Help! Skin condition/ allergy

[Jasmk2]

Hello everyone.
I'm at a complete loss... I'll try to explain as well as I can and add some photos.

My 3 year old girl, Ocean, has never had any issues with her skin since I've had her. She was on a raw diet which she really thrived off, gained a bit of weight and looking very healthy as she was quite skinny when she came to me (around a year old)

December 2021 she had what looked to be a scuff on the inside of her thigh, I kept an eye on it but didn't think much of it as both my sphynx always end with little ones from play fighting and chasing around!
By February this, now what looked to be a rash, spread all the way down her hind legs and up her stomach.
I took her straight to our vet who prescribed a course of steroids which made no difference at all. Also flea treatment for both cats.

I then put her on hills z/d food as an imidiate thought it could have been an intolerance to the raw meat suddenly.

I had a phone call with the vet and he again prescribed stronger steroids and a coarse of antibiotics. No change at all.

The vet then referred her to a dermatologist which ended up being £400 which I just cannot afford right now, so I'm having to save it up.

I've tried leucillin, silver spray and oatmeal bathing.... But no change at all.

I've now resorted to giving her human antihistamines which is 100% improving the inflammation... But it still just looks so sore.

The vet has refused to do an allergy test as he says it's a waste of time.
I have bought an intolerance test online... Which I've sent off and waiting for results.

We haven't changed any washing detergent, or anything of the obvious..
The room that the cats sleep in I have completly cleaned.. Even the walls.. steamed the carpets in hope it was just dust or something.... Also I boil washed their blankets with no detergent.

Im really hoping someone can help as I'm literally just lost at this stage, it just breaks my heart everyday seeing it and I just can't do anything to help her.

Thank you in advance, I'm hoping I haven't left anything out!

 

[Toa and Ross]

Sorry you're dealing with this issue. It can be so difficult to find the cause of skin issues. Did the vet to a biopsie of the skin? Did they test on Ulticaria Pigmentosa?

 

[Jasmk2]

Thank you so much for replying!
No he hasn't done a biopsy, I've mentioned it to him.
I read about ulticaria pigmentosa online when I was googling like crazy trying to find the same looking rash on a sphynx!

I really do think it's the closest thing to it.

The thing is... Where the breed isn't common at all in the UK, I don't think a lot of standard vets have much experience with them I may be wrong but that's just how it feels!

Do you think I should just put the idea forward to him?

 

[Toa and Ross]

Thank you so much for replying!
No he hasn't done a biopsy, I've mentioned it to him.
I read about ulticaria pigmentosa online when I was googling like crazy trying to find the same looking rash on a sphynx!

I really do think it's the closest thing to it.

The thing is... Where the breed isn't common at all in the UK, I don't think a lot of standard vets have much experience with them I may be wrong but that's just how it feels!

Do you think I should just put the idea forward to him?

It indeed looks like UP (but I am no vet). My boy Toa has UP too. I was lucky to have a vet who has experience with sphynxs. I would definitly ask your vet if he thinks it can be UP and ask him to take biopsy.
My boy gets a presnisone pill every day now and since then he doesn't have any skin issues any more.

 

[Jasmk2]

Thank you so much, and bless your boy, its awful seeing them in discomfort.


I will deffo get onto the vets in the morning and request a call!

Can UP just come out of no-where?

 

[Toa and Ross]

Thank you so much, and bless your boy, its awful seeing them in discomfort.


I will deffo get onto the vets in the morning and request a call!

Can UP just come out of no-where?

My boy was 3 years old when he suddenly did get an awful rash. Later it turned out to be UP. It is trickerd by allergies for food, detergents and can change over seasons. My boy didn't have skin issues the first 3 years. I never found out what is causing the flare ups of UP with my boy

 

[Jasmk2]

Oh wow! Well at least its under control for him now!
I will get back to you with any news for Ocean, thank you for your help, I needed someone to confirm what I've been wondering about!

 

[Demom]

Thank you so much for replying!
No he hasn't done a biopsy, I've mentioned it to him.
I read about ulticaria pigmentosa online when I was googling like crazy trying to find the same looking rash on a sphynx!

I really do think it's the closest thing to it.

The thing is... Where the breed isn't common at all in the UK, I don't think a lot of standard vets have much experience with them I may be wrong but that's just how it feels!

Do you think I should just put the idea forward to him?

I feel you. I'm in Singapore where my vet literally Google my breed. As the things she say are similar to what I read from here and I've confession from the counter staff that they googled to see what a sphynx looks like when I made appt and it was their 1st time seeing a Sphynx!!
Mine had a bout of rash and diarrhoea as he developed an allergy to chicken.
I'm not sure why but I've always been more aware when I feed him stuff with chicken but nothing very noticeable as he's not 1 to have hard stools. And it seems 1 fine day his body said "Enough" and so he had a bad allergy reaction. I immediately checked labels and removed all food and treats with chicken but still had to deal with his diarrhoea for 2 weeks.
Was told by my vet its very common for cats to develop allergy around this age. Mine will be 3 this month.