Siamese cat licking all the fur off from his armpits and inside legs.

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Simon Tennant - 21 Sep 2006 13:43 GMT

I have taken 2 pictures to try and show what is wrong with my Siamese's
skin.

left leg:
http://www.imaginator.com/~simon/ids/index.cgi?mode=image&album=/2006/2006%2009%
2021%20Pixel%20leg%20problem&image=2006%2009%2021%20Pixel%20leg%20problem%20%2d%
201.jpg

right leg:
http://www.imaginator.com/~simon/ids/index.cgi?mode=image&album=/2006/2006%2009%
2021%20Pixel%20leg%20problem&image=2006%2009%2021%20Pixel%20leg%20problem%20%2d%
202.jpg

About 2 weeks ago he started regularly licking his leg and within about
8 hours the knee joint had swelled to double the size. It looked like
there was a large fluid filled sack under his skin. I took him to my
vet and she diagnosed a bee or wasp sting. He continued licking for a
couple of days and managed to remove all the hair from his left armpit.

About 3 days ago, he started regularly licking his right leg and has
been removing the hair from there. It also swelled up although now has
returned to a normal size. He is walking with a slight limp like with
his left leg. Since I never get bees in here and it's the second time
in as many weeks, I am starting to doubt the animal sting diagnosis and
thought I would ask on here.

Both times he has looked withdrawn and pained although will still purr
and come when called.

I have tried searching on the internet for diagnoses but cannot find
anything that matches a skin disease. Some sites have mentioned flea
allergies but in his whole life he has never been exposed to outside
cats and my other siamese cat shows no allergies. The skin is always
smooth to the feel rather than having little bumps like most of the
other pictures of various skin allergies.

Does anyone here have a suggestion before I take him to a dermatologist?

S.

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---MIKE--- - 21 Sep 2006 19:50 GMT

Amber developed a small spot like this on her left side. The vet took a
slide which he looked at under the microscope. He said it was an
auto-immune problem and gave her a cortisone shot. The spot is slowly
getting smaller.

---MIKE---

>>In the White Mountains of New Hampshire
>> (44° 15' N - Elevation 1580')

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pjc - 21 Sep 2006 21:03 GMT

Has anything in the enviroment changed at all.....did your hours
change? Job change? Another person or pet? This could be a nervous
condition and could have resulted from a change in her enviroment. I
had the same exact problem when I rescued another cat and kept him in
the basement until a home was found. It's similiar to human behavior
such as nail biting. Try to think about things that have change and
make her feel more comfortable. This is very common as cats are very
sensitive to change.

-PJC

> Amber developed a small spot like this on her left side. The vet took a
> slide which he looked at under the microscope. He said it was an
[quoted text clipped - 4 lines]
> >>In the White Mountains of New Hampshire
> >> (44° 15' N - Elevation 1580')

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---MIKE--- - 22 Sep 2006 00:39 GMT

PJC asked:

>Has anything in the enviroment changed
> at all.....did your hours change? Job
> change? Another person or pet? This
> could be a nervous condition and could
> have resulted from a change in her
> enviroment.

I did have a part time summer job that kept me out of the house three
days a week. Amber's "problem" started this summer. I have to add that
I have had this same job every summer of Amber's life and she never had
this problem before.

---MIKE---

>>In the White Mountains of New Hampshire
>> (44° 15' N - Elevation 1580')

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Simon Tennant - 22 Sep 2006 09:01 GMT

> Has anything in the enviroment changed at all.....did your hours
> change? Job change? Another person or pet?

It did seem to be triggered after I put out a suitcase to pack for a
week's holiday, left for 6 hours and arrived home and saw him limping
after 6 hours of licking.

> condition and could have resulted from a change in her enviroment. I
> had the same exact problem when I rescued another cat and kept him in
> the basement until a home was found. It's similiar to human behavior
> such as nail biting. Try to think about things that have change and
> make her feel more comfortable. This is very common as cats are very
> sensitive to change.

I would expect him to be more withdrawn, instead he plays reguarly with
my other cat and is affectionate.

Any ideas on how to stop the licking when it does happen? A
"Stop-n-Grow" for cats like humans use to stop nail-biting?

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pjc - 22 Sep 2006 20:26 GMT

There are several remedies for behavior of this type. Of course,
always confirm with your vet before administering. Anyway, cats get
upset easily. You can try products from feliway (just google it) or
some St. John's Wart may help. The idea is that you want to make your
cat feel comfortable. I wouldn't worry too much about this as my one
black cat has these issues from time to time.

PJC

> > Has anything in the enviroment changed at all.....did your hours
> > change? Job change? Another person or pet?
[quoted text clipped - 18 lines]
> --
> Simon Tennant ________________ http://imaginator.com/~simon/contact

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pjc - 22 Sep 2006 20:26 GMT

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Simon Tennant - 22 Sep 2006 07:44 GMT

> Amber developed a small spot like this on her left side. The vet took a
> slide which he looked at under the microscope. He said it was an
> auto-immune problem and gave her a cortisone shot. The spot is slowly
> getting smaller.

Pixel was also given a cortisone shot "in case" His latest spell of
licking started a week or so after the shot. How long does it take for
a cortisone shot to kick in?

S.

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