My kitten has tail crust, hair loss, itching. Fleas or mange?

Hi there. I am so sorry to hear about Pyewacket's skin issue! I would definitely put mites on my list of what can be causing scabs with hair loss in a kitten. Another common skin issue in kittens is ringworm. Ringworm and certain mites can be contagious to humans. Because of this, I would definitely get your kitten checked by a veterinarian as soon as possible to make sure it's nothing contagious to you. She will also need medications of some kind to help her with her skin issue - whether she has a mite infestation (or any other skin parasite) as well as a bacterial or a fungal infection - and the veterinarian can help you with that for sure! I hope you found this answer helpful. Best of luck!

Even though you don't see any fleas, your cat could still be having an allergic reaction to fleas. It only takes the bite of one flea to set off the reaction, and itchiness over the base of the tail is classic flea allergic dermatitis. However, dermatitis can be brought on by other skin parasites (mosquitoes, mites, lice), bacterial and fungal skin infections, nutritional imbalances, hormonal imbalances, and autoimmune disorders. Therefore, I recommend that you have your cat examined by your veterinarian for a full clinical work up.

Yes, a flea allergy is possible if Toby has fleas (or has even gotten a few flea bites!). Other possible causes of hair loss and scabs could be due to ringworm or mange. Due to Toby's young age, Revolution is the best available flea preventative, but this medication is prescription based. Once he is over 8 weeks of age, Advantage is another OTC option. Be sure to apply one of these flea preventatives once a month. In some cats with flea allergies, skin infections can develop due to excessive itching. At this point, I do recommend that Toby is examined by a vet to start flea control, check for signs of a skin infection (and start antibiotics if needed), as well as rule out the presence of ringworm or mange. I hope that all goes well!

This is probably caused by an allergic reaction. first of all make sure you de-flea Simba 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.

If you notice several pets affected, things like fleas, skin mites and ringworm become more suspicious. I recommend to check them/treat them for fleas. If they do not respond with 2 weeks or if they start getting worse, figure out a way to have them examined. You may look into financing through Care Credit or Scratch Pay. Lastly, you may call the local humane society to ask if they offer/know of any low cost solutions. I hope this helps and please feel free to post any additional questions.

Hello, and thank you for your question. The bumps on the tail could be related to parasites such as fleas, or a bacterial or fungal infection, or a skin allergy. Her behaviour of running around is likely due to itchiness. I would recommend a vet visit within the next few days. They can examine the skin for parasites, and potentially perform tests such as a skin scraping or fungal culture. If a bacterial infection is suspected, they can prescribe antibiotics. At minimum, anti-itch medication can be prescribed while they figure out the underlying cause. For now, you can try bathing the affected area with a gentle aloe and oatmeal shampoo. Rinse well with lukewarm water and pat dry. I'd also advise putting an e-collar (cone) on her head to prevent her from further licking or biting the skin and making it worse. I hope this helps, and that Bling feels better soon!

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!