Cat Scratch Fever

[Stars Dad]

Hello all! New member here. This is Star. We adopted her two weeks ago from the Humane Society. Unfortunately she’s been scratching the area between her eyes and ears to the point of bleeding and hair loss.

She was treated for scabies at the shelter so we were afraid that the treatment didn’t work. Our vet said that 99% of the time the treatment works and the revolution should clear it all up also. We had them test for that and other things anyway to be sure. In the meantime he found rare cocci in Stars ears. I’m a bit confused as to what this is but I think it’s a bacterial infection. We are treating it with drops twice a day. I believe that he thinks this is responsible for her scratching but I’m not so sure as she also scratches her neck. What do you all think? Scabies test comes back in two weeks. In the mean time it’s the cone of shame for her.

 

[Furballsmom]

Hi! Have you tried a food change, in case there's a sensitivity/intolerance to an ingredient going on?

 

[Stars Dad]

Sure haven’t. She’s on Kitten Science Diet hard food. Same as from the shelter. Vet approved. Also we are putting probiotics from the vet on the food in the morning. She was scratching before that though but it had gotten better before our first Vet visit. I believe that’s because the shelter sent us home with antibiotics. As soon as we ran out of those the scratching started again. She got an antibiotic shot yesterday that lasts 14 days supposedly.

 

[silkenpaw]

Congratulations on your new family member. She’s lovely. How old is she?

Scratching sure is frustrating. I hope it’s an infection rather than allergies, because the latter can be so difficult to deal with. The two week antibiotic injection is called Convenia and cocci are bacteria. I’m curious why your vet thought they needed to be treated, since the skin of all animals is colonized by bacteria, the most common of which is Streptococcus (plural: Streptococci).

I think trying a different food is a good suggestion if the itching persists.

 

[Furballsmom]

If you can, try a couple cans of fancy feast or a pouch food that is a nutritionally complete food (some brands have varieties that are treats and not complete). Wet food added to her diet will better for her anyway, even if food isn't definitively the source/cause of the itchiness.

 

[Furballsmom]

If you can, try a couple cans of fancy feast or a pouch food that is a nutritionally complete food (some brands have varieties that are treats and not complete). Wet food added to her diet will better for her anyway, even if food isn't definitively the source/cause of the itchiness.

 

[Stars Dad]

Thanks Silkenpaw, she’s super sweet. They have her estimated a 7 1/2 years old. I just hope whatever it is stops. She’s still attempting to scratch through the cone often. She can barely reach her food with it on so we take it off to feed her but then it’s back on or she goes at it.

 

[Stars Dad]

Okay Furballsmom, we may try that if it it persists. We were trying to stay away from the wet food since she’s doing so good eating the dry.

 

[Stars Dad]

Sorry 7 1/2 months.

 

[Furballsmom]

poor itchy baby, I'm sending a LOT of good healing thoughts your way!!

 

[Stars Dad]

I think that the vet thinks that the cocci is why she is scratching. He specifically said rare cocci. Not sure if there’s a difference. Maybe we’re being over cautious. This was what was done if it helps:

 

[Stars Dad]

 

[silkenpaw]

So the Wood’s lamp is for ringworm and the fungal culture is for other fungi. I don’t know what exactly the tape shows. I still think the rare cocci is a non-finding, but you have to with what the vet says, since he’s actually there.

Good luck, I hope you work it out, itching is the pits.

 

[Stars Dad]

Just an update, Star has been out of the cone for several days now and seems to be doing much better with the scratching. All tests came back clean. She’s healed up very quickly and the vet says say she should be good to go until her next yearly visit. Thanks for your help!

 

[Furballsmom]

Wow!!! What a great picture!!

Thanks so much for the photo and the update!
I was thinking about you, if anything happens again (hopefully not!) Only Natural Pet has a number of skin, itchiness and soother products, some to treat and some to help make cats more comfortable while the problem is going on.