Help for miliary dermatitis

Willowy

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One of my grandma's cats has miliary dermatitis. This started this summer when she had a bad flea outbreak. We've been keeping on top of it with the Frontline, and I'm pretty sure all the fleas are gone now. The vet gave the cat a Depo-Medrol shot and a round of Baytril (yes, same vet as the other thread I made.....ugh), which helped for a bit but poor Gracie still looks pretty miserable.

So is there anything else that can be done? She really is very itchy and her back end is all bumpy and crusty. I hate to resort to steroids but I'll take her back to the vet for another Depo shot if it will help. Will bathing do anything? If so, what kind of shampoo?
 

grogs

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My friend's cat Leah suffers from this. It seems to come on every Fall. It was pretty bad this year and the poor thing chewed big chunks of fur off her back legs and around the base of her tail.

The vet's initial suggestion was to rub Neosporin and cortisone on the scabs. The Neosporin helps them heal and the cortisone cuts down on the itching. This year it was pretty bad and she ended up getting a prescription. That seems to clear it up. Other than the missing clumps of fur, she's fine.

I don't know what the prescription was, but I can have a look at the pill bottle if you'd like to know.
 

rang_27

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We actually have at cat at the shelter right now who has TERRIBLE Milliary Dermititis. Here is what she is on.

Clavamox 2x a day for 14 days, Prednisolone 2x a day for 4 days, 1x a day for 4 days & then every other day for a while after that. Then she gets a recheck. In addition she was switched to ZD which is a low allergen food.

She started the Prednisolone on Friday & is now starting to look better.
 
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Willowy

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I got my grandma to try a different food with more Omega 3s in it. She was just feeding store brand before. And my mom is going to give her a bath so at least some of the crusties will come off. If we don't see an improvement soon I'll insist on some Prednisone from the vet. He seems a bit hung up on Depo-Medrol injections.
 

summermh

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Have you given any thought to Atopica (cyclosporine)? According to my vet, it doesn't have the negative long-term effects that steroids have, and it works very well. It's technically for dogs, but vets are prescribing it for cats too. I think we may be headed this direction ourselves, as I can't stomach continuing to give our kitty steroids on a regular basis.
 
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