Cat losing hair, black skin after vet shaved knot. What's wrong?

Based on the picture it appears that she may have had a lot of clumping debris on her fur? If her skin was irritated from debris encrusting the underside of her belly then it could cause enough irritation to cause hair loss. Also skin infection and ringworm are also possible causes. I would encourage you to monitor her closely for any other changes. If You feel the shelter vet if too busy then I would encourage you to consider having a second opinion. Best of luck and I hope she improves soon. Thank you for using Pet Coach.

Based on your description I would be suspicious of ringworm, which is a fungal infection that commonly affects young animals. If you can find a shampoo with ketoconazole that may be helpful, but she likely needs a prescription of an oral antifungal such as itraconazole. Please practice good hygiene after handling her as ringworm is contagious to people as well. Of course this is not a diagnosis, just an assumption based on your description. Best of luck and I hope she improves soon!

Hi there. Thank you for the photos. I am guessing based on all of that information that Matilda has an underlying issue that is causing this problem. The most common reasons for that much hairloss and flaking skin in a kitten is either mites (mange) or ringworm. There are other possibilities too: severe yeast infection or bacterial infection, autoimmune disease, viral disease, endocrinopathy, etc. I strongly suggest you get her to a vet for an exam. You need a diagnosis before you can know how to treat it. The shampoo you have it not hurting anything but it is not likely to help. While you are waiting to get her to a vet you can try using BETADINE® 7.5% Skin Cleanser. Lather it on her, leave it sit on her for 5 minutes and then rinse thoroughly. You can wash her every 3-4 days. http://ph.betadine.com/en/ph/wound-care It appears as though you can obtain this at any pharmacy in the Philippines. I am not optimistic that this will cure her but you can try. I strongly suggest you get her to a vet for an exam. Best wishes.

Poor Sisi! I'm sorry to hear that she's having this problem. The most common conditions we see in dogs that cause hair loss and scaling would include allergies, bacterial or fungal skin infections, or skin mites (mange). If she has been treated for these conditions and has not improved, then I would agree that it sounds like something else may be wrong. Less common causes of these symptoms could include a systemic illness like Cushing's diseases or hypothyroidism (not very common in young dogs, but possible), or an autoimmune disease such as lupus or pemphigus foliaceus. I'm not sure what specific blood work has been done on Sisi, but you could certainly talk to your veterinarian about whether testing for these illnesses has been done. If lab work shows no abnormalities, then a skin biopsy would likely be the next recommended step to try and get a diagnosis.

Not all flea medications are equal. I find that fipronil/Frontline products don't work very well. I would recommend that you talk to your vet about a prescription product like Bravecto or Revolution, or try a Seresto collar. Fighting cat fleas is tough, and even with excellent products, it may take 3 or more months to get rid of the fleas due to their life cycle and new fleas hatching. See the articles below. That being said, overgrooming (hair loss) and black skin (caused by chronic inflammation) can be caused by many things. Food allergies are possible, but Rengar is more likely to be allergic to chicken or beef than grains. Anxiety or pain are other possible causes. It would be a good idea to discuss this with your vet. https://www.petcoach.co/article/5-tips-to-get-rid-of-fleas/ https://www.petcoach.co/article/the-best-flea-prevention-plan-for-your-cat/ https://www.petcoach.co/article/excessive-grooming-in-cats-what-it-means-and-how-to-help/

Thank you for submitting your question regarding your kittens. They will need to see a veterinarian for skin testing. They will likely need a fungal culture to check for ringworm and skin scrapes to look for mites under the microscope. There is a common mite in kittens that lives within the hair follicles. An overgrowth can result in bald spots that do not typically itch. These mites are microscopic and cannot be seen by looking at the cats. I hope this information helps and you are able to get their skin cleared up!

It is most likely ringworm but it could also be skin mites - those are the two most common dermatological problems in kittens. It is impossible to diagnose either of those just by looking at photos. I suggest you try to get her to a vet when you can so they help figure out what is going on. For now, continue with the Ketoconazole.