tetanus, no vax dd, and infected cat bite

[mamamille]

so long story short dd got bit from an indoor, up on all kitty vax, cat last night and it started to get infected. Brought her in to walk in clinic and dr went a little hysterical that she hadn't been vaxed and I wasn't interested in getting her vaxed then. "Your child could DIE"

But the possibility of tetanus is having me a little concerned. It was deep, it bled, and it def was a puncture wound. Now I know that having the vax or booster wouldn't do anything for her as she has never been vax (right?). The CDC site says "Prompt administration of tetanus toxoid and TIG may decrease the severity of the disease". But is there a way to test whether or not she has it in the first place? Then we could get her the TIG, and be done with it (?) I don't have a problem with her getting the TIG, and I might feel better just having her have it anyway- without testing for it (if that's even possible)

Any help would be most appreciated!

[Katrinaquerida]

I'm not sure of an answer, but I am thinking of you! FWIW, I get an infection from every cat bite and scratch. I think its an allergy thing. Hope you get a good answer...

[nia82]

I think you can do a blood test, as there is a blood test to check for Tetanus titers. Ask. Cat bites get infected badly often and oftentimes require antibiotics (I mean bad ones, I never had it happen and lived with cats all my life). My sister had to deal with it a couple of times, she is the doctor that gets the calls from docs who are out of ideas which abx to give to their patients. Some of the bacteria in cats' and dogs' (!) mouths are just really yucky and if the wound is deep enough, can cause nasty infections. Did they prescribe any antibiotics?

[Otto]

Originally Posted by nia82

I think you can do a blood test, as there is a blood test to check for Tetanus titers.

These titers are for immunity produced by the toxoid vaccine. Tetanospasmin doesn't by itself cause an immune response (see "Host Defenses" here).

[Devaskyla]

If it bled, then tetanus isn't a concern, since it needs conditions with no oxygen. And even in the pretty much impossible event she got tetanus from the bite, it can be treated with an antibiotic called Metronidazole.

[tallulahma]

I agree that if it bled its probably fine.

I'm not sure i believe much of the tetanus hysteria though, so take that fwiw.

For the cat bite, you could apply silver ointment topically and get drops to take internally.

Get some herbs to pull out the infection... Or put cabbage leaves on it, i think its cabbage?

[mamamille]

yes she is on a double bit of antibiotics... first time on them. It looks much better and we are soaking it in hot salt water. I was alittle hysterical thinking about her having tetanus last night. Becasue you just will never know unless she shows the signs and she's my baby

[Marnica]

Originally Posted by mamamille

yes she is on a double bit of antibiotics... first time on them. It looks much better and we are soaking it in hot salt water. I was alittle hysterical thinking about her having tetanus last night. Becasue you just will never know unless she shows the signs and she's my baby

I know it's scary. I'm sure she'll be good as new very soon .

[PenelopeJune]

*hugs*

I definitely be more worried about the infection itself than the chance of tetnus, especially since it bled.

Is it sea salt you are soaking it in? I know it's very different, but when my nose piercing got infected I soaked it in sea salt and it was the ONLY thing that took out the infection.

[Otto]

Originally Posted by Devaskyla

If it bled, then tetanus isn't a concern, since it needs conditions with no oxygen.

I'm not so sure that this bit of folk wisdom adds up in terms of "blood = oxygen = no anaerobes." Surely, bleeding will help clean out a wound, but the argument ignores the possibility of coinfection with aerobes and facultative anaerobes, which can lower the oxygen supply and also provide the tissue damage to make any lingering spore of an obligate anaerobe feel right at home.

[mamamille]

yes- normally I do think that if it bleeds well then the risk is very low- since it prob wasn't a true puncture in the first place if it bled well. My doubt lies in the fact that the wound bled very well, that it was cleaned properly (peroxide, bacitracine, salt water soak) and it still got pretty infected. We are on day 2 and we had to go and get a shot in the bum cause the infection seems to be spreading.
Good thing is that our ped was very unconcerned with the risk of tetanus. She said that essentially if the cat had been outside, or that we lived on a farm where there was manure, that we would need to consider the possibility of tetnus. I'm still a little worried, but we will see what tomorrow brings.
Thanks for the thoughts and input- you rock!