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Tag: allergies

  • Immunotherapy in cats

    Immunotherapy in cats

    Although “off-licence”, immunotherapy is well worth considering in our pruritic feline friends.

    Feline head pruritus secondary to food allergy
    Feline head pruritus, a result of food allergy. Image by Caroldermoid. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons.

    Of course we need to rule out all other causes of pruritus first:

    • Ectoparasites: As well as all the usual suspects, don’t forget Demodex can occasionally cause ventral alopecia and pruritus (that’s the funny flat form, not the cigar shaped one).
    • Food allergies: Let’s face it, food allergy is tricky to pursue in cats – and if they have a partly outdoor lifestyle, hypoallergenic diets are of not of any use.

    Case study

    I recently saw a case that had typical excoriation lesions around the head and neck.

    The owner was able to keep the cat indoors on Purina HA Hypoallergenic for six weeks, and was happy to dose monthly with Stronghold. This, together with a good response to steroids, was highly suggestive of atopy.

    Serum IgE testing produced a range of high levels to pollens, house dust mite and moulds.

    Our friend has recently started on immunotherapy injections and is now starting to show signs of a good response. With the feline response to immunotherapy reported to be higher than that in dogs, this may be something well worth considering in cats.

  • Puppy pyoderma / cellulitis

    Puppy pyoderma / cellulitis

    Puppy pyoderma
    Golden retriever puppy with juvenile cellulitis. Photo: Trisha Shears, via Wikipedia.

    Puppy pyoderma (also known as juvenile cellulitis) typically occurs between three weeks to four months of age, in any breed of puppy. It is characterised by an acute swelling of the face, especially the lips, eyelids, chin and muzzle.

    It can be confused with an allergic reaction (e.g. a bee sting or vaccination reaction) and can develop into pustules that drain and scab.

    The submandibular lymph nodes enlarge dramatically, hence giving the disease its other name of “strangles”.

    Puppies are often lethargic, with appetite loss, pyrexia, and pain in the joints.

    There may be an immune aetiology to the disease because affected animals respond well to steroids.

  • Don’t forget allergen-specific immunotherapy in cats

    Tree pollen
    Not a flea or food allergy… what else could it be?

    Allergen-specific immunotherapy (ASIT) can be a useful tool in cats.

    I see a number of cats that, following parasite elimination and control – plus no response to dietary trial – remain pruritic. We use serological testing via our commercial laboratory and then order in the ASIT vial(s) according to the results.

    Although the efficacy of ASIT is by no means guaranteed, I find it generally works well in cats. In fact, I find the majority are controlled well, although it has to be said we see fewer cases than in dogs.