Could my Cat be Allergic ?
YES. |
| As the owner of a cat, you are very aware of changes in your
pet's grooming, behaviour, skin and hair coat. These could be signs
of an Allergy. Your Veterinary Surgeon, along with Axiom Veterinary
Laboratories, will work with you to help identify underlying problems
that can cause skin disease, loss of hair, itching and scratching, and even
changes in your cat's behaviour. Once non-allergic causes have been
ruled out, your cat should be evaluated for an allergic condition. |
| How do I know if my Cat is itchy ? |
| It may be difficult to be sure that your cat is pruritic.
Part of the problem is distinguishing between normal and excessive
grooming. Cats, when using their barbed tongue to groom, only have
to apply slightly more pressure than normal to render the tongue an effective
weapon against itch, this same increase in pressure may break off
the hairs and cause superficial wounds. In addition, cats can be secretive
and may not be observed grooming or traumatising themselves. Some
owners report behavioural changes including irritability, withdrawal
from contact and excessive vocalisation. You may also notice tufts of
hair in your cat's favourite hiding places, hair in the faeces, hair between
the cat's teeth, or increased problems with vomiting hair balls. Your
Veterinary Surgeons may use a trichogram (pluck hairs and place
them underneath the microscope) to confirm that your cat is licking
and chewing excessively. |
| What are the other signs of skin disease
? |
The possible presentations associated with underlying skin
disorders in cats include:
1. Hair loss or thinning hair:
Patchy hair loss is common in cats with skin disease. Symmetric hair
loss without other skin changes is less common. Clinically, the most common
areas of symmetric self-inflicted hair loss are the abdomen and upper thighs,
followed by the area over the tail-head region (with possible extension
to the tail).
In some affected cats, multiple areas of hair loss may become confluent
and involve the entire trunk. In most patients, the skin looks completely
normal.
2. Small, reddened crusts or scabs: The lesions may be in one area
or spread over the entire body. The localised form most often affects
the neck, shoulder, or tail-head region.This is sometimes referred
to as miliary dermatitis.
3. Raised areas of hairless skin: An eosinophilic plaque is a well-circumscribed,
reddish yellow, ulcerated, and intensely itchy plaque that is
usually found on the thigh or abdomen of 2 to 4 year-old cats.
4. Inflamed lesion with a dish-shaped ulcer: An indolent ulcer is
usually found on the upper lip, in the mouth, and (rarely)
on the skin. The ulcers are not associated with pain.
5. Itchy head and neck leading to self trauma: Affected cats scratch
at the face, head, and neck, with increased predilection for the area
around the ears and neck. This self-inflicted trauma may be severe.
6. Generalised itching: Over time, generalised itching and the resultant
scratching results in self-induced patchy hair loss and scabbing or
crusting.
7. Other non specific signs: Recurrent ear infections and excessive
ear wax and exacerbation of feline acne may occur in association with
the skin lesions. Secondary bacterial infection, yeast dermatitis,
or
seborrhea (dry, scaly or oily skin and coat) may also be seen.
Additional signs also may be observed in cats with allergies.
Sneezing may be seen in up to 50 percent of allergic cats and conjunctivitis
may be present. Chronic coughing and asthma are occasionally associated
with respiratory allergies, which may have different causes than skin
allergic disease. |
What underlying diseases can cause these
types of skin
problems in my Cat ? |
There are a number of underlying diseases that may cause the
types of dermatologic problems described above. These include:
Allergy to the saliva that is injected when a flea
bites.
Allergies to something the cat is eating.
Allergies to environmental substances such as pollens of grasses,
weeds and trees; house dust mites and moulds
(this disease is termed atopy).
Auto-immune dermatoses (diseases where the body
mounts an Immune response directed against the skin).
Neoplasia (cancer) of the skin.
Fungal or yeast infection.
Psychogenic dermatoses.
Hormonal diseases.
Bacterial infection.
Mite infestations. |
| How is Atopy diagnosed and treated in my
Cat ? |
The presumptive diagnosis of atopy is made after your Veterinary
Surgeon has ruled-out other causes of dermatitis. Following this,
you and your Veterinary Surgeon will have a discussion on medical
treatment alternatives for long term control of your cat's atopy. An allergy
test should be used to identify the allergens to which your cat is most
sensitive.
The Heska™ Allercept™ Detection System has been shown to have
a high degree of sensitivity and specificity in identifying allergens
to which cats are sensitive. Treatment may involve immunotherapy (allergy
injections) which help your cat to control the allergic response. |
| What is immunotherapy ? |
| Immunotherapy is a medical treatment where allergens (pollens,
moulds, mites), to which your cat is allergic are injected into
your cat in increasing amounts and concentrations. By injecting allergens
in this fashion, the majority of cats experience changes in their immune
systems and become less sensitive to these allergens. This is the safest
way to control the clinical signs of allergy in your cat. Unlike corticosteroids,
immunotherapy actually helps your cat's own immune system control
the signs of allergy. |
| How are the Immunotherapy injections given
? |
| Immunotherapy injections should be administered under the
guidance and supervision of a Veterinary Surgeon. Immunotherapy injections
are administered with a small needle subcutaneously (beneath the
skin). The majority of cats do not object to these injections. |