Quiz – Canines and Claws

Whether you’re a cat person or you consider dogs to be man’s best friend, our four-legged companions bring a lot of joy to our lives. But it’s important to remember that dogs and cats are animals with natural defenses, and sometimes a bite or scratch can occur, often to a child. Quick but calm treatment can help save the day. Take our quiz to learn more:

1. Cat scratch fever is a real thing

A. True
B. False
C. Not quite true, not quite false.

2. Which of the following is a common symptom of cat scratch disease?

A. The affected area becoming red and swollen
B. Swollen glands under the arm or in the groin
C. Flu-like symptoms including headache, fatigue, joint pain, or fever
D. Body rash
E. All of the above

3. Cat scratch disease always requires antibiotics.

A. True
B. False

4. A dog bite is the most common type of animal bite.

A. True
B. False

5. Dog bites should be washed with soap and water, under pressure from a faucet for about ___ minutes.

A. 2
B. 5
C. 10
D. 15

6. The best way to prevent bites and the potential spread of rabies is to:

A. Have your pets immunized against rabies and other diseases
B. Keep pets in a fenced yard, or secured to a leash in public
C. Make sure pets don’t come into contact with wild animals
D. All of the above

Answers:

C. Not quite true, not quite false. The condition is called cat scratch disease. However, a low-grade fever is one of the possible symptoms.  Cat scratch disease is a bacterial infection that can occur when you are scratched or bitten by a cat carrying Bartonella henselae bacteria.

E. All of the above. Symptoms may not appear for more than a week, and may look like other health conditions.

B. False. Some scratches may require antibiotics but most cat scratch disease will go away by itself. Be sure to wash the area with soap and water right away, and keep watch for symptoms to develop or worsen.

A. True. To decrease the chance of young children being bitten, never leave them alone with an animal and teach them not to tease dogs, even ones that they know.

B. 5 minutes. Don’t scrub the wound. For superficial bites, apply an antiseptic lotion or cream. For deeper bites, dry the wound and cover with sterile dressing. If treating a child, remember to remain calm and reassure them that you can help.

D. All of the above. If you encounter a strange or stray animal, call your local animal control agency. Do not try to capture an animal yourself.

Source: The Health Library