Learn How to Deal With Cat Skin Problems

Cat skin problems can make it difficult for your cat to be happy. That is why you should always treat these problems seriously in order to avoid complications. If something seems to be wrong with the skin, then you should check for health problems and immediately seek for the right treatment.

Symptoms of cat skin problems

There are some signs that indicate that you should take your feline to a vet, as it may suffer from a medical condition:
** constant scratching or licking more often than usual
** excessive chewing the skin
** licking (more than the cat normally does)
** redness or rashes
** bald patches or hair loss on different parts of the body
** flaking
** scaling
** inflammation or irritated skin
** crusts

These symptoms can lead to diagnosis linked to parasites, severe allergies or dangerous shin infections.

Correct diagnosis

It is very important to establish correctly what kind of skin problems your cat has, in order to find the right treatment for it. The vet will ask a few questions about the medical history, the symptoms and behavior, and then he will perform a detailed physical examination. Finally, he will carry out some diagnostic tests to be sure about the nature of the skin problem your cat has.

These tests are extremely helpful to check for mites, parasites or bacteria and they evaluate the cat’s overall health:

** microscope examination of hair, skin scraping or cells
** tape tests
** Biopsy
** Allergy tests
** Blood tests
** Sensitivity tests

Only after the results of these tests come up, the vet will be able to establish the exact problem, the causes and the right treatment.

Causes for cat skin problems

It is most likely that investigations might reveal one of the causes listed below:
a) Fungal infections – can be very contagious even for people and they usually affect areas on the head, ears or paws.
b) External parasites – like flees, mites or lice
c) Allergies – to food (beef, milk, corn etc.), to seasonal changes (common allergens from trees, mold and grass), to grooming products or even to flees and some of the flea-control products.
d) Common infections
e) Tumors
f) Stress reactions

Treatment for cat skin problems

Depending on the diagnosis and the causes that lead to the skin problem, the vet will decide which treatment is going to be more efficient. For parasites, the common treatment includes shampoos and sprays; for irritations and allergies the vet will prescribe antihistamines and corticosteroids and, of course, a hypoallergenic diet. Infections are to be treated with antibiotic or antifungal medications. In order to keep your pet's skin healthy, it is very important for it to have a balanced diet; once in a while, fatty acid supplements can be added to the diet of your cat - they are good for the skin and overall health. If not properly treated, cat skin problems can become dangerous for the health of your pet, so it is advisable to ask for the professional opinion of your vet and carefully follow the treatment prescribed.

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