Fungal infection on paw pads in FIV+ cats?

[jennielynn1970]

One of my foster kitties, Honeybun, has these weird growths that come out of his paw pads. I asked the woman who used to have him about them (I've had him about 3mons), and she said they were calluses. They looked like horns coming out of his paw pads, and I actually thought they were claws that were regrowing, even though he had been declawed years ago. I've heard of it happening, and I was really concerned.

My vet told me that it's a fungus, and that it's common in FIV+ kitties cause their immune systems can't fight it off, but it looks so icky. And the pads that are at his "wrist" area on his front paws are so dried and cracked looking, it's almost like an artichoke's leaves. I tried bag balm, but other than that, I'm not sure what to put on it. I've never heard or seen this before, and I just feel badly for the poor old guy! He's over 12yrs old, and has a total of 4 teeth (his fangs), but is such a sweetheart, and so loving, I'd hate to think that he has to put up with this. His former foster said she just cut the growths off, but that just freaks me out.

Anyone out there ever deal with this before???

[Catlady711]

If you're describing what I think you are....... then it would be a cutaneous horn.

Jack and Bear both have these, I have trimmed them off before, although not flush with the skin. It did not bleed or bother either cat to have them trimmed and they seem just as fine if I leave them alone also. They were callous-y feeling/looking growths. The ones Jack & Bear have are on the actual toe pad of the foot under where nails grow, sometimes growing upwards to meet the claw. A claw grows from above the toe pad.

As far as being something that goes with FIV/FELV... Bear (has always been a house cat and vaccinated young) and Jack (has already tested negative for FELV and FIV then vaccinated).

pix of horned paws

Q&A on horned paws

Hope those links help especially the one with pix.

[jenluckenbach]

Amber has those! But I have no idea what they are.

[jennielynn1970]

Wow! Those were almost exactly like my Honey's growths on his paw pads. He doesn't have the puffy big paw pad, but he does have those growth/horns. Some are very bent and look like claws, but the ones on his back feet (that he just let me look at before) look more like the ones that were coming straight out of the tops of the paw pads. My vet was telling me before that FIV+ kitties normally have bad teeth and feet. Not sure why or what the connection is, but most of the FIV guys I've had have all had very dry, almost dehydrated looking paw pads, and really bad teeth. This poor guy has 4 teeth left. The top and bottom fangs.