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lylwhitetiger

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Not trying to hijack a thread, but Baldwynn is also having some weird dark markings on his skin that just appeared. They look a lot like what is going on with Toothy, but much more dark. Here are some images. He is still acting normal, and there has been no changes in his liter, food, anything. I first thought it could of been a burn since we are running the heat now, and he loves to hoover over the units. But we have bathed him and it does not come off at all, and the darker skin feels a little rough, but not bad. Suggestions?


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Catzzzmeow

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@lylwhitetiger you are not hijacking the thread at all. The forum is set up in order for all of us to share and have support. Your pics of your baby do look a lot like Toothy. I am sure @ZiggyStardust will have great info to share with you. I am just happy your baby does not seem affected by the spots...that is a good thing.


patti
 

NinaGato

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Not trying to hijack a thread, but Baldwynn is also having some weird dark markings on his skin that just appeared. They look a lot like what is going on with Toothy, but much more dark. Here are some images. He is still acting normal, and there has been no changes in his liter, food, anything. I first thought it could of been a burn since we are running the heat now, and he loves to hoover over the units. But we have bathed him and it does not come off at all, and the darker skin feels a little rough, but not bad. Suggestions?

This darkening of the skin can be nothing or something. Sometimes the cats develop pigmentation as they grow up. There is also a link to certain allergies either food or environmental. Sometimes it is something they are allergic to that has been something you have been using for a long time and the body just cant take any more . I would try and keep a small journal and see if they get worse of better. It might be something simple like the formula of his dry food was changed but they didnt inform the public.
 

Love4Sphynx

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I think that my Izzy may have this condition.

About a year ago she developed a small rashy patch on the back of her neck. It started with a slightly bleached looking light spot in her normally black-skin area. The peach fuzz hair had fallen out and the skin was slightly flaky. Eventually (a couple months later) a couple of small dark, rough, thickened patches appeared. She also had started head shaking and back-skin rolling, which were totally new for her. My first thought was food allergy, so she was switched to grain free, and eventually we worked our way through a few novel proteins-- nothing has helped. She was diagnosed with a physiologic heart murmur in May, and that distracted me from the neck issue. In any case, it was stable-- no change in the spots, although no improvement with different foods either.

Well all of the sudden, about a week ago, I noticed her entire back had that bleached appearance, the hair was gone, and more black thickened spots had appeared. This was virtually over night. And now it's getting worse every day-- more black patches, and to the point where the back of her neck is SOLID thick, black skin. She is clearly extremely itchy-- the back rolling is near continuous when she's not sleeping and she's licking a lot. I have been doing oatmeal baths for a year, and I've tried so many hypoallergenic detergents and blankets and etc. and none of that has helped.

I wasnt able to make an appt with my regular vet sooner than a week from now, but I don't think she can stand it with the symptoms suddenly getting worse so fast. I plan to call my specialist vet school clinic tomorrow (where she is seen for cardiology) and hope to get a derm appt asap... As per usual, I freaked myself out by looking up the Wiki page for urticaria pigmentosa and seeing that when it's really bad the internal symptoms can potentially be life-threatening?! Dont you hate the internet sometimes? :rolleyes:

I'm not sure what set off this worsening of the symptoms. Its interesting that it first appeared this same time last year... We also just tried a new food, which I took her off the minute I noticed she looked worse.

She currently is quite flushed-- red in the chest area, and feels slightly hotter than usual to the touch.. eating and drinking fine, but the speed of those dark lesions is frightening.

I wish I could give her something to ease the symptoms, but I guess I'm uncomfortable trying to give her zyrtec without clearing it with her cardiologist first (anyone have any info on this?). She's impossible to pill also...... haha :cautious:

Unfortunately I dont have any pics of how it used to look, but I'll attach one of how it currently looks.

Editing to add another picture, close up, of her neck that shows the thickened texture of the dark patch
 

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andreanar

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I think that my Izzy may have this condition.

About a year ago she developed a small rashy patch on the back of her neck. It started with a slightly bleached looking light spot in her normally black-skin area. The peach fuzz hair had fallen out and the skin was slightly flaky. Eventually (a couple months later) a couple of small dark, rough, thickened patches appeared. She also had started head shaking and back-skin rolling, which were totally new for her. My first thought was food allergy, so she was switched to grain free, and eventually we worked our way through a few novel proteins-- nothing has helped. She was diagnosed with a physiologic heart murmur in May, and that distracted me from the neck issue. In any case, it was stable-- no change in the spots, although no improvement with different foods either.

Well all of the sudden, about a week ago, I noticed her entire back had that bleached appearance, the hair was gone, and more black thickened spots had appeared. This was virtually over night. And now it's getting worse every day-- more black patches, and to the point where the back of her neck is SOLID thick, black skin. She is clearly extremely itchy-- the back rolling is near continuous when she's not sleeping and she's licking a lot. I have been doing oatmeal baths for a year, and I've tried so many hypoallergenic detergents and blankets and etc. and none of that has helped.

I wasnt able to make an appt with my regular vet sooner than a week from now, but I don't think she can stand it with the symptoms suddenly getting worse so fast. I plan to call my specialist vet school clinic tomorrow (where she is seen for cardiology) and hope to get a derm appt asap... As per usual, I freaked myself out by looking up the Wiki page for urticaria pigmentosa and seeing that when it's really bad the internal symptoms can potentially be life-threatening?! Dont you hate the internet sometimes? :rolleyes:

I'm not sure what set off this worsening of the symptoms. Its interesting that it first appeared this same time last year... We also just tried a new food, which I took her off the minute I noticed she looked worse.

She currently is quite flushed-- red in the chest area, and feels slightly hotter than usual to the touch.. eating and drinking fine, but the speed of those dark lesions is frightening.

I wish I could give her something to ease the symptoms, but I guess I'm uncomfortable trying to give her zyrtec without clearing it with her cardiologist first (anyone have any info on this?). She's impossible to pill also...... haha :cautious:

Unfortunately I dont have any pics of how it used to look, but I'll attach one of how it currently looks.

Editing to add another picture, close up, of her neck that shows the thickened texture of the dark patch

Awwww your poor girl! I don't have any advice besides to see dermatologist, which you are already on top of. But i can send lair prayers that you find a solution and that your baby can find some relief. Hugs.
 

Love4Sphynx

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Thanks Andrea. She now has an appt with a dermatologist scheduled for the 8th (couldnt get in sooner), and I'm waiting for a call back from her cardiologist with a OK to try the zyrtec in the mean time. Poor little thing :( hanging out with her today trying to keep her comfy.

This thread here http://www.sphynxlair.com/community/threads/creepy-black-spots-on-neck-and-back.4904/
These images are what Izzy's skin initially looked like (same location too, weird). I dont know if the poster ever got a diagnosis? (I see that pussiette posted there looking for an update)

Also, folks who had mentioned that they noticed the dark spots were a result of being near a heat source... urticaria pigmentosa can definitely be provoked by heat.

When Izzy's spots first began, they didnt really seem to bother her, and they didnt feel different than the surrounding skin. It was only as it worsened that they became tough and itchy... so you could be seeing a low grade version if you dont think your cat is bothered by it.. might still want to try anti-histamines, so it doesnt get worse.

Was also thinking about Toothy being on zyrtec and not seeing the spots clear up. I'm not sure you could expect those to go away within a week.. the skin might need to fully turn over/heal/sough etc. My guess is that the zyrtec would help any itchiness and the histamine release from the mast cells, but that the skin plaques might take longer to go away.. so it could still be urticaria pigmentosa.
 

pussiette

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Thanks Andrea. She now has an appt with a dermatologist scheduled for the 8th (couldnt get in sooner), and I'm waiting for a call back from her cardiologist with a OK to try the zyrtec in the mean time. Poor little thing :( hanging out with her today trying to keep her comfy.

This thread here http://www.sphynxlair.com/community/threads/creepy-black-spots-on-neck-and-back.4904/
These images are what Izzy's skin initially looked like (same location too, weird). I dont know if the poster ever got a diagnosis? (I see that pussiette posted there looking for an update)

Also, folks who had mentioned that they noticed the dark spots were a result of being near a heat source... urticaria pigmentosa can definitely be provoked by heat.

When Izzy's spots first began, they didnt really seem to bother her, and they didnt feel different than the surrounding skin. It was only as it worsened that they became tough and itchy... so you could be seeing a low grade version if you dont think your cat is bothered by it.. might still want to try anti-histamines, so it doesnt get worse.

Was also thinking about Toothy being on zyrtec and not seeing the spots clear up. I'm not sure you could expect those to go away within a week.. the skin might need to fully turn over/heal/sough etc. My guess is that the zyrtec would help any itchiness and the histamine release from the mast cells, but that the skin plaques might take longer to go away.. so it could still be urticaria pigmentosa.
Good luck let us know how you go. Ella freckles completely disappeared on her stomach by themselves six weeks after that severe outbreak.
 

pussiette

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Not trying to hijack a thread, but Baldwynn is also having some weird dark markings on his skin that just appeared. They look a lot like what is going on with Toothy, but much more dark. Here are some images. He is still acting normal, and there has been no changes in his liter, food, anything. I first thought it could of been a burn since we are running the heat now, and he loves to hoover over the units. But we have bathed him and it does not come off at all, and the darker skin feels a little rough, but not bad. Suggestions?


View attachment 19136 View attachment 19137
This looks similar to some of the other babies in this thread maybe they might have some answers as some have had biopsies etc too I think.
 

Love4Sphynx

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Pussiette, so glad she's looking better, wow, what a difference!

Sorry in advance that this is long, I'm just hoping to pass along as much info as possible!

Izzy and I got to go in to the dermatologist on Thursday due to a cancellation in their schedule. The doctor (and entire staff really) were amazing. They took 2.5 hrs with us!

After a thorough exam (including tape tests from multiple areas, skin scraps, ear swabs, all looked at under microscope) and a long discussion of the timeline of symptoms, the doctor thinks Izzy has a definite allergy, likely environmental, possible mastocytosis complicating it, and a minor yeast infection.

Only the swabs from her toes came back positive for yeast, but we're doing a round (2 weeks on, 1 week off, 2 weeks on) of Terbinafine to be safe since we want to avoid a major yeastfest. She had her first pill this morning so I'm still watching to make sure she's tolerating it ok. Boy.. that drug kind of scares me :( For the head shaking we're trying an enzymatic Zymox ear treatment with hydrocortisone since there is no yeast present, but it's clearly itchy in there (Dr thinks it's a main allergy symptom, so hydrocortisone is only symptomatic treatment). She has been on Zyrtec for a few days now and it's relieved some of the itching, but not all, but it's definitely increasing her comfort so she can get some sleep.

Ok so... I've been using coconut oil on her skin after baths for about a year now, and she'd really been enjoying it. Well when I looked at the ingredients of the food she was eating right before the massive rash explosion (Natures Variety Instinct LID Rabbit)... coconut oil is the third ingredient. I immediately took her off the food and discontinued the coconut oil skin applications. The day after I took the pictures posted above, all that thick skin on her neck began to peel and flake. I started using olive oil instead-- and when I would rub it on, the dry skin would just come off on my hands and the skin underneath was soft and normal (but still hyperpigmented). Derm agrees-- this sounds like a coconut oil allergy. Imagine how stupid I feel knowing I've been putting something she's allergic to on a rash that's potentially a result of that thing to begin with :dead: Coconut allergies are rare, that's why it's in many "hypoallergenic" products... but it looks like that's part of what we have. Has anybody else posted in the forum with a coconut oil allergy??

It's complicated though, because the back-skin rolling and head shaking point to something more like pollen or mold or dust mite allergies apparently. So we're doing a duck and pea protein elimination diet for now (I'd already completed a grain-free elimination diet), and we'll do an allergy blood test in about 6 weeks if the food thing (plus the lack of coconut) doesnt fix it once and for all.

As for the other stuff. Apparently in cats inflammation can manifest as hypopigmentation, rather than redness, so that's why I'm seeing that. Chronic skin allergy can definitely lead to hyperpigmentation and skin thickening, just like what's seen in mastocytosis. This derm's opinion was; mastocytosis is hard to distinguish from allergies. True mastocytosis (histamine release without the presence of an allergen) can be it's own disorder, but since feline allergy tests currently suffer from fairly regular false negatives, it's hard to know whether you've truly eliminated all possible allergies when diagnosing mastocytosis. You can do a skin biopsy to check for excessive mast cells, but you can sometimes see a buildup of mast cells following chronic allergy too, and sometimes urticaria pigmentosa *doesnt* involve excess mast cells, only mast cells that are over-active. And since the treatment is basically the same either way (anti-histamines), and most people prefer to avoid a biopsy for their pet, it's hard to really separate the two conditions. If an allergy test comes back totally negative, it might be mastocytosis, so you give anti-histamines. If it comes back positive, and you do allergy immunotherapy with regular shots, but it never fully resolves the skin condition, it might be mastocytosis, so you give anti-histamines. Hyperpigmentation often follows chronic aggravation of the skin-- whether it's the result of something that also causes the cat to itch isnt required: heat, rubbing/scratching/licking, sunlight can all cause skin darkening/thickening, with no other symptoms. But all those things can also cause itchy irritation. You can try treating with anti-histamines to see if the hyperpigmentation goes away (although it'll take months) which means it's likely a result of chronic histamine release which could, if untreated, develop into an itchy condition, or you can leave it alone since it might be basically freckles.

I hope this helps someone else out there! Sorry again for the wall of text!

I'll continue to update on Izzy, including pics as we go along.
 

pussiette

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Thank you very much for posting all of this information we're at the same place right now and have been for the last year she is doing well at the moment but it's only because of the one protein source we don't know what we are dealing with either although we had the biopsies they thought that it was mast cell tumours and they are unsure to diagnose her with cancer thank you once again for all the information and good luck with everything and if you need any further advice please ask and keep us updated it sounds as though you really have a handle on this and understand what's going on I wish you all the best of luck and I know how stressful and difficult it is thank you once again and good luck.
 

pussiette

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Also if it helps any we don't use any chemicals on Ella and we were told just to use cotton baby washers with water for her skin this has really helped as previously we were using oatmeal shampoo and baby wipes but a little is definitely a lot with sensitivities so we ceased everything at the direction of vet and dermo
 

Love4Sphynx

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The derm suggested I keep going with baths once a week with only a small amount of Johnson's baby shampoo because she's having such a massive buildup of skin grease and dead skin sticking to her, and she's also having an antifungal shampoo applied to her feet. But believe me, I'm definitely trying to simplify and de-chemical our lives!

Thanks for the encouragement <3
 

pussiette

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@Love4Sphynx

What duck and pea protein elimination diet are you on for now? Do you have a brand name please?

What grain-free elimination diet did you try and what was the food / brands that you were trying?

Thank you.
 

Love4Sphynx

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We're doing Natural Balance Limited Ingredient Duck and Pea dry kibble and Royal Canin Veterinary Diet Hypoallergenic Selected Protein PD (duck and pea) canned wet food. We were going to do the corresponding Royal Canin dry food too, but guess what-- it has coconut oil in it.

Duck isnt a suitable novel protein all the time, if a cat has a bad enough chicken allergy it can extend to all poultry. Also, the derm mentioned that most commercially available "limited ingredient" foods may still suffer from contamination. Apparently her lab does independent testing, and found, for example, the brand Blue Buffalo to have a high degree of contamination (That is, ingredients present that they say arent present) The higher the quality the brand, or possibly switching to a raw food diet, the better your chances of avoid those issues..

The grain free elimination diet was easier-- she had been on Iams, which is full of corn etc, so I switched to Pure Vita w/ Chicken, which is a chicken and pea food, and made sure everything I bought for wet food and treats was grain free.
 

pussiette

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Thanks for answering all my questions they don't stock the venison here in Australia with the pea blend and I will see if I can import it safely from the royal canin group perhaps good luck
 

NinaGato

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Update on Kia.....
She has been put on a NSID. Non steroid anti inflammatory. A very low dose. She has been on it for three days and is doing very well. We are on a taper off schedule to try and find a good pluse dose for her. Meaning if I give her a dose every other day it controls the symptoms.
uploadfromtaptalk1390147287394.jpg

She only has some healing spots in her armpits and by her neck. No new hives.
This is a newer treatment but seems to be working for her.
I'm hesitant to get my hopes up because so many other things have worked for a bit and then she relapses. So fingers, toes and other body parts crossed for luck...
 
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