Allergic otitis media in cats: causes, diagnosis, treatment methods

Allergic reactions to food, cosmetics, flowers of various plants, and medications occur not only in humans. Allergies also ; they cause deterioration in their physical condition. Cats suffer because of this, and it is up to humans to help the animal cope with the problem.

Allergy is a common disease ; it occurs in every fifth cat. And responsible owners always turn to the veterinarian with the question of what can be given to their cat for allergies. Before prescribing treatment, the doctor determines the cause of the ailment and the factors that cause the reaction.

Main types of allergies

Hair loss
Experts identify several types of allergies , the main one being food allergies . Cats may have a reaction to a certain brand of food or to natural products (fermented milk, vegetables or even fish).

There are also allergic reactions to artificial materials (plastic, rubber) from which toys for animals are made.

Sometimes the cat’s body does not accept household chemicals, indoor plants, and parasitic insects . litter may not be suitable for your pet either .

An attentive owner can find out the cause of the disease in kittens or an adult animal; in more complex cases, special tests in a veterinary clinic can help. Depending on the causative agent of the allergy, the doctor decides how to treat the cat and how to restore health .

Why allergies are dangerous

Almost all animals can suffer from allergies, cats are no exception. An allergic reaction is a complex process, but it can be explained quite easily: a cat suffers from this disease when a certain allergen is perceived by the body as foreign and dangerous; therefore, the animal’s body tries to neutralize it.

Symptoms of allergies in a pet can include a rash, sneezing, shortness of breath and other signs. If the cause of the disease is not determined and eliminated, everything can end in disaster for your pet.

Symptoms in cats

food allergy
Symptoms and treatment of an allergic reaction are interrelated.

Each form of allergy can manifest itself with certain symptoms, diseases of certain body systems.

And the veterinarian establishes a treatment regimen, antiallergic drugs are combined with medications that eliminate the symptoms.

• Food allergies are manifested by severe itching, rashes on the cat's skin, and hair loss. The cat also develops miliary dermatitis, vomiting, and diarrhea. A well-chosen diet and exclusion of the provoking product from the diet helps to cope with the problem.
• The reaction to fleas or other parasites is expressed by local skin reactions, urticaria. The cat scratches the skin, and the scratched areas become inflamed, and signs of a bacterial infection are found in these areas. It is important to prevent insects from appearing on the animal; it effectively eliminates the collar of fleas living in the grass on other animals.
• Cats that live in apartments cannot help but come across household chemicals used for cleaning and washing things. Cleaning products with strong odors sometimes cause a reaction . Chemical allergies manifest as interdigital eczema, itching and hair loss, and contact dermatitis. The symptoms of dermatitis and eczema are especially visible on the sphinx's skin. Signs of inhalation of a chemical (even gaseous) is a respiratory complication. You should immediately contact your veterinarian and find out what can be done at home in such a situation.
• Autoimmune allergies have complex manifestations - systemic lupus erythematosus, progressive polyarthritis, autoimmune anemia, pemphigus foliaceus. The list of diseases includes dangerous diseases that require competent care and comprehensive treatment.
• Helminths are a strong allergen ; it is important to regularly carry out preventive measures against them.

INTERESTING! Light-haired cats are more likely to react negatively to certain foods than their dark-haired counterparts. Therefore, owners of such pets should choose food very carefully.

There are many symptoms, and it is sometimes difficult to distinguish an allergy from another disease. The main ones are rash, itching (the animal scratches the skin vigorously until wounds appear), redness of the skin (this is especially visible in the ears).

ATTENTION! Sphynx cats are the most susceptible to allergic reactions. But signs of the disease are immediately visible on their skin, so the owner can begin treating the pet at an early stage.

In furry cats, rashes and dermatitis are complemented by severe hair loss . A clear sign that is uncharacteristic of a healthy animal is dandruff.

British cats or representatives of other breeds with long hair need to be examined more carefully , since scratching wounds may be in hidden places (under the chin, on the tummy).

Antihistamines for cats

Popular medications are of three or three generations:

1. I generation - Tavegil, Suprastin, Pipolfen, Diphenhydramine, Diazolin. Characterized by short-term action. They stop the secretion of histamine for only 4 hours. To prevent the animal from experiencing discomfort, medications should be given up to three times a day, preferably in between feedings, since vomiting is a side effect. The drugs are prescribed in high doses, which cause lethargy, drowsiness, urogenital diseases, and urolithiasis in animals. In case of overdose, paralysis of the hind legs develops. Therefore, it is not possible to use medications for allergic diseases in kittens for kittens. Injectable drugs of the first generation help to cope with itching and bronchospasm when drugs of the second and third generations are ineffective.
2. II generation - drops, tablets or syrup Loratadine, Fenistil, Kestin, solution for injection of Chlorphenamine maleate. They do not depress the nervous system, the duration of action is 24 hours. They have a negative effect on the functioning of the heart.
3. III generation - Zyrtec, Fexofenadine are produced only for oral use. They have a prolonged effect and do not have side effects. However, with severe itching, in some cases they are ineffective.

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Based on a survey of veterinarians, Zyrtec, Fenistil and Loratidine are considered the best drugs. They have the least number of complaints, and the complaints are not about side effects, but about lack of effectiveness.

First generation drugs receive both positive and negative reviews. Suprastin, Tavegil and Diphenhydramine quickly relieve allergic symptoms, but do not last long.

Allergy injections for cats

Injections are carried out in difficult situations and are accompanied by side effects.

The following antihistamines are used:

• Suprastin;
• Diphenhydramine;
• Tavegil;
• Pipolfen;
• Chlorphenamine maleate.

Symptoms of diseases

bee sting
An accurate diagnosis would help quickly determine the cause of the allergic reaction. But complex allergy tests are not performed on cats; the procedure is too expensive , and many allergens can only be administered to an animal under anesthesia.

In the absence of special tests, the source is determined by excluding provoking factors.

In this diagnosis, an important role is given to the person who will observe the pet’s reaction to food and filler.

After such a diagnosis, it will be easier for the veterinarian to decide how to cure an allergy to a particular substance.

ATTENTION! A reaction to a product, flea bites or litter material sometimes does not appear immediately.

For a long time, harmful endogenous substances accumulate in the body, and only the appearance of a strong allergen causes a surge in the disease . Especially often, signs of food allergies do not show themselves for a long time. But attentive owners will be able to notice in time that the cat looks unhealthy, constantly scratches its skin, and shows irritation .

Signs of food allergies

What product can an animal be allergic to? Only a specialist can give an exact answer, and we will only list the most allergenic food to which the cat’s body can react pathologically:

• Porridge (corn, millet, semolina);
• Meat (most often cats are allergic to chicken, duck and goose, fatty pork, less often to beef) and strong meat or fish broths;
• Milk (you can also be allergic to fermented milk products, but quite rarely);
• Eggs of chickens and other birds (quails, ducks, etc.);
• Sea red fish;
• Vegetables (tomatoes, potatoes, bell peppers, etc.), fruits and berries (peaches, melon, red apples, strawberries, raspberries, etc.).

Today, many owners choose ready-made food for their pets - dry granulated and canned. A cat has a food allergy – a common occurrence these days. Not only do the allergenic products listed above (for example, chicken meat, low-quality offal or vegetables) be added to industrial food, but many low-quality feeds contain plenty of allergenic components, for example:

• Soy;
• Choline;
• Taurine;
• Brewer's yeast;
• Chemical flavorings and preservatives;
• A huge amount of salt.

How can you tell if an animal has a food allergy? To do this, you need to know the symptoms of a cat's food allergy. The most striking signs of the disease are:

• Severe itching of the body (the cat itches literally incessantly, unable to fully relax even during sleep);
• The appearance of hairless areas on the body as a result of constant scratching (initially on the face, ears, stomach, limbs, and if left untreated, bald patches form in other areas);
• Ulcers and purulent blisters on the skin due to dental trauma;
• Redness and darkening of the skin;
• Mucus discharge from the eyes, nose and ears;
• Heavy breathing, shortness of breath even with minimal exertion;
• Cough;
• Frequent sneezing due to itching in the nose;
• Swelling of the extremities;
• Sometimes vomiting and diarrhea;
• Sometimes a slight increase in temperature;
• Nervousness, anxiety (the cat is almost constantly in a bad mood);
• Loss of appetite.

Treatment of a cat's food allergy is possible only when an accurate diagnosis is made, that is, a visit to the veterinarian is indispensable. The fact is that a person without veterinary education can easily confuse food allergies with another disease: seborrhea, scabies, bacterial and viral infections.

The doctor will first examine the animal (if the owner suspects that the cat is allergic to food, it is important to tell the doctor about all the symptoms present, as well as what the cat has eaten recently). Skin scrapings and blood and urine tests may be needed to be sure to differentiate food allergies from other conditions.

The cat has been living side by side with humans for many centuries; the idea of ​​taming this animal came to the minds of the ancient Egyptians back in the third millennium BC. After such close and lengthy communication, it is not surprising that nothing human is alien to our beloved Murka. We even have common illnesses now - allergies in cats happen no less often than in their owners.

The mechanism of an allergic reaction in an animal is no different from a human one and is triggered as a defensive reaction of the body to a hostile attack of some substance - an allergen. It is difficult to immediately determine the causative agent of an allergy. Each cat, like its human neighbor, is unique and one of a kind.

All possible allergens are usually divided into two large groups:

• Exogenous - those that came from the environment (food, medications, microorganisms, etc.) through the digestive tract, respiratory tract, skin pores.
• Endogenous - the body produced them itself. This is rare, but happens as a result of complex metamorphoses that lead to tissue breakdown. The remaining cells can acquire allergenic properties and become “enemies” for the organism in which they originated.

Important! Allergies do not always appear immediately after contact with a foreign agent. It may not reveal itself for a long time until the amount of the harmful substance in the body exceeds the maximum threshold (this indicator is individual for each animal). Sometimes a microdose, one molecule of the allergen, is enough for the symptoms to make themselves felt in full.

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Before treating allergies in cats, it is necessary to detect the allergen, otherwise all efforts will be in vain. Of course, it could be anything, but most often veterinarians make one of the following diagnoses.

You can determine that a cat’s body is fighting an allergen by the following signs:

• redness and swelling of certain areas of the skin;
• severe itching (the animal constantly itches, rubs against the walls, gnaws its paws);
• the appearance of a rash on the body;
• a sharp rise in temperature;
• shortness of breath, spasm of the respiratory tract;
• prolonged sneezing;
• vomit.

Important! A cat's natural body temperature range is higher than a human's. 38-39 degrees is normal for an adult animal. For kittens, the norm is even higher – 38.5-39.5°C.

Any of these symptoms may appear against the background of general malaise of the animal:

• restless or overly apathetic behavior;
• increased sweating in the armpits;
• the appearance of a sharp unpleasant odor from wool;
• severe shedding, dandruff.

The allergen can be identified and a diagnosis made by exclusion. First, a thorough examination of the animal for the presence of parasites is carried out. If they are detected, and the largest number of foci of inflammation are on the back and tail, then the allergen on the face is the saliva of a flea or other insect.

If you can't see any uninvited guests in your cat's fur, you need to rule out the possibility of a food allergy. For this purpose, the animal is put on a 3-month diet. All this time, the cat is fed only food that he has never tried before. After this period, you will have to go through the so-called provocative feeding of the very food that you have been abstaining from all this time.

A lot of questions that arise when a cat has an allergy - how to treat it, whether it is possible to give “human” tablets and in what doses, how long it will last - can be resolved by going to the veterinarian. It is dangerous to engage in amateur activities, if only because prolonged contact with an undetected allergen can have fatal consequences for the cat.

During an exacerbation, the fastest effect can be achieved by combining the use of steroids and antihistamines with local use of external ointments and creams. Special shampoos will help relieve itching.

Flea allergies need to be combated using insecticides in the form of sprays and drops. You can use anti-flea collars, but you should only wear them outside, otherwise the parasites will jump onto the carpet and then move on to the cat again.

Treatment of allergies in cats

The veterinarian prescribes both antiallergic medications and those that relieve complex symptoms.
It is necessary to immediately relieve itching and inflammation on the pet’s skin, and treat scratched wounds .

It is important to calm the cat , because skin diseases lead to severe irritation.

Each remedy is selected individually , since the animal may have a negative reaction to medications.

• Antihistamines for cats are necessary for all types of allergies; they soothe, reduce skin manifestations, swelling, and irritation.
• To restore good skin condition, a special healing and soothing ointment . If there are wounds, the product should also have a disinfectant effect. To prevent your cat from licking medications from the skin, you need to put a special collar on her during treatment.
• If you have a food allergy, it is important to follow a diet that includes neutral and fresh foods . The diet is needed for a long time, and the provoking product is excluded in the future, so as not to cause food allergies again. You can identify a negative reaction to a product if you replace chicken with fish or store-bought fermented milk products with cottage cheese or home-made yogurt. Most often, proteins of animal or plant origin become allergens in a cat’s body.
• a large number of dry food of different brands on sale , and it is this type of food that is leading in the field of food allergies. You need to carefully monitor your pet’s reaction to a new food; when the first signs of illness appear, you should change the brand of food and try a different composition.
• Antihistamine and corticosteroid tablets are prescribed for atopic dermatitis. A medicine that completely cures this disease has not yet been created, so it is important to regularly monitor the manifestations of the disease. Atopy is especially difficult to manifest in spring and autumn; you need to help your cat survive such seasons. Dermatitis may also be accompanied by a bacterial or fungal infection .
• With atopy, the skin first becomes dry, severe itching appears, debilitating the pet . In places where scratching occurs, the wounds even turn into wet ulcers, complicated by infections. Any factor can provoke an allergy - a new product, some kind of grass, a powder that was used to wash the bedding. The disease cannot be cured, but the cat’s symptoms should be alleviated, itching should be relieved with medications, and ointment should be applied to the wounds.

ATTENTION! Peeling of your cat's paw pads may indicate an allergic reaction to the litter in the litter box.

For all breeds, veterinarians recommend choosing odorless litter with small particles . It is advisable to read on the packaging what kind of wood this product is made from, because a reaction to a certain type of wood is possible. Peeling of the pads may also indicate an allergy to household chemicals or washing powder .

Skin irritation in a kitten or adult animal caused by insects is also a health problem. You can protect your pet from fleas using a special collar and anti-flea shampoo . Swelling and even difficulty breathing in a cat after a wasp or bee sting are possible. In this case, you need to quickly give your pet antihistamines and sedatives.

At home, with proper treatment and following the doctor's recommendations, it is not difficult to cure allergies. Manufacturers produce tablets, ointments, drops. You can choose the form of medication that is more convenient for treatment .

What is an allergy and why does it occur in animals?

The immune system of tailed and baleen cats works in the same way as in humans - it protects the cat’s body from the negative influence of the environment and fights substances that have a detrimental effect on the health of the pet. Sometimes the immune system “attacks” harmful particles with particular zeal – the result of such “effort” is the appearance of allergic reactions.

So, this phenomenon is a consequence of increased rejection by the body of a substance. Not only food can provoke scabies, the appearance of bald spots and weeping eczema - the list of potentially dangerous sources of the disease includes:

• flea and tick bites;
• pollen;
• household chemicals.

Should know

The cat’s body sometimes reacts to an allergen instantly, and sometimes 2-4 days after “meeting” it.

Getting rid of the unpleasant manifestations of increased immune system activity can take several weeks, or even a month. One thing should be remembered: with all the zeal and desire to help a pet, it is strictly forbidden to select medications on your own, give him “human” drugs, or let the situation take its course. The main thing is to contact a specialist in time and follow his recommendations.

Some owners pay attention to the deteriorating condition of their pet only at the moment when the disease, having passed the initial stage, acquires unpleasant “add-ons” in the form of complications. By postponing a visit to the doctor, you risk seriously harming the animal - the more severe the illness, the less likely there is to get rid of the disease quickly.

What can cause skin lesions in cats?

Skin lesions in cats have different origins. Among the most common reasons for their appearance are:

Flea dermatitis

• Ectoparasites. Parasites that live on the surface of the body of pets (fleas, ticks) are the causative agents of dermatitis, sarcoptic mange, notoedrosis, otodectosis;
• Fungi that cause lichen.
• Improper care or change in the animal’s diet, as a result of which the cat develops allergies, acne, and eczema.
• Improper development of sebaceous glands and hair follicles, leading to acne.
• An allergic reaction, stress, skin injuries, kidney diseases, tumors, diabetes mellitus, which can become a prerequisite for bacterial infections to damage the pet’s skin.
• Mental disorders that can lead to alopecia.
• Pathologies of internal organs, against which eczema can develop.