Skin condition...anybody seen this sort of thing?

[badgerpup]

About two weeks ago, D'Artagnan had this little spot on the left side of his muzzle, right in the middle of the whisker patch.
Figured somebody had popped him one in the face...didn't look serious and it didn't seem to be bothering him.
A couple days later, it was bigger, and looked raw. I thought "Uh-oh, abscess" and took a Q-tip and some peroxide and cleaned the spot. Wasn't an abscess after all...no drainage.

Two days later, the spot looked noticeably larger, still raw, and seemed to be seeping individual drops of blood...they were standing on the skin. Did I mention the hair is falling out on this area? It is.

I've taken him to the vet, who took a skin and hair sample. He didn't glow under the black light, so it's not ringworm. The sample could take as long as two weeks before we know anything from it. :banghead:

The vet said to clean the area twice a day with solution of iodine. I'm doing that, but it still seems to be spreading. The area, which started out about two millimeters, is now almost a half inch by a bit over a quarter inch in area. The iodine seems to have dried up the seepage, but hasn't halted the deforestation.

D'Artagnan doesn't act as though it's painful when I put the iodine on...just he doesn't like the cold wet sensation and me fussing with his face.

Anybody have any experience or ideas?
My poor boy's getting a bald patch on his sweet little face...:(

[CC]

1. Any changes in food?

Could be a food allergy. I once had a cat with food allergies that got semi weeping sores and lost her fur. It started out with only one or two but over time she would get them all over. Eventually it got to where even one treat would set her off into breakouts. Seemed like it took forever to figure out what it was. That cat ended up only able to eat plain Purina Cat Chow but then that was before things like Evo and Wellness were available. She couldn't even have treats except for green beans. Luckily she loved green beans. I would keep up with the vet though but maybe have him look into allergies too.

[tencats]

2. Ask the Dr about Eosinophilic Plaques.

It a fairly common problem seen in younger cats. The key to treating this condition is for your veterinarian to identify the underlying cause. If the primary underlying condition is allergy, treatment will generally involve administration of corticosteroids and removal of the irritant (fleas, plastic water and food bowls etc), or a hypoallergenic food trial may help.

Read here at these links.
http://www.webvet.com/main/article?id=127&med=1
http://www.nearlydrferox.blogging4life.com/?p=559

My Eve has had this problem in her 2nd and 3rd year. Raw plaques were found from the side of her face extending down her neck and center of her chest. A run on a oral antibiotic along with a corticosteroid cleared this problem. I never knew what caused it though and it seems not to reoccur after 4 years of age.
Notice the raw looking plaque on her neck in photo.
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[glinda]

3. One of our five yr. olds has what sounds like the same thing. She has a

compromised immune system and has allergies. Happens about four times a year and kept getting worse. She gets a shot at the vet of something that clears it up. We let it go too long before and because she has a small deformed heart, it near killed her so good luck and get the shot if that is what he wants to give her! Much cheaper than letting it go for sure.

[BrklynLiberal]

6. That is a gorgeous cat!!!

[badgerpup]

4. Thanks...

Will ask about this.
He's suggested switching to putting some Animax (the stuff I put in their ears- an antibiotic, antifungal and cortisone ointment) on the spot rather than iodine.
Not sure whether iodine is exacerbating the situation or it's just getting worse on its own.
It's not bloody like Eve's (what a beautiful girl!), but it's still disconcerting.

Think it's bothering me more than him.

[livetohike]

5. Do cats get hot spots?

I've treated my dogs for them and it sounds like it from the description. We just dabbed Betadine on it with a cotton swab. They grow fast quickly ....almost right before your eyes.

[EFerrari]

8. My dog's "hot spots" turned out to be a wheat allergy.

They vanished when I tweaked her diet.

[kestrel91316]

10. Cats get all sorts of scabby skin sores. We don't refer to them as "hot spots".

"Miliary dermatitis" is the usual catch-all useless nondescriptor in feline dermatology, lol.

The vast majority of scabby skin bumps/sores in cats are due to flea allergy dermatitis or food allergy in this area (SoCal). The most common food allergen in my experience is FISH. I also see some skin problems that have to do with Feline Herpesvirus most likely - these tend to be right on the face/lips.

[BrklynLiberal]

7. I have had a problem like that iwth my dog..and his breeder recommended

rosemary infusion..

http://www.lowchensaustralia.com/HEALTH/skinremedies.htm >>> read thru..has lots of info.

Heat a clean (well washed and rinsed) cup with boiling water.
Pour away the water and add 1 teaspoon of dried or 2 teaspoons of fresh herb to the heated cup.
Fill to three-quarters level with boiling water.
Cover and leave to steep for 10 minutes.
Remove the cover, pouring condensation inside the cover back into the cup.
Strain and use or store covered in a cool place.



Colloidal Silver - natural anti- fungal, virus, bacteria antibiotic drops. Use straight as a ear drops, eye cleanse for conjunctivitis in dogs and kittens with Chlamydia.
- Dilute Colloidal Silver and use as a skin rinse to rid fungal infection on animals who have smelly itchy coats (usually brought on by using chemical antibiotics that destroy the good gut flora)

[kestrel91316]

9. Failure to glow under a black light does NOT rule out a fungal infection.

I won't use the damned things - too many false positives AND false negatives, lol.

Is this a CAT? Or a dog?

Did your vet do a fungal culture? Because that is the only to definitively diagnose fungal infection.