Purrs In Our Hearts - Cat Forum UK
Cat Health & Behaviour => Health & Behaviour General => Topic started by: Christine (Blip) on July 23, 2008, 19:39:21 PM
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Apologies for the uncharacteristically inelegant subject line.
The last couple of days I have noticed that the fur on a small patch of Blips haunch, at the base of her tail and near to her anus - where her bottom would be if she were a human - looks slightly grey. The hair also comes out too readily. I think there is possibly a slight swelling under there.
I shall pop along to her friendly personal medical adviser tomorrow but does anyone have any idea what this might be? She does not seem bothered by it but is under stress at the moment because of nearby foxes.
:thanks:
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is there a lump there? if so is it like matted fur or does it feel fleshy? if its not bothering her at the moment i would wait till you get her checked tomorrow but im not really sure what it could be
whatever it is im sure it'll be sorted out tomorrow :)
katie xx
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Am not sure what that could be Christine. But sending a little chin rub for Blip, and hope it's nothing to give cause for concern. :hug:
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Is she good at grooming? Sounds like old dead hair.
As theres a swelling i would have that looked at
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:thanks: folks.
Blip is superb at grooming - she is clean even by feline standards. It is definitely not old hair - the hair itself is soft and silky. Just grey-looking. And it comes out when I try to clean it (at first I thought it was dusty).
I was wondering if it might be a blocked anal gland. Anyway, we shall have it checked out tomorrow.
She has been a bit off her food, but in a strange way: she is keener to eat her dry food than her wet (not like her at all). So she is taking in sufficient nourishment, but in a different form.
Odd, perplexing and a little worrying...
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Odd, perplexing and a little worrying...
:hug:
Hope it turns out to be nothing to worry about.
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Could be anal glands that need emptying but am wondering if the beautiful Blip drinks enough to cope with the preference for dry food.
Hopefully its nothing to worry about. :hug:
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Could be anal glands that need emptying but am wondering if the beautiful Blip drinks enough to cope with the preference for dry food.
That is the strange thing, Teresa. She normally eats only a few kibbles a day (Royal Canin Mature), chomps cheerfully through a couple of pouches of wet and drinks a little fresh water every day, without fail.
All that is the same except she is favouring her kibbles over her pouches for the last week or so (I am throwing away a lot of the wet food, suddenly) and now has this grey hair patch on her bottom.
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Think the food change may be down to the warmer weather,but its possible she is not taking enough liquid on board to compensate for missing the wet food; just maybe she has been dragging bottom doing skiddums if you know what I mean ( like Pedro).
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Think the food change may be down to the warmer weather,but its possible she is not taking enough liquid on board to compensate for missing the wet food; just maybe she has been dragging bottom doing skiddums if you know what I mean ( like Pedro).
Yes, it could be so - although she is normally a good drinker - but I can say with absolute confidence that she hasnt been dragging her bottom along at all. Nor does she clean it excessively (she always cleans assiduously).
I was wondering if it could be a blocked anal gland, as you suggested :scared:
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Christine don`t worry about anal glands they are easily sorted :hug: Should have realised that Blip is too much of a lady to skidmark :)
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Aye, that she is Teresa. :Luv:
A :cuddle: for her Blipness, Christine and a :hug: for you, I know it will worry you until you get her to her V.E.T.
Lexy sends a pprrrffft to her mate.
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Hope Blip is Ok and I have a sorta similiar thing with Sasa, so will be keen to know what the vet says.
I need to catch Sasa to go for boosters so will have her checked at same time. Sadly locked her in greenhouse again tonight grrrrrrrrrrrrrr, so catching is not getting any closer!
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Morning Christine. Just sending an early morning hug to the sock cupboard for the beautiful Blip, and hoping the vet can sort out what this worrisome business is all about. Hug to you too, and Paddy says "ppppprrrrfpt!" :hug:
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Good luck with her today
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Good luck today C & Blip :hug:
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Aw..! :scared:
Let us know the outcome. That's an odd one. :shify:
It doesn't sound too serious, though. Just annoying. :tired:
Good luck! :wow:
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Best of luck for Blip at the vet's today.
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Just read this. Fingers crossed it's nothing to worry about. Lots of :hug: for you and Blip. Jaffa is concerned and sends lots of gentle headbutts to Blip :Luv: :Luv:
Good luck at the vets
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Good luck today :hug:
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Thanks everyone. I subjected Blip to an undignified examination this morning and I can report that there is, after all, no swelling at the site. The vet nurse and I wondered if it might be brought on by stress - there is quite a lot of fox activity in our garden lately. As it's demonstrably not an emergency, they've booked Blip in for tomorrow afternoon, so I'll report back after that.
Am now wondering if Blip has indeed been over-grooming :scared:. Will spray some Feliway around when I get back.
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Poor Blip. :( I am sure the vet will get to the bottom of it - no pun intended! :innocent:
As least she hasn't had to suffer the indignity of having her meowmy stick a picture of the offending area on the board for everyone to see... :evillaugh:
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Poor Blip. :( I am sure the vet will get to the bottom of it - no pun intended! :innocent:
As least she hasn't had to suffer the indignity of having her meowmy stick a picture of the offending area on the board for everyone to see... :evillaugh:
I was thinking of doing just that, in fact. But I'm not sure anyone else would notice anything unusual / amiss at all 8)
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Christine, I have just had a horrid thought just come to me.... you say there are increased numbers of foxes around? :shify: Did the vet nurse discuss the possiblity of mange or ringworm? :scared:
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Christine, I have just had a horrid thought just come to me.... you say there are increased numbers of foxes around? :shify: Did the vet nurse discuss the possiblity of mange or ringworm? :scared:
No, but you have me rather worried now :scared:
The area doesn't itch though, and it isn't inflamed. I shall definitely mention these possibilities to the vet tomorrow.
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poor blips bottom - all this scrutiny!! (I know there should probably be some apostrophes somewhere but I've no idea where!)
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If I was Blip, I'd be thinking lots about the sock cupboard right now..... :scared: :hug:
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If I was Blip, I'd be thinking lots about the sock cupboard right now..... :scared: :hug:
Blip, in fact, is snoozing peacefully in her nest on her garden table under her umbrella. I have re-examined her bottom and I am pretty sure that there is nothing dodgy going on. But - check my signature ;) - Blip and I shall have a chat with the vet tomorrow and see what he thinks.
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Christine, it was the you mentioning hair falling out that made me think of a fungus or possibly mange mite. I am often wrong about these things so don't worry. :evillaugh:
If worse comes to worst, they aren't impossible to deal with but it just takes ruddy ages! :tired:
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Christine, it was the you mentioning hair falling out that made me think of a fungus or possibly mange mite. I am often wrong about these things so don't worry. :evillaugh:
If worse comes to worst, they aren't impossible to deal with but it just takes ruddy ages! :tired:
:hug: Julie. I am glad you did bring up those possibilities: the foxes do eat supper at the end of our garden. I think we probably are not dealing with mange or ringworm here, but I am not going to take any chances and will let our excellent vet give opinion tomorrow.
:thanks:
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I hope the vet says, nothing wrong :hug:
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Best foot forward for Blip today. Paddy sends his regards. :hug:
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Hope all goes well today for Blip.
I have been putting food out side for the Foxes for years now and the cats never had any problem! She just may be stressed and over grooming, bless her. :hug: :hug:
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Just saw this Christine and sending best of good vibes to the beautiful Blip. Hope it's nothing of any consequence :hug:
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Poor Blip :scared:
The vet says that the fur is coming out because it is old fur that she is not grooming entirely adequately because of her arthritis (the patch is on the right hand side, which is her affected side). He has given Blip a Metacam jab and some Metacam suspension for her arthritis (it is now licensed for use in cats in this form, apparently: I have to give it with or after food once a day).
But also... he expressed her anal glands and what came out was like a huge dollop of brown toothpaste. He said he had rarely seen it so built-up and thick :scared:. It really hurt poor Blip while he was doing it and it took three goes to get it all out.
I have to take her back in three weeks to have her anal glands checked again and to discuss how she is getting on with cleaning etc.
I feel terrible. Not as terrible as Blip obviously, but she must have been in discomfort for some time with so much gunk in her anal glands :'(
On the plus side, her weight has remained absolutely steady and he did give me a good tip: to keep her water supply in a different room from her food. Apparently this encourages cats to drink more (in the wild they would not drink from a water source near their kill as it might be contaminated) and I pass it on.
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this anal glad thing is all new to me, how do they get blocked and its is something that would unblock naturally??
sorry Blip had such a horrible visit
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Don;t feel bad Christine, as soon as you saw it was a problem you took Blip to the vet. Hope things clear up soon. Dragan used to have his metacam on his food from a syringe.
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this anal glad thing is all new to me, how do they get blocked and its is something that would unblock naturally??
sorry Blip had such a horrible visit
Thanks Dawn. The anal glands get blocked if the cat has a spell of constipation or diarrhoea, apparently. I get the impression that if they get blocked they wont unblock without skilled intervention. It is difficult to see how the stuff that came out of poor Blip would have cleared on its own :scared:
Thanks Maddiesmum but I am worried that I didnt pick up on a problem sooner.
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Poor Blip :hug:
Hope she is feeling better soon :)
Oh please don't feel bad Christine, you did the best thing as soon as you noticed there was a problem :hug:
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Poor Blip, the boys send her one of their finest healing head kisses :care:
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:hug: Christine. Don't feel bad there is no way you could have seen it until Blip showed you a different behaviour pattern and you immediately responded.
I too keep Lexy's water away from her food. She has a bowl in the living room and another in my bedroom and she does drink from both. A tip is to keep it in ceramic dishes on a cold floor like the hearth of the fireplace.
Give Blip a :cuddle: from me and her mate Lexy. If its any consolation she showed no behaviour anomalies when I saw her and you know I was keeping a keen eye on her drinking in her stunning features. And Blip is very much a sleek cat with an absolutely shining coat looking very healthy. She's just had a "blip" in her health which is corrected. Lexy is on Metacam too when her joints annoy her from her surgeries. A drop or two on her food when she's up and it helps.
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Christine, wishing Blip all the best. Please do not be hard on yourself :hug:
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Glad Blip's bottom is sorted out! and hope the Metacam helps her arthritis. :hug:
he did give me a good tip: to keep her water supply in a different room from her food. Apparently this encourages cats to drink more (in the wild they would not drink from a water source near their kill as it might be contaminated) and I pass it on.
Yes, I remember hearing that somewhere a while back and have put it into practice since - I must say its a blessing not having the water bowl in my small kitchen - I was forever knocking it over LOL!
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Normally anal gland juice would naturally come out when a poo passes along and presses on them. I think they can become compacted. Tabitha has trouble with hers and i asked about higher fibre to increase bulk but the vet didnt think it makes much difference, did yours comment Christine?
http://www.oaktreevet.co.uk/Pages/leaflets/anal%20glands.htm (http://www.oaktreevet.co.uk/Pages/leaflets/anal%20glands.htm)
Glad her grey bit was just old hair ;D i find a good comb for getting that out is a mikki moulting comb, has 2 lengths of teeth
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Normally anal gland juice would naturally come out when a poo passes along and presses on them. I think they can become compacted. Tabitha has trouble with hers and i asked about higher fibre to increase bulk but the vet didnt think it makes much difference, did yours comment Christine?
Yes, Millys Mum, he did. He said that a high fibre diet was essential. Blip has Royal Canin Mature as the dried element of her diet, so he opined that would suffice in her case, but he would definitely agree with you on this matter.
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Thanks ;D
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Christine, I'm sure Blip will soon be feeling much better, sending her lots of strokes - thanks for the tip about the water.
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Yes meant to say the water tip is very useful, thanks ;D
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Lots of cuddles to Blip and I am sure she will be great again now :hug: :hug:
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Glad it was nothing too serious though Christine, and you got it sorted as soon as you noticed something, which is the best we can do for them.
That is interesting, Molly has constipation issues, but her anal glands have never been mentioned, but she is going for her 6 monthly check up next week, so i shall be sure to mention that. We have had issues with a high fibre diet, so she gets lactulose regularly. The main water bowl in this house is the one in the front room, the only room without food in it!!
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Poor Blip. I bet she feels much better now that her anal glands are free of that gunk! No need to feel bad, Christine. You acted as soon as you noticed anything abnormal which all any of us can do. Good tip about the water bowl.
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:thanks: everyone :Luv: I shall just have to be more and more vigilant.
Blip seems in fine fettle since her vet visit. I think her bottom was probably a bit sore yesterday afternoon when the Metacam jab had worn off, but having had her first oral dose, she seems comfortable and cheerful.
Grounds for hope: Blip ate her Metacam mixed into some tuna water yesterday. Could this mean that she will eat it mixed into food, thus saving us both the administer-by-mouth routine? Keep your fingers crossed :)
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That is good - Tom used to take his from the bottle!! Moses is currently on Metacam till her dental is booked, the vet put it straight in her mouth, but every other cat has taken it in their normal food (well, Tiger did stop after a while). The cat one seems easier to work out dosage though
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Bit of cheese would work! Taz begs for metacam, i give him water in the syringe :sneaky: its honey flavour i think so not offensive
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Christine, glad to hear Blip is bit chipper.
As for Metacam, Lexy would not take it in anything other than food, couldn't fool her :evillaugh:
Because she loves her kibble so much I'd pop one drop on each kibble (so 2 drops or so) and she'd lap it up... :evillaugh: nothing deters the munchkin from her kibble.
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Blip has taken her second dose in a spot of tuna (not the water) and licked the bowl, so dare I hope that this is actually in a palatable carrier? Judging by what others say - including our vet - it may be so. Fingers still crossed, but two doses down ;D
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it probably is - I couldnt use tuna for Tom, due to his cystitis. I have just syringed Moses's straight into her mouth, as she isn't eating much at the moment.
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Christine, our Tom licks the metacam direct off his large kibble dental bicuits and then eats the biscuits. He is a bit of a star though ;) I understand it is however best given mixed in food to stop puss being sick.
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Christine, our Tom licks the metacam direct off his large kibble dental bicuits and then eats the biscuits. He is a bit of a star though ;) I understand it is however best given mixed in food to stop puss being sick.
Yes, our vet nurse said to me that mixed in with food is best and if that doesn't work, give the dose after food so that the stomach is lined.