My spayed cat's nipples are crusty with hair loss. Is this serious?

That looks like it could be a mass so she needs to be examined by a vet. It may need to be removed and submitted for a biopsy. If it is just infected then she needs an oral antibiotic to treat. Topical cortisone is not going to be enough to treat the problem based on the pictures.

Given the red and irritated appearance of Nellie’s skin, I’m concerned that she either has a skin infection (usually from excessive licking with underlying allergies) or an allergic reaction (contact dermatitis) to something in her environment. The white plaques appear to be skin crusts, which can occur with either of these situations. At this point, your best bet is to take Nellie to her vet for evaluation. She may need a course of antibiotics or topical medications to get this issue under control. Until her appointment, be sure to keep an e-collar (cone) on her so that she doesn’t lick herself and make matters worse. I hope that everything goes well!

Hello, and thank you for your question. I'm sorry to hear that Angel is feeling unwell. Her behaviour may be related to the crusting around her mammary glands, but it could also be something else entirely (pain, infection, stress, etc). If she is still lethargic and/or not eating within the next 24 hours, I would advise taking her to the vet. If there is an actual lump around her nipple, the vet may recommend taking a sample of the lump to see whether it is cancer. They will also perform a full physical exam to check for any signs of pain or infection. I hope this helps, and that Angel is feeling better soon!

Hi, it looks like there is a little bit of dermatitis. You could wash the area with some salty water and cotton wool. Just add 1 spoon of salt to a cup of hot water and then mix well, let it cool down and use it on the area when lukewarm. Hope this helps !

This presentation could be due to a trauma or localized spot of skin infection (likely to be caused by bacteria but fungal infections are possible as well). A check up, appropriate disinfection and possibly antibiotics (oral, topical or in a shampoo formulation) are needed to solve the problem. Disinfection may be started at home with very diluted hibiscrub or betadine or salted water baths. Buster collar may be useful as well to avoid any scratching (if any). Hope this answer was helpful, but please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further. If this answer was helpful please let us know, this will be used to improve our service!

This looks like the nipple and surrounding skin is inflammed from an injury or contact with something irritating. You can clean the area with a warm wet cloth. I wouldn't put anything on it as that may make him lick it. This should improve over the next few days. If it gets worse, more discharge or he's itching the area then I would take him in for an exam. He may need an antibiotic injection and something to reduce the inflammation. From the photo this is nothing to be overly concerned about. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Harper.

This does not look very concerning and it certainly would not be necessary to postpone her spay. Observe the lesion for spread. Let the vet know about it and have him check it for ringworm or a bacterial skin infection. If it is bacterial it is easily treated with antibiotics and if it is ringworm she will need antifungal medication. It also just may be a scrape that is healing now.