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#1
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NOT a flea allergy?
Hello,
I took my 9-year-old cat to the vet today because she's been biting at the base of her tail. She also has some red skin and scabs along her spine near the base of the tail. I assumed flea allergy - she has been going outside occasionally after three years indoors, so she is definitely exposed to fleas now. I was surprised to hear the vet list off about 5 things he thought could be causing the problems. Dental problems, anal sac impaction, food allergies (my cats have been on Science Diet Senior dry for 2 years), etc. I was pretty surprised, but he said that he didn't see any flea debris, and he did comb her quite a bit. It's true that I haven't seen any fleas on her or in the house, but I felt a LITTLE bit like I was getting the hard sell. He recommended a lot of lab work. He was really hung up on the anal sac thing, which I didn't understand - she has NEVER scooted (my husband calls it "doing the Pooky" - his childhood cat), and she's not licking her but any more than usual! And maybe I'm misunderstanding exactly what he was proposing, but wouldn't he be able to diagnose an anal sac problem without lab work, and maybe even treat it on the spot? So - we don't see fleas - does that mean it's probably not a flea allergy? And I understand that biting the base of the tail is a pretty classic flea allergy symptom - is it also a sign of anal sac problems? I'm open to all advice and personal experiences you might have. I've given her the Advantage and I'll see if that helps. I hope so! Thanks! Beth |
#2
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I have recently begun to think that my cat was suffering from flea
allergies. After a year of steroid shots to prevent the itching I started giving her Flontline Plus. I never did see a flea on her either but after reading about flea allergy dermatitis; often the cat/dog is very efficient at removing the fleas when grooming/chewing or actually ingesting them that sometimes you will never actually see one. The animals are allergic to the flea saliva, and one bite from a flea can cause itching in the allergic cat for up to a week. This may be of little hope to you but it very well be a flea allergy. Since giving my cat the frontline religiously for the last three months she hasn't had to receive any shots. Good luck. Paige |
#3
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I have recently begun to think that my cat was suffering from flea
allergies. After a year of steroid shots to prevent the itching I started giving her Flontline Plus. I never did see a flea on her either but after reading about flea allergy dermatitis; often the cat/dog is very efficient at removing the fleas when grooming/chewing or actually ingesting them that sometimes you will never actually see one. The animals are allergic to the flea saliva, and one bite from a flea can cause itching in the allergic cat for up to a week. This may be of little hope to you but it very well be a flea allergy. Since giving my cat the frontline religiously for the last three months she hasn't had to receive any shots. Good luck. Paige |
#4
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"Beth" wrote in message ...
Hello, I took my 9-year-old cat to the vet today because she's been biting at the base of her tail. She also has some red skin and scabs along her spine near the base of the tail. I assumed flea allergy - she has been going outside occasionally after three years indoors, so she is definitely exposed to fleas now. I was surprised to hear the vet list off about 5 things he thought could be causing the problems. Dental problems, anal sac impaction, food allergies (my cats have been on Science Diet Senior dry for 2 years), etc. I was pretty surprised, but he said that he didn't see any flea debris, and he did comb her quite a bit. It's true that I haven't seen any fleas on her or in the house, but I felt a LITTLE bit like I was getting the hard sell. He recommended a lot of lab work. He was really hung up on the anal sac thing, which I didn't understand - she has NEVER scooted (my husband calls it "doing the Pooky" - his childhood cat), and she's not licking her but any more than usual! And maybe I'm misunderstanding exactly what he was proposing, but wouldn't he be able to diagnose an anal sac problem without lab work, and maybe even treat it on the spot? Anal sac impaction is obvious. Highly unlikely that was the problem. So - we don't see fleas - does that mean it's probably not a flea allergy? Correct. And I understand that biting the base of the tail is a pretty classic flea allergy symptom - is it also a sign of anal sac problems? Can be, but you can tell when an anal sac is infected. I'm open to all advice and personal experiences you might have. I've given her the Advantage and I'll see if that helps. I hope so! My bet would be food allergy or allergy to some cleaner or something else in the environment. My Mom's cat was allergic to insecticides, and had the same symptoms. Have you used any flea collars on her, or any insecticides in the house? -L. |
#5
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"Beth" wrote in message ...
Hello, I took my 9-year-old cat to the vet today because she's been biting at the base of her tail. She also has some red skin and scabs along her spine near the base of the tail. I assumed flea allergy - she has been going outside occasionally after three years indoors, so she is definitely exposed to fleas now. I was surprised to hear the vet list off about 5 things he thought could be causing the problems. Dental problems, anal sac impaction, food allergies (my cats have been on Science Diet Senior dry for 2 years), etc. I was pretty surprised, but he said that he didn't see any flea debris, and he did comb her quite a bit. It's true that I haven't seen any fleas on her or in the house, but I felt a LITTLE bit like I was getting the hard sell. He recommended a lot of lab work. He was really hung up on the anal sac thing, which I didn't understand - she has NEVER scooted (my husband calls it "doing the Pooky" - his childhood cat), and she's not licking her but any more than usual! And maybe I'm misunderstanding exactly what he was proposing, but wouldn't he be able to diagnose an anal sac problem without lab work, and maybe even treat it on the spot? Anal sac impaction is obvious. Highly unlikely that was the problem. So - we don't see fleas - does that mean it's probably not a flea allergy? Correct. And I understand that biting the base of the tail is a pretty classic flea allergy symptom - is it also a sign of anal sac problems? Can be, but you can tell when an anal sac is infected. I'm open to all advice and personal experiences you might have. I've given her the Advantage and I'll see if that helps. I hope so! My bet would be food allergy or allergy to some cleaner or something else in the environment. My Mom's cat was allergic to insecticides, and had the same symptoms. Have you used any flea collars on her, or any insecticides in the house? -L. |
#6
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the vet was hung up on the anal sacs, but did he express them? did he tell
you they were full or impacted? Did he give you antibiotics to help them repair themselves? blood work to diagnose a anal sac issue sounds wrong to me. I work in a vet clinic, and usually the vet just sticks his finger up the anus and expresses anal glands. Im not saying it wasn't anals, but it very well could be a food allergy (people and pets develop them at any time) can't hurt to try an anti allergen food. (unless your kitty has a sensitive stomach) interesting to hear him think it was a dental problem... that doesn't make much sense. have you thought about a second opinion? "Beth" wrote in message ... Hello, I took my 9-year-old cat to the vet today because she's been biting at the base of her tail. She also has some red skin and scabs along her spine near the base of the tail. I assumed flea allergy - she has been going outside occasionally after three years indoors, so she is definitely exposed to fleas now. I was surprised to hear the vet list off about 5 things he thought could be causing the problems. Dental problems, anal sac impaction, food allergies (my cats have been on Science Diet Senior dry for 2 years), etc. I was pretty surprised, but he said that he didn't see any flea debris, and he did comb her quite a bit. It's true that I haven't seen any fleas on her or in the house, but I felt a LITTLE bit like I was getting the hard sell. He recommended a lot of lab work. He was really hung up on the anal sac thing, which I didn't understand - she has NEVER scooted (my husband calls it "doing the Pooky" - his childhood cat), and she's not licking her but any more than usual! And maybe I'm misunderstanding exactly what he was proposing, but wouldn't he be able to diagnose an anal sac problem without lab work, and maybe even treat it on the spot? So - we don't see fleas - does that mean it's probably not a flea allergy? And I understand that biting the base of the tail is a pretty classic flea allergy symptom - is it also a sign of anal sac problems? I'm open to all advice and personal experiences you might have. I've given her the Advantage and I'll see if that helps. I hope so! Thanks! Beth |
#7
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the vet was hung up on the anal sacs, but did he express them? did he tell
you they were full or impacted? Did he give you antibiotics to help them repair themselves? blood work to diagnose a anal sac issue sounds wrong to me. I work in a vet clinic, and usually the vet just sticks his finger up the anus and expresses anal glands. Im not saying it wasn't anals, but it very well could be a food allergy (people and pets develop them at any time) can't hurt to try an anti allergen food. (unless your kitty has a sensitive stomach) interesting to hear him think it was a dental problem... that doesn't make much sense. have you thought about a second opinion? "Beth" wrote in message ... Hello, I took my 9-year-old cat to the vet today because she's been biting at the base of her tail. She also has some red skin and scabs along her spine near the base of the tail. I assumed flea allergy - she has been going outside occasionally after three years indoors, so she is definitely exposed to fleas now. I was surprised to hear the vet list off about 5 things he thought could be causing the problems. Dental problems, anal sac impaction, food allergies (my cats have been on Science Diet Senior dry for 2 years), etc. I was pretty surprised, but he said that he didn't see any flea debris, and he did comb her quite a bit. It's true that I haven't seen any fleas on her or in the house, but I felt a LITTLE bit like I was getting the hard sell. He recommended a lot of lab work. He was really hung up on the anal sac thing, which I didn't understand - she has NEVER scooted (my husband calls it "doing the Pooky" - his childhood cat), and she's not licking her but any more than usual! And maybe I'm misunderstanding exactly what he was proposing, but wouldn't he be able to diagnose an anal sac problem without lab work, and maybe even treat it on the spot? So - we don't see fleas - does that mean it's probably not a flea allergy? And I understand that biting the base of the tail is a pretty classic flea allergy symptom - is it also a sign of anal sac problems? I'm open to all advice and personal experiences you might have. I've given her the Advantage and I'll see if that helps. I hope so! Thanks! Beth |
#8
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Thanks to everyone who responded. It's been just about 48 hours since I
applied the Advantage, and she seems much, much better! Paige mentioned the possibility that the cat was so efficient at removing fleas that I never saw one. I think and hope that this was the case. Her grooming had been frantic and sudden, and she would bite at herself ferociously. Her grooming is more normal, and while she is still licking at her back, she is NOT biting anymore. I think she's now just grooming her scabs, which are already healing. Her skin is no longer pink. To answer other questions, she hasn't been exposed to anything harmful such as pesticides, that I'm aware of (although she's outside, she stays in our backyard and usually never even leaves the patio). Regarding the anal gland possibility, he asked me if she was over-grooming her genitals/anus and if she ever scooted. I said absolutely not, and he said "Well, that is something to consider, that it might be an anal sac problem." He never went further than that, and it wasn't until I got home and started reading about it that I realized that was weird. As people here said, it should have been obvious and he could have diagnosed/treated it right there. Connie, his explanation for the dental thing was that if there was a lot of bad bacteria in her mouth/teeth, her normal biting and grooming could introduce that bacteria to her skin and cause the problems. I thought this was pretty odd, and yes, I had planned to get a second opinion if she didn't respond quickly to the flea meds. I will not be taking my cats to that vet anymore; I've asked around on a local group for some recommendations and gotten a good response. Maybe I'm being too quick to judge, but I do think I'll be taking my cats to a full service vet from now on, and no more "cats only" clinics. I sort of felt manipulated there, like "well, if you really loved your cat, you'd spend $200 on blood work right now" when all she needed was Advantage. (Please note, if she needed it, I would spend $200 on blood work in a heartbeat!!) Again, thank you everyone for your kind responses! "~*Connie*~" wrote in message ... the vet was hung up on the anal sacs, but did he express them? did he tell you they were full or impacted? Did he give you antibiotics to help them repair themselves? blood work to diagnose a anal sac issue sounds wrong to me. I work in a vet clinic, and usually the vet just sticks his finger up the anus and expresses anal glands. Im not saying it wasn't anals, but it very well could be a food allergy (people and pets develop them at any time) can't hurt to try an anti allergen food. (unless your kitty has a sensitive stomach) interesting to hear him think it was a dental problem... that doesn't make much sense. have you thought about a second opinion? "Beth" wrote in message ... Hello, I took my 9-year-old cat to the vet today because she's been biting at the base of her tail. She also has some red skin and scabs along her spine near the base of the tail. I assumed flea allergy - she has been going outside occasionally after three years indoors, so she is definitely exposed to fleas now. I was surprised to hear the vet list off about 5 things he thought could be causing the problems. Dental problems, anal sac impaction, food allergies (my cats have been on Science Diet Senior dry for 2 years), etc. I was pretty surprised, but he said that he didn't see any flea debris, and he did comb her quite a bit. It's true that I haven't seen any fleas on her or in the house, but I felt a LITTLE bit like I was getting the hard sell. He recommended a lot of lab work. He was really hung up on the anal sac thing, which I didn't understand - she has NEVER scooted (my husband calls it "doing the Pooky" - his childhood cat), and she's not licking her but any more than usual! And maybe I'm misunderstanding exactly what he was proposing, but wouldn't he be able to diagnose an anal sac problem without lab work, and maybe even treat it on the spot? So - we don't see fleas - does that mean it's probably not a flea allergy? And I understand that biting the base of the tail is a pretty classic flea allergy symptom - is it also a sign of anal sac problems? I'm open to all advice and personal experiences you might have. I've given her the Advantage and I'll see if that helps. I hope so! Thanks! Beth |
#9
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Thanks to everyone who responded. It's been just about 48 hours since I
applied the Advantage, and she seems much, much better! Paige mentioned the possibility that the cat was so efficient at removing fleas that I never saw one. I think and hope that this was the case. Her grooming had been frantic and sudden, and she would bite at herself ferociously. Her grooming is more normal, and while she is still licking at her back, she is NOT biting anymore. I think she's now just grooming her scabs, which are already healing. Her skin is no longer pink. To answer other questions, she hasn't been exposed to anything harmful such as pesticides, that I'm aware of (although she's outside, she stays in our backyard and usually never even leaves the patio). Regarding the anal gland possibility, he asked me if she was over-grooming her genitals/anus and if she ever scooted. I said absolutely not, and he said "Well, that is something to consider, that it might be an anal sac problem." He never went further than that, and it wasn't until I got home and started reading about it that I realized that was weird. As people here said, it should have been obvious and he could have diagnosed/treated it right there. Connie, his explanation for the dental thing was that if there was a lot of bad bacteria in her mouth/teeth, her normal biting and grooming could introduce that bacteria to her skin and cause the problems. I thought this was pretty odd, and yes, I had planned to get a second opinion if she didn't respond quickly to the flea meds. I will not be taking my cats to that vet anymore; I've asked around on a local group for some recommendations and gotten a good response. Maybe I'm being too quick to judge, but I do think I'll be taking my cats to a full service vet from now on, and no more "cats only" clinics. I sort of felt manipulated there, like "well, if you really loved your cat, you'd spend $200 on blood work right now" when all she needed was Advantage. (Please note, if she needed it, I would spend $200 on blood work in a heartbeat!!) Again, thank you everyone for your kind responses! "~*Connie*~" wrote in message ... the vet was hung up on the anal sacs, but did he express them? did he tell you they were full or impacted? Did he give you antibiotics to help them repair themselves? blood work to diagnose a anal sac issue sounds wrong to me. I work in a vet clinic, and usually the vet just sticks his finger up the anus and expresses anal glands. Im not saying it wasn't anals, but it very well could be a food allergy (people and pets develop them at any time) can't hurt to try an anti allergen food. (unless your kitty has a sensitive stomach) interesting to hear him think it was a dental problem... that doesn't make much sense. have you thought about a second opinion? "Beth" wrote in message ... Hello, I took my 9-year-old cat to the vet today because she's been biting at the base of her tail. She also has some red skin and scabs along her spine near the base of the tail. I assumed flea allergy - she has been going outside occasionally after three years indoors, so she is definitely exposed to fleas now. I was surprised to hear the vet list off about 5 things he thought could be causing the problems. Dental problems, anal sac impaction, food allergies (my cats have been on Science Diet Senior dry for 2 years), etc. I was pretty surprised, but he said that he didn't see any flea debris, and he did comb her quite a bit. It's true that I haven't seen any fleas on her or in the house, but I felt a LITTLE bit like I was getting the hard sell. He recommended a lot of lab work. He was really hung up on the anal sac thing, which I didn't understand - she has NEVER scooted (my husband calls it "doing the Pooky" - his childhood cat), and she's not licking her but any more than usual! And maybe I'm misunderstanding exactly what he was proposing, but wouldn't he be able to diagnose an anal sac problem without lab work, and maybe even treat it on the spot? So - we don't see fleas - does that mean it's probably not a flea allergy? And I understand that biting the base of the tail is a pretty classic flea allergy symptom - is it also a sign of anal sac problems? I'm open to all advice and personal experiences you might have. I've given her the Advantage and I'll see if that helps. I hope so! Thanks! Beth |
#10
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"Beth" wrote in message ...
Maybe I'm being too quick to judge, but I do think I'll be taking my cats to a full service vet from now on, and no more "cats only" clinics. I sort of felt manipulated there, like "well, if you really loved your cat, you'd spend $200 on blood work right now" when all she needed was Advantage. (Please note, if she needed it, I would spend $200 on blood work in a heartbeat!!) Again, thank you everyone for your kind responses! Just a comment on your last comment. If you are referring to a feline specialist clinic, there are good reasons to use them. While there are bad eggs in every bunch, I am a huge fan of feline specialists. They see *way* more cases than regular vets, have been exposed to odd and hard cases most vets don't see, and often have treatment plans that other vets don't even know about. While I agree that your vet's approach was probably not warranted, most vets understand and respect the limitations guardians have to place on treatment. I have had a similar situation happen when I took my cat to a "regular vet" so I guess my point is...such attitudes can come from any type of vet and aren't necessarily exclusive to feline specialists. Hope this made sense...it's late. Glad your kitty is feeling better. -L. |
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