What should I do if bitten by a cat? If it's bleeding, can I skip getting a shot?
Apr 16, 2023
Source: Cainiu Health
Dr. Li Feng
Introduction
After being bitten by a cat, it is generally necessary to promptly rinse the wound with running water and soapy water, then disinfect it with iodine tincture. It is also important to visit a local防疫站 (preventive medicine center) as soon as possible to receive the rabies vaccine. Bleeding from a cat bite indicates that the skin has been broken, allowing the rabies virus to enter the bloodstream through damaged capillaries and potentially cause systemic infection leading to rabies. Therefore, skipping the vaccination is usually not advisable.
Generally, if bitten by a cat, timely wound cleaning and rabies vaccination are required. If there is bleeding, it is usually not acceptable to skip the injection. The specific analysis is as follows:
I. Management
1. Wound Cleaning
The wound should first be rinsed thoroughly with running water and soap solution, then disinfected with iodine tincture to help reduce the risk of viral infection.
2. Vaccination
Bites from cats carry a relatively high risk of rabies virus infection. Therefore, it's important to visit a local public health clinic promptly and receive rabies vaccination as early as possible to prevent serious health consequences.
II. Not Recommended
If a cat bite causes bleeding, this usually indicates that the skin has been broken. If the cat’s teeth carry the rabies virus, the virus may enter the bloodstream through damaged capillaries and spread throughout the body, potentially leading to rabies onset and posing a threat to life. The safest and most effective way to prevent rabies is through rabies vaccination; therefore, skipping the vaccine is generally not advisable.
