# Major Skin Issue! Need Advice! Scabs, Yellow Gunk, Itchiness (PICTURES INCLUDED)



## NixieCat (Mar 31, 2015)

Hi everyone, 

My one and half-year old domestic short-hair is having some major skin issues and I was hoping to get some advice. 

At the end of January (the 23rd of 2015, to be exact), we noticed our precious cat, Nixie, had tiny scratches above her eyes. We gave her an organic bath, applied Neosporin to the wounds, and had her wear a cone to prevent her from scratching. 

After a couple weeks, the scratches cleared up, but then we noticed she was getting dry, scabby patches on her stomach and in the creases where her legs and chest/torso meet -- she was excessively licking and biting those areas as well. The cone went back on and we bought antifungal and antibacterial spray for cats and hot spot spray for the itching. We also applied hydrocortisone, antifungal cream, and gave her 7 milligrams of Benadryl every 12 hours. We bathed her with Espree Natural Aloe Vera Shampoo and Conditioner in One as well. 

Eventually, her stomach and the creases cleared up, but then the rash spread to her legs. We thought the cone was stressing her out, so we let her lick her wounds and those cleared up on their own. 

Now, the terrible rash has returned to her head and is also on her neck. We finally decided to take her to the vet since the rash just seems to continue to move to different parts of her body. The doctor did a skin scraping and a fungal culture, thinking she had ringworm or mites, but both tests came back negative. She gave Nixie an antibacterial/antifungal spray (still using twice a day), a depo-medrol/steroid shot and an injection of Convenia, which is a long-acting antibiotic, as well. The doctor also instructed us to apply OTC antifungal cream (Lamisil) twice a day, which we already were doing anyway. Also, in order to treat her skin more effectively, we shaved her head and neck. 

There was no change in her food. She eats Hill's Ideal Balance with one pump of Wild Alaskan Salmon Oil. Her appetite is fine and her stool is solid. She still enjoys playing and is very affectionate. She does get itchy and tries to scratch, but most of the time I'm able to stop her in time. 

The vet wants to either do a skin biopsy or refer her to a dermatologist, which I'm fine with, but I was just wondering if anyone else's poor kitty has experienced this horrid rash and I would like to get some input on what could be the cause. Perhaps she has a yeast infection? I did have the humidifier going during the winter months. I just don't know. 

Thanks so much for reading, and sorry about the length!


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## laurief (Jun 22, 2008)

Holey Moley! I would be RUNNING, not walking, to a veterinary dermatologist ASAP to get that poor girl a diagnosis and some relief. I wouldn't waste any more time with your general practice vet. Get her to a specialist. She must be absolutely miserable with an itchy rash like that.

Laurie


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## Time Bandit (Aug 17, 2010)

I don't have anything to add, but I am agreed with laurief! That is ugly! Poor baby...I hope you can get a diagnoses and a fix soon for Nixie! Fingers and paws crossed over here!


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## 10cats2dogs (Jun 16, 2013)

OMG! Please, Please get Nixie to the cat dermatologist! 
It's time for the Big Guns, for her!
Poor little girl...
Please keep us posted with updates, on how your sweet little girl is doing!
Prayers and Healing Vibes being sent!
Sharon


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## Marmoset (Feb 18, 2014)

I've never seen anything like that! Get her to the dermatologist ASAP. Sometimes surface skin problems can become infected and start to effect the organs. If it were me I'd have the vet do a scraping tomorrow and have those results sent over to the dermatologist if you can't get an appointment with the specialist this week. That way if it is something that can be detected through a scraping you can start treatment immediately. So sorry your kitty is going through this. Please let us know how she is doing.


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## 10cats2dogs (Jun 16, 2013)

NixieCat,
Have you had any luck finding a Cat Dermatologist for your girl?
Keeping All Paws Crossed for her, 
Sharon


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## NixieCat (Mar 31, 2015)

Thank you for all the replies, everyone! 

Nixie's rash has cleared up on her head and on part of her neck, but seems to be spreading down her back. Argh! She had a skin biopsy and we're anxiously waiting for the results. They took skin from two different sites and did another skin scraping to make positive they didn't miss anything. She has four stitches. Poor little baby. They also gave her an antibiotic injection and Prednisone.


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## NixieCat (Mar 31, 2015)

10cats2dogs said:


> NixieCat,
> Have you had any luck finding a Cat Dermatologist for your girl?
> Keeping All Paws Crossed for her,
> Sharon


We had to wait the full two weeks to make sure the ringworm test came back negative. Ugh. She had a skin biopsy done and they're going to send the samples out to a dermatologist.


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## 10cats2dogs (Jun 16, 2013)

NixieCat,
Here's hoping that you get some results!
All Paws Crossed for this little girl! 
Sharon


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## NixieCat (Mar 31, 2015)

UPDATE: The biopsy came back. Nixie is allergic to something. She might have a flea allergy, so we're using Vectra Flea Treatment for cats. Nix also could have a food allergy. The vet told us to keep giving her the duck formula cat food for at least 8 weeks to see if we notice any improvement. She also gave us Omega 3 gel capsules, more prednisone (1.75 mgs. once a day), a steroid spray, and we picked up Claritin for her as well. We have her on half a tablet daily (5mgs. total). 

Hope our experience helps someone's fur baby!


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## 10cats2dogs (Jun 16, 2013)

NixieCat, 
I hope all this works for her!
I'll be keeping All Paws Crossed for her! 
Sharon


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## Marcia (Dec 26, 2010)

WOW! Like everyone else here I am amazed at how bad this is. PLEASE keep us posted on the progress you are making! That poor baby must be in agony.


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## librarychick (May 25, 2008)

Did they suggest you soak the scabs? It may help with her itching if she'll tolerate it.

If you think she'd tolerate a full bath then give that a shot - 1 cup of oatmeal (ideally pulsed in a blender or food processor to break it up a bit first) into the warm water and then have her sit in it.

If that doesn't work you could do warm compresses with just a washcloth and warm water. You could also use polysporin (the plain kind!), or olive/coconut oil to try and soothe the itch and keep the scabs pliable.

If she were my cat I'd also be spraying on colloidal silver. While it's not going to actually treat the issue it could prevent a secondary infection. With that many scabs that would be a big concern for me.

You could also start adding some sort of oil to her food, to encourage healthy skin growth. Salmon oil is the usual choice for cats, but TBH olive oil or coconut oil would work in a pinch too. The chance of her being allergic to any of those is fairly low, IME.

I'd also consider doing some research into a raw diet. I met a dog that had a similar condition - although to a much lesser extent - and the only thing that ended up working for them was a complete switch to raw. That cleared everything up and the dog had a great coat growing in 6 months later. 

That was on a bulldog, for anyone curious. They tend to have awful food allergies and skin conditions is their #1 symptom in every bulldog I've seen.

I hope she starts feeling better soon!


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## NixieCat (Mar 31, 2015)

*HESKA Allergy Testing Reviews, Please!*

Hello! 

My fiance and I took our one and half year old cat to the vet today because her allergic miliary dermatitis wasn't improving after we tried food trials and allergy medication. We asked the vet about allergy testing and she recommended Heska Regional Panel/Food Testing. Does anyone have experience with this form of allergy testing?


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## NixieCat (Mar 31, 2015)

Marcia said:


> WOW! Like everyone else here I am amazed at how bad this is. PLEASE keep us posted on the progress you are making! That poor baby must be in agony.


Thank you! We took her for allergy testing today. The food trial thing was taking too long.


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## NixieCat (Mar 31, 2015)

librarychick said:


> I hope she starts feeling better soon!


Thanks so much! She tolerates baths well. I'll have to try the oatmeal. I was also concerned about a secondary infection. I wanted our vet to give her a shot of antibiotic today, but she said she didn't need a shot. 

She does get an omega-3 fish oil capsule added to her food, yep! 

We took her for allergy testing today to find out exactly what she's allergic to because the food trials and Zyrtec weren't really improving anything.


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## 10cats2dogs (Jun 16, 2013)

Hi NixieCat, 
This poor girl...I hope they can figure this out with testing...
Lots of Healing Prayers being sent...
Sharon


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## NixieCat (Mar 31, 2015)

Thank you, Sharon. I really appreciate it!


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## DebS (Jun 14, 2015)

Oh my goodness, that poor baby. Keep working to find a way to make her comfortable. That looks so itchy!


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## jking (Feb 22, 2014)

I hope you find out what she is allergic to...poor girl. I'm praying that you get answers and that she is healed from this rash.


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## NixieCat (Mar 31, 2015)

DebS said:


> Oh my goodness, that poor baby. Keep working to find a way to make her comfortable. That looks so itchy!


Thanks so much! The allergy test came back today and guess what! She's not allergic to a darn thing! Not even food. What is it then? :fust


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## NixieCat (Mar 31, 2015)

jking said:


> I hope you find out what she is allergic to...poor girl. I'm praying that you get answers and that she is healed from this rash.


The vet called today and her results all came back negative. She isn't allergic to anything. Foods, pollen, grasses, mold, dust mites, etc.; I am stumped! The vet is stumped! I don't know what my poor little fur baby has. This is horrible!


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## NixieCat (Mar 31, 2015)

I'm thinking pemphigus, but wouldn't that have shown up in the punch biopsy? Her results came back as miliary dermatitis caused by an allergy. Flea allergy, food allergy, or outside allergies, so we've been giving her flea treatment, trying food trials, and giving Zyrtec.


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## 10cats2dogs (Jun 16, 2013)

NixieCat, 
I'd suggest a second opinion, with a very thorough Biopsy done!
Sometimes Punch biopsies, do miss something...
Sending Healing Prayers, and (((Hugs))) for you...
Sharon


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## NixieCat (Mar 31, 2015)

10cats2dogs said:


> NixieCat,
> I'd suggest a second opinion, with a very thorough Biopsy done!
> Sometimes Punch biopsies, do miss something...
> Sending Healing Prayers, and (((Hugs))) for you...
> Sharon


Thanks, Sharon! Will do!


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