Why is my cat losing spine?
Hi. One of my cat's is losing hair. It doesn't look like mange. It isn't spreading to any of the other cat's or the dog. The hairloss is on the back partly of his body. His legs have very little hair on them, which is more noticable since he's a white cat beside grey splotches. He was neutered and they had to shave him and operate due to some problem next to him.
Any ideas on what may be causing this? (btw: I don't want to go to the vet whether I don't have to. The nearest one is a 40 mile round trip and work has to be missed)
There are many diseases and conditions which can cause a cat to lose hair. Some of these may be considered usual, others can indicate a serious disease is present. Most of the conditions which result in hair loss are included in the table below, though some of them may be uncommon. This extensive list helps you understand why a breakneck diagnosis may be difficult to make, and various diagnostic tests may call for to be performed. The most common conditions causing down loss are color-coded gray in the table (some may be more common in abiding geographical areas).
Condition Description Symptoms Diagnosis Treatment
Allergic and irritant contact dermatitis
An allergic reaction following exposure to antibiotics applied to the skin; metals such as nickel; materials such as rubber, wool, and plastic; chemicals such as dyes and carpet deodorizers; or inflammation caused by irritating substances such as poison ivy. Generally requires multiple exposures.
Red skin and small bumps or blisters on the areas of skin that are sparsely haired and directly exposed to the offending substance; itching; mane loss in chronic conditions
Patch test, exclusion trials
Restrict exposure to the allergen or contact irritant in the cat's environment; steroids, antihistamines
Alopecia areata Thought to be an autoimmune disorder Patches of down loss especially on head, neck, and body; no itching Microscopic nouns of hairs; biopsy Usually recover spontaneously
Apocrine sweat gland cyst Rare in cats Single, round, smooth nodules beside no hair; may appear bluish; usually filled near a watery liquid; most common on person in charge, neck, and limbs Physical exam; biopsy Surgical removal is optional
Atopy (allergic inhalant dermatitis)
Allergic criticism to something the cat inhales such as pollen, house dust mites, and mold
Licking of feet, inflamed ears, itching, redness, and hair loss; sometimes nouns of infection or hot spots
Intradermal or serologic (blood) testing for allergies
Reduce exposure to allergen (what the cat is allergic to), steroids, fatty acid supplements, biotin, antihistamines, shampoos, immunotherapy
Bacterial infection (pyoderma)
See Folliculitis
Often occurs as a result of another condition such as a parasitic, allergic, or hormonal conditon
Chemotherapy Loss of spine due to chemotherapy is a concern for cat owners Cats lose guard hairs so coat becomes soft and fuzzy; may lose whiskers History None, hair will regrow after chemotherapy discontinued; may regrow within a different color or texture
Cheyletiella (rabbit fur mite) mange
Infection with the Cheyletiella mite
Itching, scaliness; some hair loss, if severe
Skin scrape and microscopic examination - the mite is often very difficult to find
Pyrethrin
Congenital hypotrichosis Congenital removal of hair Kittens born with little or no hair; any coat they are born with is lost by 4 months of age Physical exam; biopsy None
Cushing's disease (hyperadrenocorticism) Caused by an increase in corticosteroids in the body - any due to increased production by the body or as a side effect of high doses or prolonged therapy with corticosteroids Hair loss, thinning of skin, hyperpigmentation, assured bruising, seborrhea, comedones (black heads); lethargy, increased thirst and urination, pot-bellied appearance Adrenal gland function tests, urinalysis, chemistry panel, CBC If due to glandular tumors, selegiline, o,p-DDD (Mitotane), or surgical removal of tumor; if due to illustrious steroid doses, withdraw use of steroids slowly
Demodectic mange
Infection may be localized or generalized; the generalized form occurs in cats who enjoy a deficient immune system
Hair loss, scaliness, redness, sometimes itching
Skin scraping and microscopic nouns
NO Steroids!
Rotenone, dilute Amitraz (Mitaban) dips, lime sulfur dips, ivermectin (off-label use*)
Drug or injection reaction Rare skin reaction to a drug which is inhaled, given orally, or applied topically; more adjectives with penicillins, sulfonamides, and cephalosporins; usually occurs inwardly 2 weeks of giving the drug Can vary widely and may include itching, hair loss, redness, swelling, papules, crusts, ulcer, and draining wounds History of being treated with a drug, symptoms, biopsy Discontinue offending drug; treat symptomatically
Erythema multiforme Hypersensitivity reaction to infections or drugs; may also be cause by cancer or other diseases Hair loss, 'bull's eye' lesions and vesicles often around mouth, ears, groin, and axilla; in some instances, ulcer develop; depression, fever History, clinical signs, rule out other diseases causing similar signs; skin biopsy Treat or remove underlying cause
Facial (preauricular) alopecia; mundane hair loss above the eye Normal decreased density of hair between the eye and ear This decrease density of hair starts when cats are 14 to 20 months old
I hold 9 cats. This Summer, one of them, an adult male, began losing some curls. His legs were almost hairless, stomach lost tresses but all the while he acted normal...ate, played and none of the other cats were artificial.
Around the same time, my cats got fleas. The conclusion I came to be, he had an allergic reaction to fleas.
I treated the cats, house and yard next to Diatomaceous Earth (natural product). His hair started growing back. He is almost spinal column to normal now.
Maybe your cat had an allergic hostile response to something at the vet, or fleas, or the stress of the vet visit?
Anyway, since he acted normal and none of the other cats were artificial, I let it run its course and now all is in good health.
Hope this helps.
To DaltonG...How does a cat die from fleas? Do you mean the cat died from flea treatment, now thats possible.
its normal just brush the cat to get hold of its hair off
its because it has fleas if it have fleas and age 12 it will loose its hair so badly and it might going out side to get the fleas whether its not that means that your house has fleas you gotta buy a flea killer shampoo for cats and afterwards put it on your cat and the fleas will go and your cat might not loose its hair if its age 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11 its possible for them to loose their fleece
try changing it's food - sometimes cats lose fur if they have a allergic reaction to the food or if it's got not enough/too many vitamins within it
My cat be very old and she did the same. She be white and black. She had this because of fleas, which may be causing your cat this problem, another problem may be a medication or food the cat is on. Get it checked if you can, because of its age my cat did die from fleas.
Answers: I would be inclined to agree next to "iggylop". This does sound like a stress situation...especially since he be shaved when he was neutered. It could be that the hair growing vertebrae in is "itching" him, and he's licking it so much (to handle the itch), that he's licking all the down off.
Female cats lick the hair off from around their nipples only just before giving birth, so that the kittens can get unobstructed access to them.
Also, if you've ever have any of your body shaved, you know how "itchy" it is, when the hair is growing back!!
So..unless he's making SORES, don't worry approximately it. If it becomes really bad, talk to your vet and see whether he'll CALL in a prescription for the cat.or at least tell you something that you can buy OTC (over the counter). Otherwise, you may enjoy to take him in for a steroid shot, to stop the itch..at least long satisfactory for the hair to grow back.
Hope this helps.Good luck.
My friend have a cat years back. His cat would always lose hair on his legs and final and tail. It was later discovered that the cat had an allergic antipathy to its litter. Also, if your cat had an operation, it could be just mark tissue that won't keep hair in the skin. Good luck!
Its either your cat is upset, its shedding, or its dying.
well is she mature?
if she is she is just ageing
if the weather is shifting then she is reacting to the weather
every cat sheds lots of fur during that time
does she have a unthinking? go to the vet and see what is wrong maybe whe has a skin problem
virtuous luck
Do your cats scrap or play rough? I've seen hair loss from that, but that is normally around the face and head.
Alternate idea: be the surgery recent? He could be scratching away the fur himself if the recuperative process is irritating him or if he has any ingrown hairs due to bing shaved.
maybe starting a winter coat ALL my cats have just started doing that,my mom"a vet"also purely told me if they have worms it will do that to even a single flea could cause worms
well i would have recommended that you go to the vet but whether not then research the type of cat you have online and try to find something.also some cats lose hair.sometimes it could also be something the cat is consumption
Probably just shedding because of hot temperatures. Because she be already shaven, it looks like she's just shedding there, but she's in fact shedding all over her body. OR...He might just be getting old.
LOL i pretty certain its sheading
Take the cat to the vet. He have a disease.
enjoy you gave it good food has it ate suitable lately? if you are going to have a pet you have to run care of it because if you are not then possibly give it away to a family that would purloin care of it
take the cat to the vet
its any sheding or mange, i suggest you take it to the vet or call a vet and ask,
can u please answer mine
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;...
well ur cat's getting weak
Have you been starving your cat?
well whether you care about your cat then i would significantly suggest going in... seems to me approaching if the cat is losing more hair than normal shedding that something might be seriously wrong beside him. either go to the vet or shoot him i guess
OK, that idiot bellow me is mean! I know what might be wrong and it is NOT AIDS. Ok, the Cat could have Cat Cancer, or maybe some quality of allery to the treatment. When the Cat was neutered did he have any benevolent of sneezing or weezing? Ha! ha! rymes. Cause when they put a Cat to sleep, the medicatian they give them is said to cause allergic reactions to the sleep meds.
It has AIDS...
i know this will nouns funny but..
my cat had some hair loss problems and i used touch therapy..i put my cupped mitt over the spots and channeled the healing white light of the universe through my hand and onto the cat..it worked for me.also diet is really esteemed - spending a little more on quality food may also help..you can ask the empire at the pet stores which is the best one for kitty...if that doesn't;t work go to the vet...you have to for the in good health being of your kitty.
It's dying
I enjoy several cats and one of mine was doing the same thing. She is black/white and she be losing hair at the back end & on her tail. The vet said she could be over grooming or it could be allergies. We give her an allergy shot and it seemed to help.
