Read About Cat Skin Conditions

ImageYour cat could suffer from a number of cat skin conditions. Skin conditions can be caused by parasites, bacteria, fungi, contact irritations and many other causes. Common cat skin conditions can be grouped into four main types:

1) itchy skin conditions,

2) hair loss conditions,

3) painful skin conditions and

4) conditions under the skin.

An itchy skin condition will cause your cat to continuously rub, scratch, bite at, or lick the affected area to find relief. This type of cat skin condition is readily apparent since you probably will be distracted by their actions. Food allergies, fleas, scabies, chiggers, ear mites, dandruff, eczema and other dermatitis conditions are common examples of itchy skin conditions.

Disorders that cause hair loss, changes in hair growth or appearance will also be readily apparent to an owner. Examples of this type of cat skin conditions include mange, ringworm, alopecia, and hypothyroidism.

Pyoderma is a painful cat skin condition where there is signs of an active infection on or beneath the skin and may involve a discharge. Pyodermas include cat acne, impetigo and abscesses.

Finally, when grooming your cat, you may discover lumps and bumps under the skin. These lumps and bumps could be as benign as warts or hematomas or more serious as larvae infestations or cancer.

Whatever the type of cat skin condition, a visit to the veterinarian is warranted. Your veterinarian can diagnosis the cause and prescribe treatment for your cat’s condition. Many times the veterinarian will need to take a skin scrape to confirm the diagnosis. The skin scrapes can be viewed under a microscope or cultured to determine the bacterial or fungal cause. Many cat skin conditions can also affect humans including ringworm, fleas, and scabies. Cat skin conditions caused by parasites can be simply solved by treating for the specific parasite (mites, fleas, scabies, etc.). Both the cat and the cat’s environment will need to be treated to successfully put an end to the infestation cycle.

For an allergic response, you will need to determine the cause of the allergy which can be fairly difficult in some cases. Allergies can be from something ingested (food or treats), inhaled or from physical contact. Your veterinarian can conduct allergy skin tests to rule out common allergens that your cat maybe allergic too.

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Cat skin conditions caused by other diseases such as hypothyroidism will improve when the underlying medical condition is addressed. For lumps found under the skin, it maybe necessary for the cat to undergo a medical procedure to remove the growth and having it evaluated. Medications can be prescribed to cure bacterial and fungal infections. These medications can be topically (applied to the skin as shampoos, ointments, etc.) or given internally.

It maybe necessary during treatment to have your cat wear a collar to prevent the cat from being able to get at the skin condition or to prevent the cat from ingesting the medications. Many skin conditions are worsened by pet licking. It has been estimated that about 95% of skin damage is due to licking. So whatever the cause of the skin condition, it is necessary for you not to allow your cat to continue to lick the area. Many times, cat skin conditions will need patience of the owners to determine the cause and then to treat the problem.