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How To Treat Alopecia In Cats

Is Your Cat Losing Hair 6 Reasons For Hair Loss In Cats

Alopecia in Cats : Cat Health

One of last years litters of foster kittens brought more than joy and heart-melting cuteness to my house. Unfortunately, the outdoor kitties and their mom came with a pack of fleas, and the pests took up residence in the fur of my resident cat, G.G., who had a maddening itch. The itch soon turned into thinning hair on her belly, at the base of her tail and on her hind legs. So, is your cat losing hair? What causes cat hair loss? In G.G.s case the hair loss turned out to be caused by a flea allergy. Lets learn more about hair loss in cats, also known as alopecia in cats.

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Will My Cats Hair Grow Back

Fortunately, in most cases your cats hair will grow backprovided he has been properly diagnosed and treated. There is a chance that hair will not regrow if your cat experienced abnormal hormone levels that caused the hair follicles to die.

Cat hair loss is most likely caused by overgrooming. You can attempt to prevent alopecia in cats by using flea and tick prevention on your cat, as well as keeping him stimulated and as stress-free as possible.

What Can Your Vet Do To Help

Your vet will give your cat a thorough check over to find out whats causing their alopecia. If they discover fleas, which are a common cause of itching and subsequent hair loss, they may recommend flea treatment .

Your vet might also take hair samples or scrape a little sample of skin to test for ringworm and parasites dont worry, this is completely painless. Occasionally your vet may decide to take a small skin sample from your cat under anesthetic or to perform an allergy skin test to check for cat skin conditions. Alternatively, they may take a blood sample to look for underlying diseases that could be causing your pet’s hair loss.

If, at the end of their investigation, theres still no obvious reason for the feline alopecia, your vet may refer you to a veterinary dermatologist.

If, however, you or your vet suspect that there could be a behavioural reason for your cat’s over-grooming and making themselves lose hair, then you may need to discuss your cats lifestyle to work out what might be causing them stress.

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Fungal And Bacterial Infections

Bacterial and fungal infections may cause complete to partial alopecia in felines. Ringworm is an extremely common fungal infection, and itll appear as hair loss in circular patterns, and occasionally inflammation, lesions, crusting, and redness. A few fungal infections clear up by themselves, whereas other ones require more proactive treatments, such as antifungal ointments, shampoos, or medications. If alopecias cause is because of a fungal infection, pet owners ought to take some precautions as some infections may be zoonotic, meaning it may be contracted then spread from one animal species to another.

On the other hand, bacterial infections typically must be treated using antibiotics prescribed by a veterinarian. One typical bacterial infection in felines is caused by staph, which generally presents as crusting and redness, in conjunction with hair loss.

How To Treat Hair Loss Of Angora Rabbit

Feline dermatitis  alopecia
  • Post author

I love angora rabbit! I mean, who doesnt? They have a long hair, make them look even more fluffier than other species of rabbit. Imagine if they lose their hair and lose those cute hairs. How sad! Thats why you need to know how to treat hair loss of angora rabbit.

There are several reasons for hair loss in rabbits. Diseases or stress can trigger hair loss, so first of all, you need to understand what cause your rabbits lose hairs. Then, you can get the proper treatment for this angora rabbit.

Causes

Like I said earlier, hair loss in rabbits is a condition with many possible cause. Of course, other diagnose or skin abnormality that goes along the hair loss can show us what the cause, too. However, sometimes the sign can show us to several other abnormalities, so we need to be careful in determining the cause of hair loss.

1. Diseases

Usually, diseases in rabbits naturally cause the hair loss. But, there are few clinical signs other than hair loss if this is the case. This symptom includes flaky skin or dandruff, crusty skin, and inflammation. Of course, scratches from rabbits itself who cause the inflammation. There are some of diseases which cause hair loss, such as mites and mange, fungus, dental problems, urinary tract disorders, bacterial infection, even cancer.

2. Behavioral Problems

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Histopathologic Findings Of Self

With psychogenic alopecia, there are no specific histopathologic abnormalities.6 Rarely, broken or twisted hair shafts, as a result of barbering or hair pulling, are found within amorphous tricholemmal keratin. These findings with histologic evidence of dermal inflammation, especially a superficial eosinophilic to lymphohistiocytic perivascular infiltrate, suggest a condition associated with pruritus, such as allergy. The presence of neutrophilic or eosinophilic follicular pustules or lymphocytic interface dermatitis at the level of the follicular isthmus is typical histopathologic pattern of dermatophytosis fungal hyphae may be present. Paraneoplastic alopecia , a differential diagnosis for this pattern of disease, is characterized by an absent stratum corneum, moderate to severe acanthosis, follicular telogenization, minimal dermal inflammation, and possibly the presence of superficial Malassezia spp. yeast.7

Bonnie V. Beaver DVM, MS, Dipl. ACVB, in, 2009

Home Remedies For Alopecia In Dogs And Cats

Once you have determined the cause of the alopecia, there are some ways you can help the underlying issue and improve your pets health at home.

  • Remove allergens If your pet was diagnosed with allergic alopecia, it is important to remove any of the allergens causing inflammation. This may require you to change their diet or even rinse their feet after coming in from outside. If you are not sure what the allergen is, switch your pet to a bland diet with minimal ingredients, and then re-introduce foods and treats to find the cause. You may also need to investigate when and where their flare-ups happen the most to determine what they may be coming into contact with so that you can remove them.
  • Find the cause of anxiety or stress For Inigo, fear of loud noises and tension with another cat in the home were causing some of his stress-related flare-ups. After removing the cause of the stressor, Inigo improved tremendously. If removing the cause of the stressor is not an option, for example, , noise anxiety such as if your pet is afraid of fireworks, other options like CBD oil for dog anxiety and cat anxiety can help manage their anxiety and stress.

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How To Make Cat Hair Grow Back Faster

There are many reasons why a cat may lose their hair. For instance, surgeries often require that some of the fur is shaved. Some illnesses and underlying problems can cause hair loss as well. For instance, allergies can cause a lot of itchiness, and eventually, hair loss. Some cats have sensitive skin, which can cause hair loss for little reason.

No matter why your cat lost their hair, there are several things you can do to help grow it back. In this article, well look at some of the best-proven ways to help your cats hair grow back.

Ways To Prevent Hair Loss In Your Cat

Psychogenic Alopecia in Cats

There are a few preventative measures you can take to ensure that your cats skin and fur remains healthy and intact.

1. Give your cat a safe environment You should make sure youre promoting a safe environment for your cat at all times. If their hair loss is due to allergies, its important to identify what the allergen may be so you can eliminate it from your cats environment. If your cat spends time outdoors, you should use a preventative treatment to protect from mites, heartworm, fleas, and ticks.

2. Reduce stress If your cats hair loss is due to stress, you can do things to help lower their anxiety levels. Always ensure your cat has access to clean food and water. If youre undergoing a move or change, make sure to keep your cat on their normal schedule, so they experience a seamless transition. Try buying your cat something like a scratching post to help reduce their stress levels. Help keep your kitty engaged by enriching their environment with perches and interactive toys.

3. Feed your cat a high-quality diet Feeding your cat a high-quality diet can help keep their coat healthy. Cats need protein, complex carbohydrates, and healthy fats to help keep their coats shiny and intact. Omega-rich diets help prevent a cats shedding.

Royal Canin and Science Diet feline cat formulas are examples of high-quality diets for cats.

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When To Be Concerned About Hair Loss

If your cat is losing a significant amount of hair, it may be a symptom of pain, stress, or a health problem. I

Since hair loss is rarely normal in cats and can be a symptom of pain or other diseases, its important to schedule an appointment with your vet if you notice hair loss or bald spots in your cat.

Stress & Nervous Disorders

Compulsive behaviors, such as excessive licking, chewing, and grooming, have been known to appear in cats with anxiety, depression, or other psychological disorders. When theyre in duress or feeling nervous, cats turn to these behaviors as a way to soothe, however, it can lead to localized hair loss in areas where theyre searching for relief. This is often referred to as psychogenic alopecia.

Sometimes alopecia can also occur on its own, with no particular cause at all.

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Treatment Of Skin Disorders In Cats

, DVM, DACVD, Department of Medical Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Wisconsin-Madison

Successful treatment of a skin disorder requires identification of the underlying cause. Not surprisingly, many treatments for skin diseases are applied directly to the skin surface . This may be the preferred method of treatment for some diseases or beneficial in addition to systemic drugs . Examples of products applied directly to the skin include antibiotic ointments, corticosteroid preparations, medicated shampoos, and topical insecticides. Local ointments, gels, and sprays are best used sparingly so that your cat does not lick off excessive amounts. Most cats do not like to be bathed, so shampoo treatment is less often recommended for cats than it is for dogs. Instead, your veterinarian may recommend local warm packs or washing of the particular area involved .

Systemic drugs may be needed to treat some disorders. These include whole-body antibiotics, antifungals, antiparasitics, hormones, antihistamines, corticosteroids, and other anti-inflammatory drugs.

As with any treatment program, make sure that you read and understand all directions for using the prescribed product, including how to apply or give it, how much to use, and how often it should be administered.

Bacterial & Fungal Infections

Psychogenic Alopecia in Cats

Fungal and bacterial infections can cause partial to complete alopecia in cats. Ringworm is a very common fungal infection, and it appears as hair loss in circular patterns, and sometimes lesions, inflammation, redness, and crusting. Some fungal infections will clear up on their own, while others will require more proactive treatments, like antifungal medications, shampoos, or ointments. If the cause of alopecia is due to a fungal infection, cat owners should take special precaution as some infections can be zoonotic, which means it can be contracted and spread from one species of animal to another.

Bacterial infections, on the other hand, usually need to be treated with antibiotics prescribed by a vet. One common bacterial infection in cats is caused by Staphylococcal , this usually presents as redness and crusting, along with hair loss.

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Cbd Oil With Frankincense And Turmeric To Reduce Inflammation

Rather than turn to a cocktail of prescription medications, Otis decided to try CBD oil to help Inigos alopecia. Within a matter of weeks, he saw improvement. Now at 10-years old, Inigo is able to enjoy relaxing on the porch with his coat intact. Full spectrum hemp CBD oil has numerous benefits for pets, but one of the biggest benefits is that it reduces inflammation. In addition, the essential fatty acids found in hemp seed oil promote healthy skin and coats. We recommend using EASE: CBD Oil for Dogs or EASE: CBD Oil for Cats, specially formulated with our Full Spectrum Hemp Extract as well as turmeric and frankincense. Turmeric and frankincense both have incredible anti-inflammatory properties and have been proven to help with allergies and the immune system.

Alopecia In Cats: What Causes It

As itll come to psychogenic alopecia in cats, causes may vary. Hair loss and alopecia may be congenital, meaning a feline is born with the condition, or it is acquired. It happens as hair follicle growth becomes disrupted.

Cat inflammation may cause damage to the hair follicle and trigger hair loss. Specific diseases and infections may cause hair loss in a more widespread region of the body these might impede hair growth or thoroughly destroy the hair shaft or follicle, which causes the hair to fall out. If the condition happens because of an inflammatory cause, it also may lead to pain, discomfort, or itchiness in felines.

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A Clinical Approach To Alopecia In Cats

Cherie Pucheu-Haston

DVM, PhD, DACVD

Dr. Pucheu-Haston is an associate professor of veterinary dermatology and immunology at Louisiana State University. She received her veterinary degree from Louisiana State University and completed residency training at North Carolina State University. After a brief hiatus in private practice dermatology, she returned to NCSU to pursue a PhD in immunology, followed by 3 years of postdoctoral study at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agencys Immunotoxicology Branch. Her clinical and research interests are cutaneous and respiratory allergic diseases in cats, dogs, and horses and the immunologic response to cutaneous fungal infections.

One of the more common dermatologic complaints for which clients seek veterinary attention for their cat is fur loss. Unfortunately, the lack of diagnostic specificity for this condition can prove challenging, especially if the client insists on a quick fix. It is beyond the scope of this article to describe in detail the clinical appearance and treatment of each of the various causes of alopecia in cats. Instead, the article lists common differentials and provides a logical algorithm for approaching these cases.

In the authors opinion , the single most important diagnostic tool for any skin disease is a thorough history.1 The following information is especially useful for pointing the practitioner toward certain categories of disease.

The Most Common Reasons

Doc Pawsitive Discusses Preauricular Alopecia in Cats

Youll need to check with your vet to find out exactly whats going on. In most cases, the cause isnt serious.

It could be:

Allergies: Theyre the top cause of hair loss. Like people, your cat can be allergic to food, insect bites, medicines, dust, or pollen. To ease the itch, theyll lick their fur until there are bald spots. Its simple to treat, but you might have to give them medicine for the rest of their life.

Parasites:Fleas, mites, lice, and ticks can make them scratch and lick, too, causing bald spots and even sores. Treatment is usually quick and easy. Ask your vet which medicine you should use.

Ringworm infection: No, its not a worm. Its a fungal infection. And a scaly ring of missing hair is a sign. Your vet can tell you for sure and prescribe antifungal creams or ointments, medicated baths, or even oral meds..

Stress and anxiety: When cats are stressed and obsessively lick and scratch, they can lose hair. Vets call this psychogenic alopecia. Cats that have it tend to pick at their belly, sides, and legs. Its most common in female purebreds with nervous personalities. Treat their wounds, and ask your vet if they need an antidepressant or changes in their environment, like putting up high perches or keeping dogs away.

Pain: Cats with arthritis may lick themselves at the site of the pain.

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Symptoms Accompanying Cat Hair Loss

Besides your cat losing hair on places such as the underbelly, underside of the tail, hind legs, sides, or genital area, you may notice these other signs of alopecia in cats:

  • Itchy, scaly, or dry skin
  • Red patches on the skin or darker skin coloration
  • Dandruff
  • Excessive shedding

Many adult catsregardless of breedexperience thinning fur on the strip of skin between their ears and eyes.

Causes Of Alopecia In Cats

There are several reasons for cats to experience hair loss. Some are common, such as flea allergies, mites and ringworm infections. They are usually straightforward to diagnose and treat. However, sometimes hair loss is due to overgrooming. This could be due to an underlying disease, such as a hormonal imbalance, or urinary tract disease. It can also occur in cats that are stressed but sometimes the cause is never identified.

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Treating Psychogenic Behaviors That Result In Over

  • 1Consider psychological issues if all other causes of hair loss have been ruled out. Psychogenic behavior is sometimes called obsessive-compulsive behavior and is a reaction to stress. In order to reach a conclusion that the cause of the over-grooming is psychological, all other possible causes of hair loss need to be tested for and ruled out.
  • 2Be aware that cats can become addicted to licking their fur. The act of licking causes the release of endorphins into the cat’s bloodstream. This gives the cat a natural “high” to which they can become addicted.XResearch sourcePsychogenic alopecia in cats. L. Swayer et al. JAVNA 214, 71-74
  • The trigger to the original episode of licking is usually a stressful event such as a stray cat moving into a new home. The cat resorts to licking to calm himself, and becomes hooked on the habit.
  • 3Reduce your catâs stress to help him break the habit. To do this, try to show your cat that he has no competition for resources such as food, water, or sleeping spots. Provide plenty of toys to keep your cat occupied.
  • You should also give your cat plenty of places to hide if he is feeling stressed.
  • These synthetic pheromones come in spray bottles, which you can use to spray on the catâs bedding, or as room diffusers, which help to make your whole house smell safe to your cat.
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