Undefeatable Hot Spots

cuppa

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Hey all. So I'm still having issues with dante and his itchiness. He has had hotspots on his lower belly for years now, only intermittently going away after steroid injections. For a while now, we've been trying to find the actual cause, but have had little success.

Here's a very basic rundown as I am on mobile.

Food:
Dante has been on hypoallergenic prescription food and limited ingredient diets (salmon and rabbit, cutting out all poultry). All trials were run for more than 12 weeks and saw no improvement. He eats both dry and wet every day.

Pests:
1. No fleas. He is on flea medication.
2. No dust mites confirmed by skin scraping

Environment:
1. Litter: have tried clay, corn, wheat, pine, and grass. All unscented
2. I have changed detergents, cleaners, bedding, even apartments
3. He is an indoor cat only

Allergies:
1. Dante has been to a dermatologist and has had an allergy panel done. Main offenders seem to be pollens and molds. Fleas rank very low for reaction.
2. Dante is on a weekly allergy shot. This has been since January of this year.

Dante has been in a cone for the last 3 weeks trying to get the spot to heal up so that he'll hopefully leave it alone. Well tonight I came home from work and he managed to get at the spot entirely with the cone still on and now it's even worse than 3 weeks ago.

I am at my absolute wits end. I am tearing up from frustration as I type this. I don't know what else i can do. Picture attached is gross, so sorry for that. 20190525_011649.jpg
 

kittyluv387

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Oh my. I'm so sorry he's going through this. Doesn't look pleasant at all. :( So have you tried out raw food for him? I really recommend that because it's basically the purest food you can feed him. I think it's worth a try because he's obviously going through so much and it sounds like you have already been doing a lot of traditional methods.
 
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cuppa

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Oh my. I'm so sorry he's going through this. Doesn't look pleasant at all. :( So have you tried out raw food for him? I really recommend that because it's basically the purest food you can feed him. I think it's worth a try because he's obviously going through so much and it sounds like you have already been doing a lot of traditional methods.
I've tried to feed him commercial raw (frozen and freeze dried) and he's turned up his nose at both. He's a very picky eater, but I'll try again. Part of the issue is that I've got 2 cats now, and I'm not sure I could afford to feed both raw
 

kittyluv387

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I've tried to feed him commercial raw (frozen and freeze dried) and he's turned up his nose at both. He's a very picky eater, but I'll try again. Part of the issue is that I've got 2 cats now, and I'm not sure I could afford to feed both raw
Well he's definitely the priority for raw because he's suffering from these allergies. Instead of going all in and buying more commercial raw, why don't you try giving him cuts of meat from the supermarket? You can buy some chicken or Turkey thighs (no sodium added) and cutting some pieces up for him to try. If he likes this better than it means he prefers the homemade yummy stuff. My cats honestly like my homemade raw better than the frozen and freeze dried stuff out there. Also, cats who are thought of being allergic to poultry or something else might do fine eating those proteins raw.
 
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cuppa

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Well he's definitely the priority for raw because he's suffering from these allergies. Instead of going all in and buying more commercial raw, why don't you try giving him cuts of meat from the supermarket? You can buy some chicken or Turkey thighs (no sodium added) and cutting some pieces up for him to try. If he likes this better than it means he prefers the homemade yummy stuff. My cats honestly like my homemade raw better than the frozen and freeze dried stuff out there. Also, cats who are thought of being allergic to poultry or something else might do fine eating those proteins raw.
For store bought meat, I would be feeding him this uncooked?

My main concern is a feeding schedule. I work 10 hour shifts 4 days a week, so am out of the house for a minimum of 12 hours on those days. If he goes onto a feeding schedule, the other one will need to also.
 

kittyluv387

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For store bought meat, I would be feeding him this uncooked?

My main concern is a feeding schedule. I work 10 hour shifts 4 days a week, so am out of the house for a minimum of 12 hours on those days. If he goes onto a feeding schedule, the other one will need to also.
Yes uncooked. If he responds well to the cuts of meat you can look into things like alnutrin and ez complete. These make homemade foods a lot easier. Well with his issues it's not a bad thing to be on a schedule. My cats eat just twice a day about 12 hours apart. Putting him on a schedule will also make him more willing to accept what you put in front of him.
 
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cuppa

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Yes uncooked. If he responds well to the cuts of meat you can look into things like alnutrin and ez complete. These make homemade foods a lot easier. Well with his issues it's not a bad thing to be on a schedule. My cats eat just twice a day about 12 hours apart. Putting him on a schedule will also make him more willing to accept what you put in front of him.
Thank you! I think I'm gonna try and transition them to scheduled meal times then. Once I've got them used to meal times, well go all wet (they get wet at night currently and have free grazing on kibble). Then I'll start really introducing the raw.

I'll try feeding Dante some bits during this process to hopefully get him used to it. Either way, it can't hurt to have them on scheduled meals. I've started browsing the raw feeding forum and will dive more deeply into it when I'm at an actual computer. If all goes well, I'll look into costs and see what ends up being easier/cheaper (meat with complete supplement, raw with grinder, or ordering frozen online).

Thank you for the advice! I'll be looking into raw for sure!
 

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Are you positive that this is an allergy and not over-grooming from stress?
We jut went thru this with our new adopted kitty. We tried LID foods trials, and other things and nothing worked, then she was put on a "calming" food for stress and her belly is completely healed.
 

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What about a home cooked diet? Some cats prefer that over raw. Use a pre-mix such as EZComplete with cooked meat of your choice. Since your cat can't tolerate poultry and rabbit, try venison and other game meats. A butcher shop or farmer's market might have these.

Raw meats can also be used with pre-mixes. Hare-Today.com is a popular supplier for a variety of raw meats.
 

PushPurrCatPaws

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Hi cuppa cuppa ! So sorry to see you and your kitty going through this! :(

I tried going through your threads to get any background info, and it leaves me wondering how closely any vets may have ruled in or ruled out perhaps consistent FLUTD issues? You say he is 6 yrs old; has had grooming/ itchy issues for at least four years, maybe longer; that he's been to an emergency vet twice (for dehydration and crystal issues); that there's a new female kitty in the house since Feb. (just a few months ago); also that allergy shots may take anywhere from a few months to a year to possibly help (if it's allergies). Also that he does eat dry food every day as part of his diet, and that he has been on and off some steroid shots. (Both of those previous things can lead to chronic dehydration, and often with some cats, FLUTD problems.) And is he still a little overweight?
Over-grooming problems | International Cat Care
Feline lower urinary tract disease (FLUTD) | International Cat Care
also,
Feline Idiopathic Cystitis - How To Improve Your Cat's Quality Of Life

The areas he is overgrooming might be a classic sign of any FLUTD issues. Or maybe only sometimes he has had possible bladder pain or urinary issues, and the overgrooming has also developed into a stress habit, since it's been happening for 4+ years? Poor little man! His tummy looks so painful!
:alright: :grouphug2:

Have you considered scoping out the idea of looking into any possible chronic bladder or urinary issues with your vet(s)? Even getting xrays or ultrasound to see if all is well with bladder and other internals organs? Cats often lick and overgroom due to painful areas, not just from stress or allergies -- the thing is, it could also be that he is experiencing all of the above, too!

Changes in diet could help, as others mention, and that could include decreasing or discontinuing the dry food if he's prone to dehydration or generalized FLUTD stuff. He could still be very stressed over the newest kitty in the household, too. Four years of licking his tummy and legs could be a hard habit to break. In my opinion, if it were me, I'd try to set up some more detailed vet visit(s) that would go into the possibility of bladder or urinary (or other) issues, to see if that is part of the whole scenario. Not just allergies or stress.
:hugs: :vibes: :vibes:
 

CL56

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Poor baby !
I am curious here...when they test these things...do they also test to see if it's fungal ?
 
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cuppa

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Are you positive that this is an allergy and not over-grooming from stress?
We jut went thru this with our new adopted kitty. We tried LID foods trials, and other things and nothing worked, then she was put on a "calming" food for stress and her belly is completely healed.
Honestly, I'm not positive what the cause is point blank. The dermatologist allergy test was just another thing to try. It just sucks that everything I try has to be done one at a time, or else I won't know what fixed it if I find it.

It very well could be stress, but I don't know what could be causing it. I will definitely look into calming agents. Feliway did nothing, but I can look into other calming products. I've been curious about CBD and might try that.

What about a home cooked diet? Some cats prefer that over raw. Use a pre-mix such as EZComplete with cooked meat of your choice. Since your cat can't tolerate poultry and rabbit, try venison and other game meats. A butcher shop or farmer's market might have these.

Raw meats can also be used with pre-mixes. Hare-Today.com is a popular supplier for a variety of raw meats.
I think I wasn't very clear in my first post. He doesn't seem to have a clear food allergy. He has been on poultry only, rabbit only, and salmon only. None of these diets showed any results (tested for more than 12 weeks each). He would not touch beef, lamb, or venison.

He is a very picky eater, so it's going to be A LOT of trial and error when it comes to raw. I'm willing to try cooked meat with a pre-mix or straight raw. It's just gonna be some testing to see what he'll accept. I'm browsing through the Raw Feeding forum and have seen hare-today and some other sites to browse. It would be nice to get them pre mixed, but I'll do a cost analysis down the line after he's transitioned to see what works best for both me and Dante.

First, it's time to get him on a meal schedule.

Hi cuppa cuppa ! So sorry to see you and your kitty going through this! :(

I tried going through your threads to get any background info, and it leaves me wondering how closely any vets may have ruled in or ruled out perhaps consistent FLUTD issues? You say he is 6 yrs old; has had grooming/ itchy issues for at least four years, maybe longer; that he's been to an emergency vet twice (for dehydration and crystal issues); that there's a new female kitty in the house since Feb. (just a few months ago); also that allergy shots may take anywhere from a few months to a year to possibly help (if it's allergies). Also that he does eat dry food every day as part of his diet, and that he has been on and off some steroid shots. (Both of those previous things can lead to chronic dehydration, and often with some cats, FLUTD problems.) And is he still a little overweight?
Over-grooming problems | International Cat Care
Feline lower urinary tract disease (FLUTD) | International Cat Care
also,
Feline Idiopathic Cystitis - How To Improve Your Cat's Quality Of Life

The areas he is overgrooming might be a classic sign of any FLUTD issues. Or maybe only sometimes he has had possible bladder pain or urinary issues, and the overgrooming has also developed into a stress habit, since it's been happening for 4+ years? Poor little man! His tummy looks so painful!
:alright: :grouphug2:

Have you considered scoping out the idea of looking into any possible chronic bladder or urinary issues with your vet(s)? Even getting xrays or ultrasound to see if all is well with bladder and other internals organs? Cats often lick and overgroom due to painful areas, not just from stress or allergies -- the thing is, it could also be that he is experiencing all of the above, too!

Changes in diet could help, as others mention, and that could include decreasing or discontinuing the dry food if he's prone to dehydration or generalized FLUTD stuff. He could still be very stressed over the newest kitty in the household, too. Four years of licking his tummy and legs could be a hard habit to break. In my opinion, if it were me, I'd try to set up some more detailed vet visit(s) that would go into the possibility of bladder or urinary (or other) issues, to see if that is part of the whole scenario. Not just allergies or stress.
:hugs: :vibes: :vibes:
Yeah. He was around 2 when the issues started. Yes there is another cat in the home now. She's been here for 3 months now, and they are getting along really well. No fighting or territorial issues. They groom each other, play, and even sleep together.

He did have an issue with dehydration years ago, but this was before he had better water sources and wet food every day. Learned from that horrible experience, and now I try and keep his liquid up. I am very willing to make the switch to complete wet. He has not had steroid shots for close to a year now. Yes he is a little overweight. I'm hoping scheduled meals will help with that, as well as upping wet food intake.

The crystals were a couple years ago now. He was on Hills c/d Multicare wet and dry for nearly a year after the fact. Then came the food trials for trying to figure out food possible food allergies.

I have a vet appointment on Tuesday, so I will discuss looking into bladder or urinary issues. I'll see about xrays/ultrasound and see if they can do a urine test. He uses the litterbox without issue and does not strain. I'll definitely get these tests done though so that I can be another thing to rule out/ or maybe even solve.

Poor baby !
I am curious here...when they test these things...do they also test to see if it's fungal ?
I believe they have, but I could be wrong. They've done a tape test on the hotspot as well as a skin scraping. Please let me know what other tests I can ask for to rule this out.
 

LTS3

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It would be nice to get them pre mixed, but I'll do a cost analysis down the line after he's transitioned to see what works best for both me and Dante.
A pre-mix is the powdered vitamin and mineral supplement that is added to meat to make it a complete diet.

Some people prefer to buy their own supplements and mix them according to the directions of their favorite raw cat food recipe such as the one at Catinfo.org

It may not be an allergy to a protein. Lots f things can cause allergies in sensitive cats: gums, grains, oils, etc. @cheeser has a cat who is allergic to a lot of things in commercial cat food.

Can you ask your vets to consult with other vets? Sometimes it takes a couple of vets to put their heads together and figure out an issue.
 
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cuppa

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A pre-mix is the powdered vitamin and mineral supplement that is added to meat to make it a complete diet.

Some people prefer to buy their own supplements and mix them according to the directions of their favorite raw cat food recipe such as the one at Catinfo.org

It may not be an allergy to a protein. Lots f things can cause allergies in sensitive cats: gums, grains, oils, etc. @cheeser has a cat who is allergic to a lot of things in commercial cat food.

Can you ask your vets to consult with other vets? Sometimes it takes a couple of vets to put their heads together and figure out an issue.
Sorry. When I mean pre-mixed I mostly meant whole chicken or whole rabbit frozen (like from hare-today).

I will be exploring the different types of raw and what he'll tolerate. I'm definitely looking forward to food that doesn't have a ton of additives.

He has actually seen 3 separate vets from all different practices. I can certainly ask his current vet to ask around though. :D
 

CL56

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I believe they have, but I could be wrong. They've done a tape test on the hotspot as well as a skin scraping. Please let me know what other tests I can ask for to rule this out.
I am sorry but I have no idea how they would test for fungus.
Just something about the photo looks like a fungal infection to me.
 
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cuppa

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Back from the vet. No bacteria or crystals in the urine. I ordered some cbd oil and treats a few days ago. Waiting for that to come in and will see if that helps.

Meanwhile, doctor has given him an antibiotic and steroid tablets for the next few weeks.
 
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