How to Deal With a Cat Scratch Posted: 09 Oct 2016 05:00 PM PDT Cats can be playful, quirky, or occasionally aggressive. If you spend time around cats, it's quite possible that you will suffer from a cat scratch at some point. Cats have sharp claws that they use to defend themselves, and sometimes they can deliver a pretty deep scratch. Caring for your cat scratch appropriately can help you avoid complications from an injury. EditEvaluating the Cat Scratch - Identify the cat. It is important to have some information about the cat that has scratched you. If he is your cat or the cat of a family member or close friend, you can consider him a "household cat." You can likely treat the wound on your own if it is not too severe and you know the following information about the cat to be true:[1]
- The cat is fully vaccinated.
- The cat is in generally good health.
- The cat spends most of its time indoors.
- Seek medical treatment for scratches from an unknown cat. Unknown cats may not have vaccines, so you may need to have preventative treatment for bacterial infections, tetanus, or rabies. Particularly if the scratch was accompanied by a bite (which has about an 80% chance of becoming infected), you will need to seek medical attention from a physician.
- Assess the wound. The severity of the wound from the scratch will dictate the appropriate treatment. Any cat scratch can be painful, but the depth of the scratch will determine the severity of the wound.
- A shallow wound that involves the uppermost layer of skin but involves minimal bleeding can be considered superficial.
- A deeper scratch injury that pierces several layers of skin and bleeds moderately should be considered serious.[2]
- Decide on an appropriate treatment. Superficial wounds from known household cats can be treated at home. However, any scratch from an unknown cat and serious (deep) scratches from household cats should be evaluated by a healthcare professional.
EditTreating a Superficial Scratch - Wash your hands. Before working with the area that suffered a scratch, be sure that your hands are clean and disinfected. Wash your hands using soap and warm (or hot) water for at least 20 seconds. Be sure to clean between your fingers and under your fingernails. Then rinse your hands well with clean water.[3]
- Rinse the wound. Use clean running water from your faucet to rinse the cat scratch and the area around it.[4] Avoid overly hot water, which may worsen any bleeding that is present.
- Wash the scratched area. Carefully wash the area of the scratch with a gentle soap. Try to wash areas near the wound as well as the scratch itself (for example, if the scratch is on your forearm, it may be helpful to wash your entire forearm, not the scratch alone.) After washing, rinse completely with clean water from the faucet.[5]
- Do not scrub the wounded area during washing, as this could add further injury (bruising) to the injured tissues.
- Apply ointment to the scratch. You should treat the scratch with an antiseptic ointment.[6] A triple antibiotic ointment such as Neosporin can be used; these ointments contain neomycin, an antibiotic that is very effective in allowing cut injuries to heal.[7]
- Triple antibiotic ointment can be applied to the wound three times daily.[8]
- Bacitracin is a good alternative for anyone who has an allergy to common triple antibiotic ointments.
- Oral antibiotics should not be necessary for a superficial scratch from a housecat.[9]
- Leave the scratch uncovered. The scratch wound should be fairly superficial if you are treating it at home, so there should be no need to bandage the area. Keep the scratch clean while it heals, but allow it to be exposed to fresh air.
EditTreating a Deep Scratch - Seek medical treatment. Deeper wounds can involve profuse bleeding and may necessitate the use of oral antibiotics to prevent infection, even from a fully vaccinated cat.[10] You will typically be prescribed Augment 875/125 mg, to be taken twice daily for 7 to 10 days.
- Before seeking treatment from a medical professional, you may want begin treatment at home.
- Be sure to go to the doctor after taking the following steps to treat the wound.
- Stop the bleeding. If the wound is bleeding heavily, apply pressure to the area with a clean towel. Press the towel firmly to the bleeding area and hold in place until the bleeding subsides. You may also need to elevate the wound above your head.[11]
- Wash the scratch area. After washing your hands thoroughly, gently wash the wounded area with soap and rinse with clean water.[12] Do not scrub while you are washing, as this may restart the bleeding.
- Dry the wound. Use a second clean towel to completely dry the wound and the area around the scratch.
- Cover the scratch wound. Deep wounds should be covered (or closed) using an adhesive bandage (a Band-Aid), a butterfly bandage, or clean gauze dressings.[13]
- If the wound is wide, bring the edges of the wound together so that there is no gap between them and apply a butterfly bandage, which should pinch the cut together. Apply several butterfly bandages as necessary to close the edges of the wound together, which will facilitate proper and quick healing.
- If you do not have adhesive bandages, you can cover the area with gauze dressing, keeping it in place with medical tape.
EditEvaluating Cat Scratch Risks - Avoid infection. Some scratch wounds and most bite wounds from cats can become infected. Cleaning the wound well and applying an antibiotic ointment such as Neosporin or Bacitracin can greatly reduce risk of infection. An infected wound may require oral antibiotics as well. Signs of an infected wound include:[14]
- Increased pain, swelling, redness, or warmth around the wound
- Presence of red streaks extending from the wound
- Drainage of puss from the wound
- Presence of a high fever
- Watch out for cat scratch disease. Cat scratch disease, the commonest disease spread by cats, is caused by the bacteria Bartonella henselae. Cats act as a reservoir for the disease, and it's especially prevalent among young cats and cats with fleas. About 40% of cats carry the bacteria at some point in their lives, but will show no sign of carrying the disease.[15]
- Some cats who have cat scratch disease can develop heart disease, ulceration in their mouths, or eye infections. [16]
- The first sign of cat scratch disease in humans is usually a small swelling at the region of the cat scratch or bite, followed by enlarged lymph glands in the armpits, groin, or neck. Next is a fever, fatigue, red eye, joint pain, and sore throat. [17]
- Untreated cat scratch disease in humans can cause severe eye, brain, liver, or spleen damage. [18]
- Immuno-compromised people are at higher risk of experiencing complications or even death from cat scratch fever.
- The diagnosis of cat scratch disease is usually by B henselae serology but can be diagnosed by culture, histopathology, or polymerase chain reaction. It is treated with antibiotics such as azithromycin, rifampin, gentamicin, ciprofloxacin, clarithromycin or bactrim.[19]
- Determine whether you have ringworm. Ringworm is a fungal infection characterized by round, puffy, and scaly patches of skin.[20]
- Ringworm is often accompanied by a severe itch.
- Ringworm can be treated with antifungal ointments such as miconazole or clotrimazole.
- Assess your risk for toxoplasmosis. Toxoplasmosis is a parasite that cats carry and pass through their feces. It is possible to catch the toxoplasmosis parasite, Toxoplasma gondii, through a cat scratch, particularly if traces of feces were present on the cat's claws.[21]
- Infected humans can experience fever, body aches, and enlarged lymph nodes. Severe cases can cause damage to the brain, eyes, or lungs, and an infection can be particularly dangerous for pregnant women. Therefore, pregnant women should avoid tending to the litter box or cat feces during pregnancy.
- Treatment for toxoplasmosis involves taking an antiparasitic drug such as pyrimethamine.[22]
- Look for symptoms of other diseases. Cats can carry life-threatening diseases. Contact your physician immediately if you have received any cat scratch and develop any of the following symptoms:
- Fever
- Swelling of the head or neck
- Red, itchy, or scaly patches of skin
- Severe headaches, lightheadedness, or dizziness
EditPreventing Cat Scratches - Do not punish a cat for scratching you. A cat's scratching is a normal defensive behavior, and punishing a cat for scratching can lead to further aggression in the future.
- Clip your cat's claws. You can trim a cat's claws at home with regular nail clippers. Clipping a cat's claws once a week can minimize damage from future scratches.[23]
- Avoid rough play. Try not to play roughly or aggressively with your cat or kitten. This may encourage them to bite and scratch you and other humans.
- Adopt an older cat. Most cats outgrow excessive biting and scratching once they pass from a juvenile to an adult cat, between 1 and 2 years of age. If you are sensitive to cat scratches or are immuno-compromised, you should consider adopting an older cat as a pet instead of a kitten.[24]
- Treat your cat for fleas. This may not change scratching behavior, but it can minimize your risk for complications such as cat scratch fever. Consult your veterinarian about the best way to keep your cat flea-free.
- Consider having your cat's claws cut or ground.
- Always seek medical attention for a cat scratch if the cat was unknown, the wound was deep, or you are immuno-compromised.
- Avoid handling wild or stray cats if at all possible.
EditRelated wikiHows EditSources and Citations Cite error: <ref> tags exist, but no <references/> tag was found
|
How to Perform the Heimlich Maneuver on Yourself Posted: 09 Oct 2016 09:00 AM PDT Choking occurs when a person gets a foreign body, usually food, stuck in his or her windpipe, which prevents normal breathing. Choking can result in brain damage or death, and serious harm can happen within minutes. The Heimlich Maneuver is the most common technique used to save a choking person. If no one else is around who is able to assist you, you can save yourself. Follow a few simple steps to learn how to perform the Heimlich Maneuver on yourself. EditPreparing to Perform the Heimlich Maneuver - Try to cough out the foreign object. If you feel like you have something caught in your throat, you should try to cough it out. If you can cough forcefully enough to get it out, then you should not have to perform the Heimlich maneuver. If you cannot get the object out by coughing and are struggling for air, you need to act quickly, especially if you are alone.
- You need to expel the obstruction before you lose consciousness.[1]
- Even through the Heimlich maneuver, continue to intentionally cough.
- Make a fist. To start getting ready to perform the Heimlich maneuver on yourself, you need to get your hands positioned correctly first. Make a fist with your strongest hand. Place it on your abdomen just above your navel and below your ribcage.
- You need to make sure that your hand is in the right place so you can ensure that you don't hurt your ribs and are at the most opportune place for expelling the object.
- This fist placement is the same as in the traditional Heimlich maneuver.[2]
- Hold the fist with your other hand. Once you have your fist in place, you need to add your other hand for leverage. Open your other hand and place it over the fist you have on your stomach. You need to make sure that the fist is in the center of your hand.
- This will allow you to push harder when you start the Heimlich maneuver.[3]
EditPerforming the Heimlich Maneuver on Yourself - Drive your fist in and up. To try to get the foreign object dislodged, you need to push your fist and hand into your diaphragm or stomach area. Use a quick j-shaped motion, in and then up. Repeat multiple times.
- If this does not dislodge the foreign object very quickly, you need to try to add more force with a stable object.[4]
- Add force with a stable object. In your immediate area, you need to find a stable object that is about waist high that you can bend over. A chair, a table, or a counter top will work well for this. With your hands still clasped in front of you, bend over the chair, table, counter, or other solid object. Brace your fists between the chair and your abdomen and drive your body against the solid object.
- This will greatly increase the force you apply to your diaphragm, which will be more effective to help dislodge seriously stuck foreign objects.[5]
- Repeat. You may not be able to dislodge the object during the first try. You need to quickly repeat pushing yourself onto the stable object until the object is removed. You should return to normal breathing once it is removed. [6]
- Although it is very scary, it is better if you stay calm. Panicking will only increase your heart rate and need for air, which will make it worse.
- Once you have it dislodged, sit down and catch your breath.
- If you find that you are uncomfortable or your throat is sore, you may need to see your doctor.[7]
- If you cannot get it dislodged, call 911.[8]
EditRelated wikiHows EditSources and Citations Cite error: <ref> tags exist, but no <references/> tag was found
|
How to Heal a Skinned Knee Posted: 09 Oct 2016 01:00 AM PDT Although a skinned knee is a relatively minor abrasion, you still want to take steps so that it heals as quickly and safely as possible.[1] With a few easily-available supplies, you can clean and care for the wound. Take the right steps, and you'll be back to normal as soon as possible. EditAssessing the Situation - Check the wound. Most of the time, a skinned knee is a relatively minor problem, treatable at home—but inspect your wound just to be sure. A wound is considered minor and treatable without medical attention if:[2]
- It is not deep enough to see fat, muscle, or bone.
- It is not spurting blood.
- Its edges are not jagged and far apart.
- If you do notice any of these conditions, contact a doctor.
- If the scrape was caused by rusty metal and you have not had a tetanus shot in several years, you should contact a doctor.
- Wash your hands before treating the wound.[3] You do not want to cause an infection when treating your skinned knee, so wash your hands thoroughly with soap and warm water before starting to take care of it. If you want extra protection, you can also put on disposable gloves before starting to clean the skinned knee.
- Stop any bleeding. If there is any bleeding on your skinned knee, stop it by applying pressure on the site.
- If dirt or debris is blocking the spot where the knee is bleeding, rinse it off before trying to stop the bleeding. Otherwise, rinse and wash the wound area after stopping the bleeding.
- To stop the bleeding, hold a clean cloth or gauze over the bleeding portion of the wound, and apply pressure for a few minutes.
- Change the cloth or gauze if it becomes soaked with blood.
- If the bleeding does not stop after 10 minutes, contact a doctor, as stitches may be required.[4][5][6]
EditCleaning and Dressing the Wound - Rinse the wound. Let cool water run over your skinned knee, or pour it over it. Do this long enough to make sure that the water has flowed over the entire area, and washed away any loose dirt and/or debris.[7][8]
- Wash the wound. Use antibacterial soap and water to clean around the wound, but try not to get soap in the wound itself, as this can cause irritation.[9][10] This will help to wash away bacteria and keep away infection.
- Hydrogen peroxide and iodine were traditionally used to disinfect skin wounds, such as a skinned knee.[11] However, hydrogen peroxide and iodine can actually damage living cells, so medical professionals now advise that you should not apply them to a wound.[12][13][14]
- Remove any debris. If anything is stuck in the wound, like dirt, sand, splinters, etc., use tweezers to carefully remove this material. First clean and sterilize the tweezers by rubbing them with a cotton ball or gauze soaked in isopropyl alcohol.[15][16] Rinse with cool water once the debris is removed.
- If dirt or other material is lodged so deep in the wound that you cannot get it out, contact a doctor.[17]
- Gently pat dry. Once you have rinsed and washed the skinned knee, gently use a clean cloth or towel to dry the area. Patting rather than rubbing it dry will help you avoid unnecessary pain.
- Apply an antibiotic cream, especially if the wound was dirty. This can deter infection and help the wound as it heals.[18][19]
- There are numerous types of antibiotic creams and ointments, containing different active ingredients or combinations (bacitracin, neomycin, and polymyxin, for example).[20] Always carefully follow the directions provided with your cream regarding the amount to use and method of application.
- Some creams have mild analgesics incorporated as pain relief.
- Some ointments and creams may cause an allergic reaction in some people. If you notice redness, itching, swelling, etc. after using one of these products, stop using it and try another one with a different active ingredient.
- Cover the wound. Make sure to cover your skinned knee with a bandage, to protect it from dirt, infection, and irritation from clothing during the time it needs to heal. You can use an adhesive bandage, or sterile gauze held in place with tape or an elastic band.[21][22]
EditCaring for the Wound as it Heals - Apply fresh bandages as needed. Change the bandage covering your skinned knee daily, or more frequently if it becomes wet or dirty.[23][24] Wash any dirt away from the area, as before.
- Research demonstrates that removing an adhesive bandage quickly rather than slowly will probably cause less pain, although it depends somewhat on the nature of the wound.[25][26]
- Rubbing the ends of an adhesive bandage with oil, and letting it sit for a few moments, might help remove the bandage with less pain.
- Reapply antibiotic cream daily.[27] While this alone doesn't make the wound heal faster, it will stave off infection. An antibiotic cream will also keep a wound moist as it heals, which will prevent the scabbing and scarring that may result if a wound dries out. Generally, creams can be applied once or twice a day. check with product directions for frequency.[28]
- Pay attention to how the healing is progressing. Exactly how fast your skinned knee will heal depends on a number of factors like your age, nutrition, whether or not you smoke, your stress level, if you have an illness, etc. Moreover, antibiotic creams will only stave off infections, not actually heal the wound faster. If you wound seems to be healing abnormally slowly, check with a medical professional, as it could be a sign of something more serious, like an illness.[29]
- Contact a doctor if things seem to get worse. You will need expert attention: [30][31][32]
- If the knee joint stops working.
- If your knee feels numb.
- If the wound bleeds and won't stop.
- If there is dirt or other foreign material in the wound that you can't get out of it.
- If the wound site becomes inflamed or swollen.
- If red streaks radiate from the wound.
- If the wound site drains pus.
- If you run a fever of over 100.4° F (38° C)
EditThings You'll Need - Water
- Antiseptic Soap
- Tweezers
- Clean Towel or Cloth
- Antibiotic Cream
- Bandages
EditRelated wikiHows EditSources and Citations Cite error: <ref> tags exist, but no <references/> tag was found
|
No comments:
Post a Comment