My cat has a spot at the base of her tail that is losing hair. She is constantly licking it. What can cause this and what can I do to relieve it?
First, stop your cat from licking the spot. The best way to do it is to use a head collar that you can get from a pet shop. She may have local infection or skin allergy that is aggravated by constant licking. The first step is to note if the hair loss is self-induced (skin itch causes cat to groom excessively, pulling out the hair), or due to a metabolic disease. The most common cause is skin itch resulting from a reaction to fleas or some type of allergy. If an allergic reaction to fleas or some other substance is ruled out, then the veterinarian will move on to other causes that might interfere with hair growth such as metabolic or endocrine based diseases.
Causes of hair loss in cats can be:parasites, such as mites (mange, ear mites); fungal infections like ringworm;- abscesses (usually caused by bite wounds from other animals); a sort of obsessive/compulsive disease. Some cats lick and bite and overgroom to the point of hair loss due to psychological reasons.;- Endocrine diseases such as hyperthyroidism, Cushings disease (rare), and diabetes;- A reaction to a medication or other substance taken orally;- Contact dermititis - a reaction to direct contact with something irritating or allergenic;- Dry skin
TREATMENTs:
Ringworm - Lime sulfur dips, anti-fungal drugs.
Food allergies - Switching to a novel or low allergenic diet.
Hyperthyroidism - Radioactive iodine to destroy the tumour or surgery to remove it followed by lifelong replacement of thyroid hormones.
Inhalant allergy - Avoidance of the allergen if possible.
Notoedric mange - Clipping, weekly lime sulfur dips, Revolution.
Psychogenic - Behaviour modification, keeping your cat in a stress free environment and drug therapy (if other methods fail).
Abscess - Draining of the abscess and antibiotics.
Drug reaction - Switching or discontinuing medications.
Seborrhea - Shampoos, omega-3 fatty acids, antibiotics.
Stud tail - Antiseborrheic shampoos, neutering (where possible).
My rabbit has been itching and scratching lately despite getting cleaned regularly. What should I do?
Scratching, rubbing, chewing or licking a certain area of its skin is often indicative of an inflamed layer of skin . The causes : Skin tumors ,Parasites (e.g., ear mites, fleas, fur mites),Allergies (e.g., food allergy, medication allergy, etc.),Irritants (e.g., soaps, shampoos, bedding, harsh cleaning solutions)
If allergies are thought to be the cause, the vet will prescribe antihistamines.
Otherwise, sprays, ointments or gels for local application are given; sometimes a zinc oxide plus menthol powder is prescribed. However, it is important that during treatment the affected area should be kept clean and dry.
Sometimes the application of anything topically -- soaps and products containing alcohol, iodine, and benzoyl peroxide -- can worsen itching; plain cool water may be soothing in these cases. However, use extreme caution when bathing or dipping a rabbit into water, as it may become stressed and shake to the point of causing skeletal fractures. Also, prevent the rabbit or its cage mates from licking ointments/gels before they are dry, and watch for signs for toxicity in the rabbit(s).
My cat has been given some medicines but she doesn’t take them willingly because of the taste. I tried mixing them with her meals but she always picks them out. How can I make her eat them?
It depends on the type of medication. Liquid medicines can be easily administered through mixing them with their gravy-laden food items. A solid pill can be crushed and then mashed with the food. Also, a pill-gun can be purchased to administer hassle-free medications to cats.
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