Will you get tetanus if you are scratched by a cat and bleed?

Jun 04,2024
3Min

Whether you need tetanus if you are scratched and bleeding by a cat:

1. If you are scratched and broken by a kitten, it is recommended to get tetanus vaccine. Because cats move around, they may carry mud in their paws, and the skin must have been broken. If bleeding occurs, it is more important to receive a tetanus vaccine.

2. If the cat’s scratches are not broken, most cats do not need to be vaccinated against tetanus. Tetanus bacilli are often found in rusty ironware and soil, so scratches from cats may be infected, but the risk of tetanus bacillus infection is small.

3. If the skin is scratched by a kitten and bleeding occurs, and the wound is deep, it is easy to form an anaerobic environment, and intramuscular injection of tetanus antitoxin is required. Because Clostridium tetani is an anaerobic bacterium, it is very easy to grow and reproduce in an oxygen-free environment, thereby producing toxins and causing tetanus in the body.

How to deal with wounds after being scratched by a cat and bleeding:

1. After being scratched by a cat and bleeding, disinfection should be carried out immediately, from the proximal end to the distal end as far as possible Squeeze out the dirty blood from the wound and rinse it with clean water, or alternately rinse with soapy water and clean water for 15-30 minutes, or use hydrogen peroxide for disinfection in the hospital.

2. After emergency disinfection of the wound, it is recommended to go to the hospital in time to receive rabies vaccine, rabies immune globulin, and tetanus vaccine if necessary.

3. Cat claws can carry bacteria, and the wound may cause pain or even infection. You can take oral metronidazole and other drugs under the guidance of a doctor, or use erythromycin ointment and other topical anti-inflammatory drugs under the guidance of a doctor. drug.

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