Cat Scratch Fever
Cat Scratch Fever is caused by the bacteria Bartonella henselae. It is transmitted by exposure to infected cats or kittens usually through a bite or a scratch.
Symptoms:
- Bump or blister at site of injury (This is usually the first sign. I thought mine was a bug bite.)
- Lymph node swelling near the scratch or bite
- Headache
- Fever (Not always the case.)
- Fatigue
- Malaise (General feeling sick.)
- This is what my vein looked like after being infected with Cat Scratch Fever
Less common symptoms may include:
- Loss of appetite
- Weight loss
- Enlarged spleen
- Sore throat
- Draining lymph nodes
My Experience:
I received Cat Scratch Fever from a scratch that I got from a rescued kitten. A blister that looked like a spider bite showed up on my arm and the veins underneath the blister turned red. I thought that I had blood poisoning and the redness in my veins slowly traveled up my arm and towards my heart for a few days. Then I got the headaches and the tiredness. I felt like I was coming down with the flu. After two weeks of this the lymph nodes under my collar bone swelled up and hurt to the touch. My symptoms went away after about a month.
What To Do:
Cat Scratch Fever is usually not serious, but a visit to the doctor is not a bad idea if your symptoms are severe.
- Rest
- Omega 3 Fish Oil-(This helped with the tiredness and sick feeling.)
- Lots of water
- Possible antibiotics as prescribed by the doctor, though many don’t need it.
Honda the evil Cat Scratch Fever kitten looks so innocent
March 13th, 2010 at 2:04 pm
I am glad that I reached this article as it answered my questions/worries. I was diagnosed with cat scratch fever disease too, but since I am healthy (no other problems) it should not be problematic.
I found out there were some deaths reported (related to cat scratch fever disease) according to http://www.catscratchfeverdisease.com but those happened usually in people with a weak immune system.
And thanks for the fish oil tip too!
Fiona
July 13th, 2010 at 7:03 pm
You are most welcome and thank you for your comment. I am pretty healthy as well, so I wasn’t too worried. However everyone should listen to their bodies and if things seem serious they should go to a doctor.