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Suggest Treatment For Redness And Pimples On Arm After Being Scratched By A Cat

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Posted on Mon, 19 Sep 2016
Question: Hello Doctors. I was scratched on my lower arm by my indoor cat a few days ago. The scratch became red around it and the redness started to spread out a little, still localised but a few inches outside the cut. I went to my doctor who drew a circle and told me that if the redness spread outside the circle I should go straight to emergency. She gave me flucloxacillin 250 to be taken 4 times a day. I am now ending day 2.
Today I noticed a rash about 3/4 inches away from the scratch. Small pimples some a little red, others plain coloured. They did not appear to be connected to the scratch but I googled catch scratch fever and see that this is one of the symptoms. I've also been feeling a little flued up today, very mild but it's there and have been sweating a little without a fever. I went to emergency following my doctors advice that if anything strange happened I should go straight to emergency. The go seemed confused by the spots but seemed concerned by my mild flu symptoms and prescribed me doxycycline to be taken for a week . She told me to stop taking flucloxacillin.
My question today is, obviously the reason my original doctor prescribed me flucloxacillin was a concern that this could develop into sepsis, but the cut and redness seem to be staying the same, if not a little better. Obviously cat scratch fever is now a concern because of the spots and mild flu symptoms ... I would value a second opinion. Would you continue taking both, just the flucloxacillin or just the doxycycline. Is there anything else I should be doing or looking for at this stage. Should I be concerned by this sudden emergence of rash, only present close to the site of the scratch and nowhere else on my body.Thank you so much for your assistance with this.
doctor
Answered by Dr. Kathy Robinson (1 hour later)
Brief Answer:
is it cat scratch disease

Detailed Answer:
Hello,
The answer to your question depends upon what they are trying to treat. If they are trying to treat cat scratch disease you need to be on azithromycin. in cat scratch disease you have swollen lymph nodes. If you do not have that then they may just be trying to treat your skin infection. In that case, the doxycycline would be the best choice. I do not think you need to continue the flucloxacillin.
In summary, I have read your notes and think that if they are trying to treat cat scratch disease you need to be on azithromycin, the recommended drug for that illness. If you are just being treated for a local skin infection then I would remain just on the doxycycline.
Regards
Dr. Robinson
Note: For more detailed guidance, please consult an Internal Medicine Specialist, with your latest reports. Click here..

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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Answered by
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Dr. Kathy Robinson

General & Family Physician

Practicing since :1989

Answered : 3535 Questions

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Suggest Treatment For Redness And Pimples On Arm After Being Scratched By A Cat

Brief Answer: is it cat scratch disease Detailed Answer: Hello, The answer to your question depends upon what they are trying to treat. If they are trying to treat cat scratch disease you need to be on azithromycin. in cat scratch disease you have swollen lymph nodes. If you do not have that then they may just be trying to treat your skin infection. In that case, the doxycycline would be the best choice. I do not think you need to continue the flucloxacillin. In summary, I have read your notes and think that if they are trying to treat cat scratch disease you need to be on azithromycin, the recommended drug for that illness. If you are just being treated for a local skin infection then I would remain just on the doxycycline. Regards Dr. Robinson