| T.R | Title | User | Personal
Name | Date | Lines |
|---|
| 1222.1 | | CIRCUS::KOLLING | Karen, Sweetie, Holly; in Calif. | Tue Mar 29 1988 17:25 | 2 |
| Sounds like time for a trip to the vet.
|
| 1222.2 | Fleas - the winner every time | VAXWRK::DUDLEY | | Tue Mar 29 1988 19:00 | 26 |
| You say he's "pretty clean" of fleas. What does that mean?
If a cat has an allergic dermitis to flea bites, it will
only take one LOUSY flea to set it off. Just because you
might not find any fleas on your cat, doesn't mean they
haven't done their nasty deed and jumped off the cat. (I'm
really fond of fleas, can't you tell (-: ).
I have a friend who's cat starting getting bald patches.
The cat was primarily indoors, but she did go out on occasion
in the warm weather for brief periods. Also the other cat
in the household went outdoor more often. Anyway, my friend
at first refused to believe that fleas were causing her cats
problem. She had no fleas in her house; she scoured the cat
and never found any flea dirt on her. She even went for a
second opinion with the cat. Diagnosis was the same.
When the weather turned cold and both cats remained indoor,
the problem went away, so my friend conceded that the cats'
problem was probably caused by flea bites.
If your cat goes outside, however minimally, it is getting
bit by fleas, guaranteed, unless you powder or spray her,
which may deter them. I would take your cat to the vet for
a definitive diagnosis.
Donna
|
| 1222.3 | Vet said no ... | FDCV03::FRANCISCO | | Tue Mar 29 1988 19:07 | 10 |
| The last time W.W. was at the vets (approx. 1-1/2 months ago)
he had 1 bald spot and I asked the vet if the cause could be
fleas. He said "No, probably not" and that was the end of
the conversation. I let it go because I figured it might just
be "one of those things" and it would go away on its own. But
now....
Well, guess I'll call the vets for an appointment !
Joy/W.W.
|
| 1222.4 | Possibly stress | RHODES::WARD | I leave Trouble behind | Wed Mar 30 1988 06:39 | 10 |
| When I first got Trouble, she had pulled the hair out on both her
sides and the back of her back legs. The previous vet said it was stress
due to another cat in the house. After she came to live with us,
her fur started growing back (albeit slowly), so I feel this is
true. This is also why, although I would LOVE to have another cat,
I won't subject my baby to that again. I also agree with the other
replies, see the vet.
Bernice
Mother of Trouble
|
| 1222.5 | Vet, definitely | CHEFS::GOUGH | | Wed Mar 30 1988 11:06 | 3 |
| When Oliver had a round bald patch on his stomach - no rash, just
a bald patch - it was ringworm. (The vet thought he'd caught it
from a hedgehog!)
|
| 1222.6 | He's going tonight | 24699::FRANCISCO | | Wed Mar 30 1988 12:21 | 3 |
| I made an appointment at the vet's for W.W. tonight (hopefully
I will get a different vet this time). I will let you know what
he/she says.
|
| 1222.7 | Get another vet for sure | THE780::WILDE | Being clever is tiring.. | Wed Mar 30 1988 17:08 | 12 |
| > I made an appointment at the vet's for W.W. tonight (hopefully
> I will get a different vet this time). I will let you know what
> he/she says.
I would MAKE SURE I got another vet...any time an animal loses hair in
spots, it is not normal and should be investigated...at minimum, the vet
should have warned you to watch for further problems and return.
Ringworm or flea dermatitis are both possibilities, both of which can
affect you as well as your cat.
D_who_is_also_allergic_to_fleas
|
| 1222.8 | STRESS ! | 24699::FRANCISCO | | Thu Mar 31 1988 13:17 | 24 |
| Well, W.W. went to the vet's last night (Dr. Ranbow at the Reed's
Ferry Animal Hospital in Merrimack).
She combed him looking for flea dirt and got very little, and said
that because of the location(s) of the bald patches and the small
amount of flea dirt, she didn't think that was the problem. She
feels that he's under stress. Apparently the loss of Space in
January hit him harder than I thought it did.
I told her that I would be getting a kitten at the end of April
to keep him company (it's the first time he's been alone all day
since we got him as a kitten !) and she told me not to be suprised
if he started to get the bald patches again when I bring the kitten
home, as this may also cause him stress at first.
Dr. Ranbow also got out a book and showed me the most common areas
that go bald if it is caused by fleas, and W.W.'s were not all in
one particular area. She also gave him a shot of steroids, which
she said will keep him from "overgrooming" himself. (Let's hope
so !)
At least his fur is starting to grow back !
Joy
|