Yog-Sothoth
02-21-2005, 07:26 PM
This might take a while for me to spell out, but if anyone reads it and can help, I'd be extremely grateful.
A week ago Wednesday, my cat came into the house with a limp and a big bite/cut on his side. He hadn't had his rabies shots, so I was nervous. He had drool on his neck and I read that rabies can be contracted through coming into contact with the animal's saliva and then having it touch your eyes, nose or mouth. Well, I rub my nose and eyes a lot, so maybe I did it accidentally before washing my hands. Or maybe I didn't wash them well enough.
So since then, i've been terrified that I've got rabies. My family and friends think I'm just being silly and a hypochondriac like usual. We took the cat to the vet and the two nurses didn't seem all that worried. They gave us some antibiotics to give the cat and I did that.
Well, my mother doesn't like cats and ended up putting the cat out, where I can't find him most of the time. When he does come to the door, he seems sort of normal and he rubs against me like usual. But I'm still terrified of rabies. I read that once symptoms appear, there's no cure. I can't get that out of my head. Most of my family's also been sick lately, so last night and today, I've had a fever (I've got one right now). But a fever is ALSO a symptom of early rabies...
I tried to look up the disease online again, but I came across a horrifying picture of a person in the last stages of the disease, and it only made things worse.
So I guess I'm wondering if I should be as worried as I am. And does anyone know if you can contract rabies from an animal that hasn't shown/developed symptoms yet?
A week ago Wednesday, my cat came into the house with a limp and a big bite/cut on his side. He hadn't had his rabies shots, so I was nervous. He had drool on his neck and I read that rabies can be contracted through coming into contact with the animal's saliva and then having it touch your eyes, nose or mouth. Well, I rub my nose and eyes a lot, so maybe I did it accidentally before washing my hands. Or maybe I didn't wash them well enough.
So since then, i've been terrified that I've got rabies. My family and friends think I'm just being silly and a hypochondriac like usual. We took the cat to the vet and the two nurses didn't seem all that worried. They gave us some antibiotics to give the cat and I did that.
Well, my mother doesn't like cats and ended up putting the cat out, where I can't find him most of the time. When he does come to the door, he seems sort of normal and he rubs against me like usual. But I'm still terrified of rabies. I read that once symptoms appear, there's no cure. I can't get that out of my head. Most of my family's also been sick lately, so last night and today, I've had a fever (I've got one right now). But a fever is ALSO a symptom of early rabies...
I tried to look up the disease online again, but I came across a horrifying picture of a person in the last stages of the disease, and it only made things worse.
So I guess I'm wondering if I should be as worried as I am. And does anyone know if you can contract rabies from an animal that hasn't shown/developed symptoms yet?
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Pillowtalkk
02-21-2005, 08:08 PM
Nine times out of ten your just thinking that you have rabies. But to be on the safe side and reasure myself i would go to the hospital / Doctor and they can run a test . i did this once with a tick bite of course i thought i had lyme what ever its called you get from a tick. I thought i was showing signs also turns out i had the hives from the camping trip. BUT i felt better after they ran the test. I would just let them you cat had rabies or looks like it did and that you would like a test for yourself because your starting to run a fever and showing signs of it possibly.
Yog-Sothoth
02-21-2005, 08:26 PM
I'll try to talk my parents into taking me. I know it's stupid, but I'm very shy in real life and tend to get bad panic attacks when i'm alone around strangers. I hope this is one of those nine times out of ten.
Thanks for replying. I REALLY appreciate it. I was worried nobody would see this post. :)
Thanks for replying. I REALLY appreciate it. I was worried nobody would see this post. :)
Kathrin74
02-22-2005, 10:38 AM
I just saw this post too. :wave:
I just wanted to say I can relate to your situation... when I was very young (maybe, let's see... 10 or 12 or so) a cat scratched me a little and for about a week I was obsessed with the thought that I might have contracted rabies. I read about it in a book and of course I could feel some of the symptoms already... My parents treid to reassure me. I think that was one of the very first OCD-type worries I ever had. For a while after that I was worried when I just had a scratch somewhere and touched something like grass with it (what if a rabid animal had just walked through and sniffed it?). And oh yeah, I heard that about rubbing your eyes too. Oh was I ever careful about not rubbing my eyes after a pet licked me after that!!! ;)
Anyway, I don't know what to suggest... yeah, just to be on the safe side maybe talk to a doctor, if your parents don't agree and you can't do it by yourself, maybe you can just call a hospital and ask to talk to an advice nurse, or call your doctor, or see somebody at your school, if you still go to school.
Kathrin
I just wanted to say I can relate to your situation... when I was very young (maybe, let's see... 10 or 12 or so) a cat scratched me a little and for about a week I was obsessed with the thought that I might have contracted rabies. I read about it in a book and of course I could feel some of the symptoms already... My parents treid to reassure me. I think that was one of the very first OCD-type worries I ever had. For a while after that I was worried when I just had a scratch somewhere and touched something like grass with it (what if a rabid animal had just walked through and sniffed it?). And oh yeah, I heard that about rubbing your eyes too. Oh was I ever careful about not rubbing my eyes after a pet licked me after that!!! ;)
Anyway, I don't know what to suggest... yeah, just to be on the safe side maybe talk to a doctor, if your parents don't agree and you can't do it by yourself, maybe you can just call a hospital and ask to talk to an advice nurse, or call your doctor, or see somebody at your school, if you still go to school.
Kathrin
Yog-Sothoth
02-22-2005, 05:50 PM
Wow, I didn't even know they had advice nurses! I've gotta call one of those. I've been super freaked out about this.
I'm driving my parents nuts, also. They don't worry about stuff like I do, so it tends to really get them angry when I bring this sort of thing up.
I'm driving my parents nuts, also. They don't worry about stuff like I do, so it tends to really get them angry when I bring this sort of thing up.
Kathrin74
02-23-2005, 09:52 AM
Hmm, maybe not all hospitals have them. But I think if you call the hospital and explain your situation, even if they don't officially have one I hope they would let you talk to somebody. In any case it's worth a try.
Kathrin
p.s. But be sure not to obsess about it! I am kind of afraid we are "feeding your OCD here".... The important thing is, to stay OBJECTIVE!!
Kathrin
p.s. But be sure not to obsess about it! I am kind of afraid we are "feeding your OCD here".... The important thing is, to stay OBJECTIVE!!
Yog-Sothoth
02-24-2005, 02:16 AM
Hmm, maybe not all hospitals have them. But I think if you call the hospital and explain your situation, even if they don't officially have one I hope they would let you talk to somebody. In any case it's worth a try.
Kathrin
p.s. But be sure not to obsess about it! I am kind of afraid we are "feeding your OCD here".... The important thing is, to stay OBJECTIVE!!
Hehe, nah I don't think you guys are making things worse at all. If I were alone on this, I'd be having a huge panic attack.
Oh, I went to the doctor today to get some pills that supposedly help you not get the flu and I almost didn't get a chance to bring up rabies. I asked my mother if she would ask for me and she did. The doctor said I wouldn't catch it from a scratch, but I forgot to bring up the saliva.
Kathrin
p.s. But be sure not to obsess about it! I am kind of afraid we are "feeding your OCD here".... The important thing is, to stay OBJECTIVE!!
Hehe, nah I don't think you guys are making things worse at all. If I were alone on this, I'd be having a huge panic attack.
Oh, I went to the doctor today to get some pills that supposedly help you not get the flu and I almost didn't get a chance to bring up rabies. I asked my mother if she would ask for me and she did. The doctor said I wouldn't catch it from a scratch, but I forgot to bring up the saliva.
Kathrin74
02-24-2005, 12:38 PM
As I said, just try to make sure you remain objective/realistic. It is VERY typical for OCD to come up with something you may have forgotten (the saliva) just so you will keep worrying about something!!
Kathrin
Kathrin
Yog-Sothoth
02-24-2005, 05:54 PM
Yeah, it seems like that's what it's trying to do. But I'll do my best not to worry (that's easy to do during the day, but the OCD flairs up for me at night).
I really appreciate all your help, though. :) I was worried nobody would see this thread or anything.
I really appreciate all your help, though. :) I was worried nobody would see this thread or anything.