terrified i caught something off a rat scratch?

[WorriedTeen221]

So I was taking out the bin last night, and a rat jumped out and jumped off the bin, onto my leg and onto the ground. I was wearing shorts, so he left a small little scrape that wasn't really deep at all, less than me pressing my fingernail into my skin with minimal pressure. There was the tiniest speck of blood there and i immediatly went in and washed the area with hot water and soap and then put antiseptic cream germolene on it every 4 hours. The anxiety in me fears the worst and there are stories of people being clawed by rats then dying suddenly like a week later. I feel pretty fine now bar a small cold I've been having before it happened. The scrape has no swelling or pus around it, just a white line with a small bit of yellow skin around it. Anyone help out? so worried here

[axolotl]

So I was taking out the bin last night, and a rat jumped out and jumped off the bin, onto my leg and onto the ground. I was wearing shorts, so he left a small little scrape that wasn't really deep at all, less than me pressing my fingernail into my skin with minimal pressure. There was the tiniest speck of blood there and i immediatly went in and washed the area with hot water and soap and then put antiseptic cream germolene on it every 4 hours. The anxiety in me fears the worst and there are stories of people being clawed by rats then dying suddenly like a week later. I feel pretty fine now bar a small cold I've been having before it happened. The scrape has no swelling or pus around it, just a white line with a small bit of yellow skin around it. Anyone help out? so worried here

Sounds like you've done the right thing in cleaning it out and I'm sure you'll be fine. See a doctor if it shows signs of any infection, but I can't imagine you'll get anything worse than that, and if you've cleaned it thoroughly it's unlikely. I can't imagine rats in Ireland would carry anything too serious and you've been reading scare stories from the sounds of things.

[WorriedTeen221]

Sounds like you've done the right thing in cleaning it out and I'm sure you'll be fine. See a doctor if it shows signs of any infection, but I can't imagine you'll get anything worse than that, and if you've cleaned it thoroughly it's unlikely. I can't imagine rats in Ireland would carry anything too serious and you've been reading scare stories from the sounds of things.

That's what im hoping, its not like he clawed me, just bounced off my leg and happened to have sharp claws so scraped me. Most things im reading online are to do with bites and thats mainly how they transfer diseases, scratches from what im reading would have to have moist urine on its claws to cause any bacteria to spread, even then it would only be if it cut me. I usually just worry way too much over everything anyway aha

[axolotl]

That's what im hoping, its not like he clawed me, just bounced off my leg and happened to have sharp claws so scraped me. Most things im reading online are to do with bites and thats mainly how they transfer diseases, scratches from what im reading would have to have moist urine on its claws to cause any bacteria to spread, even then it would only be if it cut me. I usually just worry way too much over everything anyway aha

I know it's hard, but stop Googling, scare stories always bubble to the surface. Treat it like any other scratch and see a doctor if it shows signs of infection.

[unsure_about_this]

Done the right thing cleaning out but as other have said if you get an infection see a GP. I will still see a GP if you dont have an infection.

[WorriedTeen221]

Done the right thing cleaning out but as other have said if you get an infection see a GP. I will still see a GP if you dont have an infection.

yeah i will go to a doctor if I see it swelling or getting worse. It's not that im worried about, its possible getting rat bite fever or tetnus or something. EVen though it wasnt a bit or a clawing it still could have transmitted something, and they can take up to 21 days to present symptoms. It's a waiting game basically

[WorriedTeen221]

Did a bit more research over the last while, basically a new study came out this year that needing a tetanus injection every 10 years isnt true, and that people have antibodies up for 30 years after one. This would mean I'm still covered by my ones as a child. Also that tetanus spores cant survive in oxygen, which is why puncture wounds like nails are much more likely to get it because they go straight to the deep tissues and release. My wound was a small scratch about 2cm in length, and is healing fine atm, went red and scabbed over like most others ive ever had have. The rat would have had to had animal manure or infected soil on its claws to really be a threat for what I gather. I've been bit by 2 dogs in my life, scratched by so many cats, cut off barbed wire and cut in the dirt playing outside so many times and I've never ever thhought once about tetanus. For some reason because it was a rat it just set off alarm bells in my head. Symptoms before i got it were like annoying headache, neck pain from the way i always have my head twisted but now I was worry so much I made them much worse. Currently have a tingly feeling slightly on the left side of my nack and face, and some light neck ache that side, but i think its down to the way i turn my head more so than anything, also tetanus symptoms usually show up around 4-21 days after infection, and first present with lockjaw, a painful clenching of the jaw. Anyways just my ramblings.

[MyNameIsTerry]

Did a bit more research over the last while, basically a new study came out this year that needing a tetanus injection every 10 years isnt true, and that people have antibodies up for 30 years after one. This would mean I'm still covered by my ones as a child. Also that tetanus spores cant survive in oxygen, which is why puncture wounds like nails are much more likely to get it because they go straight to the deep tissues and release. My wound was a small scratch about 2cm in length, and is healing fine atm, went red and scabbed over like most others ive ever had have. The rat would have had to had animal manure or infected soil on its claws to really be a threat for what I gather. I've been bit by 2 dogs in my life, scratched by so many cats, cut off barbed wire and cut in the dirt playing outside so many times and I've never ever thhought once about tetanus. For some reason because it was a rat it just set off alarm bells in my head. Symptoms before i got it were like annoying headache, neck pain from the way i always have my head twisted but now I was worry so much I made them much worse. Currently have a tingly feeling slightly on the left side of my nack and face, and some light neck ache that side, but i think its down to the way i turn my head more so than anything, also tetanus symptoms usually show up around 4-21 days after infection, and first present with lockjaw, a painful clenching of the jaw. Anyways just my ramblings.

My dad has worked in the landscape gardening trade for over 40 years so he would have loads of cuts all up his arms a lot. Because of the machinery, this could include things that could cause tetanus. He only ever had the odd booster when he suffered injuries needing medical treatment at hospital and they were doing it "just in case" as they can't be sure when he had earlier ones given how old he was by then.

[WorriedTeen221]

My dad has worked in the landscape gardening trade for over 40 years so he would have loads of cuts all up his arms a lot. Because of the machinery, this could include things that could cause tetanus. He only ever had the odd booster when he suffered injuries needing medical treatment at hospital and they were doing it "just in case" as they can't be sure when he had earlier ones given how old he was by then.

Yeah that's the main thing where tetanus comes from is soil. The worry with cuts is if the cut got contaminated with soil and you didn't wash it out or a deep puncture wound where it can get deep in your body. i was reading a story too in a medical journal of a woman who had her booster 2 years earlier, then got it through an infected abcess on her leg, just goes to show that they are 100% guarantees to prevent it.

[WorriedTeen221]

So I've just been doing some research on what dieseases rats spread, and cannot find Tetanus anywhere, other than a wound from a rat bite would be suseptable to it because its a puncture wound...

[WorriedTeen221]

So its been 6 days since my last post, been doing pretty good. Still feel quite tense around my shoulders and now I feel like there is a big lump of phlegm stuck in the back of my throat which has me worried. At first I thought it was my throat closing but then I remembered I had phlegm a small bit before all this so it must just be that. No muscle spasms, pain, jaw locking or anything like that. Just worry and tension.