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Cat Forum / Health and Behavior / April 2004Vet can't solve alergy problem, any advice?
My cat started scratching until he made sores at our previous residence and the vet said it was fleas. We never saw evidence of fleas but we flea bombed, the cat got a depo shot and flea medicine and everything was fine for a few months. We moved. The scratching came back, the vet found no evidence of fleas, tested for fungi, gave the cat a depo shot. It has been 3 months and the scratching is coming back. The vet has suggested we may have to get a depo shot every 3 months forever because she doesn't have any idea of what is causing the problem. I don't think the vet is trying hard enough. Should I switch vets? What can I do to help identify the problem? Tommy is about 2 years old. The problem started about 1 year ago at our previous residence. We have not seen any evidence of fleas. He is a strictly indoor cat. He never eats fish (saw that in another thread). I just thought of something... I built him a giant scratching post/ perch that he lays on a lot. Maybe something in the old carpet I used is causing an allergic reaction. I shampoo it and see what happens.  SignatureMcQualude >My cat started scratching until he made sores at our previous residence >and the vet said it was fleas. We never saw evidence of fleas but we flea [quoted text clipped - 14 lines] >that he lays on a lot. Maybe something in the old carpet I used is causing >an allergic reaction. I shampoo it and see what happens. Better still --- remove it for a month and see what happens. m. L. Briggs <mlbriggs@nospam.net> said: >>I just thought of something... I built him a giant scratching post/ >>perch that he lays on a lot. Maybe something in the old carpet I used >>is causing an allergic reaction. I shampoo it and see what happens. > > Better still --- remove it for a month and see what happens. Good idea, I will. SignatureMcQualude m. L. Briggs <mlbriggs@nospam.net> wrote: >>>I just thought of something... I built him a giant scratching post/ >>>perch that he lays on a lot. Maybe something in the old carpet I used >>>is causing an allergic reaction. I shampoo it and see what happens. Steam clean without the shampoo, it's often the shampoo or detergent that is the problem. Why not just get a small piece of hypo-allergenic carpet and replace it? -mhd >I just thought of something... I built him a giant scratching post/ perch >that he lays on a lot. Maybe something in the old carpet I used is causing >an allergic reaction. I shampoo it and see what happens. You might try removing that for awhile and see if the problem goes away. Years ago, we had a dog who was allergic to fleas, and nothing seemed to get rid of them completely. The vet prescribed pregnisone which stopped the allergy reaction, giving the dog relief. Later, after we discovered Flea Busters (and later did it ourselves with Borax), we were able to quit using the pregnisone. Meghan & the Zoo Crew Equine and Pet Photography http://www.zoocrewphoto.com > My cat started scratching until he made sores at our previous residence > and the vet said it was fleas. We never saw evidence of fleas but we flea [quoted text clipped - 14 lines] > that he lays on a lot. Maybe something in the old carpet I used is causing > an allergic reaction. I shampoo it and see what happens. Funny your vet didn´t suggest changing foods. Most skin allergies in dogs is because of the food. I think maybe you should change vets and food. Try a better quality with less chemicals, and preferably canned. c864320@yahoo.com (Liz) said: > I think maybe you should change vets and > food. Try a better quality with less chemicals, and preferably canned. I switched from Iams to Eukanuba. He won't eat canned food, I tried to starve him into eating some but he went two days without eating so I gave up. SignatureMcQualude > I switched from Iams to Eukanuba. He won't eat canned food, I tried to > starve him into eating some but he went two days without eating so I gave > up. On the assumption that it's possibly a food allergy, you might also try some of the higher scale stuff. Eagle Pack is a decent organic, and between that and another one we tried (we haven't purchased it in some time), there's a few good ones. This, mind you, is the kind of stuff you're looking forward to getting at places like groomer shops, and will cost money. SignatureDennis Carr - ke6isf@spamcop.net | I may be out of my mind, http://www.dennis.furtopia.org | But I have more fun that way. ------------------------------------+------------------------------- Dennis Carr <ke6isf@spamcop.net> said: > Eagle Pack is a decent organic, and > between that and another one we tried (we haven't purchased it in some > time), there's a few good ones. Never heard of it, I doubt there is anywhere within 20 miles that sells it. Much of that fancy cat food is more expensive than fresh fish and fresh meat, in other words, something for people with too much money to spend it on. SignatureMcQualude > Funny your vet didn?t suggest changing foods. Most skin allergies in > dogs is because of the food. I think maybe you should change vets and > food. Try a better quality with less chemicals, and preferably canned. That is simply incorrect. Foods are in no way responsible for "most" skin allergies. Depending upon which study you look at, it ranges from 7-15% of all allergies, which one could hardly describe as "most". Man, you've really bought the propaganda. Please OP, don't listen to this guy. He works for Hills and everything he says is parroted from them. > > Funny your vet didn?t suggest changing foods. Most skin allergies in > > dogs is because of the food. I think maybe you should change vets and [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > allergies. Depending upon which study you look at, it ranges from 7-15% of > all allergies, which one could hardly describe as "most". >Man, you've really bought the propaganda. > [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] >> allergies. Depending upon which study you look at, it ranges from 7-15% of >> all allergies, which one could hardly describe as "most". But of course your knee jerk reaction to anything Steve says is based on evidence that contradicts his data right? You did actually find something that refutes it before shooting from the lip right? Care to share it? Just so you don't try to obfuscate the issue with a tangent respond to this statement by Steve. >Depending upon which study you look at, it ranges from 7-15% of > all allergies, which one could hardly describe as "most". I'll keep an open mind and read any reputable evidence you post, but I won't hold my breath waiting for any. -mhd >From: "Betsy" n0spam@spam.c-0 >Date: 3/28/04 8:05 AM Pacific Standard Time [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] >Please OP, don't listen to this guy. He works for Hills and everything he >says is parroted from them. That's the best you can do, Betsy?? Steve brings peer-reviewed, published research to the table all the time and you don't want other people to at least consider the facts? Why is the truth so hard for you to take? Check out Small Animal Clinical Nutrition, Vol. IV if you don't believe him. >> That is simply incorrect. Foods are in no way responsible for "most" skin >> allergies. Depending upon which study you look at, it ranges from 7-15% of >> all allergies, which one could hardly describe as "most". "Betsy" <n0spam@spam.c-0> said: > Please OP, don't listen to this guy. He works for Hills and > everything he says is parroted from them. I've read this debate before, several times since I first found this group. It's the debate between people who 'just know' and people who read or participated in the research. SignatureMcQualude > > Funny your vet didn´t suggest changing foods. Most skin allergies in > > dogs is because of the food. I think maybe you should change vets and [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > allergies. Depending upon which study you look at, it ranges from 7-15% of > all allergies, which one could hardly describe as "most". Give me a break Steve. You´ve lied so much in this newsgroup already that I´m tired of even reading your posts. In this one I´m not looking at studies, I´m looking at what I know from experience with many dogs of many friends who have had skin problems. And you should not better that I´m not talking about FOODS, I´m talking about all the CHEMICALS in COMMERCIAL foods. McQuade, why don´t you try Felidae or Wellness? Try adding some homemade too if he´ll eat that (raw included). >From: c864320@yahoo.com (Liz) >Give me a break Steve. You´ve lied so much in this newsgroup already >that I´m tired of even reading your posts. You're spouting rhetoric, Liz--just like usual. If you're going to allege a bunch of "lies", then you should have no problem providing oh, say, 5 lies that Steve Crane has told. You aren't living in the real world, and so the facts bother you. That doesn't make them lies. I suspect you won't be able to point to even one single "lie" that you allege came from Steve. >McQuade, why don´t you try Felidae or Wellness? Try adding some >homemade too if he´ll eat that (raw included). The problem with those 2 foods that you recommend is that they have only been "formulated" (never underwent the feeding tests) for "all life stages" (kitten food--containing levels of nutrients appropriate for the most demanding lifestage of a cat--the growth phase). If you want to manage risk factors, then feeding an adult and especially a senior cat a food designed for kittens is not a good idea. The higher levels of fat, phosphorus, calcium, magnesium, sodium, etc. shouldn't be fed to older cats. This site has proved very helpful to me. I have the same problem with two cats. http://www.vetinfo.com/ceosinophilic.html > My cat started scratching until he made sores at our previous residence > and the vet said it was fleas. We never saw evidence of fleas but we flea [quoted text clipped - 14 lines] > that he lays on a lot. Maybe something in the old carpet I used is causing > an allergic reaction. I shampoo it and see what happens. > The vet has suggested we may > have to get a depo shot every 3 months forever because she doesn't have > any idea of what is causing the problem. My cat has to get regular depo shots, too. It really concerns me, but we can't find the source of the problem (though I suspect a food allergy with fish being the culprit) and as it stand now, he'll have to get shots every time it acts up to miserable level. QOL issue, for real. He's just plain miserable, and MEAN when his skin flares up. SignatureCheryl >I don't think the vet is trying >hard enough. Should I switch vets? What can I do to help identify the >problem? It could be allergies to things other than fleas. First I would recommend a skin scraping to make sure it's not mites or lice. Those are tough to see with the naked eye. If that turns up clean, I'd try some allergy medication. I had a kitten with allergies to plants and the vet recommended over the counter baby allergy medication, half a pill a day. It worked. If your cat is still scratching, it could be stress. I had a squirrel with stress. She scratched lots of her fur off. When she got relaxed in her new home, it grew back. If he still has a problem, maybe he just has psoriasis, dermatitis. I would use anti-itch spray from the pet store for any of the above causes. Good luck. This sounds exactly like our Chloe's problem. She just started this scratching last June and after three depo shots later (they usually last about 11 weeks on Chloe) we are going to take her to a dermatologist. I hate the way the depo shots make her act and I desperate to find out what the problem is. It's not a food allergy (she was switched to a hypoallergenic food to no avail) and it's not fleas because she's never had fleas. Hope you find out what it is!!!! Maybe you can get your vet to recommend a dermatologist? Paige 2004: > This sounds exactly like our Chloe's problem. She just started this > scratching last June and after three depo shots later (they usually > last about 11 weeks on Chloe) we are going to take her to a > dermatologist. I hate the way the depo shots make her act and I > desperate to find out what the problem is. Hi Paige. Can you please post what the dermatologist discovers? I'm going through the same thing with my Shamrock and his vet says that if it is EGC, the treatment will be the same as what she is giving him (depo shots). She didn't diagnose it by a biopsy, but by the elimination of practically everything else, plus the nature of the lesions. I wonder if I should ask for a specialist but with what his vet says, I doubt it will reveal anything new. But I'd really like to hear what you find out. SignatureCheryl Hi Cheryl. I'm waiting to see if her scratching comes back in the next week or so and them we will make an appt. But I will most definitely keep in touch and tell you what happens. I know how frustrating this all is!!!! Paige 2004: > Hi Cheryl. I'm waiting to see if her scratching comes back in the > next week or so and them we will make an appt. But I will most > definitely keep in touch and tell you what happens. I know how > frustrating this all is!!!! > > Paige Best wishes that it doesn't! Yes, it is frustrating and I feel so bad for them when the itching starts, fur gets chewed off and the sores appear. Not fun! I just went up to the pet supply store for some food and asked them about holistic remedies because I like to try them if there is promise. Sometimes it helps, sometimes not. Just like my IBD cat, I think some of the alternative treatments help some, but not enough to get him off of traditional medicine. Of course eliminating his problem with the right food would be ideal but I can't find something better that he'll eat that may or may not work. For the allergy sufferer, the pet supply clerk gave me a 7 day free sample of something called Azmira's Aller'G Free. Nothing harmful in it and is worth trying. SignatureCheryl >Hi Cheryl. I'm waiting to see if her scratching comes back in the next week >or so and them we will make an appt. But I will most definitely keep in >touch and tell you what happens. I know how frustrating this all is!!!! I don't know if this has been mentioned already, but if you use scented litter then consider switching to unscented for a couple of months to see if that helps. -mhd >>Hi Cheryl. I'm waiting to see if her scratching comes back in the next week >>or so and them we will make an appt. But I will most definitely keep in [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] >scented litter then consider switching to unscented for a couple of >months to see if that helps. Excellent point. I am allergic to most scented things myself, so I never use scented litter. I can't stand it myself. It wouldn't surprise me if some cats are allergic to scented litter. Meghan & the Zoo Crew Equine and Pet Photography http://www.zoocrewphoto.com could you suggest an good unscented litter? I will try anything. Thanks, Paige A few years ago a cat of mine had a similar problem. He was licking and biting at himself until he bled. The vet tried both allergy shots and special food and nothing seemed to help. However, when I broke up with my live-in boyfriend and kicked him out, the problem stopped almost immediately and has never returned. I believe that he was picking up on OUR stress and didnt have a way to release it, so he tried to soothe himself with grooming behaviour. Is there anything amiss with any of your household members? >My cat started scratching until he made sores at our previous residence >and the vet said it was fleas. We never saw evidence of fleas but we flea [quoted text clipped - 14 lines] >that he lays on a lot. Maybe something in the old carpet I used is causing >an allergic reaction. I shampoo it and see what happens. It can be difficult (and expensive) to find the trigger of some allergic reactions in cats, so sometimes vets just treat the symptoms. What you describe certainly sounds like a flea allergy, and with my last cat that had a severe flea allergy, I found no evidence of fleas either. But some cats are so sensitive it only takes one flea bite to trigger the itching and scratching cycle.I have read that in fact most cats with flea allergies do not have any sign of fleas, so it should not be presumed that a flea allergy is not the problem just because one can't find any fleas or flea debris. I don't know what kind of flea treatments you tried, but most OTC remedies will not completely eliminate fleas. Did you try using something like Advantage or Revolution? Here is a reference for you: http://www.petalia.com.au/templates/storytemplate_process.cfm?story_no=93& specie=&url.section=answers Flea allergies are the most common cause of the symptoms you describe, but of course there are other possible causes. Have you considered a food allergy? You might try switching him to a novel protein diet (a protein source he doesn't normally eat, like duck, venison, rabbit) and see if he improves. You have to give it a while, though -- a couple of weeks at least. -- L. > My cat started scratching until he made sores at our previous residence > and the vet said it was fleas. We never saw evidence of fleas but we flea [quoted text clipped - 16 lines] > -- > McQualude |
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