diptheria, Tetanus and Pertussus) vaccination it's highly unlikely he has tetanus. It's also far too soon after the scratches to assume the worst. The US vaccination schedule has the DTaP given at 2, 4, 6 and 15+ months.

[VanillaPickle]

I react to cat scratches with what look like welts, raised and reddish. I just keep them clean and within an hour or so the reaction has gone and all is fine. I am allergic to cats hence I get reactions like this, but most people react to cat scratches like this in mild forms. To my knowledge nothing to worry about as long as the scratch is cleaned.

[A_W]

I once got an infected bursitis (sp) from a cat stratch - a very swollen elbow like a golf ball and had a temp and flu like symptoms for a day. No one believed me that a cat caused it!

[Morlyte]

I'm the same as VP and get allergic reactions. Generally with any cat scratch, I wash and then put savlon on it. I would put some sort of antiseptic on it.

[fothers]

I am a vet- You DO NOT get tetanus from cat scratches regardless of what the NHS tell you

However they do have yucky bacteria on there teeth and claws that can cause nasty infections after scratches or bites. Clean them well with an antibacterial handwash type soap. Any redness or swelling should be checked as they can easily become infected.

Tetanus though is NO worry whatsoever.

[Biddy]

Yes, what fothers said ^^^

It's common to have a little bit of redness and swelling after any scratch from any source. But if I were you, because of the bacteria under cat's claws, i'd put a little antiseptic cream on it until you feel confident it's fine and healing without infection. But get it checked if you're nervous about it. It's much better to be safe and catch any infection early. It won't make you a fussy parent!

[MumtoMonsters]

WSS

No way I'd worry about tetanus from a cat scratch. The redness, etc. is just from general bacteria, like any dirty scratch/cut. Bit of Savlon and off she goes.

[scarlett175]

thanks all-

I am known to be a bit of a panic-er with things health related, but knew I would get good advice here.

This morning it looks fine......

have a lovely weekend all!!

[GHJingle]

Got to love it when I google a random baby question and a thread from the forum pops up! I know I can trust the advice!! (B discovered that he should not pull on the cat!)

[EnigmaFish]

Brilliant, an actual forumite resurrecting an old thread, rather than a spammer!
Maybe the spammers were also researching random baby questions - like how to deal with mold in your rented house or recipes with sweet potato - and that's why they've come to share their wisdom with us.