Very sick kitty

**YankeeMom** · 10-03-2008, 05:05 PM

I just got back from the vet with TwoTone, my youngest Maine Coon. He keeps getting these scabs. We thought it was because he might be allergic to fleas (another vet diagnosed Poncho, his brother, as being allergic to fleas). But he's had Frontline and there's no evidence of fleas AND he's not itching. It's like they just appear out of no where. The other morning he was fine, that afternoon he had a huge oozing bald spot on his head. The vet said it was probably a scab that sloughed off (yuk, I know). He has them all over his body.

The vet said it's some sort of autoimmune disease. His body is just attacking itself (kind of like allergies but they don't know what it's a response to) and creating these scabs. They aren't made from trauma to the skin...once the scab sloughs off, it's just naked oozing skin...no blood.

The prognosis doesn't look good

They have him a shot of steroids and if they work we'll start noticing a change in about 24-48hrs. If it doesn't work, we may have to put him down because he is just miserable and there's no way to keep the scabs from forming.

He also said Poncho probably isn't allergic to fleas. He's probably got the same autoimmune disease that TwoTone has, just not as bad...yet. So we have to watch him too.

**PAVallygrl** · 10-03-2008, 05:08 PM

Sorry to hear about your kitty and hope he gets better real soon.
Any chance it could be a food allergy? My dog used to get scabs like that. Then the vet found out she was lactose intollerant. Go figure! No more dairy for her and she's been fine ever since.

**pip** · 10-03-2008, 05:11 PM

Poor little guy.

**madhen** · 10-03-2008, 05:51 PM

Very sorry to hear it. I wouyld probably get a second opinion before having him euthanized. I have a young donkey who had similar issues, and several vets thought it was a form of skin cancer. It got VERY bad, to where she was barely hanging on, hardly able to walk, and literally smelled like a carcass from all the dead and dying flesh. I was ready to have her put down, but took her to UC Davis as a last resort. It turned out that she has a fungal disease called sporotrichosis. She is now on daily meds, which knocked it back and keeps it in check. Back to her old cheeky self now (her pic is in my album).

**FrugalMomof3** · 10-03-2008, 06:22 PM

I am so sorry to hear about your kitty, it's such a shame too. God Bless and let us know how things turn out.

**AmyBoz** · 10-03-2008, 06:46 PM

Oh Heather,

I'm so sorry to hear this.

**dpence** · 10-03-2008, 08:23 PM

I'm sorry to hear about your Kitty.I'm hoping the steroids help him improve.Let us know how he is doing.

**Amanda W** · 10-03-2008, 08:59 PM

I'm sorry about your cat. I hope he recovers from this.

**Laura2** · 10-03-2008, 09:54 PM

I'm so sorry to hear about your kitty. I agree with the others who have suggested getting a second opinion. Another vet may have another diagnosis and treatment.