Cat loosing hair, lethargic, loss of appetite, black under his chin and back leg and white scaly are

cwilson132

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I have a 14 year old orange tabby.  He has been on Methimazole 5mg gel for 1 year.  I noticed a small patch of white scales where he was loosing hair.  He started having several issues after a visit to the vet for blood. His eyes started running really bad and then he got what looked like acne under his chin.  In the past 6 weeks, he has lost 2.5 pounds and the white scale area is much bigger and he has another black spot (which looks like the same acne under his chin) on his back leg.  I had a ringworn culture which came back negative.  I have him on antibiotic since he was diagnosed with Kennel cough.  He has lost is appetite and is very lethargic. He has lost the hair around his mouth and is loosing his hair around his eyes.  I have taken him off his thyroid meds.  I have not changed anything except now I an trying all kinds of wet food to get him to eat.  I really don't know what to try next.  Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. 
 

mrsgreenjeens

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Wow!  Lots of things going on.  But my very first question is, of all the things to do, why take him off his thyroid medicine.  I would think that is the most important thing for him to take
.  Did you discuss this move with his Vet?  Did you discuss all of these symptoms with his Vet? 

One thing though, his loss of appetite and lethargy could be from the antibiotic.  You might see if you could switch to a different one.  And try meat only baby food, or toppers on his food to try to get him to eat.  You could use parmesan cheese (from the green can), tuna juice, crushed treats,  FortiFlora, warm his food slightly so it gets stinkier (assuming it's wet food
), poach him a boneless chicken breast or thigh and see if he'll eat that (don't use any salt or spices). 

The white scale area almost sounds like extremely dry skin.  Is that what it looks like?.  THAT, along with thinning haircoat, could be a sign of hyPOthyroidism, which, obviousy is the opposite of Hyperthyroidism.  Is that why you stopped giving him those meds.  Is that what you suspect?  Maybe he got too much of the Methimazole and now has a thyroid hormone deficiency? I guess that's possible. 

As to the chin acne, do you feed him in a plastic bowl?  If so, usually that's what causes chin acne.  Have no idea about his back leg, but I don't see why if he gets it in one area, he couldn't get it somewhere else. 

for your poor old guy.  Oh yes...does he have herpes?  You mentioned his eye running, which sounds like classic herpes.  Do you give him L-Lysine for that?
 
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