Overgrooming Cat! Please Help

[haigashod]

Hi! My cat has a persistent problem with overgrooming himself that half a dozen visits to various vets has not fixed.

I first noticed he was gnawing at his own spine about two years ago and took him to the vet promptly. They gave him a steroid shot saying it was a 'seasonal allergy' and this would boost his immune system. the shot worked for about two or three months but he was back at it soon after. since that time, he's been back for two or three more of these shots. given that the shots are expensive and we're not exactly rich, i took him to a different vet hoping i'd get some different results...

alternative treatments that have not resulted in my poor little guy getting any better include: Dermoscent, Homeopet's "Skin and Itch", and an alternative allergy-conscious diet; he's been on every possible kitty food/formula possible. we also do our best not to stress him out, and though my sister and i, his main amusement in home, have both moved away for school, my mom n dad do a pretty good job of making sure he doesnt laze around all day and gets to run around.. he used to play fetch.

here's a picture of what he's doing to himself =( **dont look if squeemish** http://i.imgur.com/NP1Vk.jpg

thanks for reading my post, i just want get him the help he needs.

[Traci]

Did any of the vets bother to do a skin scrape/culture to check for certain types of mites, or fungal disease? What about xrays to check for disc problems? If not, you need to get kitty to a more experienced vet. Preferably a feline-only vet.

Next, stop using alternative products, just because they claim they are "natural", they are anything but. The Dermoscent you used contains several essential oils that are toxic to cats, and have been known to cause severe skin irritations, inhalation problems, etc. For example, tea-tree-oil and neem oil are two of the most toxic substances to cats, so how this crap ever made it on the market is beyond me. I digress, there is no oversight on these "natural" products, so that's how manufacturers get away with it.

By the way, essential oils are NOT essential fatty acids. Essential oils are toxic and should be avoided around cats, period.

Next, the photo indicates to me, that kitty may not necessarily be causing these wounds on his own, they appear to be above each vertebrae on the spine, which of course, most cats cannot reach. They appear more likely to be from spot-on topical treatments. Since they appear to be above vertebrae, where the skin is the thinnest, this could be why they are so aggravated, meaning, whatever topical products you've applied, have been absorbed into those areas, causing severe reaction and aggravation.

"alternative" treatments are plain worthless, and should never be used on pets, ever. Again, just because a manufacturer claims they are "natural", does not mean they are safe, effective, nor even tested for safety in pets. Since there is no governmental oversight on "alternative" products, anyone can put just about anything into a product and make useless but very harmful claims. I suspect anything "natural" you've put on your kitty has caused further harm.

Likewise, homeopathy is junk, avoid it at all costs. You do know, don't you, that homeopathy is simply just,...WATER, and nothing else. There is NO active substance in any homeopathic preparation whatsoever, and the claims that homeopaths make are just ludicrous. Even if there was an active substance in a homeopathic preparation, it would be subject to federal inspection because any active substance that acts like a drug or has a drug-like effect must be regulated.

So, cease using the homeopathy crap, cease using any "natural" product, and get kitty to a qualified feline-only vet, or better yet, a board certified veterinary dermatologist for a skin scrape and culture, and xrays to check the spine for any signs of disc problems, inflammation, etc. There is also a condition known as hyperesthesia which means kitty is sensitive to some sort of stimuli or pain, so this needs to be ruled out.

Ask the new feline-only or veterinary dermatologist about a proper diet for kitty. Again, "natural", holistic diets, etc are mainly hype, and if kitty has a dermatologic condition or skin allergies, he would do better on a prescribed hypoallergenic diet specific for felines - the prescription diets are intended for novel proteins (that the cat has never been prior exposed to), and can be used long-term. You will rarely get success from holistic or other hyped up "natural" diets.

By the way, do NOT use any topical flea products on your kitty. If he's indoor only, he probably doesn't need them, and if he were allowed outdoors, you should ONLY use a product sold by your vet that is safe and carries a guarantee from the manufacturer (like Frontline or Advantage).

Please get kitty to a feline-only or veterinary dermatologist right away for further testing. Make sure you get an xray done to rule out pain, inflammation, etc, and discuss a proper hypoallergenic diet for him. Do not wait another minute, it looks like kitty has suffered quite enough, he needs a vet who will diagnose and treat effectively.

[k9Karen]

Traci is by far the expert here, but I need to weigh in on the use of steroids. If you were told they would "boost the immune system", you were flat-out lied to. Prednisone and related steroids don't boost the immune system - they suppress it. Which can be good when the immune system is over-active and causing problems. Suppression lasts for up to 6 months, making the animal or human who uses them more susceptible to any infection or cancer. Treatments like this are sometimes the only option and are needed, but you need to be aware of potential serious side effects that your vet doesn't seem to have bothered to tell you. Use of steroids can lead to weight gain in the sort term, which is usually reversible once the medication is stopped. They can however lead to development of diabetes mellitus (AKA sugar diabetes) or diabetes insipidus (which is actually a kidney disorder where the kidney doesn't reabsorb the nutrients it's supposed to reabsorb, and excess water and electrolytes are excreted) with long-term use. I personally advise using them only when there is no other viable option since I had a Sheltie who developed diabetes insipidus due to treatments with Prednisone.

And BTW - the lesions you photographed look an awful lot like ringworm (a fungal infection) to me.