Acne in Cats
Acne in Cats
Cats get acne when their sebaceous glands linked with their hair follicles and larger sebaceous glands on the head and tail secrete an excess of oils. In this condition, the pet’s pores and follicles near the glands become clogged with black sebaceous material, and form comedones.
In severe cases, the pores and follicles can get infected, irritated and swollen. Cat acne is seen on the animal’s chin and resembles a spot of black dirt that stays there stubbornly despite several washes. This is a very common problem among cats and can even be a lifelong disease in the chin and lips areas, but is not associated with puberty.
When your cat is a year old, he will have long periods of inaction and aggravation. What begins as a blackhead or a crop of them around the chin and lower lip soon become red, itchy and infected bumps, with hair loss and loss of pigmentation.
Symptoms: The symptoms of acne are:
- Blackheads on the chin and lower lips
- Swelling of the chin
In severely affected cats:
- Redness
- Hair loss
- Pain
Diagnosis: Clinical signs are the best and most commonly used method of diagnosing feline acne. To rule out any fungal infection or mange, your veterinarian may do deep skin scrapings and fungal cultures.
Treatment: Topical products such as retinoids, benzoyl peroxide, topical antibiotics and steroids give good results.
Home care: Give your cat a daily soak with Epson salts or apply antibacterial and/or antifungal creams to disinfect the area. Topical therapy can not only help drain away the lesions but also prevents excessive scarring. Wash the area with medicated products once or twice a week and remove scabs and sebum.
In severe cases you may be required to administer systemic drugs. They include oral antibiotics, oral antifungal drugs, oral steroids or oral retinoids. The antibiotics are usually given for several weeks. They may cause stomach irritation and nausea causing loss of appetite (anorexia) and diarrhea. Antifungal drugs have the potential of inducing liver disease, thus any loss of appetite should immediately reported to your veterinarian. Other adverse effects include vomiting and diarrhea.
You should monitor your cat closely and call your veterinarian is necessary.
To properly treat acne you need to remove the excess sebum. If your cat does have acne or you suspect acne consult your vet. He may prescribe an antibacterial scrub, benzoyl peroxide shampoo, corticosteroids, or antibiotics (oral or topical) to clear up the acne. Note: Never give your cat any medication that is not prescribed by your vet or is meant to be given to a human.
Clean it daily. Gently washing your pet's face with soap and a washcloth will remove surface bacteria and help break down material that may be plugging the oil glands, says Dr. Cruz. To be most effective, the washcloth should be "a little warmer than a baby's bath, but not scalding," she says. Scrub gently, then rinse well with warm water to remove the soap. You can use any mild cleansing soap, or you can buy an antibacterial pet shampoo. Don't use human deodorant soaps, which can be irritating, adds Dr. Cruz.
Give him a heat pack: Open clogged glands by giving your pet a heat pack. Wet a washcloth with hot water. Wring it out and put on the affected area for a few minutes to help get rid of acne.
Speed up healing with calendula: Make a concentrated tincture of marigolds by adding six drops of it to an ounce of warm water. With a clean cotton ball, apply the solution on the acne area twice a day and clean it. This will expedite the healing and keep the area clean.
Aloe vera for pain: If he is in acute pain, ease his discomfort with a thin layer of gel from an aloe vera plant or gel.
Don't give him human remedies: Give your pet drugs made for animals, if you give him drugs made for people it will only harm him.
Don’t pinch his pimples: You may want to squeeze his rash of pimples but don’t do that because it can hurt your pet and cause infection to spread beneath the skin.