Purrs In Our Hearts - Cat Forum UK
Cat Health & Behaviour => Health & Behaviour General => Topic started by: Dory2689 on May 05, 2020, 12:32:10 PM
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hello, I am new to this and would like some advice if possible.
I have an 8yr old cat which I adopted from the cats protection 12months ago. shortly after I got her she started getting the plaques. she has been receiving regular steroid injections and antibiotics every 6 weeks otherwise they return. she scratches her face constantly causing the absesses and open wounds. when she has had the treatments she is a totally different cat. when she is poorly as she is constantly she is withdrawn and very shy and quiet.
I was wondering if anyone else has a cat with this problem and how have you treated it? is there anything I can do other than the medication to try and resolve it?
I have her brother also who isn't affected by this and has no health issues. I hate seeing my lil fur baby poorly. any help or advice would be welcomed.
Thanks
Georgina
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Hi and :welcome: to Purrs - although I'm sorry that a sick kitty has brought you to us :hug: I'm afraid I haven't any experience of this but we have a wealth of knowledge on here, so I hope someone will be able to help.
Meanwhile, please make yourself at home and have a look at the rest of the forum ;D
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thank you.
as I mentioned I do have a very healthy and very cheeky boy too. but she is the one causing me some concern atm. I've tried changing diet, cleaning the whole house in case of dust, she doesn't go outside, ive got plug ins. the next thing is to try a diff washing detergent.
the vet is coming to see her today so shell be feeling better soon but I just was looking for a longer term solution. she is a shy cat anyway and is very skittish but when she has a flare up she is a lot worse.
I'm just glad that I adopted her and have the funds to be able to pay for treatment. I know paying £100 every 6 weeks would put some off. It wasn't something which the rescue were aware of and so she may have been returned. I've had them both for 14months now and I wouldn't be without them. Ailments or not they are my furry children x
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Hello and welcome :welcome:
I'm sorry your girl is poorly with this. I can't offer much advice I'm afraid. One of my boys has one of these plaques on his tongue at the back of his mouth - discovered a few years ago when he had a dental. However, he hasn't needed any specific treatment for it and the vet has not advised any steroids etc. My vet said she thought it was likely due to an allergy - possibly a food allergy - and that I should also make sure he was up to date with flea treatment in case it was a flea allergy. He's been on an elimination diet and now eats only single proteins (no beef or fish. The jury is still out on chicken). Sometimes I think he scratches a little bit more than would be normal, but he doesn't have any sores, although not so easy to see minor sores due to him being long haired. He has no other signs of ill health.
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thanks for replying
I doubt its the same thing as tom has because you would notice. she rips out large chunks of fur and scratches constantly even when she has opened the skin. I guess it itches like when you get a cut or a scab (sorry I know its not the most pleasant thing to discuss).
can I ask what food your use?
thanks x
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Mosi has an eosinophilic granuloma (confirmed by biopsy). A quick Google has confirmed that rodent ulcer, eosinophilic granuloma and eosinophilic plaques are all part of eosinophilic complex. I think they are just different presentations and all are underpinned by inflammation, hence steroids helping.
I think that fortunately Mosi does not get the itching or the scabs. For a while he had what looked like a large pimple in between his nose and mouth but that appears to have gone. I asked the vet whether that was likely related to the granuloma in his mouth and she said likely. He has a different vet now, but none have really been over worried about Mosi or suggested he has any treatment for it. I don't know whether it is still there as it would take sedation at least to examine the area given it's location. I take the view that if he is ok, I won't worry about it. Obviously your girl is affected much more severely.
Regarding food - I feed raw. Have you tried an elimination diet? I think the difficulty with this complex is trying to locate the cause as constant treatment is difficult (steroids not being good long term) and barely keeps on top of things. Elimination diets are difficiult to do as it requires finding a novel protein if possible, or at least avoiding commonly used proteins, and feeding that and only that (and water) for 6 weeks before introducing a new protein. I copped out a bit by feeding chicken first as I had a hunch he was ok with that (I should have added that Mosi tends to have problems with diarrhoea but this seems to be under control with his raw diet) and fed a single protein tinned food (Macs I think although not sure). Wsn't 100% sure of it's success but after 6 weeks on that I tried him on turkey and it was then that I decided to switch to raw and see how he got on. Easiest way to feed only the protein and no additives at all. He was fine so I then added a supplement to the meat to make it a complete food. He now has turkey, pork, lamb (he's not too fond of that), duck and rabbit. The last 2 as commercially prepared raw food. No idea how this has affected his granuloma but he is due a dental so will ask them to check then.
Mosi does scratch a little bit more than normal but not excessively. Or at least he did but he seems not to do it much now. I think for him, diet was the answer but it's not for all cats.
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I had to google this! I don’t have any experience of this condition in cats however I have been prone to skin allergies over the years. They are both itchy and hot so I can understand why Tom scratches herself.
I agree with Susanne that steroids are not really a long-term solution (and long-term ABs are not that great either) so finding out what triggers the problem seems the way to go. There is some info here https://www.purina.co.uk/cats/health-and-nutrition/symptoms-to-watch-out-for/food-allergies-in-cats (https://www.purina.co.uk/cats/health-and-nutrition/symptoms-to-watch-out-for/food-allergies-in-cats) about doing an exclusion diet and Cats Protection have an information leaflet on itchy cats and skin disorders, downloadable from here https://www.cats.org.uk/help-and-advice/information-leaflets/veterinary-guides (https://www.cats.org.uk/help-and-advice/information-leaflets/veterinary-guides).
I suggest you talk with your vet about the best way to proceed.
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Hi Dory, I can only reiterate Frances advice. Ask your vet before changing to a radical diet. Several Purrs members swear by a raw food diet, I asked about it and was told to make sure that bone, cartilage, and offal are included as in a wild diet.
I am sorry that it took Tom's illness to bring you to us, but very glad to meet you.
One of my cats is also a girlie with a boys name, her previous owner was a Black Adder fan, so she is a very pretty Black Tortie with a white bib and paws, called Bob. :Luv: