Dogs - Beware the playful scratch

[Speedo1968]

I have had dogs for home / family pets and worked with dogs since the early 1960's in different countries.

Luckily I have only been bitten once, a normally friendly soi dog that was having a bad day gave me a nip at the back of my leg.   Hospital for the appropriate jabs.

 

Where I live now, in a small gated compound on the outskirts of a village, the Thai owners ( who live on site ) replaced their old dog that had been very ill and died.

The new young dog, a boisterous neutered male, well looked after, enjoys playing and grabbing at peoples ankles.

 

Two months ago during play the dog scratched the outside of my ankle, the skin was was not broken, no bleeding, only rough skin.    I wiped it with water.

Now, ( being two months after the scratch ) some areas of my ankle still have not healed.

 

No need to read further, unless you want to.   The message is: treat a dog scratch as if it were a bite......... go to hospital immediately. 

 

 

On day two I was woken by a TIA and core body temperature drop - coincidence, I think.

The lymph nodes from foot to inner thigh had swollen, the whole area painful.   The tendons were particularly painful especially the Achilles.

I was unable to stand on the affected foot, both sitting and laying were painful.   I also had high fever.    Areas of infection had started to show on my foot and ankle

I went to the local hospital, had rabies booster and tetanus shots ( returning for second booster shots after 3 days ). 

I was advised it was a bacterial infection ( I asked what bacteria ( possibly pasteurella ) but no answer forthcoming - I have worked in farming most of my life hence my interest ).

 

I am allergic / highly allergic to a vast range of antibiotics - I showed the list to the hospital.   One antibiotic was skin tested at the hospital but I had adverse symptoms, watering eyes, throat swelling and breathing difficulties.    The hospital said that "as the skin did not show a response then the antibiotic was safe to take"  - I declined that particular medication and offers of other medications for two days.

Day three the infected area on my foot and ankle was now 15cm square, with multiple points bleeding / yellow discharge.   Sites on my arms where blood samples had been taken following hospitalisation last June after another stroke / rhabdomyolysis, started to become red and swollen.

I was given Doxycyline / Amermycin - after 1st tab itching, slight skin rash on arms, loose stools - 2nd day 2nd tablet severe tightness in head, nausea, eyesight affected, breathing difficult.  I stopped medication and went directly to hospital.

It is now 8 weeks since the scratch and one point on my ankle still has not fully healed, despite restricted movement at home or walking.    High protein diet does not seemed to have helped.     My restricted movement means I must learn to get my balance back when walking.    Healed or not I start walking practice tomorrow, ( I only started walking again in September after my last stroke ).

[Proboscis]

I don't understand why you did not go straight away to the hospital - a TIA (a mini-stroke to the uninitiated) alone would be enough to send me to a tertiary level hospital on a blue light. Not clear whether the TIA was caused by the infection.

 

Also, most allergies to antibiotics are due to penicillin and there should be other antibiotics that you would not be allergic to. Also, if you have that level of allergies, you should a) seek treatment for allergy abatement carry medication (such as epipen or similar) in case you get a severe allergic reaction to anything 

 

Besides, all cuts that could have been caused by some means that have contact with the ground, whether by dog or not, should be treated immediately with some topical antiseptic - even some iodine would be useful. This should especially be the case in hot countries like Thailand where there is a lot of infectious dust, especially in the dry season.

[Autonuaq]

beside you should have gone directly to the hospital and let them take care of the problem you can try the following.

 

Hydrogenperoxide about 12 thb / 100 ml to clean the area.

Put it on and apply serval times. 

You will see a reaction and most case the surface will turn white. Then rinse with water that is medical approved like klean&kare - normal saline. About 85 thb / 1000ml

Use clean material to apply and clean all use only once.

 

Then you can try to use honey apply on the wound with dressing.

Change every 4 to 6 hrs in the beginning. 

 

Eat in the morning garlic 3 or 4 parts and cut it into small pieces.

Wait 5 minutes and then apply some honey, wait 5 more minutes and the eat all. This for 7 days at least.

 

And not forget to see a doctor

 

[Ossy]

If only this cautionary tale might lead to 'the authorities' doing something about the disgraceful dog scenario in Thailand. As one of my kids - visiting a couple of years ago and after cycling through a couple of 'doggy' villages on our way home from looking at some temples - said, "I don't know about kingdom of God . . . this place is more like the kingdom of dog!" And I had to agree, whilst wishing for the umpteenth time that all stray dogs could be taken off the streets and pathways.

If they're neither tethered nor corralled, they should be regarded as stray and stun-darted by trained wardens, before removal to regional incineration depots. Sorted!

[tryasimight]

17 minutes ago, Ossy said:

If only this cautionary tale might lead to 'the authorities' doing something about the disgraceful dog scenario in Thailand. As one of my kids - visiting a couple of years ago and after cycling through a couple of 'doggy' villages on our way home from looking at some temples - said, "I don't know about kingdom of God . . . this place is more like the kingdom of dog!" And I had to agree, whilst wishing for the umpteenth time that all stray dogs could be taken off the streets and pathways.

If they're neither tethered nor corralled, they should be regarded as stray and stun-darted by trained wardens, before removal to regional incineration depots. Sorted!

Could possibly apply this method to a few of the out of control farangs that roam as well!!

[soalbundy]

snowflake 

[The Deerhunter]

1 hour ago, tryasimight said:

Could possibly apply this method to a few of the out of control farangs that roam as well!!

Are dogs with collared shirts OK? 

[Lacessit]

There are a lot of nasty bugs around, flesh-eating bacteria is the latest in the parade. Immediate sterilisation is the way to go.

[PerkinsCuthbert]

14 minutes ago, Lacessit said:

There are a lot of nasty bugs around, flesh-eating bacteria is the latest in the parade. Immediate sterilisation is the way to go.

Oh, that's a little drastic for farangs, don't you think?

[Dumbastheycome]

Whatever  the   abrasion,   bite,  cut......immediately swipe  it  with  iodine in some  form and   keep  covered  however   minor.

The  worst aggravating   source  I  know  of  is  those  nasty  lil   micro  fly/ sand fly that  descend  on  anything with   any  juice. Let  them  suck  on it  and  expect  long  term  sores!

 

 

 

[Speedo1968]

8 hours ago, Dumbastheycome said:

Whatever  the   abrasion,   bite,  cut......immediately swipe  it  with  iodine in some  form and   keep  covered  however   minor.

The  worst aggravating   source  I  know  of  is  those  nasty  lil   micro  fly/ sand fly that  descend  on  anything with   any  juice. Let  them  suck  on it  and  expect  long  term  sores!

 

 

 

Normally I would have used turmeric ( iodine replacement ) but did not have at home.

For continuing treatment I used alternative therapy but even this failed on this occasion.     In the past it has worked with serious infection but whatever this particular bacteria was it was very voracious.

[Speedo1968]

20 hours ago, Proboscis said:

I don't understand why you did not go straight away to the hospital - a TIA (a mini-stroke to the uninitiated) alone would be enough to send me to a tertiary level hospital on a blue light. Not clear whether the TIA was caused by the infection.

 

Also, most allergies to antibiotics are due to penicillin and there should be other antibiotics that you would not be allergic to. Also, if you have that level of allergies, you should a) seek treatment for allergy abatement carry medication (such as epipen or similar) in case you get a severe allergic reaction to anything 

 

Besides, all cuts that could have been caused by some means that have contact with the ground, whether by dog or not, should be treated immediately with some topical antiseptic - even some iodine would be useful. This should especially be the case in hot countries like Thailand where there is a lot of infectious dust, especially in the dry season.

Thanks for the comments "Proboscis", guess I have become too complacent over the 55 years working in farming in many countries etc. ( fortunately no directly related health issues, apart from the odd bruise, from farming ).    Old age creeping up I guess.

 

As for TIA's / strokes, having had so many I have learnt to deal with them myself as I live alone.  TIA's I generally get warning signs up to a 5 days or so beforehand; strokes - no warnings.      I do pay the doctor a visit if I am worried about any particular episode.

 

I have a full and clear list of general medical details as well as all allergies posted on the wall of my house, I also carry the same with me whenever I go out and a note in my passport.   The hospitals I have visited have similar details on file.     If hospitalised, each time I have to sign away my rights to antibiotic and other treatment to reconfirm what is in my medical details.

The list became essential after I was admitted to a large hospital in Bangkok following a spider bite.   The emergency area was very busy and the doctor took no notice when I replied to his question as to if I was allergic to Plasil.  I was very allergic.   I was given a shot by a nurse despite my trying to explain.     I spent the next few days in ICU.

 

For the dog scratch, normally I would have applied turmeric, didn't have at home nor iodine.

 

Thank you for recommending an "epipen", a good idea, have discussed with doctors before, they tend to advise not to use.    Used something similar for severe migraine attacks in the past, very effective.

 

My antibiotic allergies perhaps stem from my lifetime in farming, only one doctor agreed with this, an Asian gentleman in the UK.    Improper + hidden use of antibiotics etc still continues today including here in Thailand.    In the early 1980's penicillin and streptomycin ( out of a 5kg bag ! ) were commonly used in the Middle East for treating livestock.

[Speedo1968]

17 hours ago, Ossy said:

If only this cautionary tale might lead to 'the authorities' doing something about the disgraceful dog scenario in Thailand. As one of my kids - visiting a couple of years ago and after cycling through a couple of 'doggy' villages on our way home from looking at some temples - said, "I don't know about kingdom of God . . . this place is more like the kingdom of dog!" And I had to agree, whilst wishing for the umpteenth time that all stray dogs could be taken off the streets and pathways.

If they're neither tethered nor corralled, they should be regarded as stray and stun-darted by trained wardens, before removal to regional incineration depots. Sorted!

In the 1980's the Saudi government hired a well known and established pest control company to rid the streets of dogs.     The companies remit was to stun the dogs ( the best method was with a blow dart ) then euthanase them.

What the company did was to stun the dogs. load them in a truck then drive the dogs out of the city ( where I lived 70km from Jeddah ) and dump them in the desert.    Soon they set up a doggy town in the sand dunes.

This changed the whole ecology of the area.   The dogs ate the desert foxes that had controlled the feral cats, when all the cats had been eaten etc. etc.     In the end the population of snakes, scorpions, spiders increased dramatically etc. etc.

 

Here in Thailand ( as in other Asian countries ) the solution is to round up the dogs ( has been done before in Bangkok when there was some special overseas visitor ), take them to the nearest dog farm ( used to be many in Phetchabun district ), fatten them up then drive them back to Bangkok for the restaurant table.    Beware of what you eat !