1st time dd is on antibiotics (for a cat bite), and they have her on 2 kinds?

[mamamille]

So dd got bit by a friend's cat last night. inside cat, has had all shots, was probably a warning to dd as he doesn't like to be man- handled. He's huge (think larger then most little dogs), so I think he got her whole arm in his mouth. Long story short, she had a puncture wound that got swollen and red and hot, and she was crying last night because she couldn't move her arm because it hurt so much
Took her in to a walk-in this am cause the pain, and because my thermometer said she had a lowgrade fever... but when it was taken at the clinic there was none... Dr flipped when she realized that a) dd had not been vax, and b) that I was not interested in her getting tetanus vax this am, and she kept on saying that she probably would need to do an IV antibiotics tomorrow whatever.

So she put her on 2 kinds of antibiotic- sulfameth-trimeth, and cleocin for her to take 4x a day, and despite her totally getting the dosage wrong (she prescribed for an 80lb kid, and my dd is 40), I still think it's overboard.
So I am curious what you ladies think... I'm going to put in a call to dd's ped tomorrow, as I respect her opinion. But I'm still would love any input
thanks!

[rachelsmama]

Cat bites have the potential to get really, really, really nasty and that bite sounds pretty bad. The doctor probably prescribed both antibiotics at once because she wasn't sure which would work better against that particular infection and was less worried about the side-effects of the antibiotics than the risk of the infection progressing further.

[midnightwriter]

I have no ideas re antibiotics, but wanted to ask how your DD was doing, and what did your ped suggest? (We are thinking of getting a cat )

[MCatLvrMom2A&X]

Cat bites can be serious yes but usually they are not especially with an indoor only cat. Both my cats bit me good deep puncture wounds both times I was pg I never even went to the Dr. and they got better on their own with just peroxide and neosporin.

Honestly it does sound like overkill on the abx to me.

[Otto]

Originally Posted by mamamille

So she put her on 2 kinds of antibiotic- sulfameth-trimeth, and cleocin for her to take 4x a day, and despite her totally getting the dosage wrong (she prescribed for an 80lb kid, and my dd is 40), I still think it's overboard.

Sulfamethoxazole-trimethoprim (recommended at double strength for bite wounds) covers aerobic Gram-positive organisms, and Cleocin (clindamycin) covers anaerobic. What'd the pediatrician say?

[mamamille]

Essentially our ped said that the she would have prob put her on something else (can't remember what) but that the dosage of the 2 was off. She said that they def shouldn't been given 4x, but that the dosage should be double for one, but not the other.
My dd's arm seem to be getting better, but then around mid-day the red started to spread. So we went in and she had to get a shot in the bum. We are going in tomorrow- and I will write down what she received.
You know- I was raised around cats, and even not so friendly cats, and I never was bit like this... This particular cat is enormous! bigger than most little dogs (maine coon cat I think) so when he bit my dd, he bit her whole arm! I have known him since they got him and he is now 15 years old. They never let him out and he was raised with a special needs kid, so I think he has some personal space issues. Plus he doesn't have claws so I think that is why he bites. I love cats and this def wouldn't deter me in getting one. It was just a wrong time, wrong place kind of thing. He isn't that aggressive... he's just surly.
Thank you so much for the input! I cherish the fact I can come on here with a question and get thoughtful answers!

[mamamille]

thanks Otto for that chart!