My cat has small dots on his belly and is losing hair. What should I do?

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. A topical is not likely to be of much help here. You could consider using an e-collar to prevent licking if that is currently an issue. 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, thank you for using PetCoach. Those black dots are blackheads (clogged pores). It is not typically a serious problem. It is not related to a flea problem. Feline blackheads often result when cats don't groom themselves properly but it could also be from overactive oil glands or certain yeast or bacterial infections. Stress and food allergies can also contribute to this issue. You can try these medicated wipes on the affected area once a day. If after about 7-10 days there is not much improvement then you should have Dino examined by your vet. ( https://www.amazon.sg/Douxo-30-Count-Chlorhexidine-Pads/dp/B00G3D8JL0 ) Hope this helps. Best wishes!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. To be honest, this looks like a normal seasonal shed for a long-haired cat. (They May not do it every year and the first one is often at 2-4 years of age). Brush her throughly every day for the next week or two. The little black dots are comedowns (basically blackheads) and are usually not concerning either. If she becomes completely bald over large patches, or the lethargy worsens or you see any other concerning signs, it’s time to see the vet. Best wishes to you and Puss.

Hello, my name is Dr. Shines and I am happy to help. I agree that does look suspicious for flea dirt. It could also just be environmental debris or sometimes the skin will produce dark pigmentation from general irritation. First test it to see if this is flea dirt. Collect a few of those dark colored flakes on a clean white paper towel and apply a few drops of hydrogen peroxide. Then gently rub it around. If the towel turns reddish or rusty colored, it's flea feces (flea dirt). If it is, switch products. I recommend Revolution or Cheristan. If you must use something OTC, stick with name brand Frontline or Advantage. This could also be miliary dermatitis. Here's a link about the condition: https://www.petcoach.co/article/feline-miliary-dermatitis-in-cats/ If Hugo is licking more than normal, it could be causing the lesions to get worse. Plus it means they bother him. I recommend to make an appointment to have him examined. In the mean time, prevention the licking by having Hugo wear an elizabethan collar at all times. Start Hugo on an omega fatty acid. I like one called Welactin. You might also consider changing his diet to one that is good for over-all skin health. The two brands I recommend are Royal Canin and Nutro. Note it will take about 6 weeks for the supplement/diet to fully kick in. I hope this helps and please feel free to reach out any time.

Hello, thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Poor Molly, that looks uncomfortable. Molly may be having some type of allergic reaction that has become infected. Make sure you are using a good flea product, not just a cheap one from WalMart. If Molly will let you, you can try bathing her in a medicated shampoo that has Benzoyl Peroxide. If not, please have her seen by your veterinarian. She may need to be treated with a steroid injection &/or antibiotics to clear this up, or to get to the source of the irritation. Take care.

These look like black heads and could be caused by an underlying allergy. I would advise getting Julius seen by your vet to discuss possible allergy treatments for him. You can try an allergy shampoo for now such as Duoxo calm shampoo available online. Also daily fish oils for pets can be given which is a natural anti-inflammatory for the skin. With his age however, I would also advise on just an overall health check as well to ensure nothing else underlying is going on here. Best of luck with your pet Julius moving forward. Take care.

Those spots on your kitty could be just dry skin causing itching bad enough to lose hair (do know that dry skin alone should not cause hair loss) but there are several things including fleas, allergies, skin mites, bacterial infection or endocrine disease which could also look the same way. There are a couple things you can do at home and they can help but they may not address the underlying cause. That's great that you are using an omega 3 fatty acid supplement this can help improve the skin health. Make sure it is a formula for pets (better absorption) and you may need to squirt it directly in his mouth. You may also try changing his diet to something like Royal Canin or Nutro as they are aimed at skin health. Also protect the area from trauma by having your kitty wear an elizabethan collar at all times. If the skin does not start improving within 2-3 weeks or if it is getting worse, have him examined by the veterinarian to look for other causes. Unfortunately, lotions and sprays don;t tend to moisturize as well as supplements and diet. There are some moisturizing sprays and your cat will need to wear an elizabethan collar at all times because otherwise he will lick the product. Moisturizing shampoos and conditions for pets are also an option but not all cats enjoy baths and may bite and scratch their owners. I hope this helps and please feel free to post any additional questions.