Hair Loss On Front Paws

[DaCatsmeow]

I would say he is stressed about something. Do you own any other cats or
pets?

 

[dustydiamond1]

Looking for some thoughts and ideas of what could be causing the hair loss on my cats front paws.

Guinness had his teeth cleaned and 4 teeth extracted last August. In the fall of 2016, he started having issues with being ravenous all the time, and I took him to the vet in January/February and have run all sorts of tests on him. We have tested him for diabetes, tested his thyroid, his pancreas, etc, and I am treating him with a low dose steroid for IBD, because all those tests came back clear. The vet seems to think he could have a low-grade lymphoma, but won't diagnose without an endoscopy or exploratory surgery. Guinness is somewhere between 12-14 years old, so I don't think it's fair to cut him open for exploratory surgery.
He has hair loss on both front paws, and it initially started in the site where his IV was put in for his teeth cleaning. It has just gotten worse and worse, and he is overgrooming it. The vet has basically said it is another sign of him probably having cancer. He had his belly shaved in February for an ultrasound, and his hair never grew back after that.

Does anyone else on this board have experience with this? Was it lymphoma? Was it food allergies? Just stress? Any ideas that you can share are appreciated. I am debating looking for a new vet, only because I don't think his current vet has any other ideas besides exploratory surgery. I am looking for solutions that aren't super invasive for my little old man.

Oh! your poor old guy, I would try a different vet. Good luck & please keep us updated.

 

[JMJimmy]

While I wonder about the IBD, my first question would be did the vet do an x-ray?

I ask because what I'm not seeing is any sort of skin irritation. No redness/rash, the hair is coming in, it just appears to be licked off. That combined with the odd raised part (see picture) made me wonder if the tip of an IV needle broke off under the skin?

 

[lilsnakeyk]

I would say he is stressed about something. Do you own any other cats or
pets?

He is one of two cats. They do not like each other, but they have lived together for 10 years, so it is not anything new regarding a pet. I've lived in the same home for the past 6 years, and have had the same job for the past five years. There really hasn't been any change this year that would warrant additional stress in his environment.

 

[lilsnakeyk]

While I wonder about the IBD, my first question would be did the vet do an x-ray?

I ask because what I'm not seeing is any sort of skin irritation. No redness/rash, the hair is coming in, it just appears to be licked off. That combined with the odd raised part (see picture) made me wonder if the tip of an IV needle broke off under the skin?

No x-ray was done. She looked at it, but didn't see a rash or anything, so she just said well, that could be another sign of disease.

He is sleeping right now, and I will go take a closer look at the paw if he will let me. He doesn't want it being touched.

Wow, I hope it's not that. The IV was from a year ago. That would be horrible.

 

[JMJimmy]

Wow, I hope it's not that. The IV was from a year ago. That would be horrible.

It wouldn't be that bad, as long as it wasn't near a joint it would likely only cause momentary discomfort. Over time though scar tissue starts to form around foreign objects which will cause more and more discomfort. Just a theory based on a shadow... it just seemed unusually straight to be a vein and too uniform to be a scar

 

[J. A. Vann]

Looking for some thoughts and ideas of what could be causing the hair loss on my cats front paws.
Lymphoma is cancer and defiantly does not need surgery to find it out! It's done by blood work! Also anastheia can and does cause hair loss, in people too! It can take months or a year for it to stop! It can also be whatever you clean your floors with!
As for teeth cleaning at the age of your cat! I wouldn't! When I first moved to TN with my 18 yr old cat that was the dearest thing to my heart, she started acting as if she had a urinary infection & I figured it was the stress if moving! I was recommended a Vet! He gave me some Clavamox & things were going well! He also stated she needed her teeth cleaned! I was hesitant, to say the least! My husband who works at a hospital in surgery was totally against it! He said they wouldn't even do that to a human that age! I thought theVet knew best! This Vetcalled me insessantly trying his best to talk me into it! He even claimed my cat would have a new lease on life! I finally gave in! Was I ever wrong! I get there w/my cat & there was no appointment! That should have sent me out with my cat in hand but the Vet came out & grabbed her crate! He says we are going to make your husband eat his words! Long story short he murdered my cat, then tried to save her life! I went to see her the next day in an oxygen box, she was swinging her head back & forth hooked up to tubes! Also she had bitten her tongue almost off & they couldn't give her anastheia to stitch it up!! This Vet said it would take a while but he was going to help her! Well, after he said that he left town on book signing tour & left her care to his nasty brother who I swear instantly put her down when he left! Then he calls me and tells me! I told him his brother said she would be OK! Then he says, What did you expect she was sick! Then I was told she had all kinds of problems! I know darn well she didn't! So in short my cat drown from that Vet flushing her kidneys that he said would give her a new lease on life & a heart attack from the anastheia! His brother was mean and unfeeling! An arragant jerk! Then I had to pay almost a thousand dollars for the killing of my cat! And he never ever apologized! So now I think twice and more before I have any thing done to any catbthat is over 5 years! It was obvious all this guy wanted was money! He's very popular around here but I believe he has them really fooled!!
You have to do what you feel is necessary but Lymphoma is not diagnosed by surgery or any thing else but blood tests! And medications can cause it as well! If I were you I would get a second opinion!

Guinness had his teeth cleaned and 4 teeth extracted last August. In the fall of 2016, he started having issues with being ravenous all the time, and I took him to the vet in January/February and have run all sorts of tests on him. We have tested him for diabetes, tested his thyroid, his pancreas, etc, and I am treating him with a low dose steroid for IBD, because all those tests came back clear. The vet seems to think he could have a low-grade lymphoma, but won't diagnose without an endoscopy or exploratory surgery. Guinness is somewhere between 12-14 years old, so I don't think it's fair to cut him open for exploratory surgery.
He has hair loss on both front paws, and it initially started in the site where his IV was put in for his teeth cleaning. It has just gotten worse and worse, and he is overgrooming it. The vet has basically said it is another sign of him probably having cancer. He had his belly shaved in February for an ultrasound, and his hair never grew back after that.

Does anyone else on this board have experience with this? Was it lymphoma? Was it food allergies? Just stress? Any ideas that you can share are appreciated. I am debating looking for a new vet, only because I don't think his current vet has any other ideas besides exploratory surgery. I am looking for solutions that aren't super invasive for my little old man.

Lymphoma