CATS HAIR LOSS

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Cats hair loss or skin diseases of the cat is the subject of many of the emails I receive. Cats hair loss is almost always caused by the cat itself and is the result of an underlying condition.

The following is an example of one such letter. At the end of my answer is a long list of questions about skin conditions of cats. You can click on any of them to be transferred to the page with the full question and the answer to it.

Question I have a fixed male cat named Whiskers. He is about 5 years old. We live in the upper peninsula of Michigan. My question is about a skin condition he seems to have developed.

About 2 months ago, he started licking himself excessively at the base of his tail on his back. He licked so much the hair came off. I purchased an anti-itch hydrocortisone spray and applied as directed and he seemed to improve. But now he seems to be obsessed with licking himself in other areas like his stomach and back. He licks so much he has developed an open sore on his lip. What should I do for this?

Whiskers goes outdoors in the summer and stays indoors in the winter.

Use a product such as Frontline Plus applied once monthly to the back of his neck to kill fleas. Click on the link to shop for the best prices on Frontline. Many of my clients have found incredibly low prices for such a great product.

He sounds so miserable that he should see your vet. He needs to feel more comfortable until Frontline has a chance to work. Steroids given for a short period are very safe and will stop his itchiness temporarily. Flea Bite Allergic Dermatitis is very common and very uncomfortable. Frontline Plus is an excellent, safe product to use, but kills the fleas, not the itch. Whiskers doesn't need to suffer needlessly until the Frontline has a chance to get rid of his fleas when there are medications to stop the itchiness. See your vet right away.

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Click Here To Read About A Devon Rex Skin Condition

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