My cat keeps licking her fur off, causing sores. What can I do?

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

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!

You can try pet clothes but I would not bandage since you could cause more issues if the bandage doesn't fit correctly. I would have the cats examined by a vet, those lesions are quite typical of ringworm in cats. It could be allergic (fleas, food allergies, atopy), bacterial, viral, immune-mediated, etc. Topical ointments are not a very good treatment for the reasons you have observed. Often oral medications work better.

Poor Iris! I'm sorry to hear that she's having this problem. Excessive itching and licking like this with sores and bleeding can be caused by a number of different skin conditions. Iris may have allergies, a bacterial or fungal skin infection, or skin mites (mange). It's also possible that she has fleas, as flea baths are not generally very effective in my experience. Treatment will depend on what the underlying problem is, so it's important to get a diagnosis first. I would definitely recommend taking her to the vet in the morning for an exam - he/she can do some simple skin tests to help diagnose the problem and get her started on appropriate medication to treat it. In the meantime, you can place an e-collar (plastic cone) on Iris if needed to prevent her from continuing to lick herself and make the sores worse.

Place an e-collar (cone) on Elsa to prevent further licking. This may be enough to allow healing. If she has open sores, have her examined by your veterinarian as she may need antibiotics. An anti inflammatory or antihistamine may give her relief if she is itchy. Distract her when you see her licking. Provide toys, puzzle feeders and more exercise to keep her from licking. If this does not help, consider a consultation with a veterinary dermatologist to diagnose any underlying cause.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This is possibly due to allergies. She does have a very large open wound that does require therapy and warrants veterinary evaluation as soon as possible. It really comes down to figuring out what is causing her allergies so that they can be treated or the specific allergen avoided. There are many things that can cause allergies though in most cases they can be broken down into 3 big categories: flea, food and environmental allergies. Allergies are usually worked up in a stepwise fashion starting with flea allergies as this is the easiest and cheapest to take care of. If not on a flea preventative, then it would be a good idea to get started on one. If already on one then it would be a good idea to change to something else (there are many new products out in the market). If not improved in 1-3 months then it is time to move on and check for food allergies by switching to a novel diet (new protein and new carbohydrate). If that does not seem to be the issue then you are left out having to check for environmental allergies which require blood and/or skin tests. Allergies can be very frustrating to deal with at first but so rewarding at the end when we are able to treat them effectively!

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