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Question
Hi there
I have Ducati, a maine coon 2 years and 3 months old. Last year he developed a skin allergy leading to him overgrooming himself and causing soars and bald patches in his neck from scratching and licking. After spending a lot of money I eventually took him to a specialised in Cape Town and she after diagnosing it as a allergy due to a cortisone injection received earlier at another vet, suggested that we should close up the infected area and treat him with clomicalm tablets. We use to took him back everyweek for dressing but got the brilliant idea to let him wear a doggie jersey. It helped and he healed totally after several months. About a month ago I started noticing him again over licking and having bald spots on his head and neck. I thought it was fleas and so put so frontline drops on and also gave him capstar. Every since it is just getting worse and worse, his ears are full or wounds and his neck and on top of his head full of wounds and bald patches. He just don't stop scratching and licking. Please help. That specialist is gone and they don't want to give out any information about her.
Rene,
I am not a vet, but it may very well be a food allergy which was kept in check by the medication he was given by this specialist.
So, what you might do is to check his food for the likely culprits: corn, wheat, soy. Also, some cats are allergic to beef, but there is a suspicion the beef, in particular, may be corn fed which may affect the cat if it has a corn allergy.
So, double check the ingredients on what you are feeding and see if there is corn, wheat or soy are any or all of the above.
You can find foods free of these ingredients on the Internet.
One other thing, if he is not neutered, hormones seem to aggravate these types of allergies. This might explain some of the seasonality of his affliction.
Best regards... Norm.
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Answers by Expert:
Norman Auspitz
Expertise
I can answer most non-veterinary questions about cats. My particular expertise is pedigree cats, breeding and showing. However, I am versed in feline behavior, cat breeds and their characteristics, general feline husbandry, and the like.
Experience
I judged for the Canadian Cat Association from 1975 until 1982. I am currently an approved allbreed judge for the Cat Fanciers'' Association (the world''s largets cat registry), and have been judging for them since 1991. I have been breeding pedigreed cats since 1971 and have been exhibiting pedigreed cats in shows since 1970. I obtained my first pedigreed cat in 1970 and have never looked back. In 1971, I obtained my first Abyssinian which has become my primary breed. In addition, I have bred Manx and Persians. Currently, besides the Abyssinians, I am also breeding Maine Coons.
Organizations
Cat Fanciers'' Association, inc. (CFA) and the Manx, Maine Coon, and Abyssinian breed councils. I am currently Abyssinian breed council secretary.
Publications
Cat Fancy Magazine, The Abyssinian Chapter in The Cat Fanciers'' Association Complete Cat Book, and Articles for various editions of The Cat Fanciers'' Association Yearbook
Education/Credentials
I received a B.S. from Drexel University in 1968, a M.Math from University of Waterloo, in 1970, a Ph.D. from University of Waterloo in 1975, and a MBA from McMaster University in 1980. I received my approved allbreed judging status in the Cat Fanciers'' Association in 1999.
Awards and Honors
We have produced a number of Cat Fanciers'' Association (CFA) National winning Abyssinian and Maine Coons. We have produced a number of Abyssinian and Maine Coon Distinguished Merit females (an award for a top producing cat), including the first Distinguished Merit Abyssinian in the red (sorrel) color. I am the CFA Abyssinian breed council secretary and belong and/or hold office in a number of cat clubs. I am also a member of the CFA Judges Association.
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