Red Ankles

[LoonyLuna]

So I've noticed since the summer my baby Luna has been getting red and irritated on and around her ankles. Her regular vet seems to think it's pressure sores because that's where she sits and because the areas are sensitive, they get redder when she licks over them.

I've been seeing a dermatologist for her allergies and they recommended Cortavance daily for 14 days and if that doesn't work, prednisolone. The Cortavance seems to keep the sores at bay, but they stay red.

Plus she's been on prednisolone for the past week or so for another issue and that did not clear it up.

So now I'm wondering if it's her litter? She had pine pellets and it wasn't an issue before, but I'm wondering if now that she's full grown and there's more weight coming down through her ankles if the rough edges are irritating the area? I thought about switching, but I'm worried she'll try to eat paper pellets, and I've hear silicone is also rough around the edges and not comfortable for them to use.

It's just hard to know how to help her because she has no hair protecting that area

I've attached some pictures, sometimes they're rashy like this, and then sometimes there's no bumps but the entire area is red (which is what they're are now). Does anyone else's Sphynx have this issue? And any advice about a non-clay litter option would be greatly appreciated!

 

[Yoda mom]

@Catzzzmeow

 

[Catzzzmeow]

It could be the litter. Do you catch them lying down on any hot surfaces on their side?

 

[LoonyLuna]

We have radiators that run along the floors in our house and in the winter she tends to stand next to them with her paws resting on them. But I don't remember seeing her ankles getting red and rashy last winter, but maybe I just didn't notice.

She also lies on my heating pad sometimes, but I always make sure I turn it down really low when I'm done with it and put a bunch of blankets between her and the actual pad. But when I think about it the heating pad is a new thing because my back started bothering me this year so I wasn't really using it last year.

 

[Catzzzmeow]

Typically we see the underside of the lower leg get red from sitting on a heat source like heat registers and cable boxes so not sure about the ankles and that is why I asked do they lay on their side. You can at least be on the look out and see if that is the issue. If so you can try a few different things to keep them off.

 

[LoonyLuna]

Yea I'll try that out, I know she does curl up on her heating pad, but usually it's the outside of her legs that touch it so I really don't know. Feeling super frustrated because my next appointment with her dermatologist is in May ‍

She had a little tumble today and of course she cut herself on on of her ankles
Cleaned it up and sprayed it with some Vetericyn, but feeling stressed because that area was already red. So it's a bit swollen right now, hoping if I keep her from licking it and keep spraying it, it won't get infected and require a trip to the vet