There's a Fungus Among Us

For those of you who have cats with mysterious holes scratched in their fur...

Gizmo's problem was a fungal infection. She tested positive after they took a culture.

The vet wants to give her some medicine, but the patches in Gizzy's fur have disappeared and she is back to normal other than the feline acne on her chin (which is much better than it was a week ago.)

The vet will call me on Monday but I'm going to try and keep Gizzy off the meds if she shows no other symptoms. As to what caused the infection? "Environmental". So I'll just have to vacuum more--though Gizmo could have picked this up from rolling on the hall carpet.

anyway, the completely useless insurance company was calling this a 'pre existing condition'--the vet said it certainly was not--it was an opportunistic infection.
I've cut up Gizmo's tags, cancelled that waste of a policy, and caution everyone out there to go with a reputable company. PM me to find out which one to avoid.

if you get the chance get the name of the fungus and the treatment solution post it..it may help out in the future!

I will give the vet's advice on MOnday, but you'd still have to get the meds from a vet.
I hope that Gizmo won't need them.

Gizmo has, unfortunately, developed another tiny bald patch outside the pinna of her right ear.
I'm calling the vet tomorrow and getting her medication. The details will be posted here, but since there are many fungal infections the real diagnosis has to be done by a veterinarian.

I went to the vet to get the medication for Gizmo. To my surprise, I was told that the cat would need to be bathed with a very pricey shampoo three times a week.

Hello? The cat has a heart condition. She is not supposed to be stressed. I also am single, have never bathed a cat before, do not own a hair dryer, and can't rope the neighbors in to help. So nix on the shampoo. I am using a 'pet wipe' on Gizmo's head that she tolerates.

Next came the pills. The vet can't make them so I have to go to the local pharmacy. The pills are the size of horse pills! How am I supposed to get that into the cat?
With 'fatty food', the Vet said.

Come again? This cat has allergies to her favorite food, chicken. She's been on a strict rabbit diet for six months and is doing very well.
The pills are being compounded so that they are smaller, but the dose was 3/4 of a tablet. Try doing that sometime.

I got some Natural Balance Tuna in cans. Gizmo will ONLY eat fish, canned. This is not the runny, cheap stuff she likes but it'll do. I'll give her 1/4 tablet on Saturday, when I am here all day, and see what happens to her. The last time I gave her human medicine she was a drooling zombie for two days.

The bald patches on her head are healing by themselves, and I'm told that every cat in the area has allergies, as do the people. It's probably a seasonal thing and I"m not risking her health or my sanity for the dubious benefit of the shampooing. I hope she benefits from the medication.

I've read advice on another part of the forum which states that the cat's head should never get wet when the animal is bathed.

Gizmo's lost fur and 'fungi' are ALL on her head.

Sooooooooo...I think I made the right decision to not bathe her three times a week.

Im sorry you are having all these problems with Gizmo, I hope she feels better soon !!!

Cant the compound pharmacy make it into liquid for you ? That would be so much easier.

They gave me an anti-fungal medication that is taken in pill form. I will grind it up in a mortar and pestle and mix it with some fish when I am home and can watch the cat. I will give her 1/4 tablet instead of the 3/4 that the vet said, since Gizmo responds instantly to drugs.

The stuff cost a bomb. I'll post more about it when I try it out on the cat.

I was expecting a fungicidal cream. Then again I do have a topical medication that I've been using on Gizmo for two weeks, and that may have cleared the condition up. But that's me, trying to keep the poor cat healthy and listening to the vet.

But I will not give the cat this medicine when there is no one home to watch her.

I finally got some of the Fulvicin anti-fungal medicine into the cat. Gizmo would not eat it in some chicken grease (which she normally loves).
I mixed 1/2 a tablet in with some tuna canned cat food (a good brand, but still tuna.)
She eats it in small increments but will get the medicine along with the food. She's not been sick or looked unhappy so far and I"m hoping I can bring this off, even if it means feeding her tuna every day for two weeks.