Well, the health department employee checked my cat out.

[Are_grits_groceries]

He didn't even sit down.
I brought Scat out and she was giving both of us the evil eye because we had interrupted her important cat plans.

He took one look at her and said she looked good. I signed a paper agreeing to keep her inside for 10 days. (She's an indoor cat anyway.)
Off he went and that was that. He will check back in 2 weeks to make sure she is not sick.


Original post:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10024137654

[Jamastiene]

1. That is good news.

I understand when a pet hasn't had shots, quarantining that pet or asking owners to keep it inside and monitor it, but not when the pet has had shots and there is a reasonable explanation for biting.

[Are_grits_groceries]

7. I have no clue why they insisted on checking.

She has bitten me a couple of other times and nobody cared.
Maybe I'm on some shit list for some reason.

If checking up on a old deaf cat is a priority then they need to reaccess their man hours.

However, maybe my cat is a spy and they needed to see her for some reason.

[Wait Wut]

10. I would blame the ER doc/nurse.

If they report it, it has to be followed up. I think the majority of people in this world would see an infected cat scratch and say, "That sucks." There are a handful of unpet-friendly people who assume your cat is carrying the plague and must be destroyed. One works at the ER.

[Voice for Peace]

13. I like the way you think.. the spy theory sounds most plausible.

[oldandhappy]

18. Is that her?? In the snow??

Love the snow pic.

[Lurks Often]

21. Probably state law requires it,

backed by criminal and/or civil penalties for failure to report. Probably varies from state to state.

Some cases that reporting is mandatory I am aware of:
suspected physical abuse of minor or senior citizen
suspected sexual abuse of a minor
suspected domestic abuse

elevated levels of lead in the bloodstream, which I am sure includes other heavy or toxic metals
And I think tuberculosis

[Baitball Blogger]

2. Sick with what? Did they ever say?

[AtheistCrusader]

4. After a bite, issues like rabies become a potential public health concern.

Just routine follow-up.

[niyad]

3. oh, that is great news!! thank you for letting us know. give scat a big hug for me (when you

won't startle her!!) my furry says to say hi, and glad all is well.

[kydo]

5. Your State sure is spending some money on checking on a cat

I know the rabies thing and reporting bites and such .... But and I'm totally putting on a tin foil when I say this.



It just seems to me that either your State really cares about people and animals (probably not) or ... wait for it .... zombies ... maybe the state gov'ment knows something the rest of us don't ... like the zombie virus could be on the loose. might could even be that one that turns zombies into vampires. I read a book once where that happened. Plus the History channel had a show about zombies and how to kill them. Congress needs to hold hearings. Where is Issa when you need that turd .... Probably out burning a building down or something.



Glad to here so far no zombie cat yet.

[Are_grits_groceries]

6. In 2011, SC had its first human case of rabies in 50 years.

The woman died.
I don't know if they tightened up procedures or what.

In addition, the man who came was nice but if he's up to Secret Squirrel business, he has perfected his cover.

[GoCubsGo]

14. A lot of it depends on the doctor and the circumstances.

I have been treated for cat bites twice. Once here in SC, and once in another state. In both cases, the doctor asked, "What were you doing that caused the cat to bite you?" In the case here, I was loading an indoor kitty into a crate to take her to get spayed. She was semi-feral, and didn't like being handled. I guess the fact that she saw a vet after the incident was enough the doctor didn't report it.

In the other case, I was out in a fenced yard with our indoor cat. I was holding him, and he saw another cat in the yard, which he didn't like. That, and the fact that he was an indoor cat who had all his shots, was also enough for the other doctor who treated me.

[SoCalDem]

8. After my husband & I were bitten (badly) by our cat who got out

We were visited twice by the county animal/health people..

We had to go to the hospital every day for a week for treatment & shots.. (they had to report it)

Willie TORE us up.. ( still have the scars) but we were willing to take it so he did not escape.. It was MY fault he got out

pics & link to DU thread

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=105x4513698#4519802

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=105x4513698#4517587

[billh58]

9. If you haven't

seen this account of a Brit attempting to give a cat a pill, it may brighten your day:

http://www.pprune.org/jet-blast/12663-how-give-cat-pill.html

[FarCenter]

12. Heavy leather gloves and a big, thick bathtowel are your friends.

[SoCalDem]

15. "Burrito kitty" is the only way to give meds

Willie had liver failure & we had to force feed him three times a day for 3 months..and multiple meds.. $1400 later, he recovered fully and is as evil as ever..

We never did figure out why he had the episode.. all the weekly tests improved every time, and there was never a reason why.. There is nothing toxic in the house and all the other cats were fine.. (all indoorsies)

[shenmue]

11. Paws crossed for kitteh

Get well soon.

[gvstn]

16. I'm finding this whole cat bites are extremely dangerous thing interesting

My cat bit me at the vets. He chomped down on my wrist towards the end of the exam and just glared. The vet jumped back and then just stood there. So I spent five minutes trying to get the cat to release and eventually pried his jaws apart.

The vet offered to clean up the wound but it was just puffy with no blood. I said I'd just use some Dial soap and maybe some Neosporin (just in case) and he said alright. That was it--no warnings or anything.

[newfie11]

17. One of our barn cat bit my husband

It got infected in the finger joint.
After antibiotics it finally cleared up.
No one ever asked about getting the cat checked out.
Maybe because we are rural and they see this often.

[Cleita]

19. I was going to say. The ER here has seen me several

times for infected cat bites and no one has reported me to the authorities but I'm rural too.

[Cleita]

20. A little trick to avoid another trip to the ER with cat bite

that I learned is this. Keep some hydrogen peroxide, antibiotic ointment and an assortment of band aids of various sizes on hand. When kitty draws blood wash the wound immediately with the hydrogen peroxide. Put a generous dollop of the ointment on it and cover it with a band aid as tightly as you can. This is the important part, keeping a dressing pressed on the wound. Change it twice a day for three days. After three days take the band aid off. If it starts to swell after a few hours do the routine again. If it doesn't swell up then you got the infection and can go on with your life. I have been bitten a few times since my last trip to the ER but haven't had to go since doing this.

[Retrograde]

23. Didn't work for me the last time

I've gotten a number of bites and scratches over the years, and while the hydrogen peroxide/ointment usually works it didn't the last time, when he really chomped down. When the redness starts creeping out from under the bandage and up the arm it's time for more drastic measure - and a good dose of high-octane antibiotics that you can't get over the counter.

Of course, not doing something dumb that will get you bit in the first place is even better. For example, do not attempt to break up a cat fight by grabbing for your cat...

[Cleita]

24. No it won't work on a really deep bite or one that requires stitches

but it does work most of the time so you can stop the infection from spreading and having to take oral antibiotics.

[notadmblnd]

26. My mom always told us to make it bleed

Puncture wounds like small animal bites that don't bleed much. I always figured it was probably because the blood carries the initial bacteria back out of the wound.

Luckily, I've never had an infection from an animal bite, hang-nail yes, animal bite, never.

[gvstn]

25. I keep betadine on hand too for when I am worried about infection.

It is the iodine base solution that they use when prepping for surgery. I don't really need it for cat bites but for deeper or dirty wounds I use hydrogen peroxide to clean then betadine to saturate the wound then neosporin and a bandage. I usually only use the betadine for the first day or two then just stick to neosporin.

Betadine is also good/safe for burns. It is rather expensive but a bottle lasts years until you choose to buy a fresh one.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Betadine

[Cleita]

27. Yes. Excellent suggestion for the bite kit. n/t

[a kennedy]

22. and how much is that "looking in on her" gonna cost??

Wow. Hope she is ok.