Advice Requested! Hair loss; Scabs, open sores around neck

[Endorra]

Hello, everyone! I found this dandy forum while seeking advice and support for my 4 year old Himalayan. I'm taking him to the vet first thing in the morning, but until then I just wanted a little advice and support. He's lost a little hair in the area before, maybe once a year, so when he started skimping around the hindquarters a month or so ago I didn't get too concerned. But it's turned really bad. He started getting hard scabs around his neck. A few at first, then several. He started pulling out his fur around his hindquarters, base of his tail, and hind legs. He's stopped sleeping with me, and he's constantly licking and scratching. Then today I discovered that around his neck were two open sores-- one small, and one really big. It's a clean looking sore right now-- not really bloody or anything, but wet and open, like the skin's been scratched away.

I've researched some and everything I've looked at has pointed to flea allergies. I've checked him thoroughly and haven't found a flea on him. However, I've read it sometimes only takes one bite to drive an allergic pet crazy-- but THIS bad?

Does anyone have any thoughts on this? I've thought about diluting some peroxide and dabbing the open sore.

He still acts himself pretty well, aside from not sleeping with me anymore and all the scratching.

I'm really, really concerned and worried. I lost my oldest boy back in July after a two year battle with diabetes, so I'm just a little on edge. Any help would be appreciated! Thanks in advance.

[MJ]

It could be a flea allergy with very few fleas, or an allergy to something else... Or a behavior issue, maybe due to stress... Or a symptom of a wide variety of other underlying problems.

Definitely make sure the vet actually does some testing and doesn't just look at it and give a shot and send you on your way.

I wouldn't put peroxide or anything else on the wounds. You could accidentally do more harm than good.

Here's hoping you get a quick and most importantly accurate diagnosis from the vet. And I hope your kitty will be feeling better soon after.

[Traci]

This occurs "maybe once a year", and has gotten worse "a month or so ago"? Why haven't you had him examined by your vet before this? NEVER leave things like this unchecked by a vet.

It could be flea allergies, but it could be a miriad of other things and only a vet exam +/- testing can determine specifically.

Do you have a collar on him?

Is he allowed outdoors? If so, INDOORS ONLY!

What are you feeding him?

Have you applied flea topicals or any other topicals to your cat? If so, use ONLY those recommended and sold by your vet, such as Frontline for Cats or Advantage for Cats. If you've applied any topicals, shampoos or anything else, you need to tell your vet today what those were and when you applied them.

Could he be getting into things, like plants, chemicals, human meds, or??

The first thing the vet should do is rule out fleas, flea allergy dermatitis, various types of mites by exam and microscopic exam, via skin scrape and/or culture. If this doesn't reveal anything, then he should rule out fungal problems, like ringworm. If nothing is revealed, then allergies to something else may need to be ruled out, such as food allergy, in which a prescribed hypoallergenic diet may be initiated. Ruling out esosinophilic granuloma should also be crucial on the rule-out list. It's also possible kitty is reacting to something internal, such as organ disfunction or pain, only your vet can determine that through exam and testing.

Don't wait on this, it's gone on long enough and your kitty needs examined by your vet immediately.

[Endorra]

We've already taken him to the vet the first time he started pulling his hair out like this. He checked out alright, but the vet we had at that time was stumped. It's not that I haven't taken him before-- it just never got this bad.

He's indoors, ALL of my cats have been and always will be. However, we do have a chihuahua that ventures outside and could possibly bring stuff back in with her. There's no plants inside, and we keep human stuff out of reach, in cabinets and such.

Prior to today, we were feeding him Royal Canin dry cat food as a staple, with the occasional can food or raw chicken breasts a few times a month.

I woke up and called in as soon as the clinic opened, took him in, and they went over him for fleas, did a Wood's Light test for ringworms, and took some scrapings for further testing. The vet said he's likely got allergies, probably food. So we're in the process of slowly switching to a Green Peas and Venison formula the vet recommended, which is also by Royal Canin. He got a steroid shot, and we'll be back to the vet in a month to see how things are going.

[Traci]

Please don't feed raw....numerous dangers with various bacterias.

If the lesions continue despite feeding the new food for around 3-4 weeks, or if they worsen, chances are, there is an ingredient in most or all formulas of the specific brand. In that event, try a different veterinary brand like Hill's or Eukanuba.

Also rule out environmental allergens (sprays/aerosols, carpet cleaners/powders, laundry detergent you use for cats' bedding, etc).

[Endorra]

Be assured that I did quite a lot of research on feeding cats raw meat before I ever tried. It's been a tasty treat for two of my boys.

I'll be monitoring him extra closely the next several weeks as we switch to this new no-treat/no-extras diet with this Venison formula. He seems to like it, at least. The other two don't, but we'll get there eventually!

Thanks for the help and advice, it's been greatly appreciated. :]

[Traci]

I'm sorry, but it doesn't matter what the research is, or where it was found, raw food for cats is not appropriate, and most information you find (particularly online) is anecdotal, very convenient to leave out the facts of the dangers of feeding raw food/meat to pets. There are NO studies to suggest raw is better, nor safer than any other food and as a matter of fact, there is always a risk by feeding it (and there are documented facts outlining the risks).

[mamabear]

I would have to say that staying with the same brand of food is poor judgement on the vets part. And to switch to a venison and not a chikcen is just beyond me why he would dothat.

If this is a food allergy you need to get him off of all of that stuff even the raw and get him onto a Hills product specificially formulated for cats with allergies so you can determine what the allergy is.

I do not say to stop the raw because I do not believe in it, I say it because I say that you should stop all feeding of what you are doing right now to determine what he is allergic to. Raw OR not something is going on with the raw or the commercial food.

Are you brushing him out often enough?
How is his water in take? If he is on dry most of the time hten he is not getting water from the food so do you watch him drink? do you know what he is cosuming during the day for water?

Did the vet run a complete blood count and thyroid panel to check on health on kitty?

What about ruling out feline diseases?

Have you seen fleas on kitty or flea dirt on the belly of the kitty?

you say you feed dry and occasionally you give raw chicken, so unless you see kitty drinking a fair amount of water throughout the day he might not be getting enough even with raw chicken a times a month and certianly not from the dry food daily.

Talk to your vet about the food and ask about the Hills products. They are designed to help with these sort of situations and help you determine if there was/is an allergy.

Let us knwo what dr. says.