Cat scratch

[Makayad]

The other day my friends cat sat on my lap for about 5 minutes.  Then when I tried to get up it's claws scratched my skin mildly.  I checked for bleeding but there was none and anyways I disinfected it with strong aftershave.  I know that nobody in the house is infected with Hep C but I'm worried because the cat often hunts wild rabbits and field mice.  I read that Hep C might be transferred if a cat scratches an infected person then "immediately" scratches a healthy person.  My question: does "immediately" mean 5-10 minutes or more like 2-3 hours?

[cuteus]

I guess it all depends on how long the virus can survive outside its host in liquid and dry blood, too scientific specific for me; in line with toothbrushes, razors, and nail clips; how long after use is the virus infectious? HAs any scientist actually answered that? if THEY haven't, we sure can't.
  I am not sure about your worry, are you infected with hcv and not want to infect the others?  how does the cat's hunting animals relate to your worry?

[cuteus]

I found this post, which showboat acknowledged,  way down.  Does any one know how we can access old questions in the forum(our questions) this question she posted into was from February 04. does everyone's puter show the same amount of threads? the last one in mine is april, before  this feb post.  Inquiring mind wants to know!!


SisterM
(11-May-04) . Hi All, I would like to say how brave you are.
I need your help please. I'm 20 years old and my mother has had Hepatitis C for over 15 years,she was on Interferon Treatment,that didnt work &now she is on Pegysys.She also has Liver Chirrosis (do not know what stage at)&suffers from severe pains,coughing blood from mouth&nose,water retention &inflammation of Liver.The docs are not paying attention 2this.I am going 2try Milk Thistle,Manuka Honey &Dandy lion Tea. Could someone please advise me what I should do? I am very stressed &docs dont seem to be helping. Please email me or respond to this as I don't know what to do. Time is of essence. they say she can't have a transplant yet as she still has Hepatitis/

Thanks

[Showboat]

I am glad you asked that question.  I have also wondered how to get into the  old archives from patient to patient (not the older archives with the Physician answering one question)....I remember seeing this a few times in the past as well.   I thought I was the only one that did not know how to access those...lol.......Hope someone out there knows how to enlighten the rest of us........(my computer knowledge is very limited)

[Plutonium-kid]

Hello Maka
Your question is an interesting one & although I can't provide a definite answer & probably no one else can as well, I can state this for a fact. I have 3 kids, a wife & 2 house cats that don't hunt small furry mammals, only flies. One cat has been with us for 14 yrs. & the BABY CAT for ~2 yrs. The cats have scratched us on numerous occasions not to mention nibbling at us just for fun. The nature of the animal I guess.
I had HCV for the past 25 yrs & just finished Tx last month....& so far so good (HCV negative). When I tested HCV + approx 2 yrs ago, naturally the whole family was tested...the results were negative for each individual....THANK GOD!
These are facts that speak for themselves.....however, for your own peace of mind you can always be tested as well.
Hope this info is useful & good luck to you.

[Galen]

Sorry folks, all the old posts are lost forever to cyberspace unless you are someone else here saves them.  This is a free site to us heppers and the owners cannot save everything for us as, most likely cause we talk too much ;)  Once it falls off the bottom, poof! it's gone.  The archives stopped saving stuff in Jan 2001.  You can still ask a question of a Gastro doc tho.  If you go to the Med Help homepage, click on "Gastroenterolgy" in the column on the left, you will get to that forum,

[Showboat]

Thank you for the information.  Now I do not feel like I am missing out on something...lol.....it sure would be nice to be able to go back and read some of the older posts, but I sure do understand about the site constraints.  Peace.

[cuteus]

don't go yet.  I have seen dissappeared posts reappear (like the Feb one at the bottom) with new comments.  How did those people find them? maybe a google search?

[catherine194]

I AM POSTING THIS AGAIN IN CAPITAL LETTERS! It is your legal, ethical, and moral right to have pain control. You can report these doctors to the state medical board of examiners. The board has cracked dowwn on docs who do not aggressively treat pain such as sending your Mom to a pain clinic with a pain management doctor. Tell him he works for you and he is not God. This infuriates me to read this. No one needs to suffer in this day and age. There is drugs like Neurotin and Elivil that are non-narcotic that can be used in supplement to a narcotic. They can put her on Fentanyl patches, MS Contin (time released morphine), oxycontin(time relased oxycodone), dilaudid, ultram, and a mild anti-anxiety med. The side effect is respiratory depression, sleepiness, confusioin, and getting days and nights mixed up but the desired outcome is make someone comfortable as possible. I know you want your Mom to live but has the docs talked about Hospice. You can still get a liver even if she is not in remission. There is no cure for Hep C unfortunately but it can be controlled as you have read here. Print this out and take it to her docs and anything else you can find to back this up. I might not be a practicing nurse but I AM a nurse and thus I will advocate for patients until the day I die. God bless you sweetheart for being such a dear and devoted daughter. Prayers.

[cuteus]

I pasted your answer for her in the last thread in hopes she will come back and see it.  TY so much for your stand on pain management, I agree wholeheartly, but these drs are caught bt the board and the DEA, who needs to ease up  on them. Ty for your contribution to us.

[cuteus]

Another "dissappeared" question has "reappeared" at the bottom.
The last dated question 5 days ago was 4/29/04 and then the Feb one. On the 13 someone found the 3/25 question and placed a comment that made it come back to the forum.  I am so confused, how do the new people find them and WE can't?   Must ask tech support in Med Help.   I still think it might be the result of a web search.  any ideas?

[Lisa301]

I was wondering about the cat scraching, my mother and step father have a mean cat and it scraches people all the time, now my step father has HCV (and this cat scraches him the most) and my mother and step father are going to be watching my 7 month old daughter, I am very scard that the stupid cat will scrach her.  Do you think the cat can transfer Hep C to my daughter, that cat just scrached my husband last night I made him wash it out very well however I'm freaking out.  I've said something to my mother about and she acts like I'm crazy??  What do I do.

[working dog]

we've been through this before...yes...watch that cat ! trim thoughs claws....be carefull...billy

[GrandmaA]

If it is an indoor cat you can have the claws removed. Sounds terribly painful.

[Lady Lauri]

Hey guys....whats up with the 2004 post here???


LL

[Lady Lauri]

And as long as it's here and for the sake of ...whatever......

I have 'saved' animals for over 30 years and I mean in the HUNDREDS, high hundreds at least thru those years! (REALLY!) My 3 sons turned out just like me (specially one!) and they too brought home every stray or abused animal they saw! We have chased, ’em, dug under sheds, netted 'em, grabbed wild ones, sick ones and so onnnnn. Some took weeks to tame and we have all been scratched and bit many times (all quarantined if so) . I’ve gotten some that were in horrible shape! I still carry gloves and a cage in my truck to this day for strays.
  Point is…..Believe I had Hep C over 30 yrs. , never knew and even thru the 3 births, and with all that above, all 3 tested negative for Hep C in Dec. (after my dx), along with anyone else in my life all this time. And I am telling you, we’ve had a LOT of animals!
  Just adding to the thoughts and the 2004 post!

LL