Skin Condition... Ringworm?

[mercer]

Sonny is about 9/10 weeks old and he went to the vet on the 11th. They did a skin tape and found nothing but did a skin scrape and said they'd get back to me in three weeks (!?). They sent me home with a medical shampoo, wipes, as well as decongestants for his wheezing.

While I'm all beginning to think he's just allergic and stressed out over being allergic to his food (all the symptoms of sneezing, snoring, wheezing, itching, etc. fit)... I can't rule ringworm out. I'll add some photos of the spots that are there as of today, none of which were there when I brought him home from the shelter over a week ago. He had a few fleas but was treated some days later, finally got the meds on him after the vet.

So...
1) flea allergy (would explain skin)
2) food allergy (would explain sneezing, inflamed throat leading to snoring/snorting after meals, and wheezing)
3) ringworm (would explain just the skin?)

(First one found on ear, then on the back of his head.)

(Next one found.)

(This is one I felt first and there is another, not visible, same texture "like matted fur" near tip of tail too.)

I pulled the flaky scab skin off rather easily? Ew, but here they are. Revealing the beef jerky skin underneath...

He doesn't itch at the spots or seem to care about them being touched or anything. They're flaky and a little scabby and the first one on his eat I was able to easily pull the skin off in some bits and his skin is clear underneath. In my personal experience, it doesn't look "irritated" or even red.

It could even be a combination of stress of new home, too many baths, flea allergy, food allergy...

 

[Mamanyt1953]

I do know that ringworm fungus fluoresces under a black light. Did your vet check with one? It sorta kinda maybe looks like it, but not what you are describing, not really? And isn't that just less than helpful! But stress...yeah. That can cause a host of issues, considering everything else that he is apparently dealing with. I wish I had something concrete to give you, but...

My go-to for stress is usually chamomile tea, but I'm not sure what a safe dose would be for a kitten that young, and feel this is something that is best left alone for right now. Should it be stress-related, I'll give you some instructions for using it when he is older, though, very gladly.

 

[mrsgreenjeens]

Well, I don't know if it's ringworm or not, but I want to say that I've never heard of food allergies causing sneezing, wheezing, that sort of thing. That sounds more like hay fever type allergies, which would NOT be the cause of the skin issues though. To me, those pictures look more like mange, but there are several different types. Do they bother him...itch? Is there any odor? OR, did or does he have fleas? It could be a reaction to flea bite hypersensitivity.

 

[mercer]

I do know that ringworm fungus fluoresces under a black light. Did your vet check with one?

I heard the same thing and the vet did not, but I did when I got home because we just happen to have black lights. I don't think I really saw anything glow or out of the ordinary.

Do they bother him...itch? Is there any odor? OR, did or does he have fleas? It could be a reaction to flea bite hypersensitivity.

He doesn't seem to itch at them as much as I catch him itching but I suppose. He did have fleas and was treated and I'd assume that yeah, it could be a culprit.

It just doesn't help that now upon everything else I found a tiny, runny poop in his litter box (found it because he stepped in it, again, and proceeded to walk all over me) and there was blood in it. I've had this kitten for a week and he's falling apart.



P.S. He doesn't seem to be in pain or agony over any of this. He's still a playful, active kitten who takes long naps and purrs and cuddles and acts like a cat. That's why I'm stumped. Any symptom checked I do or friend I talk to says it could be allergies or a flea bite reaction but it seems like so much more on the outside. I'm starting with changing his dry food tomorrow before I rush to a vet over something my friend who has raised hundreds of cats in her lifetime says "That happens sometimes".

Could it all just be a flea allergy, food allergy, and added on stress for his body?

 

[mercer]

So, in summation, as of Oct 14 (2AM)...

1. Shelter cat, had none of these issues when picked up.
2. He's been home at least 11 days (home on the 3rd). He went to the vet on the 11th.
3. Only had fleas and has been treated, and treated again although a week late.
4. bald patches (one on ear, head, right elbow, under base of tail, around tip of tail - flaky, dandruff-looking/white, crusty, not red for all I know, they have no odor [?], but he does itch at them at times but then again he's a cat and just itches at spots)
5. I was given anti-fungal wipes and shampoo for the above in case it is ringworm.
6. Skin/patches did not react under black light (home test) for all I know.
7. Appetite never changed, uses his litter boxes, sleeps normally.
8. Sneezes, vet said he has wheezing, and he snorts/snores when sleeping.
9. Was given oral decongestants from vet for this.
10. He takes them but of course he tries to spit it up, still gets it down.
11. Still no change in his actual behavior. Still active, playful, snuggly, etc.

My assumption is (1) an allergy to the Purina kitten chow I got because he didn't act like this before in all the time I visited him at the shelter (it's being changed regardless)... mixed with or is (2) an allergic reaction to fleas... mixed with (3) the stress of baths, meds, and new environment.

 

[mercer]

Since flea allergic dermatitis and food allergic dermatitis look the same and are treated the same, with the fleas now treated and anti-fungal medicated shampoo at the ready, I will be changing his food and monitoring any change in his overall sneezing, scratching, and bathroom habits. I've been trying to give him as little of the food I have now because I am 100% sure it's what he is reacting to (if not the fleas as well).

 

[mrsgreenjeens]

One more question before I have to run out for the day...did the oral decongestants help with the sneezing, wheezing?

More from me tomorrow. Sorry, gotta run!

 

[Mamanyt1953]

Was he wormed at the vet? That could easily cause the runny poo, as could a sudden change in diet. The best way to change a diet that isn't causing severe allergic reactions is to slowly mix the new food in with the old.

 

[mrsgreenjeens]

Areyou going to switch back to what he was eating at the shelter? I think at this point that's your best bet, if he didn't have any issues there.

I'm re-thinking flea allergy, simply because you said they don't really bother him, and if it were a flea allergy, he would probably be scratching at them like crazy. AND, you kind of question why I asked about odor. It's a good thing they don't smell! Here is a chart about cat and skin issues, specifically scaly skin, that you can peruse and see which issue fits. Now I'm thing perhaps Sebaceous adenitis or Demodectic mange based on this article: http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?c=1+2141&aid=207 Of course, I'm not a Vet...so I'm just doing my Dr. Google impression

 

[mercer]

Was he wormed at the vet? That could easily cause the runny poo, as could a sudden change in diet. The best way to change a diet that isn't causing severe allergic reactions is to slowly mix the new food in with the old.

He was wormed at the vet and apparently was the only thing he got, and is supposed to go back for rabies shots, etc. He was neutered as well, but that's it. When/if his food, litter, whatever needs to be changed is changed, it will be a gradual change.

Are you going to switch back to what he was eating at the shelter? I think at this point that's your best bet, if he didn't have any issues there.

I in no way know what the cats were eating at the shelter, as they worked through donations and I saw all kinds of brand bags around the place, from Purina to ones I haven't heard of. He is eating Purina kitten chow but may be changed to a Purina One kind that is for cats who have food allergies, and see if that does anything.

I'm re-thinking flea allergy, simply because you said they don't really bother him, and if it were a flea allergy, he would probably be scratching at them like crazy. AND, you kind of question why I asked about odor. It's a good thing they don't smell! Here is a chart about cat and skin issues, specifically scaly skin, that you can peruse and see which issue fits. Now I'm thing perhaps Sebaceous adenitis or Demodectic mange based on this article...

He only has four spots (ear, head, elbow, tail) like I listed and those are the only ones. No more, no less, and he only itches at the ones on his head. He tries to groom at the one on his elbow but we currently have him in a little shirt so he can't lick at the anti-fungal medication that is wiped on the (four) hot spots.

Only other update (I know, it seems endless but he isn't suffering?) is a spot on his foot which looks different from the rest, almost like "flea dirt" except they are only on the follicles of where the hair was, so it leads me to believe it may even be the litter itself. He's resorted to not burying his feces and I'm pretty sure that's him trying to get in and out of there as quick as possible (resulting in sometimes stepping in it and needing to be cleaned). Looks very much look like irritation and unlike the other spots.

 

[Mamanyt1953]

That's going to have to wait for someone with more knowledge than I. But I'm here, being the cheering section!

 

[mrsgreenjeens]

That is so weird, because the webpage I TRIED to send you to above is NOT where I intended, even though I copied and pasted it. I'm going to try it again. Causes of Dry or Flaky Skin on Cats (What am looking at on that page is a listing of 15 different skin conditions with a short description/symptoms/diagnosis and treatment.)

However, now that you mention he has this other issue with his foot, that opens up a whole other can of worms, because there are some other things we haven't discussed that are in the "foot disease" category, but none of them seem to go along with everything else . Perhaps he's got an issue with his litter? I suppose since he may have other allergies he very well could also be allergic to his litter.

Also, could you call the Shelter and find out which food they fed him? Perhaps they just fed whatever was handy, but perhaps not. It's worth a phone call.

 

[mercer]

It turned out to be ringworm because the vet finally called back! Thankfully he's already been getting anti fungal baths and medicated wipes for nearly a week and will have antibiotics today as well!

We're going to give him a bath and strip down the bathroom. Then we're going to leave him in the bathroom to dry and relax while we change clothes and strip the bedroom to clean (we already power cleaned the rest of the house and isolated him to only our room and bathroom). While everything is being washed with disinfectant, etc, and the room is done, he can come back and chill.

And then I guess do this again in four to five days, as recommended by a friend's mother who has dealt with ringworm in the past.

 

[mrsgreenjeens]

Well thank goodness it didn't really take three weeks to get your answer! What about the lyme Sulpher dips? Are they going to have you do those? I have always thought that was the best thing against ringworm.

Here's an article all about ringworm: Ringworm In Cats: How To Win The Fight

 

[Mamanyt1953]

HA! You already have the link I was going to give you, courtesy of mrsgreenjeens ! Now that you know what it is, you can get rid of the pesky fugus and you'll have a much happier cat!

 

[mercer]

Since they already gave me wipes and shampoo that would be used for ringworm anyway, and said I can just continue with that (asked for antibiotics anyway because why not?)... I'm not even sure how bad this is, which is what worries me. We already washed everything he's ever touched and it's still worrying. How long will I have to be doing this? How many times will this sort of deep-cleaning have to happen? Is he allowed to even come out of his quarantine area?

We actually ran out of litter today because I was told to dump out what was in the box. Whatever the real suggestion, I did it anyway and I only have a tiny bit of litter left and had to shred paper to fill up the rest. He's already having other issues and while I see "Ringworm is easily treatable!" it seems like so much. I don't really know what to do other than keep him medicated and wash stuff every few days... but I don't know. I just dunno.

 

[mrsgreenjeens]

did you read that article? For some people who don't catch it early, it can be a nightmare. That's why I question NOT using the Lyme Sulphur dips. It seems every thread I've ever read people say that works the best.

What other issues he is having (ones that you haven't already mentioned above?) BTW, you never did say whether or not the oral decongestants helped with his sneezing, etc. Also, how is his diarrhea now?