Why is my cat licking patches raw and how can I help him?

Hello and welcome to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Licking until raw is a sign of irritation. This irritation can be due to fleas, other skin parasites, and sometimes other diseases such as tumors, intestinal pain if it on the stomach, or just a simple skin infection. I would recommend a visit to your vet for pain medications and antibiotics, and you will also need an E-collar to stop the self-trauma that is making it worse. Best of luck with Jackson!

It could be allergies causing Lola's behavior, but typically it's the environment causing the allergy not food. I would hold off on switching food until after she sees the vet. The only way to know how to treat her problems is to have her seen by a vet, who can diagnose the cause in order to prescribe the correct treatment. If paying for a vet is an issue, you can see if your vet accepts payment plans, if there is a low cost clinic in your area, or you can apply for Care Credit online. There is also an organization called Red Rover that give grants for treatment of sick animals, and you can see if you qualify for one of their grants. Best Friends also has a list of resources that offer financial assistance on their website. http://www.humanesociety.org/animals/resources/tips/trouble_affording_pet.html?credit=web_id91754962 https://www.redrover.org https://www.carecredit.com http://bestfriends.org/resources/financial-aid-pets http://lessonsfromaparalyzeddog.com/when-pet-owners-cant-afford-veterinary-bills/ http://www.dogheirs.com/resources-affordable-veterinary-care/ Check out these resources to see if one can help you, and have her seen by a vet this week. I hope this helps!

This is probably due to an allergy, although it could also be infection or mites. Abnormal overgrooming due to behavioural disorders (usually related to stress) should be considered as well as a possibility but all the other causes need to be ruled out first. First of all, in order to rule out skin parasites, you will need to treat with a high quality flea treatment, then ask the vet to perform a skin scrape - this might reveal an infection or a mite infestation. If all of those came back negative, the next step is to treat the allergy symptomatically and try to discover the cause of the allergy. Three main type of allergies are usually affecting pets: food allergies, flea and parasite related ones and environmental type (allergens coming from trees, pollens, dust etc etc). Some medications can be given by the vet in order to repair any possible skin lesions (like steroids and antibiotics). 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.

Those spots on Riley could be several things including allergies, skin mites, flea bites, ringworm (which humans can get) or a bacterial infection. You can try adding in an omega 3 fatty acid supplement for dogs, this can help improve the skin health. You may also try changing his diet to something like Royal Canin or Nutro as they are aimed at skin health. You can wash the lesions with soap once a day and rinse well (don't wash his whole body, just those spots). Protect the areas from licking or scratching and he may need to wear and Elizabethan collar at all times. Since he is still licking the lesions, it's hard to know if the changes to the lesions are a sign of recovery or a worsening. You MUST stop the licking. If the lesions don't start looking better within about a week or if they get worse, have him examined again by the veterinarian who may prescribe additional medications. Best of luck and please feel free to post any additional questions.

This is probably caused by an allergic reaction. first of all make sure you de-flea Beauty Rose Winborne regularly every month with a high quality spot on (ex. Advantage) as fleas are by far the most common reason for these reactions. If the fleas are not the problem, it could be an allergic reaction to food or an environmental factor. this is more complicated to treat and will sometimes require medications such as Steroids, anti histamines or cyclosporin in order to stop the allergy.

Poor Sheldon! Cats typically begin itching as a result of underlying allergies to fleas, food (even if there hasn't been a diet change), or environmental factors. Make sure that Sheldon is receiving a high quality flea preventative (such as Advantage, Bravecto or Revolution) regularly even though you aren't seeing fleas. Some cats can begin scratching after just 1 or 2 flea bites. A bath with a gentle oatmeal based shampoo won't hurt, but it is unlikely to provide much benefit for this type of lesion. Instead, you can try washing the affected area with an antiseptic solution, such as diluted chlorhexidine or diluted betadine 1-2 times per day, taking care to rinse well afterwards. If the lesion continues or worsens, Sheldon will need to go to his vet for further evaluation. I hope that all goes well!

The first step to managing Oden's overgrooming and skin irritation involves determining why this is occurring in the first place. Some cats overgroom due to anxiety or stress, while others pull out their hair while itching due to fleas, allergies or skin infections. Until you can get to the vet, I recommend putting an e-collar (cone) on Oden to prevent him from licking or chewing at his hind end further, as this can only make matters worse. Also be sure that you are using a good quality flea prevention (Advantage is a great option that is available over the counter) on Oden regularly, as some cats are highly allergic to even one or two flea bites. As soon as you are financially able to do so, I recommend taking Oden to the vet. He may need diagnostic testing of his skin, oral antibiotics or oral steroids to manage this condition. Many shelters also offer discounted veterinary services, if needed.