Cat Scratch Fever

[Docsgirl]

Is a real thing. Never knew that. Until today....because I have it! :bbeek:

I woke up with a lump on the left side of my abdomen. DH was really worried that it might be a hernia because it hurts really bad and sticks out more when I stand up. So we spent 7 hours in the emergency room today. Turns out, I got cat scratch fever disease from our kitten. The huge lump is swollen lymphnodes. They have me on 3 different medications right now and vicodin, so I'm feeling pretty good right about now, but man....it's painful! I go back to the doctor sometime next week and have to let our vet know that our kitten has the bacteria that causes it in her blood.

My poor baby kitty. She seems fine, and she's up to date with her vaccinations, but apparently she could have gotten it from the fleas she had. She'll have to be treated for it as well.

[WebLady]

Wow - hope you feel better soon!

So did the cat scratch or bite you on the side of the abdomen where the lump came up?

[Docsgirl]

She actually got me in the foot. She did the little kitten "attack" thing where they claw and bite your feet when you walk by. The doctor said that it affects the closest lymphnodes to the area, which just happened to be in my abdomen.

Walking today was pretty painful, but since I've taken the medication it feels like a dull constant ache instead of the stabbing pain it was earlier today. The fever part really isn't too bad, I have more chills than feeling warm, but my blood pressure was 155/80 today when I went in, so they were pretty worried and kept retaking my vitals until they were at a level that they were comfortable letting me go home with.

The doctor said I'll be completely back to normal in a month's time. We take Bella in to the vet on Monday for another round of vaccinations, so I'll just have them treat her for it while we're there.

It's kind of crazy really. Yesterday, completely fine. Today, I'm a big mess. Not to mention that I always thought Cat Scratch Fever was just a catchy song. LOL!

[WebLady]

I have heard of it before and thought it was some sort of infection from a cat bite or scratch; I heard it was most common in kittens. But wow, I didn't know it would last a month!

Hope you feel better soon and your kitty can get treated and not give it to you or anyone again!

[scarymary48]

Argh, poor you! I got it when I was a teenager, after our evil family cat bit me on the head. Didn't have it anywhere near as bad as you by the sounds of it though. Hope you and kitty are both cured soon!
On the brightside, if it's going to take a month, at least it happened now and not in a few weeks time. This way you'll be in fine form by the wedding comes around :)

[Nekochanpurr]

Aww, i hope you feel better! Hehe, i bet Bella is just too cute to stay angry at. :D

[FutureKelley]

I hope you feel better soon!!

Cat scratch fever is one of the many, many things that we can catch here at work. I have a whole business card full of zoonotic diseases that I have to give to any doctor I go to, lol. Not fun!

[Docsgirl]

Thanks for the well wishes everyone!

I feel a lot better with the medication. It kind of makes my head feel like it's detached from my body though...lol. Like I'm 2 seconds behind on everything or something. We hung out with a few of our friends last night and they were picking on me a little....saying I talk a little slow now, like I drag out my words when I talk. I don't notice it, but I do notice that everything around me seems to be a little faster. LOL And not to mention the Cat Scratch Fever song was played....multiple times.

I don't think it effects everyone the same. My body has always had a rough times trying to fight infections, etc. They've given me steroids before to help my immune system fight off severe colds and stuff, so I'd imagine that is why this has become such a painful deal. I never knew lymph nodes could get so big and hard. Ick!

I can't stay mad at the kitty. She's too dang lovable. She's just a baby and the doctor said a lot of cats carry the bacteria that causes it at some point in their life. We'll just get her treated and that'll be that.

On a good note, now that I've gotten it, I'll be immune to it forever. So if I do decide to go into the veterinary nursing program, I won't have to worry about this one. lol

[Qtpie]

Wow, I hope your feeling better.

[KMS]

Wow, I guess that I never really thought about that possibly being a real condition before. I hope you're feeling less foggy headed today.

[NOTKT]

Wow! Hope you are feeling better!

[Docsgirl]

Thank you all for the well wishes!

I'm feeling slightly better today on the pain factor, and my head isn't foggy because I haven't taken any of the "happy" pills today. I can actually concentrate again. Yay! But, because I haven't taken any pain meds it really hurts to walk and I've spent most of the day in bed sleeping/relaxing. We're going grocery shopping tonight when DH gets off of work, so I'll be fogging the mind over again here in about a half hour or so.

But it's good to know what medicine the detached head is coming from! lol

[Moon.Dust.]

Man, I didn't even know that it was possible! I better not let the cat bite me anymore!

[ChristineLS]

I wish you could have learned that it was real through a different method... That does not sound pleasant at all.... though I know what you mean about animals being too lovable to be angry with.

Here's to a quick recovery *crosses fingers*

[Docsgirl]

I took Bella to the vet on Monday. They gave her her vaccinations and a rabies shot. :( It made her get sick in her carrier on the way home and she's limping around a little. :( They told me to expect that though, because it makes their back leg where they inject it really sore.

She's also got antibiotics for 28 days for the cat scratch disease just like me! She didn't like the whole feeding from a syringe thing, so we just mix it in with her food. It wouldn't have affected her at all, but we have to get her cured so she doesn't give it to anyone else. I'm surprised DH doesn't have it...she bites him all the time. Although they did say it can take anywhere from 1-4 weeks for any symptoms to start after the bite/scratch that gives it to you.

Other than that though, she seems to be fine. We got her little mouse toys to play with, cuz I felt bad. lol

I feel a little bit better today too, but the inflammation hasn't gone down any and it's still painful to walk. I go back to the doctor in the next few days, I have to call tomorrow to make an appointment.

[Karyanne20]

Wow that is crazy! I have never heard of anything like that!!

[f77g4]

OMG Tara I'm just reading this. I hope you & kitty get better soon.