Posts Tagged ‘cat’

Feline acne is a typically mild skin condition that some cats develop. Acne in cats is not much different than acne in humans. Feline acne affects the faces of cats and is most common on the cat’s chin.

Acne in cats often looks like blackheads on the cat’s lips and chin. The blackheads may not be clearly visible in which cases the acne may make the chin look dirty. The acne may cause abscesses which open and crust over.

Though most cases of feline acne are minor, more severe cases can lead to skin irritation, hair loss, swelling, open sores, and infection. If the cat is scratching the area of the acne, the risk of hair loss, sores, and infection increases.

Common causes of acne in cats include poor grooming, stress, allergic reactions, and dirt or food caught in skin folds of the cat’s face. Cat acne can be due to overactive oil glands in the cat’s skin.

Skin conditions such as a yeast infection of the chin, bacterial infections, ringworm, and mange can resemble acne in cats. Light-haired cats often develop changes in skin pigmentation which may look like black dots on the chin. These dots can resemble cat acne.

The skin condition should be examined and properly diagnosed by a veterinarian. A skin scraping, skin biopsy, or other tests may be done to determine the appropriate diagnosis.

The veterinarian may prescribe a special shampoo, mild soap, or wet compresses with an Epsom salt solution. A topical ointment, fatty acid supplements, or antibiotics may be prescribed. Corticosteroid injections are sometimes used for the treatment of this condition.

The cat owner may be able to help prevent feline acne. The cat owner may need to pay more attention to keeping the cat’s face clean. If the cat is getting feline acne on its chin, the cat owner might help this condition by cleaning the cat’s chin after the cat eats.

Plastic food bowls can sometimes be responsible for triggering feline acne due to allergies. Switching to ceramic, glass, or stainless steel water and food bowls may prevent these breakouts.

The cat owner should not squeeze the blackheads since this can create sores that are prone to infection. The skin condition should be checked by the veterinarian again if the condition does not clear up with the recommended treatment. A different treatment may be prescribed.

When you see your dog or cat chewing, and or, scratching excessively, it’s usually a strong sign that a flea control war plan needs to be implemented. A flea bite causes an allergic reaction that result in itching. Unfortunately, a lot people will let their dogs and cats suffer until they are bitten, before deciding to an implement a flea control program.

Fleas can make your dog or cat’s life miserable, and yours too. Let’s just say it: fleas are cat’s and dog’s number one enemy. Just one female flea can produce up to 200 eggs per day, and eggs may lay dormant for up to one year. Meaning, if you don’t treat the core problem, and just your pet, the chances are that any flea control treatments you apply to your pet will delay the inevitable: an ongoing flea infestation in and outside of your home.

There are even many methods that don’t require flea control products to get rid of fleas. Below is a list of the top 10 flea control methods and treatments that will help you to get rid of that annoying flea infestation.

1. Flea Treatment – Giving your dog or cat immediate relief is a must. There are many flea control treatments on the market. Hands down, the best is Advantage Flea and Frontline Flea treatments for dogs and cats. So if you’re going to buy such a treatment, spend the few extra dollars to get the best. Eggs can lay dormant up to a year, so one treatment will not do. Just like any treatment, Frontline and Advantage flea treatments are not as effective if only applied once. Ongoing applications will be needed to kill additional fleas that might be brought back in.

2. Flea Spray Indoors – Spraying inside is a key component for your flea control program. Flea sprays like flea bombs and aerosols are the best. For best results choose a flea spray that has an IGR (insect growth regulator). IGR disrupts a baby flea’s life cycle preventing it from growing up to the biting adult flea we all know and love.

3. Pet Bedding – If your pet sleeps outside, then using Cedar chips for their bedding works great. Cedar is a natural flea repellent. There’s no point for long term flea control if you don’t address where your pet sleeps. Many stores also sell Cedar dust, but unless you want your dog to drag Cedar dust throughout the yard and house, stick with the chips.

4. Vacuuming – This is the most important step that you need to take to get rid of fleas in your home after treatment. Most the time just the vibration of the vacuum when getting sucked up will kill them. Be sure to get rid of or empty the bag when finished and it throw away. Vacuum carpets, couches, and chairs with cushions thoroughly. It’s just not the adults you want gone, it’s the eggs too.

5. Flea Spray Outdoors – If your dog has fleas, and spends a lot of time outside, then chances are you need to treat outdoors as well. There are numerous flea sprays on the market, so READ THE LABEL for proper application rates. Remember to see if the label says it contains an IGR.

6. Flea Trap / Monitor – Homemade flea traps, like a bowl of soapy water with a light over it, are very common and are a great way to kill, and to see if you still have flea activity. Laying a piece of white paper on the ground and moving it a little bit will also attract fleas if they are still present.

7. Infested Dogs and Cats – Having other people bring their infested dog or cat to your home is another way to have flea problems again. Were not saying that your parent’s dog can’t come over and play with Fluffy, but it doesn’t hurt to check.  

8. Fleas Natural – Brewer’s yeast pills are an example of natural flea control. Most health food stores will carry them. Remember that this is not a cure all, but another tool in a flea control program.

9. Flea Shampoo – Flea shampoo is just a temporary solution to a bigger problem. Like treatments, shampoos will kill the adult fleas only. When the fleas lay eggs, they drop to the floor or ground, which is where they hatch. So shampoo does nothing to kill flea eggs.

10. Flea Collars – Flea collars are not as effective as flea treatments such as Frontline and Advantage. If you work on a tight budget, then a flea collar is better than nothing.

For more information on the best flea control and prevention methods for pets and at home, please visit http://www.Flea-control-treatment-dogs-cat.com.