Skin condition?

[Ira]

Hello! : )

I've been following this forum for a while but finally decided to join, especially since my boy has something going on with his skin. Vets around here don't have much knowledge about sphynxes, so maybe you can offer your opinions before I'll visit the vet.

First of all, he has these red bumps around the neck and head area and they seem to be itchy. I would suspect them to be allergy of sorts, judging by other threads. Nothing has changed in his environment but I guess it's not that rare to develop allergy later.

What I am more concerned are his paws. They feel really dry and are often red. Also they seem to have these small... scabs? (His feets are a bit dirty in these pics, hope you see what I mean) They also seem to bother him quite a bit. Could this be also because of allergy or is it some kind of infection? I bathe him every other week if that has anything to do with it.

Also does his neck area look normal? Are those black spots just normal dirt or should I get worried? It doesn't seem to come off well when bathed.

Haha sorry for the long post, I am quite a new sphynx owner (well, he is my first cat ever...!)

 

[Yoda mom]

Hello!and welcome to you and your handsome boy! What is his name?

They can develop food and litter allergies- food brand? Shampoo? Litter brand?
We went with hypo allergenic litter Dr elseys precious cat in the blue bag-
I know some get yeast infections from some litter?

Sure others will chime in

As you have probably read , many of us have good results with Hylyt soap free hypo allergenic shampoo too
And vetericyn spray - non toxic .. It cokes in regular wound wash spray amd the twice as strong Vetericyn VF formula you can ask your vet about too.. My version office carries the Hylyt shampoo

Do you have a vet appointment for him for a skin scrape test?

Ps it keeps uploading the wrong pic but it is made by the same company as the vetericyn opthalmic

 

[Yoda mom]

@Ira, checking in on your baby

Also wanted to pass on our other household shampoo for itching - AvenaLyt -

AvenaLyt Shampoo for Animal Use - Drugs.com

same makers of our other favorite
Hylyt shampoo -

HyLyt Shampoo for Animal Use - Drugs.com

I actually mix a little of both

 

[Hairless Blessing]

It looks like a yeast infection to me. Are you using
World's Best Cat Litter, by any chance? It could be allergies too.
WBCL, is bad about causing yeast infections. I would try to find a
specialist is their a Veterinarian College of Medicine close to you?
If not research and find the best Vet you can. Needs blood work
done, and a skin scrape, for sure. Let us know what you do or find out.

 

[Nofuratu]

What has your vet said so far about the skin?
The black spots on the irritated areas look like normal scabs/skin healing.
The redness/irritation/itching is not normal and looks a lot like what one of our Sphynx, Captain Darling gets. It is an allergy and we have not been able to determine the source. The only thing that helps is the drug "atopica", but we only give it to him when his skin is very bad because it suppresses the immune system, though not as bad as prednisone I have learned.
One other thing that helps is we rinse him with water, just water, no shampoos and no scrubbing and he looks better the next day so we suspect an environmental allergy, and suspect the water rinses off whatever is bothering him. He could be allergic to dust mites for all we know and he had the problem with his previous owner as well.
Have you asked your vet about allergy testing?
Usually vets start out with ruling out a food allergy, and put your pet on Kangaroo food or some other protein he hasn't been exposed to yet. After that they start looking at environmental allergies. If you can pinpoint when this started or keep a notebook on when it flares up that may help.
It does not look like a yeast infection at all on his back/neck area but the foot area photo could be yeast. Though usually yeast looks worse and would have a very obvious smell!! and you get that between the toes, toe folds not the entire foot.
If they do a skin scraping they are just looking for sarcoptic mange, and I don't think it looks bad enough to suspect that yet.
Try asking about allergy testing, treating for yeast on the foot area and I am surprised your vet has not tried prednisone or atopica yet. If they do, your cat needs to be up to date on vaccines though.
Wishing you the best of luck with it!

 

[admin]

Hello! : )

I've been following this forum for a while but finally decided to join, especially since my boy has something going on with his skin. Vets around here don't have much knowledge about sphynxes, so maybe you can offer your opinions before I'll visit the vet.

First of all, he has these red bumps around the neck and head area and they seem to be itchy. I would suspect them to be allergy of sorts, judging by other threads. Nothing has changed in his environment but I guess it's not that rare to develop allergy later.

What I am more concerned are his paws. They feel really dry and are often red. Also they seem to have these small... scabs? (His feets are a bit dirty in these pics, hope you see what I mean) They also seem to bother him quite a bit. Could this be also because of allergy or is it some kind of infection? I bathe him every other week if that has anything to do with it.

Also does his neck area look normal? Are those black spots just normal dirt or should I get worried? It doesn't seem to come off well when bathed.

Haha sorry for the long post, I am quite a new sphynx owner (well, he is my first cat ever...!)

Welcome by the way! Great advice thus far. Many people try green Pea and Duck when a food allergy is trying to be ruled out and its easy to get - Natural Balance Green Pea and Duck Formula Ultra Premium Grain Free Cat Food from petco.com. The only issue is risk of some runny poo. Here is a good thread on skin conditions also - Sphynx Skin Conditions. You can also go longer on bathing as well to rule out shampoo issues.

 

[Ira]

@Yoda mom his name is Sulevi : )

I have used Virbac's Epi-Soothe shampoo, it's what his breeder suggested. We don't have that many different shampoos here in Finland, I think I have seen only two in the pharmacy. I'll see if I can order something.

I have changed his litter and it didn't make any difference with his skin. The brand is called Compact Care, not sure if it's sold outside of Finland. The first one was this scoopable type, second is silica gel.

I'll go to the vet tomorrow and see what they think of it. I'll keep you updated

Thank you all for your help!

 

[Yoda mom]

@Ira , please give head smooches to Sulevi !
Keep us posted on the vet visit!
Glad you are taking him in for a check- a
Always peace of mind and for the love of our nakeds

Hoping for good news updates!

I order Hylyt and AvenaLyt on line if my vets office is out of it -
It's amazing product - perhaps your vet has a source for it-

I really like the vibrac advance ear cleaner too- they make good products

 

[Toa and Ross]

Hello @Ira and welcome to sphynxlair for you and Sulevi! I'm afraid I don't have any advice to give but great advise is already given. Just jumped in to welcome you

 

[Ira]

Hello, just got back from the vet! They found bacterial growth and yeast in the test and the vet also suspected that he could be allergic to his food or pollen, so we'll start with elimination diet and if it doesn't help, we'll go back to do allergy tests.

The vet said that since we came in quite early stage, the treatment is easy. He got antibiotic gel and shampoo for the infections. I sure hope that he feels better soon : )

Also thanks for everyone who commented, it makes my day to see caring people like you!

 

[Hairless Blessing]

I really thought, it looked like, yeast infection, as I told you.
I hope now, with, that being known and the allergies suspension,
things, will go better, from now on. Keep us updated.

 

[Catzzzmeow]

Glad you a diagnosis now to slow switch things and see what the culprit is.


Patti

 

[Toa and Ross]

Thanks for the update. Glad you have a diagnosis now and know what you can do. Hope everything will be well with Sulevi soon.

 

[Xandria]

Wishing a speedy recovery. Hugs.

 

[Hairless Blessing]

How is your baby?

 

[Ira]

He is doing great! His skin definitely looks (and feels!) a lot healthier. The same can't be said about me though, it seems I also have the same infection on my skin haha. Well my skin was in a bad condition to begin with.

It'll take time before a complete recovery but we are both getting there

 

[Toa and Ross]

He is doing great! His skin definitely looks (and feels!) a lot healthier. The same can't be said about me though, it seems I also have the same infection on my skin haha. Well my skin was in a bad condition to begin with.

It'll take time before a complete recovery but we are both getting there

Happy to hear your boy is oung great and his skin looks healthier. Hope your skin will heal up soon also!

 

[samandell1993]

Hello! : )

I've been following this forum for a while but finally decided to join, especially since my boy has something going on with his skin. Vets around here don't have much knowledge about sphynxes, so maybe you can offer your opinions before I'll visit the vet.

First of all, he has these red bumps around the neck and head area and they seem to be itchy. I would suspect them to be allergy of sorts, judging by other threads. Nothing has changed in his environment but I guess it's not that rare to develop allergy later.

What I am more concerned are his paws. They feel really dry and are often red. Also they seem to have these small... scabs? (His feets are a bit dirty in these pics, hope you see what I mean) They also seem to bother him quite a bit. Could this be also because of allergy or is it some kind of infection? I bathe him every other week if that has anything to do with it.

Also does his neck area look normal? Are those black spots just normal dirt or should I get worried? It doesn't seem to come off well when bathed.

Haha sorry for the long post, I am quite a new sphynx owner (well, he is my first cat ever...!)

Hi, my spyhnx has the same problem it's now happened 3 times starting last year, they start off on side of his ears then inside the ear and then just seems to spread to his tail and his back, he hasn't been to vet as they couldn't get me in so just told me to give piriton and see if it gets better,some times it's only few spots but other times it's all over but I can't really say it itchy for him apart from around his ears, could this be ear mites ? He does shake his head occasionally and his ears get dirty quick, I have treated him with ear drops before so will try that again,my other spyhnx is fine. I do have a chihuahua but I flea her so I don't think it's that well I hope it's not ! Havnt seen any either

 

[Sheldon13]

Hi, my spyhnx has the same problem it's now happened 3 times starting last year, they start off on side of his ears then inside the ear and then just seems to spread to his tail and his back, he hasn't been to vet as they couldn't get me in so just told me to give piriton and see if it gets better,some times it's only few spots but other times it's all over but I can't really say it itchy for him apart from around his ears, could this be ear mites ? He does shake his head occasionally and his ears get dirty quick, I have treated him with ear drops before so will try that again,my other spyhnx is fine. I do have a chihuahua but I flea her so I don't think it's that well I hope it's not ! Havnt seen any either

Hi there! Please feel free to post your own thread , as this one is quite old. And welcome!


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