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You've
heard it said that a dog's mouth is cleaner than a
human's. Even without microbiological tests I would
question that statement simply on the basis of some of
the things I've seen dogs lick!
Cats'
mouths, on the other hand, are second only to reptiles
for producing horrible infections when they bite.
Cat bite
abscess is the term veterinarians use to describe the
wounds that result from the angry lashing out of a
feline enemy.
Cats'
teeth have a uniquely effective shape for producing a
wound that is as insidious as it is dangerous. The tip
of a cat's canine tooth (the long fang tooth) is sharply
pointed on the end, but tapers to a wider shape quickly.
The sharp tip allows quick penetration and a small entry
wound if only the tip enters a victim. Even that tiny
tip can deposit oral bacteria under the skin of the
enemy where they can incubate and grow.
Soon an
abscess is created. An abscess is defined as a pocket of
infection localized into one spot where huge colonies of
bacteria can grow. The result is a pocket of pus, a high
fever, loss of appetite and dysfunction of the affected
body part.
If the
bitten part is a leg or tail, the swelling can easily
double or even quadruple the size of the appendage.
After
swelling begins, the infection may kill the skin
covering the abscess. The weakened skin may allow the
abscess to rupture. Drainage may be the first abscess
evidence a pet owner sees. In other cases the hair over
the affected skin falls out first, revealing an angry
red lesion beneath.
The pus
has to come out. If the abscess doesn't rupture on its
own it must be lanced. As this procedure may be painful,
it is usually performed under local anesthesia, sedation
or full general anesthesia. Hair is removed from the
lesion its vicinity and a scalpel blade is used to
puncture and incise the wound. Surgical solutions are
then used to irrigate the cavity, removing as much of
the pus and infection as possible.
Injectable
antibiotics are usually administered, as veterinarians
are eager to get bacteria-killing medications into the
body as quickly as possible. Convenia is commonly used
in these cases, or oral antibiotics may be dispensed.
For more information on Convenia, click over to http://www.mypetsdoctor.com/.
Ointments
such as Animax are administered into the interior of the
abscess and are effective in helping to kill bacteria as
well as to keep the wound open for drainage.
It is
crucial to treatment success that the wound remain open.
Whether surgically lanced or self-draining, the wound
will have a strong tendency to close and again trap and
incubate the bacteria that started the abscess in the
first place. If the wound is allowed to close, an
additional surgery may become necessary.
Sometimes
the process of infection killing the overlying skin is
so severe that large areas of skin are permanently lost.
In this scenario surgery is required after all of the
infection is controlled so that the skin defect can be
closed. In the worst cases, skin grafts may be needed to
close large wounds.
Not every
cat bite results in an abscess. Some infections result
in cellulitis, an infection that intersperses itself
among and between tissues instead of forming a single
pocket. I am currently dealing with such an infection in
my left index finger thanks to Tux. Tux is a sweet kitty
who recently came to our office for an examination after
being adopted at the
Humane Society of South Mississippi
. She had no objections to any part of the visit until
time came to return to her carrier. I let my guard down
because she had been so good, but she objected violently
to re-entering the pet caddy and latched onto my finger.
I tell
this story to demonstrate the importance of prompt
medical care when a cat bite occurs, regardless of the
species bitten.
I have
seen people become disabled because of the rapid spread
of infection in hands and arms.
I have
seen dogs wracked with pain from these infections.
When a
cat bite occurs to a pet of yours, follow your pet's
doctor's advice exactly and do not hesitate to contact
him if the lesion doesn't heal as you think it should.
———
(Dr.
Jim Randolph
is a veterinarian at
Animal General Hospital
in
Long Beach, Miss.
Questions for this column are encouraged. Write to
South Mississippi Veterinary Medical Association
,
20005 Pineville Road
,
Long Beach, MS
39560, and include a self-addressed stamped envelope.)
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