Hair loss on the ear of an indoor cat

RE: Hair loss on the ear of an indoor cat

Martin Atkinson — Thu, 03 May 2018 15:28:46 GMT

[quote user="Neil Wheadon"]Allergic cats are itchy? would expect the hair shafts to be damaged, but good thought[/quote]That was what I was going to ask as you hadn't mentioned if the cat was pruritic or not. If not should rule out parasitic and allergic causes. I've seen a cat contract ringworm from the owner's child so its not impossible in an indoor cat and it isn't always pruritic. I tend not to worry about ears going bald if there is no obvious infectious/parasitic/fungal cause and its not pruritic.

RE: Hair loss on the ear of an indoor cat

Neil Wheadon — Thu, 03 May 2018 14:52:43 GMT

There might be a better picture coming.

I had to take at a distance, as won't focus, send to the laptop at a 1.2MB size then crop it on photoshop then post it.

The client has a DSLR at home which will far outperform an iPhone (at this focal distance) and he's going to try later today at home. I'll post it, if it arrives.

Neil

RE: Hair loss on the ear of an indoor cat

Lucy Fleming — Thu, 03 May 2018 14:47:55 GMT

[quote user="Neil Wheadon"]Allergic cats are itchy? would expect the hair shafts to be damaged, but good thought[/quote] Yes, you would (though mine's ears are bald even when he does not seem to show any other signs of pruritis. He might just be odd, though, he is a bit of a typical veterinary lemon of a pet. They aren't as scabby/ scaly looking as this picture though)

RE: Hair loss on the ear of an indoor cat

Neil Wheadon — Thu, 03 May 2018 13:21:57 GMT

The diseases cited were thoughts, nothing ruled out, just trying to put them in order of probability. The other vet here thought pemphigus for just this reason, limited to the ear.

Allergic cats are itchy? would expect the hair shafts to be damaged, but good thought

Neil

RE: Hair loss on the ear of an indoor cat

Rach — Thu, 03 May 2018 13:18:15 GMT

I’m not sure I‘d rule out pemphigus quite so rapidly. I seem to recall seeing a case that was confined to ear tips. Needed quite a generous doses of pred IIRC.

RE: Hair loss on the ear of an indoor cat

Lucy Fleming — Thu, 03 May 2018 13:00:36 GMT

Atopy/ allergic skin disease? (My own indoor cat had bald ears when I first acquired him. He started pred for his asthma and they went away. Now he is on an inhaler instead and his bald ears are back. He also occasionally gets a touch of miliary dermatitis on his head. Then I give him a steroid injection - Anthony Todd would be proud!)