Skin rashes

Spirit and Trouble, both started with chaffed nipples (only the 2 lowest nipples) then Trouble developed a rash on her tail that she keeps chewing at, and Spirit developed a rash between her back legs. These are open oozing wounds, not dry scaly ones. We have treated with an antifungal (in case of ringworm) and with antibiotics, a steriod injection to help with the inflamation and itching, and daily scrubbing with a chlorahexadine solution with no improvement. Today when I cleaned my rat cage I noticed the rats had a pretty nasty case of mites and the mites were on the entertainment center where the rat cage is kept (I have been fighting mice in the walls and I think that is where the mice originated). Now usually Rodent mites prefer rodents but they will bite humans (I was itching while I was cleaning), so now I am wondering if Trouble and Spirit could be sensitive to the mites. Anyone else keep rodents and see anything like this, or ideas of what else could cause these sores? I am going to treat them for mites this week and see if that helps, but after that I am running out of ideas as to what is causing this. Trouble and Spirit do not associate with each other, but Trouble and Sturgis do lay together and Sturgis shows no signs of anything.

Thank you for posting! I too am fighting with some "unknown" skin disease.

General vets don't seem to see cat mites or rashes other than ringworm
all that often, since they seem to default right to "oh it must be ringworm".

My cat has lost fur - and has flaky skin, but no rash - just some funny black dots (like chin acne). Also his skin has now got a faint yeasty smell (I got a wiff of it when he did his "put my fur in Momma's face in bed so she can cuddle me up!)

Well, since I know his skin smells different, I belive he has an overgrowth of yeast - but am fighting the vet who says "well it must be ringworm!".

I would suggest you look up cat mites (Notoedric mange) and rodent mites to see if the symptoms sound familar. The only way to be rid of from what I see is dips, cleaning environment and medication if the cats can "take" the stuff.

Unfortunately my Diablo has some liver issues, so I cannot give him antifunal or yeast medications orally. I have to rely on the dips and shampoos - and even at that it isn't great for him.

Good luck with the treatment. Once you nail the offender - and treat your kitties the problem should be gone quickly.

I have some of the mites with a "scotch tape prep" but I won't have a microscopic slide till tomorrow. I really think I am dealing with Ornithonyssus and I plan to go ahead and treat with Ivermectin tomorrow regardless and neither one would sit still for a skin scraping. Poor Trouble already runs when I enter the room from everything I have done to her.

Good luck with your kitty, I have been fighting with my boss about the "ringworn diagnosis". When it was Just Spirit who had it, ringworm never crossed his mind because it does not look like ringworm, but the second I told him Trouble had it too he jumped on the ringworm bandwagon.

I t was definately Ornithonyssus that the rats had and when I showed the slide to my boss he said that was probably what was bothering my cats (I told him he was a day late in his diagnosis, that I had already reached that conclusion). I have checked the cats and not seen any mites on them, but we treated with ivermectin anyway, and may have to use e-collers if they don't stop licking (which is my very last resort, because Spirit would trash the place with hers and Trouble would just shut down). so I' am keeping my fingers crossed and we are going to bomb the house to get rid of the mice in the walls.

Great news! Ivermectin clears up stuff right away. Nice your kitties
can take it.

still working on my vet re: diagnosis. Skin scrapings taken, waiting
results - but started to schedule at vets for dips/shampoos (and no,
I'm NOT crazy enough to do *that* to my cat - at home!!)