Genever's got skin issues..

Short background- The G-cat was scratching more than usual way back in November, and on December 1 I stopped feeding Wellness cans and started feeding her ONLY Natural Balance Duck & Green Pea, both wet and dry. The itching went away after a few weeks. (for those of you who remember, the puking has continued. seems it always will. but that's not the issue at hand right now.)

About a month ago she started to lose interest in the food, plus her fur didn't feel as soft as before. So I fed her Wellness cans again, along with the duck & pea dry.

A week or 2 ago she started scratching a lot again, along with major shedding which would be due to spring. But really scratching a lot on her neck especially, and grooming her legs/feet/tail a lot. It's also been very dry the past week, my skin is like sandpaper too unless I keep reapplying moisturiser. So, not knowing if her itching is due to food or climate, I thought I will change back to the NB duck & pea. Perhaps she's allergic to chicken, since chicken is in all the Wellness flavors? Who knows.

So back to all NB food as of yesterday. Yesterday evening I noticed a scratched bald spot about an inch by half inch on her back just below her neck, bald with red scratch marks, as if she had done it recently. !!! No good! Then this morning I noticed a tiny scratch/sore/whatever just under her eye! Poor girl is itching and scratching too much.

Oh, and we don't have fleas, I've never seen a flea, she is indoors-only, and she gets Advantage once a month as a preventative.

So I called the vet and explained the situation, and she wants to see Genever to see what's going on and to treat the scratches/sores if need be so they don't get infected. We're going in tomorrow. (i was surprised they have openings on Saturdays, but hey, I'll take it and get it done with!)

Wish us luck, send some of those magic TCS vibes to my babygirl!!

Vibes for you and the G-Cat!

I am glad your seeing the vet... What tests have been done prior? Some animals have what I can best describe as a rotating intolerance... ie not a true allergy but just as misserable and it changes ... ex: for six months duck and pea is fine ... then out of the blue peas cause issue but wheat which was being avoided is fine

We haven't had any tests done as of yet, like I said, the duck & pea seemed to resolve the issue back in December, but I think it's my fault for reaggravating it when I started giving her Wellness again last month.

Anything I should specifically ask about tomorrow?

We are back from the vet, and Genever's gonna live. I mentioned the food situations, and the itching and scratching, as well as rolling in the litterbox, and the vet thought it sounds like seasonal allergies rather than food allergies and decided to give her a shot of Triamcinolone (steroid). She said it should help with the itching, and if the puking is caused by an inflammatory something or other, it might help a bit with that too. We should see results starting in a few days. Also she recommended fish oil to help with dry skin and dry fur. That I have to go back and pick up on Monday.

I hope this helps!! Genever just looks so uncomfortable when she's scratching and biting.

Check the price and content of fish oil.. to my knowledge only one company makes an RX and they will tell you it really is not any different than their OTC formula by a different name

Oh, they told me it's different than whatever I'd get at the store...

I'm guessing it's this stuff, which I found through the link on the vet's website to order meds and stuff:
http://www.nutramaxlabs.com/Download...Info_Sheet.pdf

But I could be wrong. I'll find out I guess.

From that is actually looks like a low dose formula...Not saying it is not different but I would politely ask the vet what is

Let me get you some OTC ones

Aww Miss G-Cat I hope your feeling better soon and not itching so much... I hope that shot the vet gave her makes everything calm down.

Sorry to hear about Genever's skin problems, I've been thinking about her and wondering how she is doing.

I use Welactin too. I trust Nutramax, and prefer to use supplements that are specifically made for cats.

Your vet may be right about seasonal allergies, but I would not give her any more Wellness.

I wouldn't buy Wellness at all anymore, except that their grain free canned chicken is the only thing I have found that does not cause Jennie to have constipation issues. I think their reputation is way over rated and their claims of promoting low urine pH are false, in my experience, with three different cats, all developed a high pH (7.5) on Wellness.

Since Jennie has to stay on it I add 1/4 cup of water to every serving she gets (so she gets at least 10 oz of water a day) to be sure her bladder stays well flushed.

Originally Posted by otto

Sorry to hear about Genever's skin problems, I've been thinking about her and wondering how she is doing.

Click to expand...

Thanks for thinking of her..

I don't know, G-cat's fur was always so soft when she was eating Wellness, and she liked it a lot too. It may be a coincidence that she's gotten mega itchy and coarser fur (still thick though-vet said it was still healthy) with the return to the Wellness, but just in case it is the cause, then yeah, back to the duck & pea everything... boring, but it will have to do. I am hoping the fish oil will help lots too!!

She is just the bestest cat ever, I want her to be well and feel great and be a happy cat! She seems like a happy cat between scratching episodes.. Just gotta get rid of the itch, that's all.

Well, Genever's mega itching and scratching has gone down dramatically since getting that shot on Saturday.

I picked up the fish oil capsules on Monday, and she will not go near it! This is what it is: http://www.entirelypets.com/3vcapshp...utmk=251133831
I'm supposed to give 1 capsule in food every other day. She ate only a few bits of wet food with the fish oil on Monday, and yesterday ate only a few bites, with no fish oil. She is getting Natural Balance Duck & Pea, and yesterday I tried a little of Salmon & Pea. She's not crazy about the Venison & Pea. I didn't even try the fish oil in the food today yet, because I just don't think she'll touch it. Since Monday she's pretty much eating only dry food, NB Duck & Pea.

Any suggestions on any other wet foods I could try, or how to get her to take the fish oil?