When does acne require a vet?

My Maggie & my Jordan have white chins. They both currently have some acne. Jordan's is mostly surface & I'm trying to keep it clean with peroxide. Maggie on the other hand had a large bump that opened and bled. I looked at again last night & when I touched it, it opened up again. I looked at it this morning & it did not bleed when touched, but she keeps screaming like it really hurts. Now she is a drama queen, so it could just be that she doesn't want me touching it. In July I had talked to a vet about her chin & he said to clean it with peroxide, but she had never had anything like this. I'm just wondering at what stage does the acne require a vet?

Usually when it starts breaking open and scabs form. I'd say a trip might be in order.

Are you using ceramic/glass/stainless steel for bowls? That and cleaning often. I change my guys bowls at each meal. If you look in my cupboard I look like I have a cat bowl collection.

Originally Posted by littleraven7726

Usually when it starts breaking open and scabs form. I'd say a trip might be in order.

Are you using ceramic/glass/stainless steel for bowls? That and cleaning often. I change my guys bowls at each meal.

If you look in my cupboard I look like I have a cat bowl collection.

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I'll be honest I'm not good about cleaning their dishes, and lately I've been feeding them out of a timed feeder at night. The timed feeder has plastic containers. I may try to see if I can put some metal bowls inside. I've been allowed to sleep at night because they know the food is comming from the food bowl not me. I was thinking last night she might need a vet trip. I'll see it when I get home tonight if it's still as bad, I'll have to call. It looked better this morning and didn't seem as sensitive.

I PM'd you

Her chin looked much better this morning, no bleeding & no sensitivity. I think I Just have to do a better job of cleaning it.

I took Radar to the vet at the point when he got a couple of sores on his jaw, he didn't want me touching them and he had some fur come out around them, they looked quite red. He had an antibiotic injection which cleared them up, but because it's really not a good idea to be on constant or regular antibiotics, it's far better if you can prevent it in the first place.

How old are they? I ask because Radar's really did seem to be an adolescent phase and we haven't had a bad flare up for a while. I use stainless steel bowls and give them a good wash after every use.

I do wonder because it is so noticeable on white chins, whether it is actually more widespread than people realise. Most of the time it just looks like a slight greying of the area with a few dark dandruffy flakes, you wouldn't really notice that on a dark cat.

I do think it is more noticable on cats with white chins. Jordan is 4 & Maggie is 2. The've been fixed since they were kittens so I don't think it has to do with hormone levels. I suspect it's my recent neglect of their dishes. I used to be much better about cleaning their dishes. So I just have to get back to doing a better job.

If it's just blackheads, you should be ok without the vet. Once it gets red and infected or actual pimples start forming, it's time for the vet. This way they can get antibiotics or something to get the swelling/redness under control.

Rang - most of the time, it is because of plastic food dishes. A simple switch to stainless steel ones can help. Other times, like with my Mattie, it's much more complicated.

Sho's had a weird one a while back, lower down on his chin(not near lips). It literally turned into a zit From what I could tell it was from an ingrown hair.
I cleaned it out, used a little peroxide and put a little antibiotic ointment on it a couple of times - it closed up and was mostly healed by the next night.
He's not had another.

If it's just happens once or twice treat it how you would any small cut. If it comes back, then ask the vet.

Plain antibiotic ointment (no pain reliever in it) does wonders sometimes.

My Angel Spooky, Maggie and Lola have all had very bad chin acne. I learned my lesson with Spooky about using glass dishes and keeping them scrupulously clean, so I was shocked when Maggie & Lola developed it. All three required systemic antibiotics, washes and ointments. Nothing worked to get rid of the open, weeping, purulent, sores. Spookys cleared up when I switched her food from Meow Mix dry (red dye) to Hills Science Diet (this was y-e-a-r-s ago!) Maggie and Lola cleared up when I took away the Purina One dry. Everyone is on a wet food diet now and they haven't had chin acne for several years. When all else fails, consider changing the food. It's worked for me every time.

Black crusty stuff doesn't really require a vet consultation. That can usually be taken care of by changing bowls and washing several times a day with dilute peroxide or other dilute (human) acne cleaning products (be sure to rinse very well!) Once it gets to the redness and swelling stage, or worse, the open draining, purulent stage, a veterinary consultation is absolutely necessary. You'll need antibiotics for the infection. Good luck!