Food (?) allergy, prescription foods no help... any advice?

Rowan2019

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I adopted my cat Rowan about a year ago. She's roughly 1 year and 4 months old now. She scratches at her head between her eyes and her ears, and around her mouth, to the point of bleeding. After going through all the obvious things (ear mites, infection, parasites, fungus) the vet determined she's allergic to something and recommended me to a dermatologist (which is very expensive...).

She's been on allergy prescription foods exclusively since mid-August 2019. I was given prednisolone to help her with the itch. I've been through almost every kind of prescription allergy food to no avail. I started on the Royal Canin Ultamino and then switched to Hill's Z/D for my own reasons. After 12 weeks and tapering the prednisolone, she started scratching again. The dermatologist said that sometimes if very sensitive, the trace amounts of chicken in the hydrolyzed chicken foods can still trigger allergies, so they switched me to Blue HF (hydrolyzed fish). After 12 weeks of that, again tapering the prednisolone, she was scratching again. So we did an environmental allergen blood test and I was given Atopica. Atopica isn't supposed to be as bad for her as prednisolone so I was supposed to switch her over, but after a week of Atopica she had uncontrollable liquid diarrhea for a week straight. The dermatologist suggested going back on it at a half dose after she recovered, but I can't deal with that again.The environmental allergen test came back NEGATIVE during that period of time.

The last suggestion was to try Blue NP (alligator). For roughly 2 weeks she's been eating that, is off prednisolone, and I found out that 5mgs of Zyrtec can be used on cats with little to no side effects so I've been giving her it daily. The Zyrtec doesn't seem to help and she's getting bad again. I'm going to have no choice but to use the prednisolone again, which I know is bad for her, but I don't know what else to do since the vet dermatologist has proven to be about as useful as human dermatologists - not at all - and I don't think I'm going back. All that said, I can't be sure of anything with the Blue NP right now because my folks visited with their dogs the weekend before I switched to it. They left the dog food out (despite being told that can't happen and knowing about this whole ordeal) before going for a walk while I was still asleep, which Rowan quickly found. So, yeah, another 10 weeks before certainty.

Does anyone have any advice as to what I could try next? The allergy foods have been no help, and they are supposed to be free of all the typical allergens. If it's not a protein triggering her, both the Blue HF and Blue NP have almost the same supplementary ingredients. The only remaining allergy food to try is Purina HA (hydrolyzed soy). I have no reason to think it isn't food related. The only thing I can think to do next is make her food myself, but any kind of food trial takes 8-12 weeks, prednisolone will suppress the symptoms until I taper off, I have no idea what to mix with meat to keep her diet healthy, and quite frankly that might be more work than I'm up for...

First post here, sorry it's so long. Thanks in advance.
 

Jcatbird

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We see these problems a lot here. F FeralHearts Hss a thread that might help you since her kitty, Charlie has gone through some food trials. Maybe reading her thread could help. Just.click on this link. I am sure others will be along to help as well. Please keep posting with updates to get more responses as you go. Welcome to TCS! It’s a great place to find information and support.
Charlie: The Food Trial Diaries (ibd / Food Allergy (sensitivity) Or Stress)
One othenitstion, pollen fleas and many other things besides food can cause allergies.
If you are using any household cleaners, new soaps, perfumes , new fabrics etc. investigate that too.
 

Furballsmom

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Hi!

Just a thought following@jcatbird , do you wash any blankets your cat sleeps on? Do you use scented dryer sheets?

There are premixes that have all the extra nutrients cats require such as Alnutrin and ezcomplete.
Homemade & Raw Food For Cats – A Collection of Guides – Cat Articles

Also, try dabbing store bought (garden grown can be unsafe for cats), brewed chilled chamomile tea on the irritated areas. It's anti fungal, anti bacterial, will help ease the itch and is actually calming (in larger amounts), so it's safe if ingested :)
 

Jcatbird

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Yes, I wash the kitty blankets at least every two weeks and more often for the long haired cats. I use Tide Free and Gentle detergent, an extra rinse cycle. No dryer sheets ever! I am sensitive to cleaners myself and this does well for my clothes and all the kitty blankets. Once in awhile I do use Clorox but definitely an extra rinse cycle and my washing machine has a Power rinse cycle that really clears everything from the fabric. Newer washing machines don’t seem to be as effective so a complete extra wash cycle might be in order to eliminate all traces of any lingering chemicals. I do garden and sometimes get stains so I use Resolve for that but at the start of the wash cycle and that extra rinse cycle.
 

FeralHearts

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Thanks Jcatbird Jcatbird for altering me to this thread. XO

Rowan2019 Rowan2019 Welcome to the cat site! :welcomesign: I'm so very sorry that this is happening to you and your kitty. I know this frustration all too well.

I'm going to make some general assumptions of "yes" to these questions - and but I'll rely on you to come back and confirm:

Blood work is coming back normal?
They've checked her teeth out fully and completely?
She is indoor only? (If not, she needs to be.)

I'm going to third Jcatbird Jcatbird and Furballsmom Furballsmom - wash everything in hypoallergenic soap. Even your own bedsheets if she sleeps on the bed with you. Also say goodbye to any fragrances in the house.(Though I would do these things one at a time to sort out where it's coming from.)

Litter is another option believe it or not. Is it scented litter? Do you add anything to the litter? Is the litter different from what she used to have?

I also agree with you on dermatologists for the most part. As for allergy tests. My vet considers them equally as useless for cats and people. In fact one of my vets calls those tests the equal to Snake Oil salesman. Expensive - and not accurate.

You are correct to that she'd have to be off the prednisone / other meds to confirm any positive changes. Food trials though are a min of 12 weeks.

I understand too about the dog. Charlie got into one or two bites of food he wasn't supposed to have and his allergy came back with a vengeance. I was so upset for him and I felt horrible about it.
 
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Rowan2019

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Thanks Jcatbird Jcatbird for altering me to this thread. XO

Rowan2019 Rowan2019 Welcome to the cat site! :welcomesign: I'm so very sorry that this is happening to you and your kitty. I know this frustration all too well.

I'm going to make some general assumptions of "yes" to these questions - and but I'll rely on you to come back and confirm:

Blood work is coming back normal?
They've checked her teeth out fully and completely?
She is indoor only? (If not, she needs to be.)

I'm going to third Jcatbird Jcatbird and Furballsmom Furballsmom - wash everything in hypoallergenic soap. Even your own bedsheets if she sleeps on the bed with you. Also say goodbye to any fragrances in the house.(Though I would do these things one at a time to sort out where it's coming from.)

Litter is another option believe it or not. Is it scented litter? Do you add anything to the litter? Is the litter different from what she used to have?

I also agree with you on dermatologists for the most part. As for allergy tests. My vet considers them equally as useless for cats and people. In fact one of my vets calls those tests the equal to Snake Oil salesman. Expensive - and not accurate.

You are correct to that she'd have to be off the prednisone / other meds to confirm any positive changes. Food trials though are a min of 12 weeks.

I understand too about the dog. Charlie got into one or two bites of food he wasn't supposed to have and his allergy came back with a vengeance. I was so upset for him and I felt horrible about it.
Hi FeralHearts! Thanks for the reply.

Other than the allergen test I don't think either vet has run blood work on her.
They look at her teeth every visit and have never said anything about them. Why?
She is indoor only.
I don't use any fragrances except for scented candles I very rarely burn. Unless you count cleaning supplies.
I haven't been using hypoallergenic detergent, Tide original, but I do use dryer sheets for sensitive skin. I considered switching before but for whatever reason I never did.
I don't use scented litter. I use Dr. Elsey's which is supposed to be good for allergies. I don't add anything else.

That's a shame regarding the allergy testing. Other than still not knowing what's wrong and the expense, I can't say I'm not partially relieved it came back negative since otherwise I'd have to give her allergy vaccine shots everyday.
 
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Rowan2019

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Hi!

Just a thought following@jcatbird , do you wash any blankets your cat sleeps on? Do you use scented dryer sheets?

There are premixes that have all the extra nutrients cats require such as Alnutrin and ezcomplete.
Homemade & Raw Food For Cats – A Collection of Guides – Cat Articles

Also, try dabbing store bought (garden grown can be unsafe for cats), brewed chilled chamomile tea on the irritated areas. It's anti fungal, anti bacterial, will help ease the itch and is actually calming (in larger amounts), so it's safe if ingested :)
Thanks for the tips. The only blanket she sleeps on is my bed, so on the occasion I wash my duvet, yes. She sleeps anywhere, though her new favorite spot is her new tree which I've vacuumed but other than wiping it down can't really wash.
 

FeralHearts

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Hi FeralHearts! Thanks for the reply.

Other than the allergen test I don't think either vet has run blood work on her.
They look at her teeth every visit and have never said anything about them. Why?
She is indoor only.
Anytime. I hope we can all help you!

IMHO I would ask for bloodwork as it seems warranted with something this persistent.

I asked about teeth as my very first indoor cat was scratching and making his cheek and mouth bleed. Then he dug a hole in his face at the side cheek and I do mean a hole. It was at that point someone clued in that he had a bad back tooth. That took nearly six months to sort out. I remember that so well. Poor little guy. So now any serious face scratching, at least for me, warrants a good look in the mouth. Not just a "let's lift the lips and briefly look". Which, I hate to say this, many vets do.




She is indoor only.
I thought so but wanted to be 100% sure.


I don't use any fragrances except for scented candles I very rarely burn. Unless you count cleaning supplies.
I haven't been using hypoallergenic detergent, Tide original, but I do use dryer sheets for sensitive skin. I considered switching before but for whatever reason I never did.
I don't use scented litter. I use Dr. Elsey's which is supposed to be good for allergies. I don't add anything else.
I'd switch to the hypo atm and see how she responds. (Wash your sheets and all of her bedding and blankets as a starting point.)

If it is allergies - it's a PITA to figure out what and trial-by-fire / trial and error. I'm confident you'll figure it out. Just go slow and one thing at a time.


That's a shame regarding the allergy testing. Other than still not knowing what's wrong and the expense, I can't say I'm not partially relieved it came back negative since otherwise I'd have to give her allergy vaccine shots everyday.
It is a shame and it's VERY frustrating.

And think - you could give her allergy shots daily and it still not be the correct thing.
 
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Rowan2019

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We see these problems a lot here. F FeralHearts Hss a thread that might help you since her kitty, Charlie has gone through some food trials. Maybe reading her thread could help. Just.click on this link. I am sure others will be along to help as well. Please keep posting with updates to get more responses as you go. Welcome to TCS! It’s a great place to find information and support.
Charlie: The Food Trial Diaries (ibd / Food Allergy (sensitivity) Or Stress)
One othenitstion, pollen fleas and many other things besides food can cause allergies.
If you are using any household cleaners, new soaps, perfumes , new fabrics etc. investigate that too.
Unfortunately this has been ongoing since I got her. She had a lot of 'ear debris' but the shelter vet dismissed it after checking for ear mites and not finding any. Her ears bothering her seems to also be a symptom of her allergies (head shaking, debris), because we haven't been able to find another cause and getting the debris under the control didn't stop her from scratching at her ears. The vet has had me keep her on Revolution which is good for fleas and mites since my first visit.
 

LTS3

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Has non-prescription limited infredient type food been tried? Might be worth trying if prescription allergy foods are not helping. You don't need the vet's approval to feed non-prescription food.

Sometimes it's not the protein that triggers a reaction. Fillers like gums and starches can cause reactions in some sensitive cats.There is a TCS member whose cat is sensitive to multiple things in cat food. There's only a few foods the cat can eat.

The vet has had me keep her on Revolution which is good for fleas and mites since my first visit.
Revolution can cause skin reactions in some cats. How long have you been using Revolution? Try stopping it for a month or two. Indoor only cats don't need a monthly parasite preventative anyways.
 
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Rowan2019

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Rowan2019 Rowan2019 Do you have paperwork/vet notes from the shelter?

Was she checked for immune-suppressing illnesses like feline leukemia and FIV? SNAP tests etc?
Hm... It says Felv Test (I assume that's FIV?), treated for ringworm, got her vaccinations, flea treatment, and they did an ear smear/cleaning. No mention of feline leukemia or SNAP.
 
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Rowan2019

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Has non-prescription limited infredient type food been tried? Might be worth trying if prescription allergy foods are not helping. You don't need the vet's approval to feed non-prescription food.

Sometimes it's not the protein that triggers a reaction. Fillers like gums and starches can cause reactions in some sensitive cats.There is a TCS member whose cat is sensitive to multiple things in cat food. There's only a few foods the cat can eat.



Revolution can cause skin reactions in some cats. How long have you been using Revolution? Try stopping it for a month or two. Indoor only cats don't need a monthly parasite preventative anyways.
No, but I've read that non-prescription foods are not reliable. For instance, if the cat has a protein allergy, they're frequently manufactured on the same lines that produced other foods and are thus cross-contaminated. At any rate, it's 12 weeks per food trial and I've only had her a year so it takes time to cycle through foods...

As far as the revolution goes, the dermatologist had me use Bravecto instead. That's good for 3 months and it's been over 4 months since the last treatment. So she hasn't been on anything for a bit. I'm probably going to give her Revolution at least once though just to be safe after the dogs visited. Chewy orders are slow these days :(
 
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Rowan2019

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Rowan2019 Rowan2019 Do you have paperwork/vet notes from the shelter?

Was she checked for immune-suppressing illnesses like feline leukemia and FIV? SNAP tests etc?
I'm going to continue the Blue NP alligator since it's only been 3 weeks and she got in the dog food ~4 weeks ago... but I'm going to exclude the wet version. I have a hypothesis with very little foundation that she's allergic to the gums in wet food.
 

Jcatbird

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The Felv test mentioned in your records is thefelind leukemia test but it may have been a combo test that included FIV.
Treated for ringworm? That can cause some fur loss and I hasten seen it around the eyes. No return of that by any chance? It can be stubborn to get rid of.
 

beccakb

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Hey Rowan2019 Rowan2019 , so sorry to hear that you're dealing with a stubborn allergy issue. My kitty has had a similar problem since I got her a year ago. She gets sores in one spot under her arm, so not the same as your kitty, but the vet believes it is a similar allergy problem.

We've gone through many trials of trying to pinpoint the allergen, but haven't gone to a dermatologist yet. I'm kind of glad I haven't yet based on your post. If anything I've felt I've been more successful with google and forums like this to try to figure out solutions and treatment options, so I hope this forum is helpful for you!

My vet sent me an article about atopic dermatitis so I'll list a few of the treatment recommendations that are on there that you haven't mentioned yet. I'm still in the long process of trying to find a solution or my kitty so I wish you all the best and will keep tabs on this thread!

Cyclosporine

Cyclosporine is a modulator of the immune response that has been helpful in both human and non-human organ transplant patients. It has been found to be reliably effective in atopic dermatitis and does not carry the unpleasant side effect profile that steroids do. That said, it is not without side effects of its own. It is used mostly in dogs but can also be used in cats. It is for long-term management and is not helpful for acute flare up control.

Omega 3 Fatty Acid Supplements

These products are not analogous to adding dietary oil to the pet's food, such as olive oil, coconut oil, corn oil etc. Instead, these special fatty acids act as medications, disrupting the production of inflammatory chemicals within the skin. By using these supplements, it may be possible to postpone the need for steroids/cortisones or reduce the dose of steroid needed to control symptoms. It takes a good 6 weeks to build up enough omega 3 fatty acids in the body to see a difference.

Proper Coat Hygiene/Removing Allergens From The Environment If Possible

  • Bathing the pet weekly to remove allergens from the fur may be helpful in reducing allergen exposure plus tepid water is soothing to itchy skin. There are also many therapeutic moisturizing shampoos that can be used to restore the skin’s natural barrier or to assist in general itch relief.
  • Avoid stuffed toys, wash bedding regularly. This minimizes dust mite exposure. Also, remove the pet from the area when vacuuming or dusting.
  • Use air-conditioning and/or an air filter system.
  • Keep the pet away from the lawn while it is being mowed.
  • Minimize houseplants.
 

Peachiekitty

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I adopted my cat Rowan about a year ago. She's roughly 1 year and 4 months old now. She scratches at her head between her eyes and her ears, and around her mouth, to the point of bleeding. After going through all the obvious things (ear mites, infection, parasites, fungus) the vet determined she's allergic to something and recommended me to a dermatologist (which is very expensive...).

She's been on allergy prescription foods exclusively since mid-August 2019. I was given prednisolone to help her with the itch. I've been through almost every kind of prescription allergy food to no avail. I started on the Royal Canin Ultamino and then switched to Hill's Z/D for my own reasons. After 12 weeks and tapering the prednisolone, she started scratching again. The dermatologist said that sometimes if very sensitive, the trace amounts of chicken in the hydrolyzed chicken foods can still trigger allergies, so they switched me to Blue HF (hydrolyzed fish). After 12 weeks of that, again tapering the prednisolone, she was scratching again. So we did an environmental allergen blood test and I was given Atopica. Atopica isn't supposed to be as bad for her as prednisolone so I was supposed to switch her over, but after a week of Atopica she had uncontrollable liquid diarrhea for a week straight. The dermatologist suggested going back on it at a half dose after she recovered, but I can't deal with that again.The environmental allergen test came back NEGATIVE during that period of time.

The last suggestion was to try Blue NP (alligator). For roughly 2 weeks she's been eating that, is off prednisolone, and I found out that 5mgs of Zyrtec can be used on cats with little to no side effects so I've been giving her it daily. The Zyrtec doesn't seem to help and she's getting bad again. I'm going to have no choice but to use the prednisolone again, which I know is bad for her, but I don't know what else to do since the vet dermatologist has proven to be about as useful as human dermatologists - not at all - and I don't think I'm going back. All that said, I can't be sure of anything with the Blue NP right now because my folks visited with their dogs the weekend before I switched to it. They left the dog food out (despite being told that can't happen and knowing about this whole ordeal) before going for a walk while I was still asleep, which Rowan quickly found. So, yeah, another 10 weeks before certainty.

Does anyone have any advice as to what I could try next? The allergy foods have been no help, and they are supposed to be free of all the typical allergens. If it's not a protein triggering her, both the Blue HF and Blue NP have almost the same supplementary ingredients. The only remaining allergy food to try is Purina HA (hydrolyzed soy). I have no reason to think it isn't food related. The only thing I can think to do next is make her food myself, but any kind of food trial takes 8-12 weeks, prednisolone will suppress the symptoms until I taper off, I have no idea what to mix with meat to keep her diet healthy, and quite frankly that might be more work than I'm up for...

First post here, sorry it's so long. Thanks in advance.
I realize this post is a year old, but I’m going through something similar with my kitty. Did you find any answers?
Lindsey
 

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Hi! The original poster/discussion starter hasn't been on the site since August of last year. You may want to start your own thread :).
 

Peachiekitty

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Hi! The original poster/discussion starter hasn't been on the site since August of last year. You may want to start your own thread :).
Thank you! Just hoping that they would get an email notification and come back and give us all the answers to my cat allergy woes 😅
 
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