Why does my cat have chronic rashes and won't stop scratching?

Hi, I think one of the first conditions to rule out here would be eosinophilic granuloma complex (EGC) which refers to a group of inflammatory skin problems in cats. The skin lesion on the picture may be an eosinophilic plaque. Common sites are the hind legs and the stomach. The lesions can be large and may be itchy, and the cat may frequently tries to licks and even bites at the affected site which can make it worse. Most cases of ECG are due to allergies ( fleas /food/ atopy=environmental). Flea control is very important in the treatment. Most cases respond well to medical treatment with corticosteroids (prednisolone commonly) and antibiotic if infected. She will need to be checked by a vet to confirm and to be treated. Hope this helps

Hello. It is very difficult to diagnose a skin problem just by looking at it, & certainly harder by a picture. If this is similar to what your other cat has, then I might be suspicious of a mange mite called Demodex gatoi. I would first talk to your vet about treating both cats ( & any others in the house ) with Bravecto, just to rule this out ( it is also great for fleas). For EG, some cats will respond nicely to occasional steroid injections. You can also do a hypoallergenic diet trial to rule out a food allergy. Antihistamines sometimes will control symptoms, especially Certirizine ( your veterinarian can recommend a dose ), & some cats are being treated with a relatively new medication for allergies in dogs called Apoquel. So, once your veterinarian has confirmed what the skin lesions are, treatment can be started. Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Hi and thanks for using PetCoach! Sorry to hear about Darby. Definitely looks like an angry lesion that itches a lot. Not 100% sure what this is but it looks like part of the Eosinophilic Granuloma Complex. Here is a link- http://www.vet.cornell.edu/fhc/Health_Information/eosinophilic.cfm Otherwise this could be a bacterial skin infection, a skin mite infection, external parasite problem (fleas, ticks, etc), allergic reaction, among other things. You should take Darby to your vet and let them examine her. Your vet will gather a detailed history and evaluate Darby. They will then propose a diagnostic/treatment plan based on their clinical findings. Possible tests include skin scrape, skin cytology, etc. Treatment could include antibiotics, anti-itch medicines, an Elizabethan collar to prevent licking, etc. The licking has to be stopped or this will never heal. Cats tongues, as you probably know are very rough and will continually irritate the area when she licks it. Good luck

This looks like a eosinophilic plaque. He needs to see a vet for this condition. Here is an article on this condition. Steroids and antibiotics are usually the treatment of choice for this problem. http://www.petmd.com/cat/conditions/skin/c_ct_eosinophilic_granuloma_complex Based on what you described with the scabs at the base of the tail, I am guessing he has a flea allergy that may be the underlying cause. I hope this helps. Best wishes!

Pepper may be suffering from allergic skin where her skin will overreact to something such as grass, fleas or dust etc, then swelling and infection can develop. This tends to effect the skin in large areas rather than in smaller clumps. If it is random well defined areas that are breaking out I suspect she may have eosinophilic granuloma complex, which is a condition in cats where essentially the skin damages itself. It causes nasty red wet lesions and sometimes ulcers and lumps. I think either way Pepper needs treatment so will need to see the vet. They will likely give an antibiotic injection to tackle any infection. The key of treatment will be managing the immune system which will likely be done with steroids.

I recommend to either have Lilly checked for hyperthyroidism or try a diet trial with a hydrolyzed protein for 12 weeks. Call your vet to discuss which option seems like the best for Lilly. Unfortunately, Allergies to something in the environment, food allergies, flea allergies and hyperthyroidism will all look the same so you must start ruling them out one by one. You may also look into joining a clinic like Banfield or VCA that offer wellness programs. These programs are not insurance but the office visits are free and you get a discount of services and medications outside of the program. You will need to check and verify details with any of these clinics in your area. Not every service will be covered by the program. I hope this helps and please feel free to post any additional questions.

Hi there and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to address your concern. What you are seeing on Luna may be insect bites or a skin condition known as eosinophilic granuloma complex. I would recommend having a veterinarian examine Luna so that the most appropriate diagnostic and treatment recommendations can be made. She may need a steroid shot to treat this if it does not resolve on its own. I hope this helps guide you in the right direction. Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further. Please take the time to mark this question as helpful or not as it helps us to improve on the quality of our answers to other pet owners. Thank you kindly!