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Did you know that cats as well as dogs can have allergies? Allergies in cats are less common, and your feline friend might also mask his or her symptoms really well. Read on for some signs that your cat may have allergies:<\/p>\n
The first sign of allergies in cats is excessive grooming. A normal, healthy cat should only groom two to three times a day for less than five minutes. If you notice your cat is grooming a lot more than that, he or she may have allergies and is experiencing itchiness or discomfort.<\/p>\n
Hair loss, mostly on the abdomen or sides of the body, can also indicate an allergy.<\/p>\n
If the skin looks abnormal in any way (red or irritated) or the ears contain debris or are itchy, you may also need to see a veterinary dermatologist. A cat with itchy ears may scratch at them or shake its head.<\/p>\n
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If you notice these signs of allergies in your cat, consult with your family veterinarian or a board-certified veterinary dermatologist. A typical first visit with a veterinary dermatologist would consist of a thorough history. The answers to certain questions will help determine whether your pet might be suffering from a food allergy or an environmental allergy and what steps should be taken to resolve the problem.<\/p>\n
For food allergies, your cat might be placed on a strict six to eight week food trial. If his or her skin improves while on the food trial, he or she would likely stay on that food long-term, thereby controlling the allergy symptoms.<\/p>\n
If the food trial doesn\u2019t successfully control the cat\u2019s symptoms, your cat might be suffering from an environmental allergy. Allergy testing is not common in cats as they don\u2019t tolerate allergy shots well. It tends to be less stressful to treat cats with a safe long-term, non-steroidal medication.<\/p>\n
Sometimes, all the scratching with sharp claws can cause a secondary bacterial infection in your cat\u2019s skin. A veterinary dermatologist might take a skin sample in order to look for can look for one on a skin sample. Lastly, skin scrapings allow us to find microscopic skin mites that could also be the cause of your cat\u2019s skin problems. \u00a0But don\u2019t worry! Both infections and mites can be treated successfully with medications.<\/p>\n
The best way to help your cat is to talk to your family veterinarian and ask for a referral to a board-certified veterinary dermatologist. With diagnostic tests and a tailored treatment plan, your cat’s skin will look (and feel) as good as possible again!<\/p>\n
Learn about Animal Emergency & Referral Center of Minnesota’s Dermatology Service here<\/a>.<\/p>\n More Reading:\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n
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