Paw & nose sores

flyerd

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4-6 wks ago we adopted an approximately 2yr old stray (already fixed but with no microchip). currently she has an irritated nose area (looks bloody) and her 2 front paws are irritated on (and between) the pads. I had a few ideas, one of which was a contagious virus of some sort that has spread between the feet and nose but the fact that it's not on the back paws is confusing to me.

We took her to the vet (before introducing her into the house 4-6 wks ago) and she checked out ok but she did have a nose that looked a little "rubbed" while at that vet check-up. We hadn't noticed it before and assumed it happened as she rubbed her nose on the cat carrier wire door. It seemed to get a little better over the next few weeks but then, two days ago, we noticed her limping. After checking her paws it looked sort of like a burn (from a space heater?) but since it's on both paws (and between the pads) we think it's unlikely. Additionally, the fact that her nose looks worse now makes us think it's all related and not due to getting burned.

Any ideas or past experiences would be appreciated. I found some articles that seemed to have possible answers like: "rodent ulcers/sores" and "dermatitis conditions". I also though it looked a bit like a "herpes" condition but I don't know if cats can get that. Lastly, we had a cat previously that had "food allergies" so I saw that as a possibility too.

Extra info: A 1yr old cat of ours dies 2wks ago from FIP but my vet said our other cats will most likely be fine. Our 15yr old had a respiratory issue that we took her in for 6 days ago that ended up being on the verge of pneumonia but she's rebounding nicely. Yes, it's been a bad month!... :-(
 

laureen227

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when my Pixel was first diagnosed w/feline herpes, she had sores on her face that spread to her front paws. i think it was from washing her face w/those paws.
 
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flyerd

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Thanks for the reply.
Well, it's only on the nose but I could see it as a possibility. What was the treatment (short and long term)? Does the treatment adversely affect their lifespan like some long term medications do?
 

laureen227

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Originally Posted by flyerd

Thanks for the reply.
Well, it's only on the nose but I could see it as a possibility. What was the treatment (short and long term)? Does the treatment adversely affect their lifespan like some long term medications do?
easy & good for them! treatment is lysine - 500mg per day as a maintenance dosage, double during a flare-up. i put it in the water, myself. there are prepared versions, but they're quite pricey - i get the human capsules [500mg each] & use those. doesn't hurt the ones w/o herpes, either - strengthens the immune system.
sorry - i thought you said her paws were involved, as well.
 
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flyerd

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Sorry, I probably explained myself badly irt the nose and paws. When I said it was only on the nose I was referring to your comment about the herpes being on Pixel's face and I thought that meant in more than one spot. I was just trying to say that it was only on her nose and not all over her face. Yes it's on her paws too (only the front ones though). Lysine sounds like a good fix if it turns out to be herpes. Thanks
 
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flyerd

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Laureen227,

I looked around the house and found some 500mg tablets (they were fairly lg in size) that I could probably dissolve in water but I wonder if it would too bad for her to drink it
? I could also break it up into pieces and try getting them into her mouth but that seems link a very difficult daily occurrence. Do you have any suggestions or tricks for giving the doses? Thanks again.
 

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has the cat seen the vet as this could be ringworm which can spread to you and other animals ...

try getting some capsules and either using pill pockets or spilling out the contents into wet food
 

laureen227

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Originally Posted by sharky

try getting some capsules and either using pill pockets or spilling out the contents into wet food
i use the capsules, since they're readily available [in the people supplements section of my local Drug Emporium]. i wish my Pixel would eat wet - i'd just put it in there [actually, i add it to the wet anyway - can't hurt 'em!] but she's a 'dry only' senior girl. i put it in their drinking water - about 1000mg per 16 ounces is what i usually do. i also have a feliway diffuser going [i have a small house - under 1000 square feet, so 1 seems to be enough] to ease the stress level. herpes flare-ups are usually caused by stress - Pixel has gotten one every time i've adopted a new cat.
good luck!
 
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flyerd

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Sharky- Thanks for the comments; she goes to the vet tomorrow (I can never get an appointment the same day (or generally within 2 days) because my vet is very popular. She goes in for a "drop off" in the morning which means we drop her off with a description of the symptoms and they work her into the schedule that day (usually by noon). The alternative to a drop off is typically about a 3-5 day wait for an appointment. It doesn't look like ringworm but I agree that ringworm is would be a bad thing to have.

Laureen227- I'll have to look into a feliway diffuser; thanks for the idea. In regard to stress, we did get a new kitten a wk or so before she started showing signs. Hmmm... How long does it typically take for the indications to go away? Do you ever have to take Pixel to the vet for a shot or some other treatment due to the breakout being too severe for the Lysine treatment?

Thanks again.
 

sharky

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I have four herpes cats my Zoey is the worst last time she wouldnt take her lysine so the vet gave me a for cats lysine which I put on her like hairball lube it is called enisyl- f . I have used lysine from capsules for a few yrs now and this way of adminstering worked great only draw back is it is $$
 

laureen227

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Originally Posted by flyerd

Laureen227- I'll have to look into a feliway diffuser; thanks for the idea. In regard to stress, we did get a new kitten a wk or so before she started showing signs. Hmmm... How long does it typically take for the indications to go away? Do you ever have to take Pixel to the vet for a shot or some other treatment due to the breakout being too severe for the Lysine treatment?

Thanks again.
she started showing improvement from her 1st [& worst!] flare-up w/in a few days of lysine therapy. afaik that's the only treatment for it.

Originally Posted by sharky

I have four herpes cats my Zoey is the worst last time she wouldnt take her lysine so the vet gave me a for cats lysine which I put on her like hairball lube it is called enisyl- f . I have used lysine from capsules for a few yrs now and this way of adminstering worked great only draw back is it is $$
i haven't tried the enisyl-F, but i have some Viralys [it's also a gel] but Pixel REALLY hates for me to give that to her [it's maple-flavored, so i don't really blame her
]. so if i need to 'up' her dosage, i make a preparation using baby food + water + lysine powder & syringe it into her [she doesn't like meat baby food - the only 1 of my cats that doesn't, of course!]. she doesn't much care for that, either, but she doesn't fight me like she does w/the Viralys.
 
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flyerd

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Long overdue update-
Ok, so Babbiness (who had also always been a bit "irritable" when getting pet around her hind quarters and I originally thought she was just moody but I also read that "swollen joints" can be another symptom. The soreness seemed more like moodiness because she seemed to be perfectly fine otherwise and showed no signs of discomfort. We didn't realize she had a sickness until her front paws got really sore & raw (causing her to limp severely) at the same time her nose got raw and formed a small ulcer looking spot that was bloody as well. As soon as those symptoms showed up we took her to the vet and that's when we found out she had Calici.

The good news is that the treatment, Baytril by mouth (via a dropper) and Animax cream topically, worked. After the treatment she was also "much less" cranky about being pet in those areas where she'd previously been irritable. She's drooling less too (only an "improvement" if it was associated with the virus). Calici is very contagious and is probably what caused my other cat (Tigger) to get a cold that almost turned into pneumonia. Babbiness was separated from my other 3 cats for 7 days during treatment and another 7 days after treatment (for extra precaution).

She's actually gotten sensitive to being pet again (especially on her hind quarters). We can't figure it out, it seems like she may just be naturally irritable but it's definitely more bark than bite or scratch. We've decided to just deal with her "moodiness" but are watching for any signs of flare up...
 
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