Login|Contact Us
Question and Answer

Cat Veterinary

Ask a Cat Veterinary Question, Get an Answer ASAP!

  • Ask A Question
  • Browse Answers
  • Meet The Experts
  • How JustAnswer Works

My 11 yr. old CAT is loosing her hair on her left rear side.

 

Customer Question

My 11 yr. old CAT is loosing her hair on her left rear side. She eats and drinks normal, has lots of energy. What is causing this condition?

 

Optional Information:
Type of Animal: Cat
Gender: Male
Age: 11

Already Tried:
Nothing

Submitted: 346 days and 13 hours ago.
Category: Cat Veterinary
Value: $18
Status: CLOSED

Accepted Answer

Picture
Expert:  CriticalCareVet replied 346 days and 13 hours ago.


CriticalCareVet :

Welcome to JustAnswer! I am a licensed veterinarian and would be glad to help!

CriticalCareVet :

Is she an indoor only cat?

CriticalCareVet :

Do you notice, her licking or scratching at this area?

CriticalCareVet :

Is there weight loss?

Customer :

She goes outside also in an enclosed space

Customer :

I haven't noticed her scratching that spot

Customer :

She seems to have lost some weight but not to extremes

CriticalCareVet :

Ok - thank you - I am going to list some thoughts to consider - please give me a few moments to be comprehensive in possible causes.

CriticalCareVet :

The most common causes for this, especially in a cat that can go outside (even for a brief period of time) include:

1) Infectious causes:
- Bacteria
- Mites
- Fleas

2) Going back to the topic above - FLEAS and flea allergy dermatitis (not just the fleas themselves...) but the ALLERGY with cats associated with just one flea bite can be quite intense.

3) There are some cats which will have fur loss due to internal reasons - and the most common one would be an overactive thyroid. For this reason, especially in older cats checking the thyroid value notably would be a consideration with your history.

4) Environmental as well as food allergies can cause these signs as well, again - especially environmental even if going outside.

For allergies, whether flea, food, or environment, options include:

- Steroids (Prednisone - LINK HERE)

- Antihistamines such as Benadryl (LINK HERE) or Loratidine (LINK HERE).

IF diet is a concern - then a hypoallergenic diet example that is common to use in cats is Hill's Z/D (LINK HERE)

Finally - there are some cats that have fur loss and there is just no cause we can identify....

For these cats, it is thought that OCD/behavioral/anxiety related issues are the cause. (LINK HERE)

For that as well, they can benefit from steroid injections - but owners also find it beneficial to consider a product called Feliway - LINK HERE or a calming collar (LINK HERE) which emits phermones/hormones that are supposed to decrease stress or anxiety in cats.

I hope this helps!

If you have any follow-up questions - please do not hesitate to ask!

Otherwise - please remember to click ACCEPT. If we have exited the chat session, you may click a “Happy Face” followed by “Submit”.

Find me any time if needed: http://www.justanswer.com/veterinary/expert-criticalcarevet

You can always request me through my profile, bookmark my page for future help, or beginning your question with “For CriticalCareVet”
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Please click the "GREEN ACCEPT" button if the information I have provided has been of help so I receive credit for helping you. Bonuses are always welcome and appreciated.

This is necessary so that I can get credit for assisting you and compensated for my time.

Once you click accept, your question will not close, and you will still have the opportunity to follow-up if needed.

Also remember, sometimes the medical information and recommendation may not be what you want to hear, but it is being made in the best interest of your pet - please be courteous in your response, even if this is not exactly what you wanted to hear - we are only making the best and safest possible recommendations for you and your loved ones.

Please keep in mind that if you do not list all the important information above (medical history, current medications, previous illness, etc) it is harder for me to give you the most complete information.

With this communication - we are here to guide you in making the best decision for your pet. This is for informational purposes only. We are not allowed to diagnose and prescribe medications - rather provide a course of action to speak to your veterinarian about - and any medical therapy and treatment should only be performed after an in-person examination with your veterinarian as a professional-client relationship has not been established on the site. While information may be discussed, this is not intended as an encouragement for you to self treat your pet, rather information online, and any treatment provided should only be performed after consulting your veterinarian.

Expert TypeER/ICU Specialist
Category: Cat Veterinary
Pos. Feedback: 96.4 %
Accepts: 16860
Answered: 5/8/2012

Experience: Emergency and Critical Care Specialist

Ask this Expert a Question >
Picture
Expert:  CriticalCareVet replied 346 days and 13 hours ago.

What Happens Now?

Your chat has ended, but you can still work with your Expert to get an answer to your question if you have not yet received one.

Come back to this page at any time to see additional information from your Expert.  You will also receive an email when your question is updated.  If you want to send a message to your Expert, use the box below.

If you have already received a satisfactory answer to your question, click the Accept button above.  Experts are credited for each accepted answer they provide.

 
Tweet

Cat Veterinarians are Online Right Now

Ask Your Question Now
Ask A Cat Veterinarian
Type Your Cat Veterinary Question Here...
characters left:

Top Cat Veterinary Experts

See More Cat Veterinarians

In The News

Nbc
Washington Post
New York Times
Cnn
Learn More

How It Works

  • Ask an Expert
  • Get a Professional Answer
  • Ask Followup Questions
  • 100% Satisfaction Guarantee
Learn More
close
Find Expert answers related to your question.
Sign up using email
We will never post anything without your permission.
Already have an account? Sign in

Ask a Cat Veterinarian

Get a Professional Answer. 100% Satisfaction Guaranteed.
72 Cat Veterinarians are Online Now
Type Your Cat Veterinary Question Here...
characters left:
Disclaimer: Information in questions, answers, and other posts on this site ("Posts") comes from individual users, not JustAnswer; JustAnswer is not responsible for Posts. Posts are for general information, are not intended to substitute for informed professional advice (medical, legal, veterinary, financial, etc.), or to establish a professional-client relationship. The site and services are provided "as is" with no warranty or representations by JustAnswer regarding the qualifications of Experts. To see what credentials have been verified by a third-party service, please click on the "Verified" symbol in some Experts' profiles. JustAnswer is not intended or designed for EMERGENCY questions which should be directed immediately by telephone or in-person to qualified professionals.
Truste
Contact Us | Terms of Service | Privacy & Security | About Us | Our Network
© 2003-2013 JustAnswer LLC
  • Pearl.com
  • JustAnswer UK
  • JustAnswer Germany
  • JustAnswer Spanish
  • JustAnswer Japan