Skin diseases in cats (photo)

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Skin diseases in cats (photo)
Skin diseases in cats (photo)
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Skin disease in cats is quite common and is one of the most common reasons for visiting a veterinarian. Fortunately, these he alth problems can be easily treated in most cases. Their causes may be infections, allergic reactions, or malfunctions of the internal organs.

The following are the main skin diseases in cats - in pictures and with recommendations for their treatment. It is important to remember that the same symptoms can be caused by different causes. Therefore, before starting treatment, it is necessary to accurately determine the source of the animal's ailment.

Skin parasites

If a cat behaves restlessly, constantly itches, then, most likely, fleas are the reason for this. If the animal has the opportunity to walk outside, it can also become infected with grass mites. By carefully examining the cat's coat, you can easily detect the fleas themselves or their excrement in the form of very small black specks. It is usually easy for owners to identify parasite-caused skin diseases in cats on their own. The photo gives an idea of what their traces look like.

skin diseases in cats
skin diseases in cats

To remove fleas, you can use drops applied to the skin of the animal in the withers area. It is recommended to buy such drugs in veterinary clinics, as pet stores are more likely to meet a fake. You should also wash floors, carpets, wash bedding - in all these places, flea eggs can remain. A special collar is also an effective means of prevention, especially for cats that are on the street.

Ringworm

Some pet ailments can be dangerous for their owners. Skin diseases in cats that are transmitted to humans are fungal infections that cause ringworm. Their treatment is desirable to begin at an early stage. The main sign of lichen is areas with fallen hair, which the cat scratches all the time. Another symptom is that the skin is flaky, forming dandruff.

For the treatment of lichen, antifungal drugs are used in the form of ointments, and, if necessary, tablets. If your cat has long, thick hair, it needs to be trimmed. This is done so that the ointment can be applied to the affected areas of the skin. In advanced cases, baths with sulfuric lime are prescribed.

Acne (acne disease)

Inflammation of the sebaceous glands occurs in all breeds. But most often such skin diseases occur in Sphynx cats. Localization of rashes can be different. Sphynx eels occur at the base of the tail, on the back, belly, and also under the lower jaw. Acne looks like black follicles, sometimes there is redness around them. In fluffy cats, this disease usually occurs on the muzzle.

skin diseases in cats photo
skin diseases in cats photo

Acne in the initial stages is treated with washings. The affected area should be wetted with warm water, lathered with a bactericidal soap, then washed off and dried with a towel. In more serious cases, special gels based on chlorhexidine are used, which can be purchased at veterinary clinics.

Bacterial infections

Acne, like wounds and cuts, can lead to bacterial skin disease in cats. Symptoms may vary depending on how the inflammatory process proceeds. With a dry variety of the disease, dense nodules and scaly crusts appear on the skin. The wet course of the disease is characterized by wetting of infected areas, redness and the formation of pustules.

skin diseases in cats symptoms
skin diseases in cats symptoms

Dry foci are treated with Miramistin and Levomikol antibacterial agents. Wet areas are treated with drying sprays. If inflammation persists, a course of antibiotics is prescribed.

Allergic skin diseases in cats: photo and treatment

Allergies in pets are not uncommon. The most common variant in cats is hypersensitivity to flea bites. Outwardly, such an allergy can manifest itself in the form of baldness of certain areas of the skin, itching, the appearance of spots, the color of which can vary from pink to dark gray.

Treatment in this case is to rid the pet of fleas. In this case, an allergic reaction will manifest itself for some time even after the disappearance of insects. Finally, the symptoms will disappear after 5-6 weeks.

In addition to fleas, food or external irritants can cause allergies in animals. Such cases are more difficult to treat. After all, it is not so easy to determine the allergen.

Atopic dermatitis

Allergic skin diseases in cats caused by external factors are manifested in redness of skin areas with little hair. For example, on the stomach or on the paw pads. Then there are crusts and pustules. This reaction can be caused by contact with pollen, detergents, drugs, etc.

skin diseases in cats treatment
skin diseases in cats treatment

To determine which allergen caused dermatitis, it is necessary to conduct clinical tests. When the source of skin irritation is found, the animal should be protected from it. If the allergen could not be determined, antihistamines are prescribed.

Food intolerance

Food allergies can also manifest as skin problems. Symptoms are the same as in atopic dermatitis. Food allergies are rare in cats. Therefore, even an experienced veterinarian cannot always quickly determine the cause of an animal's illness.

If the food allergy is well established, you will have to change the pet's diet. Another type of food or homemade food that includes meat and vitamin-containing foods will help eliminate allergic skin diseases in cats. Initial treatment may also include antipruritics if the animal itches a lot.

Ear Mite

There are several types of mites that cause skin diseases in cats on the ears. You can get them on the street or through contact with other animals. A cat bothered by ticks shakes its head and scratches its ear. Other symptoms also appear. They include redness, hair loss, and a dark-smelling, pungent discharge in the ear. Similar manifestations can be in bacterial infections. Therefore, to establish an accurate diagnosis, the animal should be taken to the veterinarian.

skin diseases in cats on the ears
skin diseases in cats on the ears

For the treatment of ear mites, special preparations are used in the form of drops and ointments. It is also recommended to remove dark secretions with cotton wool or a soft cotton cloth.

Psychogenic alopecia

Sometimes a cat licks itself so thoroughly and for a long time that bald spots appear on the skin. This behavior is usually caused by stress. But it should be remembered that allergies, including fleas, and fungal skin diseases in cats are much more likely to cause baldness. Therefore, first of all, you need to check for the presence of parasites in the animal, and also make sure that it is not a matter of hypersensitivity to certain environmental stimuli.

skin diseases in cats photo and treatment
skin diseases in cats photo and treatment

Treatment is to eliminate the factors that cause stress in the cat. A mechanical barrier may also be required to prevent the animal from being licked.

Cushing's Syndrome

Relatively rare skin diseases in cats caused by hormonal imbalances. One such disease is Cushing's syndrome. Its cause is excessive production of the hormone cortisol by the adrenal glands. The disease can also occur due to certain medications.

An excess of cortisol negatively affects the entire body. But on the skin, the manifestations of the disease are especially noticeable. Wool becomes more rare, then bald spots appear. The skin becomes thin and vulnerable to mechanical damage. The wounds do not heal for a long time. The tips of the ears become flabby and curl up.

skin diseases in cats in pictures
skin diseases in cats in pictures

Treatment may include various measures, depending on the causes and course of the disease. If Cushing's syndrome is caused by taking cortisol-containing drugs, they are replaced by other drugs. If the cause is adrenal hyperactivity, drug therapy is prescribed. Sometimes they resort to surgical intervention. It is effective when only one adrenal gland is not functioning properly. In such a situation, its surgical removal can solve the problem.

Final recommendations

The above are the most common skin conditions in cats. Photos and descriptions of symptoms in most cases allow you to make the correct diagnosis for your pet with high accuracy. However, treatment methods should still be discussed with a specialist veterinarian.

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