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Ashdm

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My spyhnx has developed dark marks on his belly. He's a black sphynx anyway but these are very black spots. They have literally shown up in the last 2 weeks and continued to spread in a horizontal line across his abdomen. I've read numerous threads on here about similar marks on the skin but I do not believe any of those suggestions apply to Boo.
At first I thought it was a build up of oil so he got 2 extra baths with exfoliating gloves. Apart from him wishing he could claw my eyes out, it did nothing. He's not a very oily sphynx as it is. (We have white sheets on the bed and he never leaves stains on these.) I also read of a members cat getting little burns from a cable box. Boo doesn't sit on anything remotely warm enough for that. He has a little microwave heat pad but it's never burning, sometimes it's barely even hot.
I also read of members saying the spots were from the sun when their sphynx was sunbathing at the window. That is definitely not the case here, it's minus 5 degrees Celsius!!! We don't even see sun in our very limited "summer". Boo has never ever seen the sun.
I had a vet say they were liver spots, which I laughed at...he's 6 months old, not 10 years!! Iv never heard of a kitten getting liver spots nor have I ever seen them on a young sphynx.
The marks are not raised, and do not seem to affect him in any way at all, I just want to know what they are. I'm very curious as to how they showed up so quickly and have spread so fast.
Nothing in the last two weeks has changed at all, not his diet, his bathing routine, his environment, not a thing.

Here's hoping you lovely lair ladies will hold the answer!!
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MollysMom

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just from what I can see, that looks more like a yeast or fungal... try another vet. Liver spots (sun spots actually) can happen at any age, but it doesn't look like that to me.
 

Ashdm

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just from what I can see, that looks more like a yeast or fungal... try another vet. Liver spots (sun spots actually) can happen at any age, but it doesn't look like that to me.

Thanks for your reply. I had read online about yeast but it seemed people had said there would most definitely be a smell if it were a yeast infection and there's no smell at all. I am going to get him into a vets for some definitive answer early this week but I'm hoping someone can solve it prior.
 

admin

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My spyhnx has developed dark marks on his belly. He's a black sphynx anyway but these are very black spots. They have literally shown up in the last 2 weeks and continued to spread in a horizontal line across his abdomen. I've read numerous threads on here about similar marks on the skin but I do not believe any of those suggestions apply to Boo.
At first I thought it was a build up of oil so he got 2 extra baths with exfoliating gloves. Apart from him wishing he could claw my eyes out, it did nothing. He's not a very oily sphynx as it is. (We have white sheets on the bed and he never leaves stains on these.) I also read of a members cat getting little burns from a cable box. Boo doesn't sit on anything remotely warm enough for that. He has a little microwave heat pad but it's never burning, sometimes it's barely even hot.
I also read of members saying the spots were from the sun when their sphynx was sunbathing at the window. That is definitely not the case here, it's minus 5 degrees Celsius!!! We don't even see sun in our very limited "summer". Boo has never ever seen the sun.
I had a vet say they were liver spots, which I laughed at...he's 6 months old, not 10 years!! Iv never heard of a kitten getting liver spots nor have I ever seen them on a young sphynx.
The marks are not raised, and do not seem to affect him in any way at all, I just want to know what they are. I'm very curious as to how they showed up so quickly and have spread so fast.
Nothing in the last two weeks has changed at all, not his diet, his bathing routine, his environment, not a thing.

Here's hoping you lovely lair ladies will hold the answer!!
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View attachment 18466
Well I'm not a lovely Lair lady, but I will still try to help! :rolleyes: They appear to be skin pigmentations with is not uncommon in the breed. If you notice they match other areas near and around those spots (as far as I can tell in the picture anyway) I would suggest you see another vet perhaps for a second opinion though.
 

Ashdm

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So I'm just back from the vets after booking a same day appointment that cost me a fortune!! And after all that, she also said it's absolutely nothing to worry about. She scratched it, checked it under a lens and said it's not dry skin, nor irritated or bleeding. It's no different from his normal skin other than the colour. She says it's definitely not yeast. In her opinion it's normal discolouration. I asked her over and over if she was sure as I had heard other things and she went and got another vet from another room to do her own check on Boo and she too said exactly the same thing.

So I guess I'm ok with that. I am entirely confident myself it is not irritated or any form of eczema as you can scratch it and it will not flake or bleed. You can stretch it and it is just like his normal skin. It is not raised in anyway, to describe it if you were to run your hand over it with your eyes shut, you wouldn't be able to find it. Its completely flush. Almost like a flat freckle. I asked why this occurs as he is washed weekly and not a very oily sphynx and she assured me it is normal, she just said some cats get it.

So I'm going to keep an eye on it and see what happens. I happy that he's happy. It's obviously not the prettiest mark on his belly but it doesn't bother him so it's fine. If it does turn out to be anything I'll update this thread.
 

Catzzzmeow

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Well that is great news then! I am glad you went and had your baby checked out just so you feel better. There are several members on here who are always battling skin conditions and allergies and it is not an easy thing to go through. So be happy :) A few spots on the belly are nothing.

Patti
 

ZiggyStardust

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That does look a lot like what Toothy has only Toothy's is much more extensive. It doesn't bother him at all either. We've had it scraped too and they didn't find anything. We tried Zyrtec in case it was Uticara Pigmentosa, but that didn't work. The next step would be an actual biopsy if we want to pursue further.
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Ashdm

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That does look a lot like what Toothy has only Toothy's is much more extensive. It doesn't bother him at all either. We've had it scraped too and they didn't find anything. We tried Zyrtec in case it was Uticara Pigmentosa, but that didn't work. The next step would be an actual biopsy if we want to pursue further.
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Thank you so much for sharing that photo and letting me know Toothy has the same marks on his belly!
I feel so much better after the vets as I was feeling like it must be my fault, I must not have washed him properly or I'm a bad sphynx mummy and hadn't done something correctly. I was so panicked at the vets even when she assured me it was just skin discolouration. She even tried to tell me she had seen another sphynx with the exact same thing who they had biopsied and it came back with 100% normal skin, no bacteria or anything and that same sphynx is very healthy years on. So she said in her opinion I could throw hundreds of dollars at this for something she's already telling me. But still a part of me still thought she was pacifying me and just telling me what I wanted to hear!! I can be such a worrier. When I see Toothy's same marks, I feel so much better now seeing it in the flesh knowing someone else is experiencing this and he's ok! My vet did say there's a very high chance it will continue to grow and spread and from that I can assume it may end up looking like toothy's. He is only 6 months old just now. I didn't like it at first and felt it was unsightly. But as my vet said, I have a very happy, healthy sphynx who could have far worse wrong with him, causing him pain or even worse....instead he has a harmless skin discolouration!! And she's absolutely right!! I love my little guy so much, he is my baby and I am so lucky that he is happy and healthy so an extra special skin pattern is nothing!! :D I'll call him my little Dalmatian!! :) At least he can look up to Toothy!

It's also good to know if anyone else experiences these same marks you don't necessarily need to panic as much as I did. Get them scraped and at least you know they are harmless and we are sharing in this experience! Thank you again @ZiggyStardust
 

Embracing-Joyx4

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I am no Sphynxie expert but I really believe it is just pigmentation. Fur kitties probably have it we just never see it because they have fur. Humans can have Hyper-pigmentation. Admin gave you a good site to view.
 

ZiggyStardust

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Thank you so much for sharing that photo and letting me know Toothy has the same marks on his belly!
I feel so much better after the vets as I was feeling like it must be my fault, I must not have washed him properly or I'm a bad sphynx mummy and hadn't done something correctly. I was so panicked at the vets even when she assured me it was just skin discolouration. She even tried to tell me she had seen another sphynx with the exact same thing who they had biopsied and it came back with 100% normal skin, no bacteria or anything and that same sphynx is very healthy years on. So she said in her opinion I could throw hundreds of dollars at this for something she's already telling me. But still a part of me still thought she was pacifying me and just telling me what I wanted to hear!! I can be such a worrier. When I see Toothy's same marks, I feel so much better now seeing it in the flesh knowing someone else is experiencing this and he's ok! My vet did say there's a very high chance it will continue to grow and spread and from that I can assume it may end up looking like toothy's. He is only 6 months old just now. I didn't like it at first and felt it was unsightly. But as my vet said, I have a very happy, healthy sphynx who could have far worse wrong with him, causing him pain or even worse....instead he has a harmless skin discolouration!! And she's absolutely right!! I love my little guy so much, he is my baby and I am so lucky that he is happy and healthy so an extra special skin pattern is nothing!! :D I'll call him my little Dalmatian!! :) At least he can look up to Toothy!

It's also good to know if anyone else experiences these same marks you don't necessarily need to panic as much as I did. Get them scraped and at least you know they are harmless and we are sharing in this experience! Thank you again @ZiggyStardust

You're welcome! We adopted Toothy as an adult and he came to us like this. We thought it was from improper or no bathing at first or an odd rash from poor care, but after a negative scraping and a year of baths it's still there. He doesn't scratch or bite at it, it just looks unsightly (maybe Boo's won't get as bad!). We've been entertaining having a biopsy done, but we've also thought that if it's not bothering him at all, why put him through that - as well as the cost to us. The poor guy already had several other health issues - not skin related - when he came to us that took a couple of months to heal and now he seems to finally be relaxing some from what appears to be similar to PTSD (which he also arrived with). Skin discoloration that isn't bothering him doesn't bother us - and our vet doesn't seem to be worried either. So we both love our babies - blemishes and all!!(y):love:
 

Ashdm

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I posted on here months ago about a bizarre skin condition that appeared on my kittens belly. Here is the original thread for photos of how it started

http://sphynxlair.com/community/threads/what-are-these-marks-on-my-sphynxs-skin.25099/#post-296343

I learned that a fellow member had the same on her sphynx, Toothy's belly but as he was a rescue they figured he wasn't washed very well.

I have had my kitten since 13 weeks and before this started so I know it is not due to being unwashed in his case. Boo has been washed every week and scrubbed with just about every degreaser I could get my hands on but these black marks continued to spread to a large degree. So begun the worry and the vets visits and months of upset for Boo for no reason.

I'd just like to let everyone know of my experience incase anyone else has the same and ends up as worried as me. I put poor Boo through endless vets visits and skin scrapings and tests and there is absolutely nothing wrong with him. These marks never were yeast or any other infection, nor were they burns from the sun or numerous other things people suggested. They are nothing but natural pigmentation and completely healthy skin cells. Iv even to stop bathing him so much as he doesn't need it weekly and I was actually drying out his skin more.

So here is my little monster now 9 months old and an absolute picture of health (with an extra funky pattern!) His marks no longer bother me and I hope if anyone else experiences this they don't need to worry as much as I first did. When he lies on his right side you can't even notice the marks as they are predominantly on his left.
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There are no marks on his arms but there are some on his back so they are not just confined to his undercarriage.
If it continues to spread so be it, as least I know he is healthy. Cosmetic issues mean absolutely nothing to me. I love him endlessly.

Here's my wee guy with his big furry brother and sister, this is where they sleep every night. (I've got my own bed back, success!!!)
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Catzzzmeow

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How wonderful you shared your experience and that all is "normal." I am glad you partnered up with a member on here @ZiggyStardust. We all learn so much from eachother. Your baby is happy and healthy and that is all that counts!


Patti
 

andreanar

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I'm glad you have found out this is normal pigmentation. I can understand how the look of it would be concerning, but as long as he is healthy it's all that matters! He's beautiful.
 

Lickleone

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On that note I was told the black sphynx often get markings like that in varying quantities and that one needn't worry about it
 

kittygoddess52

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So I'm just back from the vets after booking a same day appointment that cost me a fortune!! And after all that, she also said it's absolutely nothing to worry about. She scratched it, checked it under a lens and said it's not dry skin, nor irritated or bleeding. It's no different from his normal skin other than the colour. She says it's definitely not yeast. In her opinion it's normal discolouration. I asked her over and over if she was sure as I had heard other things and she went and got another vet from another room to do her own check on Boo and she too said exactly the same thing.

So I guess I'm ok with that. I am entirely confident myself it is not irritated or any form of eczema as you can scratch it and it will not flake or bleed. You can stretch it and it is just like his normal skin. It is not raised in anyway, to describe it if you were to run your hand over it with your eyes shut, you wouldn't be able to find it. Its completely flush. Almost like a flat freckle. I asked why this occurs as he is washed weekly and not a very oily sphynx and she assured me it is normal, she just said some cats get it.

So I'm going to keep an eye on it and see what happens. I happy that he's happy. It's obviously not the prettiest mark on his belly but it doesn't bother him so it's fine. If it does turn out to be anything I'll update this thread.[/
 

Ashdm

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The photos of his skin are right above your post. If you scroll back up you will see I updated the post with current photos a while back. I can clearly see them so you must be able to @kittygoddess52
 
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