Cole's trip to the vet 5/27 for follow up on paw

doubleR · Post by **doubleR** » Tue May 27, 2003 11:43 pm

Hello!

Just wanted to let everyone know what happen with Cole's follow up visit to the vet today.

Vet thinks that his problem may be some sort of allergy. If it were some sort of contact allergy such as litter or cleaner on floor...etc...would effect all four paws. Vet seems to think that it may be a food allergy. Only question I now have is...if it is an allergy, why did it clear up the first time with antbtc.

Vet said that his paw did look better than last time and didn't seem infected....looks like it is starting to heal. Vet gave us some prednisone (sp?) to put him on so he won't lick or bite at it and that will also help with the swelling. He is eating, drinking, and using litter box as normal. He has just been sleeping more the past couple of days. We are going back to see vet in one week. We may have to put him on special diet to see if that helps. Need to rule out food allergy. If paw is no better then....look into biopsy....which is a scary thought. But we will do what ever we can to take care of our little boy. One step at a time.

We did look for a feline only vet in our phone book but could not find one. Thank you to all who posted a reply and offered many helpful suggestions!!It was very much appreciated!! Its always a scary and helpless feeling when the pets we love are ill and we want to help make them better but don't seem to have the answeres.

Going to add pic of his paw taken 5/23.....will keep everyone updated to his progress just incase anyone else has same kind of problem as Cole.

Thank you again!
Rick & Melissa

Post by **Traci** » Wed May 28, 2003 1:31 am

Thanks for the update!

As for your question, some allergies that affect the skin may respond to antibiotics simply because of the localized infection. But it doesn't mean that it would target a specific fungal or other problem and it may reoccur again and may not respond to antibiotics the next time.

I'm wondering why your vet didn't opt to start Cole on an allergen diet right away? Is he simply wanting to take the wait and see approach before initiating the diet?

D~ · Post by D~ » Wed May 28, 2003 9:45 pm

It is very frustrating and difficult to figure these things out sometimes, I feel for you.

I somehow missed your first post(s) on this ...but just a thought that I would not totally rule out a contact problem just because it's only one paw, it's quite possible to step in something with just one paw (or foot for us humans) and have a problem/irritation or infection start that way....it's possible the infection was very deep and is not totally clear or something is still inside the paw, perhaps even something very tiny and not visible.

At the same time, I would also wonder why a food alllergy problem would only be confined to one foot. Though starting an allergy diet soon might be a good bet if the treatment does not do the trick soon because if it is an allergy problems could surface elsewhere at some point too.

I want to wish the best for Cole's paw, the photos of the paw are not showing for me but the pics I saw of him on Debbie's Cloud were just precious... I'm so sorry he/you are dealing with this and I hope the problem can be resolved soon and all will be ok for him....poor sweetie.

Hugs for you,
D~

doubleR · Post by **doubleR** » Fri May 30, 2003 8:03 pm

Traci....yes I think the vet is doing a wait and see approach with the steroid untill a allergen diet. I'm not 100 percent certain yet that it is a allergy problem let alone contact v/s food.

His foot IS looking much better

Redness is gone and most of the swelling too. Bothering me now is he still licks and chews at that paw. Maybe not as much but still.... And the steroid was supposed to stop that

D~....I see what your saying and I thought it still a possibilty too. But to make the odds greater or less

First time it was his front left paw, and it got better. Now two months later it's his back left paw. Doesn't mean it couldn't be a contact problem I guess. The more things I try to learn about, the more I think I know what it might be, only to realize I don't know nothing for sure. Making things worst for me, is we started with one vet the first time and went to another place the second time. And the last visit *3rd* was a different vet at the same place. I feel like poor Cole has had 3 different diagnosis but seen them all only once.

Thank You for your concern and for your admiration of the pics as well as everyone else's

Rick