Vet Q&A-Cat

My cat is licking himself so bad he is going bald and have raw spots on his stomach back of his legs his sides I have tried benedryl he has on flea meds no signs of fleas

Thanks for using Boop by Petco! This is likely due to allergies. It really comes down to figuring out what is causing his allergies so that they can be treated or the specific allergen avoided. There are many things that can cause allergies though in most cases they can be broken down into 3 big categories: flea, food and environmental allergies. Allergies are usually worked up in a stepwise fashion starting with flea allergies as this is the easiest and cheapest to take care of. If not on a flea preventative, then it would be a good idea to get started on one. If already on one then it would be a good idea to change to something else (there are many new products out in the market). If not improved in 1-3 months then it is time to move on and check for food allergies by switching to a novel diet (new protein and new carbohydrate). If that does not seem to be the issue then you are left out having to check for environmental allergies which require blood and/or skin tests. Allergies can be very frustrating to deal with at first but so rewarding at the end when we are able to treat them effectively!

Black spot under my cat s chin! I read about acne and plastic bowls. She has a cat mate water fountain she loves it and I clean it almost weekly. Do these photos look like acne? I have not been able to get my cat to the vet I a month . I had to cancel 3x’s and realize she must be seen which I plan on doing. however it might be a while and I am looking for reassurance or someone to tell me I should not wait any longer. Thanks in advance Catherine

Feline acne can present as a single papule (bump) or pustule (pus filled bump) that can be red and painful. If it ruptures, it can crust over and create a dark area like you are seeing on Mrs. Jones' chin. There isn't any way to tell from the pictures exactly what is going on under the dark area which is how we could determine what is going on . Feline acne results from an overgrowth of normal bacteria and yeast on the skin. It can become a problem when it involves a significant amount of the chin and/or is painful. If the crust is dried and non-painful, I would not recommend cleaning it or medicating it since that will sometimes makes them more irritated. If the area is red, swollen, painful or enlarging, Mrs. Jones needs to see her veterinarian. If this area resolves, but she is continuing to develop new areas, then I would also have your veterinarian examine her to see what can be done to prevent further outbreaks. There are topical products that we will use to help treat and prevent mild outbreaks. Good luck! I hope that was helpful and answered your question. Thanks for using Boop by Petco.

Last night, my cat was diagnosed with lymphoma. We were given the option to euthanize, or spend hundreds on further exams and treatments. Are we doing the right thing by euthanizing her? She’s only 8 years old, but her lymphocyte levels and wbc levels were extremely high, and her red cells were very low.

Thanks for using Boop by Petco! I am sorry to hear that. Lymphoma is an aggressive disease in cats, especially when in the gastrointestinal system and in circulation. Usually even with chemotherapy you are looking at a prognosis of 2-6 months depending on the exact type of lymphoma. You could try prednisolone as a palliative treatment to make her feel better for the time being and perhaps extend her survival time for a few weeks. If she is already anemic, she may also require a blood transfusion making things a bit more complicated. If she is not doing well and you are not interested in pursuing therapy knowing the prognosis then euthanasia is a good option. Let me know if you have further questions regarding her disease. Sorry for the sad news!

My cat somehow found a coq10 pill and I found it popped in the floor I’m not sure that she actually ate any of it but is it harmful to her if she did ingest some of it?

She should be fine. Coenzyme 10 is safe to give in high doses and she likely did not ingest enough to cause any problems. If you notice any signs such as vomiting, lethargy, inappetance, diarrhea, I would recommend having a veterinarian examine scarlett so that the most appropriate diagnostic and treatment recommendations can be made. Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further.

My kitten has no black residue in her ears, and no visible wax etc..but was told she has a mild case of ear mites. I used mineral oil in her ears, she keeps shaking her head..could this be due to her trying to shake out the excess oil? Her ears are clean and a light pinky tone

Hello. Use a cotton ball to gently remove any excess oil. I would guess that she is shaking her head because she has all these desperate dying ear mites in her ears. Once the ear mites have all died in a few days, she will be fine. But right now her ears are itching & this will get better pretty soon. Thanks for using Boop by Petco.

So I put cat ear mite drops in my kitten and I didn't read that it was for adult cats and my cat is going crazy. She is shaking her head and running around the room jumping on things and won't stop itching her ear I don't know if that is normal. Also, I think I accidentally put too much drops in her ear... she wouldn't stop moving.

Hi there. Poor Chloe! Even adult cats with a high ear mite load often respond similarly-there is intense itch with the mite die off as well as the ear itself often have some open wounds from them-the medication will burn. If Chloe is having any true neurological signs like seizures, intense shaking, strange looking pupils, etc-best to get her to an emergency room right away for treatment. If you see nothing of this matter the side effects should subside soon. Hope this helps, my best to you and Chloe.

Symptoms of a broken rib? My kitten is nearly 8 weeks old, last night she was accidentally stood on. What other possible injuries may she have?

Poor Blue! Symptoms of a broken rib would include fast or labored breathing, and crying or acting painful when her chest is touched. In some cases, you may even be able to feel a fracture by running your fingers over her rib cage. If she was stepped on, she could also have other internal injuries such as damage to her liver, kidneys, or spleen, bruising of the lungs, or internal bleeding. If she is acting painful or lethargic, I would definitely recommend having her examined by a vet as soon as possible - she may need x-rays to help determine the problem and find out what can be done to help her.

Will fixing my cat make her stop peeing everywhere? we have tried everything to get her to stop.

That must be so frustrating for you! I recommend taking her into your vet if you haven't already to rule out a medical cause behind this behavior. Cats with a UTI will urinate everywhere, and she will need antibiotics to treat it if she does have one. Once a medical cause is ruled out, I would recommend spaying her. Female cats will mark to attract a male, and spaying her will help decrease this behavior. Even if it is a UTI causing this, I would still recommend spaying her. She may continue to mark to attract a male, and spaying will have many health benefits for her, including prevention of a pyometra ( a life threatening infection of the uterus) in addition to decreasing the marking behavior.

I found a scab under my cats chin and I am not sure what it is from. It has me very nervous. She is an indoor cat and I noticed it tonight.

Dixie could have cut herself with her nails scratching her chin, and that could cause a scab to appear. She could also have cat acne, causing her to scratch the area, leading to the scab. It could also be parasites causing her to scratch at her chin. I recommend taking her into your vet just to check to be safe, and to make sure there isn't a medical issue causing her to scratch at her chin excessively. Your vet can determine if there is a medical cause behind, and how best to treat it. I would not be too nervous about it, especially if she is eating and drinking normally, behaving normally, and is using the litter box normally :-)