Al L.: Best antibiotic for animal bites?

[catwoman]

Am hoping that Al Lodwick and/or others can help me.

I've had GI problems with erythromycin & augmentin in the past, taking 2,000+mg for dentals, etc., so I take amoxi instead.
Which is OK for dentals.
However, I need something to take for cat bites. (No brainer, huh???)
Sometimes a cat will get overly excited by a toy when I'm judging and it just a law of physics or whatever that 2 things cannot occupy the same space at the same time, i.e., my thumb/finger/whatever and the cat's mouth.
I took a total of 4,000mg Saturday after a too-close encounter with some pearly whites, then had to take an Extra Strength Tylenol PM to get to sleep last night (thumb was throbbing.)
It looks OK today. A little oozing, thank heavens.

I've thought of Keflex, but I'm not familiar with that in humans, only veterinary use.
And maybe I need to rotate antibiotics occasionally, too.

Any thoughts?

 

[PegB]

Hi Marsha,

Hi Marsha,

I had my first cat bite a couple months ago from one of my own cats when I was feeding her and she confused my thumb with the scoop. It throbbed all the way to my shoulder! My Dr. called in 875 mg. Augmentin (twice a day for 10 days). It doesn't bother my stomach as much as Amoxicillin, and I had no trouble at all with this dose and a full stomach. They said for the next timeeek: ), to let it bleed for awhile to help wash the bacteria out. I took Keflex a long time ago for something(?), and couldn't tolerate it at all which was really maddening since it had been so expensive and I had to stop it.

 

[geebee]

Marsha,
I have found Keflex to be the one antibiotic that works for me. I seem to be allergic to everything else.
Although I have never taken it for a cat bite, I did take it when I cut my finger pretty deeply on the metal peeling off a door handle. Didn't even get a glimmer of an infection starting.
I am sure Al will know more but Keflex is tops in my opinion.

 

[Natanni]

Nathan got scratched by our kitty on the nose with a little puncture. He was started on Keflex 500mg by mouth three times a day for 3 days.

 

[Guest]

A sales rep just dropped off a guide to antimicrobial therapy. I thought, "What do I want that fo", but I put it in my desk drawer. So there it was when I needed it.

The receomnded treatment is amixicillin/clavanulate (the generic name for Augmentin) 875/125 twice daily. The alternative is cefuroxine (Ceftin) 500 mg every 12 hours or doxycycline 100 mg twice daily. 80% of cat bites become infected. Usually the bacteria is Pasturella. The major danger is that the bite goes close to the bone and osteomyelitis resistant to almost all drugs can develop.

 

[perkicar]

Kitties and Dogs

Kitties and Dogs

thanks Al, that is good information to file away in my head for future reference. I am allergic to penicillin and the last time I had a dog bite (breaking up a fight), they gave me clindamycin. I guess I was thinking "animal bites" as a generic treatment, never expected they would reco different drugs for different species. Good learning!
Carolyn

 

[catwoman]

Al:

I keep 125mg tabs of Clavamox (Pfizer Animal Health) in our veterinary drug supply at home. I don't know what the amoxi/clavanulate acid breakdown is in the 125, if 125 refers to the clav portion or it's a combined. I have a Veterinary PDR @ home. Will look. Clavamox is a pretty standard Rx for infections in cats & dogs.

Will consult my PCP. Don't want a trip to his office right now -- something like this will trigger a letter from a business that audits insurance claims, wanting to know if someone else should be paying for my visit. I got a letter after I tripped over something in the dark, cutting my nose on my eyeglasses.

We judges **are** provided a limited amount of insurance to cover things like this. I haven't had to use it yet, but I'll certainly make some calls.

 

[Marty]

I remember being told in medical school that morsus humanis ( man bite) was the most dangerous and likely to get infected. Dog bites rarely get infected. I think cat bites are in between.

 

[LUVMyBirman]

It will also not hurt to back up your antibiotic therapy with some topical Nesporin. Live by the stuff for cuts, scratches and blisters. Blisters can be dangerous as well. There is a Neosporin with added pain releif. Works like a charm.

 

[catwoman]

I keep clindamycin solution for topical use. Pretty cheap, $10 for 60ml, I think. A friend had put neosporin on my thumb Saturday night; I had left the clindamycin at home.

Maybe if I had taken the clindamycin w/ me, it would have warded off the cat-bite gods!

 

[Granbonny]

So, what about just the cat's swipes by their claws. I would have been dead 4 years ago..for my Rufus loves to swipe at me.. But have learned in the last year. if he jumps on computer. move my chair back and let him out.....He knows, that is the way to get my attention..by jumping on computer. ...If I tried to continue..he would take a swipe at my arm..and those sharp claws would make me bleed.Not for long..just enough to have to put on a bandaid.Usually ..just one hole........For Marty ..and the Human bites..I have an age 3 year old Grandaughter in Daycare.....She is forever getting bitten by other kids....They usually turn yellow after a few days...but..really upsets her parents....until they were told, she bit someone, too. ( she is the only girl in her class.with 8 boys..one ..my PCP's boy.) ........Bonnie

 

[LUVMyBirman]

I agree with Bonnie on the cat swipes or light nips. Yep, would have been dead years ago. I just treat them with the neo. Usually there is rarley a sign 24 hours later. If it just a bit more than a swipe. Just once this happened. I took a loading dose of Amox. It would have to be a serious gauge to call the doc. Or...if it looked to be infected.

Bonnie. On the biting at daycare. My sister owns a center that includes a state approved Kindergarten. Long story short. She has a no bite policy. If the child bites just once they are expelled! For the saftey and well being of the other childern. As well as the center. They were once sued over a bite. And as you can see...it can become a vicuous circle if it is tolerated.

 

[catwoman]

My sister owns a center that includes a state approved Kindergarten. Long story short. She has a no bite policy. If the child bites just once they are expelled!

One of my cousins bit me once on the back of my left hand. My sisters & I tried to expel her from the family....