Corticosteroids? Ketochlor Shampoo? Glue ears?

[ultra_stella]

I took Stella into the vet today concerning her raw bottom. All the while, she's having another herpes break out. Therefore, they went ahead and gave her another fluoroscein stain to check for ulcers, which she does not have! Yay! Anyway, a while back I asked about how to treat scratches on a sphynx cat here on Sphynxlair. The two primary areas where she was scratched while play fighting with Izzy were kind of lingering. That is, they looked like they were healing, but she continued to play fight with Izzy. Thus, causing those areas to get more scratches. They went ahead and took a look at those, too. Apparently they scraped some of her skin and looked at it under a microscope. Turns out she has a yeast and bacteria infection. They said it may be due (secondary) to inhalant or food allergies. Sigh. They believe the raw bottom is related to this issue. They recommended that I give her a bath once or twice a week with Ketochlor shampoo (in about 3 days). They also want me to give her Corticosteroids.

During examination, they asked if I ever noticed Stella shaking her head or scratching the back of her ears. I have in fact, but it's not frequent and it hasn't occurred enough to raise a concern. Well, turns out they noticed a large amount of fluid at the base of both of her eardrums. They said her ears are very clean, but when they looked towards the bottom they noticed the fluid. They said it's nothing to be concerned about now, but I definitely need to keep it eye on it. They say it's similar to "Glue Ears" in children.

Has anyone experienced anything that I have mentioned above? Should I be concerned with what they recommended for me to do? I'm so scared to try anything on her, afraid she's so fragile. They said overall she's a very healthy cat and they loved having her in their care! I question what has gone wrong to cause these sort of issues she's been having. I wish only the best for my baby.

 

[Brooke]

WOW! Stella had a big day at the vet, but it sounds like she's doing fairly well and that your vet was very thorough!

I took Stella into the vet today concerning her raw bottom. All the while, she's having another herpes break out. Therefore, they went ahead and gave her another fluoroscein stain to check for ulcers, which she does not have! Yay!

Yay! Out of curiosity, did they have any input or prescribe some meds/drops for you to take home for the next flare up so you don't have to bring her back in? Wondering if you had a chance to ask about the thera drops with betadine that PitRottMommy recommended? (I hope I got the name of the drops right, I didn't go back and look them up)

Anyway, a while back I asked about how to treat scratches on a sphynx cat here on Sphynxlair. The two primary areas where she was scratched while play fighting with Izzy were kind of lingering. That is, they looked like they were healing, but she continued to play fight with Izzy. Thus, causing those areas to get more scratches. They went ahead and took a look at those, too. Apparently they scraped some of her skin and looked at it under a microscope. Turns out she has a yeast and bacteria infection. They said it may be due (secondary) to inhalant or food allergies. Sigh. They believe the raw bottom is related to this issue. They recommended that I give her a bath once or twice a week with Ketochlor shampoo (in about 3 days). They also want me to give her Corticosteroids.

The Ketochlor shampoo is an anti-fungal/antibacterial medicated shampoo. I'm sure it will work great. In between baths, if you want, you'll get the exact same results from a product called Malaseb (it comes in a spray or in pre-moistened pads called Pledgets) you can get from your vet. It has the same active ingredients. I always keep a jar of them around the house for any weird cuts or scrapes my pets get and wipe them down just in case (open sore + litter box & bacteria...you get the picture!)

Did they give Stella any injection while she was there of corticosteroids or what did they prescribe and for how long? If they think the infection is secondary to allergies, the next step would be to try to determine what the allergy is...sigh...that can sometimes be really tricky. The easiest thing to look at is her food. What are you currently feeding her? The most obvious would be to switch her to a grain-free diet if she's not already on it.

If you find that it isn't a food allergy, it can be trickier - and sometimes more expensive - to determine what the allergy is. My first boy, Harold, had a pretty severe allergy to oak pollen but it didn't effect his skin, he had trouble breathing. That's not to say an inhaled allergy can't affect their skin, though - I had a dog who broke out in a terrible rash with a grass allergy! Anyhow, we treated them with allergy injections during the season, and the injection would last about 2 weeks but ideally you do not want her on steroids if she has herpes (see below).

During examination, they asked if I ever noticed Stella shaking her head or scratching the back of her ears. I have in fact, but it's not frequent and it hasn't occurred enough to raise a concern. Well, turns out they noticed a large amount of fluid at the base of both of her eardrums. They said her ears are very clean, but when they looked towards the bottom they noticed the fluid. They said it's nothing to be concerned about now, but I definitely need to keep it eye on it. They say it's similar to "Glue Ears" in children.

I had to Google "glue ears" because I've never heard of it before!... So, is the vet saying that the fluid in Stella's ears should clear up on it's own? Just want to mention here that when you clean her ears, whether you're using a cotton ball or a cotton swab, put the ear cleaning solution on the cotton ball first and then use it to clean her ears. Never pour the solution directly into the cat's ear canal - it will go too far down into her ear and you won't be able to swab it out.

Has anyone experienced anything that I have mentioned above? Should I be concerned with what they recommended for me to do? I'm so scared to try anything on her, afraid she's so fragile. They said overall she's a very healthy cat and they loved having her in their care! I question what has gone wrong to cause these sort of issues she's been having. I wish only the best for my baby.

The most important thing I want to stress to you is figuring out what her allergy is. Here's why - corticosteroids can trigger a feline herpes outbreak! So, ideally you will want to find and eliminate the allergy source rather than treating the symptoms of the skin infection with corticosteroids and then having to deal with another FHV flare-up...it could prove to be a vicious cycle over and over again...

You're doing a great job with your girl. She's lucky to have a Mom that cares so much for her! Please keep us updated on her progress.

 

[susi794]

Wow...but it's obvious you only want the best for your little girl. I agree with Brooke that she is lucky to have you for a mommy. Keep us posted, ok?

 

[PitRottMommy]

Brooke covered alot of great points.

I have to agree with your vet, while most of her skin may not be having a flare up right now with bacteria and yeast...the bum is actually a pretty common place to have problems. And the ears. And, yes, that's usually secondary to a food allergy. Not necessarily an inhalant allergy (those often cause breathing issues for cats, as Brooke mentioned one of her boys did). Most cats are allergic to chicken, corn and dairy products. Ideally, switching to a food with a novel protein is the best idea. Turkey, Duck, Quail, Rabbit, etc are all commonly used and within a decent price range. Other proteins are available such as Bison, Venison and Kangaroo--but they're a bit more pricey.

I'm concerned about using steroids while she's having an outbreak though. If you notice that things are getting worse, on any level, immediately call your vet and discuss this. It usually doesn't happen...but steroids can cause a lowering of the immune system which allows the bacteria and yeast in the skin to become "unchecked". Her herpes flare already tells us that her immune system isn't where it needs to be. Adding steroids will either help alot (and you should see quick improvement) or will cause problems quickly (and you'll see a downfall). Like I said, most pets do just fine--but if you notice anything at all that doesn't seem right. Call your vet, don't "wait and see".

I hope she's feeling much better very soon!

 

[heather]

Poor little beeb- I hope Stella feels better. Sophie had bacteria and yeast in her ears. That's the only experience I've had with it. I hope they figure out what is going on with her allergy wise. You're a great sphynx mommy!

 

[ultra_stella]

Thank you so much for your advice, Brooke. Before I respond to this thread, I want to mention that during the entire time the vet was talking to me, I kept thinking to myself that I want to run this information by members of Sphynxlair. I wish I was able to get on their lab top they had in the room and live chat with you all just to get a second opinion. I find comfort with you all, because you all know first hand how much of an impact these darlings have on your life.

Yay! Out of curiosity, did they have any input or prescribe some meds/drops for you to take home for the next flare up so you don't have to bring her back in? Wondering if you had a chance to ask about the thera drops with betadine that PitRottMommy recommended? (I hope I got the name of the drops right, I didn't go back and look them up)


I failed to mention the Thera Tears with the tech I talked to this morning prior to scheduling an appointment for her raw bottom. That's because I was told to use the Terramycin for one more week, and if it doesn't improve then they will consider further treatment. This is when I plan on bringing up the Thera Tears that Pittrottmommy told us about. Her flare up isn't as bad this time. Therefore, I'm hoping the Terramycin + L-lysine will clear it right up.

The Ketochlor shampoo is an anti-fungal/antibacterial medicated shampoo. I'm sure it will work great. In between baths, if you want, you'll get the exact same results from a product called Malaseb (it comes in a spray or in pre-moistened pads called Pledgets) you can get from your vet. It has the same active ingredients. I always keep a jar of them around the house for any weird cuts or scrapes my pets get and wipe them down just in case (open sore + litter box & bacteria...you get the picture!)

Thank you. I will definitely look into this product in hopes it will clear any cuts or scrapes this little booger gets from play fighting!

Did they give Stella any injection while she was there of corticosteroids or what did they prescribe and for how long? If they think the infection is secondary to allergies, the next step would be to try to determine what the allergy is...sigh...that can sometimes be really tricky. The easiest thing to look at is her food. What are you currently feeding her? The most obvious would be to switch her to a grain-free diet if she's not already on it.

They did not give her an injection of the corticosteroids. It says here "We are also sending home some corticosteroids that will help with the inflammation and itching." Down below beneath "Medications" I see "Methylprednisolone: for inflammation; give 2 tablets by mouth for 2 days, then give 1 tablet by mouth for 5 days". I just don't know about this one. It kind of scares me. I would much rather find the reason for her allergies than to begin this treatment. She is currently on Adult Science Diet, and I'm definitely thinking about what to switch to.

I had to Google "glue ears" because I've never heard of it before!... So, is the vet saying that the fluid in Stella's ears should clear up on it's own? Just want to mention here that when you clean her ears, whether you're using a cotton ball or a cotton swab, put the ear cleaning solution on the cotton ball first and then use it to clean her ears. Never pour the solution directly into the cat's ear canal - it will go too far down into her ear and you won't be able to swab it out.

They said because they see fluid, her ear drum must have broken, but the ear drum will heal and repair on its own. They just said to keep an eye out on her balance and how often she shakes her head.

This is all so new to me and it freaks me out. It helps me out a lot to get feedback and I really appreciate it.

 

[ultra_stella]

Brooke covered alot of great points.

I have to agree with your vet, while most of her skin may not be having a flare up right now with bacteria and yeast...the bum is actually a pretty common place to have problems. And the ears. And, yes, that's usually secondary to a food allergy. Not necessarily an inhalant allergy (those often cause breathing issues for cats, as Brooke mentioned one of her boys did). Most cats are allergic to chicken, corn and dairy products. Ideally, switching to a food with a novel protein is the best idea. Turkey, Duck, Quail, Rabbit, etc are all commonly used and within a decent price range. Other proteins are available such as Bison, Venison and Kangaroo--but they're a bit more pricey.

I'm concerned about using steroids while she's having an outbreak though. If you notice that things are getting worse, on any level, immediately call your vet and discuss this. It usually doesn't happen...but steroids can cause a lowering of the immune system which allows the bacteria and yeast in the skin to become "unchecked". Her herpes flare already tells us that her immune system isn't where it needs to be. Adding steroids will either help alot (and you should see quick improvement) or will cause problems quickly (and you'll see a downfall). Like I said, most pets do just fine--but if you notice anything at all that doesn't seem right. Call your vet, don't "wait and see".

I hope she's feeling much better very soon!

Thank you Pitrottmommy! The vet talked about the common allergies that you have mentioned. Similar products were also recommended. I will need to take care of this immediately, assuming this is the problem.

I've read several different negative reviews on steroids. Since the steroids can have a negative effect, should I just hold off on it for now? I'm genuinely an optimistic person, but the fact it has the potential to cause a downfall makes me very standoffish. I'm very confused about whether or not I should use these steroids. . .

 

[ultra_stella]

Thank you everyone for your support ! Stella's so pooped! She's been asleep for a couple of hours now.

 

[PitRottMommy]

I've read several different negative reviews on steroids. Since the steroids can have a negative effect, should I just hold off on it for now? I'm genuinely an optimistic person, but the fact it has the potential to cause a downfall makes me very standoffish. I'm very confused about whether or not I should use these steroids. . .

Steroids can be great, but they can also be damning to the health of a pet. I, personally, cannot give you a go ahead one way or the other because I haven't seen your baby in person

But!! If you have doubts, don't hesitate to call your vet and ask questions. You paid for that exam, darn it!

That being said, I wouldn't hesitate to use steroids on my own pets (I've used them occasionally throughout the summer on my pitbulls because we're switching up medications for allergies...going to a more expensive but more likely to work medication). Anyhow, for most problems I don't see a problem--but doctors do make mistakes. If your gut doesn't feel comfortable giving steroids, call and discuss your concerns with your vet or the technician. After all, you're paying them to work for you.

 

[ultra_stella]

Steroids can be great, but they can also be damning to the health of a pet. I, personally, cannot give you a go ahead one way or the other because I haven't seen your baby in person

But!! If you have doubts, don't hesitate to call your vet and ask questions. You paid for that exam, darn it!

That being said, I wouldn't hesitate to use steroids on my own pets (I've used them occasionally throughout the summer on my pitbulls because we're switching up medications for allergies...going to a more expensive but more likely to work medication). Anyhow, for most problems I don't see a problem--but doctors do make mistakes. If your gut doesn't feel comfortable giving steroids, call and discuss your concerns with your vet or the technician. After all, you're paying them to work for you.

Thank you so much. When you say "damning to the health of a pet", is this a long-term effect? They gave one weeks worth of Steroids. Is that enough to cause a lot of problems? I understand you can only tell me so much without seeing Stella. I ask a lot of questions, lol. Too bad I couldn't decide what all I wanted to ask when it came to the steroids. When I said "I've read several different negative reviews. . ." I'm referring to what I read after I got home from the visit. I'd like to believe they are making the right decisions. I've trusted them so far with the decisions they made in the ophthalmology clinic.

 

[ultra_stella]

Pitrottmommy: I just realized I've been typing "Pitt" instead of "Pit". I apologize for that.

 

[PitRottMommy]

No problem. Alot of people do it, actually.

And, to be honest, despite what my name suggests...I hate when people call American Pitbull Terriers..."pitbulls" or even "pits". But, I needed a shortened name. I haven't found a website that would allow me to have:

AmericanPitbullTerrierRottweilerSphynxTarantulaMastiffLouisianaCatahoulaLeopardDogMommy...

So, for as much as I fault myself for even bothering with such a screen name...a typo doesn't bother me at all

 

[ultra_stella]

No problem. Alot of people do it, actually.

And, to be honest, despite what my name suggests...I hate when people call American Pitbull Terriers..."pitbulls" or even "pits". But, I needed a shortened name. I haven't found a website that would allow me to have:

AmericanPitbullTerrierRottweilerSphynxTarantulaMastiffLouisianaCatahoulaLeopardDogMommy...

So, for as much as I fault myself for even bothering with such a screen name...a typo doesn't bother me at all

LOL These websites really need to consider those with creative names!

 

[PitRottMommy]

Steroids can, yes, have a lasting effect on the pet. While more common in dogs, steroids can cause the body to produce too much cortisol which can cause Cushing's disease. This is one of the more drastic examples of using steroids. And this is, also, why a tapering dose is recommended, so fast changes aren't made to the cortisol level. Skin problems can then erupt--which is often, ironically, why alot of pets are put on steroids to begin with. More importantly than avoiding steroids altogether is simply using them according to direction.

Here's more info on Cushing's in cats: http://www.vetinfo.com/ccushings.html (again, generally not steroid medication-induced)

Other problems can include GI upset, including gastric bleeding, reproductive issues including abortion (of course, who's using steroids while expecting kittens?), muscle weakness, etc.

 

[ssummers]

Coraline is on oral steroids for her eye right now. It's a very low dose, but the vet still did mentioning that we would need to taper her off of them, like PitRottMommy said. She's had some diarrhea as a side-effect, but I imagine it's just as likely that it's from the antibiotics.

Good luck!

 

[ultra_stella]

I suppose I will begin the steroids tomorrow after work when I know I will be home with her. She will be required to take 11 within a 7 day period (I read 4 mg somewhere on the bottle). I appreciate the advice and will immediately contact my vet should there be a problem. I want to trust that they told me right.

ssummers: I hope all is well with Coraline.

 

[sheryl]

Hmmmm...now I'm wondering if Sammie's scrating herself bloody is due to the fact that I switched their raw food from turkey to chicken?
Sheryl