My senior cat reacted to flea treatment with skin issues. Why?

I am sorry to hear about Jack! I would be concerned these could be a bacterial or fungal infection of the skin, and possibly a condition in cats called eosinophilic plaques or eosinophilic granuloma syndrome, which can be incited due to an allergy and usually resolves with steroid treatment. I would recommend bringing Jack in to his vet for an examination of the area.

This is probably due to a severe allergy, although it could also be fleas or mites. First of all, in order to rule out skin parasites, you will need to treat her with a high quality flea treatment (e.g. advantage), then get her to 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 discovering the cause of the allergy. Some medications can be given by the vet in order to repair the skin lesions (steroids and antibiotics). simultaneously you should start her on a prescription hypoallergenic diet for at least 2 months. Hopefully you will see some results after all this, if not you and your vet should consider putting her on a long term allergy treatment (Atopica).

Poor guy. It sounds like he had a bad reaction to the Activyl. In cases of allergic reacitons you have to get him treated with a steroid shot +/- antihistamine shot to stop the reaction from continuing. Also you should wash the product off immediately to remove the stimulus. I would recommend bathing with a gentle dawn soap and then follow up with a cat friendly oatmeal based shampoo and a hot spot spray from your local pet store. Don’t put this spray on the face area and avoid the eyes. I am sorry your cat is having such a bad reaction. Hopefully this can help alleviate some of the irritation until his vet visit on Friday. This doesn’t sound life threatening, especially if he is otherwise eating, drinking and energy level is good. I would also consider getting his appt moved to an earlier date to get him some relief sooner. Best of luck with Sam and his skin and it’s best to avoid using this product in the future. Topical revolution can be tried the next time or even an oral medication such as Comfortis. Best wishes and take care.

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

Yes, it certainly could be Parker is having a reaction to the Revolution. I'd have him seen by a vet asap to get this itching and wounds treated and to discuss another flea medication for him. An oral one may be better.

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

I'm sorry your cats (and you!) are dealing with you. Unfortunately, once a cat has a flea dermatitis, the itching and skin problems can continue even once you get rid of the fleas. The degree of which really depends on the severity of their sensitivity to flea bites. Often, we have to use antihistamines or steroids to resolve the inflammation. Sometimes we also have to incorporate antibiotics if there is an infection. For dogs, there are topical shampoos we can use, but those are often not a good option for cats. So, I would recommend having your veterinarian examine your cats' skin to determine if there is a secondary skin infection or just inflammation in order to help you determine the best treatment. Good luck! I hope that was helpful. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.