Alternatives to steroid treatment? Need help for cat with severe allergies

Rocky's been struggling with skin allergies for quite the while, and we have tried so many things to try and treat them with little to no success. I apologize for the somewhat long back story.

In September of last year, he began itching himself and overgrooming, resulting in hair loss. We took him in to the vet, and he was treated with Revolution for fleas and given a new diet. Rocky ended up having a terrible reaction to the Revolution, his skin became irritated and scabby where the medication was applied, and the diet didn't help as we had to take him in about a month later because he had formed large scabs all over his body and crusty plaques on his belly. We took him into the vet again, and he received antibiotics. Our vet found his symptoms unusual and recommended that we have biopsies done to test for cancer, etc. We went ahead with this and the results were clear, no indications of any problems. Our vet then prescribed a steroid for Rocky, and we administered the medication to him for about 3 months until he had a urinary obstruction, and at this point we slowly weaned him off of the steroids. This was sometime in the late winter/early spring. Then in June, he began having diarrhea and blood in his poop, the vet prescribed antibiotics and a special hydrolyzed diet, but his condition didn't improve. Frustrated with the lack of improvement, we switched Rocky slowly over to Natural Balance Limited Ingredient Diet, got him off of the antibiotics, and gave him probiotic+prebiotic supplements and put fiber into his diet through canned pumpkin. Rocky recovered and began having normal poops again.

Everything has been going smoothly, and we were under the impression that we were past all of those issues, when he began itching himself to the point of hair loss and scabbing again just this week!! Our vet wants to treat Rocky by putting him on steroids indefinitely, but from what I've read it can lead to even greater problems if used long term. However, it seems like its the only option left...

I've researched online, and here are a few things I am going to try:
1) Omega 3 supplements
2) Oatmeal/hydrocortisone shampoo
3) A new diet??

If you have any related experiences or insight, I'd love to know! Hopefully I can find a better solution to Rocky's skin problems, and avoid having to give him steroids for life.

Have you tried an antihistamine?  That's an easy solution if it works and it's better than steroids.  We give our kitty 1/4 to 1/2 of a regular Claritin.  Give it once a day. 

Is the limited ingredient food grain-free?  What kind of litter are you using?

I've heard of antihistamines for humans, but I didn't know it could be used for cats too. I'll look up some information on it, and do some research. I am a bit hesitant to try any medication without asking the vet about it though, so if I want to go that route, I'll check in with the vet. If anyone else has used antihistamines, I'd be interested in hearing about it.

We feed Rocky Natural Balance LID grain free duck and pea, as well as venison grain free. As for litter, we use tidy cats multi cat clumping clay litter.

Thanks for your feedback!

Most vets recommend Chlorpheniramine, but that can cause foaming of the mouth because it's so bitter.  I've used both Claritin (1/4 to 1/2 of a 10mg tablet) and Zyrtec on my kitties.

About a year ago my Oreo kept having a recurring problem with overgrooming and scabbing on his back.  He'd have bloody spots sometimes.  The vet recommended steroid shots once a month but I only took him back twice.  Like you, I didn't want to continue the steroids long-term knowing they aren't good for anybody, for that long.

The problem kept coming back over and over again UNTIL I stopped feeding him dry food with grain.  Since then his skin has cleared up completely.  I think there still is some grain in some of his wet food but obviously not enough to cause a problem.  

I'm trying to get all of them completely off grain and on to low carb.  (Hint: just because it's grain-free does not mean it's low carb! I found that out the hard way when I saw Oreo gain weight on his grain-free kibble.)

 Right now, they are eating Nature's Variety Grain-free low carb kibble.  I dole it out sparingly.  The majority of their calories come from canned food.  And Oreo does seem to be much less ravenous now and possibly already slimming down a bit!  Good luck!

bijouandrocky said:

I've heard of antihistamines for humans, but I didn't know it could be used for cats too. I'll look up some information on it, and do some research. I am a bit hesitant to try any medication without asking the vet about it though, so if I want to go that route, I'll check in with the vet. If anyone else has used antihistamines, I'd be interested in hearing about it.

We feed Rocky Natural Balance LID grain free duck and pea, as well as venison grain free. As for litter, we use tidy cats multi cat clumping clay litter.

Thanks for your feedback!

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I tried Natural Balance LID grain-free Duck and pea.  My kitties cut a wide swath around it for some reason. They will eat it if they are ravenous though.  I too have some concerns as it has Canola Oil in it rather than healthier sources of fat.   They are now eating the Nature's Variety and tolerating the decrease in amount.  I used to routinely get "visits" from Oreo getting all friendly with me begging for his carb-fix.  He seems happier now, less visits.  We will see how it goes.  

Ginny said:

About a year ago my Oreo kept having a recurring problem with overgrooming and scabbing on his back.  He'd have bloody spots sometimes.  The vet recommended steroid shots once a month but I only took him back twice.  Like you, I didn't want to continue the steroids long-term knowing they aren't good for anybody, for that long.

The problem kept coming back over and over again UNTIL I stopped feeding him dry food with grain.  Since then his skin has cleared up completely.  I think there still is some grain in some of his wet food but obviously not enough to cause a problem.  

I'm trying to get all of them completely off grain and on to low carb.  (Hint: just because it's grain-free does not mean it's low carb! I found that out the hard way when I saw Oreo gain weight on his grain-free kibble.)

 Right now, they are eating Nature's Variety Grain-free low carb kibble.  I dole it out sparingly.  The majority of their calories come from canned food.  And Oreo does seem to be much less ravenous now and possibly already slimming down a bit!  Good luck!

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Ginny said:

I tried Natural Balance LID grain-free Duck and pea.  My kitties cut a wide swath around it for some reason. They will eat it if they are ravenous though.  I too have some concerns as it has Canola Oil in it rather than healthier sources of fat.   They are now eating the Nature's Variety and tolerating the decrease in amount.  I used to routinely get "visits" from Oreo getting all friendly with me begging for his carb-fix.  He seems happier now, less visits.  We will see how it goes.  

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I have been looking into a new diet for Rocky, and I will look into the Nature's Variety brand. I currently feed him a combination of dry food and wet food, but perhaps I should try increasing the amount of wet food he gets. I was also considering trying raw food or a homemade diet, but I don't think it's right for me. I am trying to find a high quality pet food though, and have also been considering freeze dried food. I also noticed that the natural balance has a lot of carbs, so I'm hoping to find something with a higher amount of protein.

I also feed mine a combo of dry and wet, with the majority of it wet.  One more thing that helped.  My kitty Nat used to sneeze all the time and his right eye watered a lot, until I switched to plain clay clumping litter, unscented. I had been using Swheat Scoop which is hyPER-allergenic.  I didn't realize that.  Switching the litter didn't help Oreo's problem but that was before grain-free.  It sure helped Nat's sneezing and watery right eye.  It still drains but it's rare now compared to before.    

Hmmm.. Rocky hasn't been sneezing or anything, he's just been real itchy, but litter could be a part of it. I'll look into that

I was reading about the use of antihistamines in cats, and it looks like I could try 5 mg of zyrtec. I'm trying to find out possible side effects though, and am debating whether to try it without the ok of my vet, or test it out. I'd have to persuade my parents to get schedule a vet appt, which they're not too happy about because we've spent a couple thousand dollars trying to get Rocky better, and even if I can manage to get an appt with the vet, I'm afraid the vet will insist and push steroid treatment.
My parents are convinced that taking our cat to the vet is pointless because no matter what he ends up not improving at all or only temporarily improving.. this summer I hope to get a part time job so I can save up for medical expenses. Oh well, I guess I'll have to think of a way to convince them.

I'm thinking of purchasing this special shampoo that has hydrocortisone in it, here's the link:

http://m.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=3495

Hopefully it actually has some effect. I'm also looking at these supplements, not sure which one's I'll buy yet:

Omega 3 Gel Caps
http://m.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=15235

Biotin Tablets
http://m.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=608

Naturvet Allergy Aid http://m.petco.com/product/112066/NaturVet-Naturals-Dog-And-Cat-Allergy-Aid-Soft-Chews.aspx

I'm also investigating other foods and such.

bijouandrocky said:

I was reading about the use of antihistamines in cats, and it looks like I could try 5 mg of zyrtec. I'm trying to find out possible side effects though, and am debating whether to try it without the ok of my vet, or test it out. I'd have to persuade my parents to get schedule a vet appt, which they're not too happy about because we've spent a couple thousand dollars trying to get Rocky better, and even if I can manage to get an appt with the vet, I'm afraid the vet will insist and push steroid treatment.
My parents are convinced that taking our cat to the vet is pointless because no matter what he ends up not improving at all or only temporarily improving.. this summer I hope to get a part time job so I can save up for medical expenses. Oh well, I guess I'll have to think of a way to convince them.

I'm thinking of purchasing this special shampoo that has hydrocortisone in it, here's the link:

http://m.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=3495

Hopefully it actually has some effect. I'm also looking at these supplements, not sure which one's I'll buy yet:

Omega 3 Gel Caps
http://m.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=15235

Biotin Tablets
http://m.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=608

Naturvet Allergy Aid http://m.petco.com/product/112066/NaturVet-Naturals-Dog-And-Cat-Allergy-Aid-Soft-Chews.aspx

I'm also investigating other foods and such.

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​I would say to try one thing at a time so you can figure out what makes a difference.  If you try all these things at once, you won't know which one caused improvement.  

It actually took me a while to notice Oreo's improvement because I wasn't even looking for it.  I never thought that grain was causing his over-grooming/scabs.  I put them all on grain-free because I agreed with the information I had been reading about it, and especially because I was told it would help Nat with his seizures.  If it's helped Nat's seizures at all, I haven't really noticed.  What has helped is the phenobarb.  But it's bad for his liver.  I'd rather find out what the CAUSE is.  The vets do not seem to know  

You've said a big mouthful when you said your parents think taking your pet to the vet is pointless because all he does is either not improve or only improve temporarily.  I really hate that this is so but I have had the same experience with regards to any problems my pets have ever had.  Either no improvement, or little that does not last.  And in all but one of these cases, it was NOT a matter of too little too late.  Any improvements that I have noticed in them have always been figured out by ME (except with Nat's seizures and Gracie's URI, so far). That is a sad indictment on the state of veterinary care in my area.  I'm so sorry that this is true.  While they can help with true emergencies in some, perhaps, many cases, they have just as poor a track record as human doctors do in dealing with chronic diseases, at least in my area.  

For Omega 3 caps, I'd recommend Welactin.  It comes in a capsule and you just clip the tip off and squeeze it onto wet food.  I also feed my cats mainly grain-free canned food.  They get a grain free dry, but in a very limited amount.  I do have one kitty who can't tolerate an all grain-free diet, so he gets a prescription food for gastro health.

Hi everyone,

My cat also has food and environmental allergies and they get worse in warm weather.  The first thing the vet suggested was steriods and even though they work great, for the sake of your cat's health, please avoid them if you can.  I was told one of the side effects of steroids is increased thirst . . . boy were they right, my cat stayed so close to her water dish if she could have slept IN her water, I think she would have.  What I didn't know, is increased thirst is also a symptom of diabetes.  After leaving her at the vet's for a day of testing, sure enough, my kitty was diagnosed with unregulated diabetes.  I had NO IDEA cats could develop diabetes.  I also had NO IDEA steroids could cause diabetes.  Forunately, she had only had the condition for about a year.  The vet prescribed insulin, I learned how to give her an insulin shot twice a day (at first), and she responded to the treatment quickly (thank goodness).  I so relieved.  After about 2 weeks, she was weaned from the insulin and the dose was reduced.  At the end of one month, she was in complete remission and her blood sugar levels were normal, and have been for the last 3 years.  She still develops small, red, itchy bumps and I apply a tiny amount of cortizone on the bumps, which stops the itch.  In a few days, the red bumps are gone.  I know cortizone is still a steroid, but it's applied ON THE SKIN, which is a lot safer.      

Her diet was also switched from dry to canned.  The vet gave me the option of two brands, Nature's Variety Instinct or Evo.  After reading the ingredients, I decided to choose Nature's Variety and she has eaten this ever since.

I hope this helps . . . it's enough humans suffer from allergies.  It's heartbreaking to see our precious kitties suffering.    

I don't know if this is the case with your cat, but I have one who is sensitive to fleas and I use Advantage II on him every 2 weeks and he has no fleas, but he suddenly started that itching and overgrooming and had oozing spots so I took him to the vet.  I had forgotten that the same thing happened at the same time last year, and the vet thinks it's a SEASONAL allergy.  Yes, he is sensitive, but only in the fall does he go into full blown allergy attack like that.  He got his cortisone shot and it cleared right up.  I would have no problem getting him another one if he needs it.  Cats tolerate cortisone much better than dogs and humans, and I have had one on it off and on for YEARS because of stomatitis flares, and she is 16 and still fine.  She gets cortisone (dexamethasone) shots as needed.  When the stomtitis flares, she can't eat and she hides and acts squirrelly.  After her shot, she's a different cat within 12 hours. It can last anywhere from one month to three months.

Your guy may have a seasonal component to his allergies.  You said it started last year at this time too. I would suggest you go ahead and get the cortisone now, continue with all the good work on diet etc., and I bet winter will cure the allergy just like it does with my guy.

Thanks so much for the response! I'm trying to avoid extensive/unnecessary steroid treatment at all costs, for the possible side effects. Hopefully I'll find something that works, and maybe I can see about this topical cortisone.

Red Top Rescue said:

I don't know if this is the case with your cat, but I have one who is sensitive to fleas and I use Advantage II on him every 2 weeks and he has no fleas, but he suddenly started that itching and overgrooming and had oozing spots so I took him to the vet.  I had forgotten that the same thing happened at the same time last year, and the vet thinks it's a SEASONAL allergy.  Yes, he is sensitive, but only in the fall does he go into full blown allergy attack like that.  He got his cortisone shot and it cleared right up.  I would have no problem getting him another one if he needs it.  Cats tolerate cortisone much better than dogs and humans, and I have had one on it off and on for YEARS because of stomatitis flares, and she is 16 and still fine.  She gets cortisone (dexamethasone) shots as needed.  When the stomtitis flares, she can't eat and she hides and acts squirrelly.  After her shot, she's a different cat within 12 hours. It can last anywhere from one month to three months.

Your guy may have a seasonal component to his allergies.  You said it started last year at this time too. I would suggest you go ahead and get the cortisone now, continue with all the good work on diet etc., and I bet winter will cure the allergy just like it does with my guy.

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I've been suspecting the same myself actually.. Rocky's skin issues seemed to hit their worst in the fall and winter, but were pretty good in summer and spring. I'm going to give omega 3 supplements and biotin supplements a go, but if it doesn't work I'll consult with a vet.

UPDATE: Rocky's scabs and hair loss has worsened significantly, and its gotten to the point where I think we're going to have to schedule an appt for him and get him some relief. I hope to talk to the vet about my concerns, and if it comes to treating with him steroids, maybe I can ask about having him on them just until his current sores/scabs heal up. Then I can try something else, but right now I think Rocky needs quick relief. I feel so bad for him, he keeps licking himself raw and bleeding.. Thanks to all the replies and such, I will be trying certain things (omega 3, diet change, etc) after his current condition is better.

I don't have issues with pet allergies myself, I regularly pet sit my cousin's dog, that has pretty awful allergies to ragweed, pollen, grass, etc. They do acupuncture for him at a holistic vet and it's helped a ton. It makes him much less itchy, poor thing would scratch himself raw. He also gets Claritin. If they're out of Claritin, they'll do part of a Benadryl, but the Benadryl makes him pretty sleepy. 

ETA: The dog is also allergic to gluten, so cousin makes him raw food mixed with Sojo's now.