cat acne

[merril]

My cat Jasper has cat acne under his chin. I discovered this two weeks ago and he's been to the vet twice with it. Presently it involves this (step one-hibiciens is dabbed on a small piece of gauze and then applied to his chin (step two is wiping this off with a damp cloth (step three is to put a sterile glove on my hand and then apply neotopic-h lotion. This treatment is completed twice daily. I am not sure that this second attempt is working and I have to phone the vet on friday and see where we go from there. As earlier he had plastic bowls for eating from now I have bought the stainless steel variety. If anyone has any suggestions please forward thanks Jasper's mum. :(

[kuhio98]

Pepper gets chin breakouts every now and then. The vet didn't prescribe any medicine. He told us to get a warm, wet washcloth and hold it to her chin to steam open the pores. After a few minutes, gently rub it with the wash cloth to get all the black gunk off. Pepper actually enjoys it and will rest her chin on the warm washcloth.

[merril]

Thanks Lisa

I read your email with interest, thanks Lisa I will try the warm washcloth next. I will also inform our nz vet of this as an alternative treatment.
Merril

[moosmom]

My cat Maya Linn has chronic kitty acne. I squeeze the blackheads to get the gunk out, rub a warm washcloth to get rid of the black stuff, and then put 10% Benzoil Peroxide on it.

[saphira]

If you look down the list of threads you will see 'kitty exema' by Columbine and 'persian dirty face' by saphira. There are lots of tips there. My persian Yazzmyna has it and I have tried sooo many things and it is getting worse. The warm face cloth does help.I also gentry comb it with a flea comb and a little brush I was given from a hair frosting kit. I bleach and wash in hot water everything I use on her so as not to reinfect or spread it. Good luck.It is so hard to see our little kitty faces all black and sore.

[Catty1]

Moosmom and others...I have found blackhead removers similar to this even in dollar stores. One end has a larger hole than the other end. All you do is centre the blackhead in the hole, and press down. Amazing!

Might be easier on Maya Lynn?

I like the warm wet cloth idea. I was in a sauna ages ago - and rubbed my nose a lot - BOY were the pores clean afterwards!


http://i3.ebayimg.com/02/i/06/65/8b/cb_2.JPG

[moosmom]

C1,

I've seen them at BB&B and wondered if they worked. I'll have to pick one up and give it a try. Thanks!

[jennielynn1970]

My FIV+ guy, Honey, has just developed some acne on his chin. He's soooo uncooperative!!! I never saw anything on his chin, but the other day I thought it was moist there from his drooling, and when I touched it with a tissue, it has some blood on it. I kinda freaked out initially, then got a decent look at it. I've been putting peroxide on it, when I can get him to be still enough to do this. For a 14yr old FIV+ guy, he's got a lot of strength!

About the Stridex pads and stuff, doesn't that hurt to put it on them?? I remember putting that crap on my own face, and it burned!!! Thank god I've never had to deal with serious acne. That medicine is brutal.

I'm just worried with Honeybun because he is FIV+ and I don't want it to get serious or infected! I think it's stress related actually. Too many new kitties for his liking. :( :( I use ceramic bowls for the water, and the only thing that is plastic is the self feeder, and that's been up since I've had him.. about 10 months or so.

[merril]

I use hibiciens on his face with a gauze pad to apply, then wipe it off with a damp pad and then apply neotopic ointment and this stays with him til the next time as this is done twice daily. Jasper is a placid cat and is in no pain from this and lifts his chin to allow me to do what my vet suggested. Sometimes I have an assistant because it's easier to have me either hold him and let the other person do what's required or visa versa. After three weeks his chin is alot better. I ring my vet weekly and we discuss his condition. But if your cat is not as allowing as mine I would suggest as a previous writer in this column suggested you try a warm damp face wash on the area. I have also been informed by my vet that Jasper will probably suffer this condition again. As is generally conceded white cats are more prone to suffer skin problems.

[kuhio98]

Glad to hear the Jasper is doing better. Pepper's chin breaks out once or twice a year. We have 4 kitties with white chins, but Pepper's the only one that has acne. Here's a photo of her when her chin is broken out. http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid110/p3c260cdbd09f79c6cc3bc6c446a39d9b/f9161af2.jpg

I think stress contributes to her breakouts. Right after we adopted Willy and Willow, her chin broke out. She is NOT happy about their adoption. :(

[merril]

Hi Kuhio

I'm glad this bout of cat acne is nearly over, thanks to everyone for their responses. Kuhlio98 when I visited my vet in Karori Wellington New Zealand I told him about the treatment used for Pepper. I think if I hadn't already taken Jasper to the vet first I would of tried your vets treatment for the condition. Although Pepper has more tabby than Jasper it's clear they share that same white chin. Does Pepper also suffer from sunburned ears in the summer too? In New Zealand most cats go outdoors all year round as we don't have the concerns present such as snakes and bears, and the traffic situation isn't as bad either.