Why is my cat sick with mouth sores and rash after boarding?

Poor kitties! How frustrating! The three main things that come to mind with the history of recently been boarded would be ringworm (which humans can get), mites or fleas, or an allergic reaction if they were given a different food from what their regular diet is. If you have not ruled out either parasites or ringworm, I would recommend to rule out all of those. These would all be contagious and thus could be picked up at a boarding facility. Also make sure they are eating their normal diet again. If you have already ruled out both ringworm, fleas or mites, and food as a potential cause, please post again. Your veterinarian can perform a few simple tests to look for parasites or ringworm. Parasites are treated with a topical medication. Ringworm is usually treated with a medicated dip although oral medications can be used in some cats. I hope this is helpful and please feel free to post any additional questions.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This is possibly due to allergies. A secondary infection is likely and also needs to be addressed. 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. He could have an upper respiratory infection that goes around boarding facilities sometimes and are unavoidable. But he sounds pretty sick qnd needs to be seen asap. Could be more then just an upper respiratory infection.

Mimi is beautiful! It looks like self trauma- like she licked herself raw. It could have been from the stress of you being out of town. There could also be an underlying allergy. Since it looks like it is healing, I would keep it clean and dry. If there is discharge, if it starts to look worse, or she won't leave it alone, I would take her to the vet. Kisses to Mimi!

Hello, and thank you for your question. This rash could be related to a skin infection (bacterial or fungal), skin parasites such as mites, or allergies. I would start by removing any plastic dishes or plastic toys from her environment, as plastic is a common contact allergen in cats. You can also try wiping the chin area with hydrogen peroxide, which can help if this is a case of mild chin acne. I would place an e-collar (cone) on her head to prevent her from further damaging her chin as well. If there was a recent diet change just before the skin problem started, I would remove this and try a different diet (one for kittens, since she is still nursing). If these tips do not help, I would recommend taking Mama to the vet. They may recommend a skin scraping or cytology to check for bacteria or mites. They can also prescribe antibiotics if an infection is suspected, or anti-itch medications if allergies are at play. I hope this helps, and that Mama feels better soon!

Kennels and other places that pets frequent can often harbor illnesses. Add in the stress of being boarded for a few days, and your cat may have picked up something such as an eye infection or respiratory infection from the kennel. If Goose doesn't improve, or is acting very ill, bringing him into the vet for an exam is best. Since some illnesses are bacterial, rather than viral in nature, a fully vaccinated cat can still get sick from them.

Yes he is, Merino suffers most likely from an upper respiratory infection, the vomiting might not be related, probably just because of the car ride. you will need to take him to the vet in order to get an antibiotic course for him, which he will need in order to get better.