Hello All,
My old girl Cleo (at least 16 yrs old) was found to have a nickel sized fur-less area around her Left shoulder area about 4 weeks ago. I was petting her and felt something crusty so upon closer inspection noticed it. Looked like she'd been licking this area a lot and abraded the skin. I quickly made her wear an e-collar and applied some Panolog cream until I could get her into the Vet the next day.
She is a strictly indoor cat (as are my other 4 cats). Always been very healthy. She's 9 lbs.
Definitely no concerns about fleas or mites.
Saw Vet next day; he suspected either 'hot spot' (which he admitted was rare in cats) or a lick granuloma. He gave her a shot of Convenia (in case underlying infection), cleansed area real good and clipped hair around it so we could keep better watch. Told me to continue w/ Panolog twice a day x 14 days and if no improvement or worsening after 2 weeks, we should consider a Steroid shot. I told him that there's no way I'd give her the latter (risk of diabetes or steroid-induced hyperglycemia....I used to have a diabetic cat and was a longtime member of the feline diabetes message board and and know of way too many cats who developed diabetes (whether temporary or permanent) after steroid shots so no way, jose).
She hated wearing an e-collar so I switched her to wearing an infant sleeper to keep her from licking that area. Worked like a charm and she's been wearing that for over 3 weeks now (and likes it! LOL). A week ago I noticed just next to this area (that is fully healed and fur growing back nicely), another area of fur loss (not circular....more irregularly shaped but the size of a quarter, roughly). No redness, just fur gone. Back to the Vet earlier in the week. I requested full geriatric panel to be done including T4, TSH and Free T4 (in the event that this is due to Hyperthyroidism). Got results yesterday, no issues w/ HyperT at all.
He suggests I try a Feliway diffuser in the event that her overgrooming this area originally (now that's an assumption; still don't know the root cause) could be due to stress though I can't think of anything in the home that would be stressing her. No changes in anything. She's a pretty mellow cat.
I've considered possible food allergies (though vet doesn't think that's a possibility) so have switched over to Orijen chicken and Natural Balance Alpha (both dry) and she of course gets canned twice daily (and prefers to eat Fancy feast which I know is crap and Lord knows I've spent a true fortune over the years and lately on trying to get all of them to eat premium canned but they will not so this is the only option and I do want them to be eating canned twice daily).
I've ordered some Jojoba Oil as I've read that's good for skin issues, particularly for hot spots. In the mean time, I've applied some pure Vit E oil to the areas. Areas have no redness, look perfect and fur growing in, areas of fur loss not increasing. Continues wearing baby undershirt so that helps; won't have her stop wearing that until fur fully grown in and I'm confident that she won't lick again.
Today I bought some Dr Maggie's Skin and Coat Supplement (liquid) and will try that daily in hopes that the Omega 3, 6 and 9 Fatty Acids will help her. (it's chicken flavored....my other cats loved it so much they were licking it off my finger!).
http://drmaggie.ca/prod_skin_ingredients.html
She and my other cat (I believe they are sisters) Fuzzy love to lie on a large cat pillow in front of my gas fireplace......about a foot away from it when it's turned on. I'm here in Canada and it's cold out and the air is dry. Not sure if the dry air and heat have lead to this? Fuzzy scratches herself a lot and 2 years ago was investigated for this (always scratching but no sores, no bare spots, we could never figure it out). I'll be giving her the Supplement as well.
I will do ANYTHING to avoid ever having to consider a steroid shot.
I saw this stuff in the pet food store today and almost bought it but wanted to read up on it first. I've never used homeopathic supplements in my cats and am afraid to just start giving anything without knowing any harm it could do. Anyone ever used this? Says to just put it into the cats' water. Not sure if that would work.....if they'd taste it and then avoid drinking? (they generally don't drink a lot because their diet is mostly canned food):
http://www.kingbio.com/store/catalog...s-p-16335.html
Says it can be dropped directly into mouth as well.
Any thoughts?
Thanks
Lisa
My old girl Cleo (at least 16 yrs old) was found to have a nickel sized fur-less area around her Left shoulder area about 4 weeks ago. I was petting her and felt something crusty so upon closer inspection noticed it. Looked like she'd been licking this area a lot and abraded the skin. I quickly made her wear an e-collar and applied some Panolog cream until I could get her into the Vet the next day.
She is a strictly indoor cat (as are my other 4 cats). Always been very healthy. She's 9 lbs.
Definitely no concerns about fleas or mites.
Saw Vet next day; he suspected either 'hot spot' (which he admitted was rare in cats) or a lick granuloma. He gave her a shot of Convenia (in case underlying infection), cleansed area real good and clipped hair around it so we could keep better watch. Told me to continue w/ Panolog twice a day x 14 days and if no improvement or worsening after 2 weeks, we should consider a Steroid shot. I told him that there's no way I'd give her the latter (risk of diabetes or steroid-induced hyperglycemia....I used to have a diabetic cat and was a longtime member of the feline diabetes message board and and know of way too many cats who developed diabetes (whether temporary or permanent) after steroid shots so no way, jose).
She hated wearing an e-collar so I switched her to wearing an infant sleeper to keep her from licking that area. Worked like a charm and she's been wearing that for over 3 weeks now (and likes it! LOL). A week ago I noticed just next to this area (that is fully healed and fur growing back nicely), another area of fur loss (not circular....more irregularly shaped but the size of a quarter, roughly). No redness, just fur gone. Back to the Vet earlier in the week. I requested full geriatric panel to be done including T4, TSH and Free T4 (in the event that this is due to Hyperthyroidism). Got results yesterday, no issues w/ HyperT at all.
He suggests I try a Feliway diffuser in the event that her overgrooming this area originally (now that's an assumption; still don't know the root cause) could be due to stress though I can't think of anything in the home that would be stressing her. No changes in anything. She's a pretty mellow cat.
I've considered possible food allergies (though vet doesn't think that's a possibility) so have switched over to Orijen chicken and Natural Balance Alpha (both dry) and she of course gets canned twice daily (and prefers to eat Fancy feast which I know is crap and Lord knows I've spent a true fortune over the years and lately on trying to get all of them to eat premium canned but they will not so this is the only option and I do want them to be eating canned twice daily).
I've ordered some Jojoba Oil as I've read that's good for skin issues, particularly for hot spots. In the mean time, I've applied some pure Vit E oil to the areas. Areas have no redness, look perfect and fur growing in, areas of fur loss not increasing. Continues wearing baby undershirt so that helps; won't have her stop wearing that until fur fully grown in and I'm confident that she won't lick again.
Today I bought some Dr Maggie's Skin and Coat Supplement (liquid) and will try that daily in hopes that the Omega 3, 6 and 9 Fatty Acids will help her. (it's chicken flavored....my other cats loved it so much they were licking it off my finger!).
http://drmaggie.ca/prod_skin_ingredients.html
She and my other cat (I believe they are sisters) Fuzzy love to lie on a large cat pillow in front of my gas fireplace......about a foot away from it when it's turned on. I'm here in Canada and it's cold out and the air is dry. Not sure if the dry air and heat have lead to this? Fuzzy scratches herself a lot and 2 years ago was investigated for this (always scratching but no sores, no bare spots, we could never figure it out). I'll be giving her the Supplement as well.
I will do ANYTHING to avoid ever having to consider a steroid shot.
I saw this stuff in the pet food store today and almost bought it but wanted to read up on it first. I've never used homeopathic supplements in my cats and am afraid to just start giving anything without knowing any harm it could do. Anyone ever used this? Says to just put it into the cats' water. Not sure if that would work.....if they'd taste it and then avoid drinking? (they generally don't drink a lot because their diet is mostly canned food):
http://www.kingbio.com/store/catalog...s-p-16335.html
Says it can be dropped directly into mouth as well.
Any thoughts?
Thanks
Lisa
