What's the Best Way to help Bobby?

[Freedom]

Some of you may remember last year when Bobby was so itchy he was licking his fur off, scratching himself until bleeding. He had to wear an e collar for 4 months while we tried to figure it out.

Thought we had it solved, put him on a presciption food, green peas and venison. Well, in January when Tommy & Tuppence arrived, I stopped using the food regularly and Bobby was fine.

About a month back, the itching started again. So we went back to the vet dermatologist and had the blood serum evaluation, to find out just what he IS allergic to. Got the report today:

Weeds, trees, grasses, molds = the main problem. So this is like hay fever in a human. A pollen issue. He is also allergic to fleas and sheep wool, neither are a problem here.

Hence he is fine in the winter, as the windows are closed and all those things are kept away from him. In high summer, I have central air, which will help him. But that is used sporadically here in RI, 3 or 4 days and then off, a week and then off again.

The vet dermatologist recommends allergy shots, for desensitizing. This will be life long and year round.

Bobby is not yet 2 years, which is why I wanted to find the source of the problem and went this route. (it is quite expensive) He is also FIV +, so many of the other options for treatment are not available to him. He can't have depo shots for the itch, and there are no tests on using Atopica (a pill) on FIV + kitties. Last year we tried Benadryl (didn't help much and made him very sleepy) Chlor tri me ton (helped a bit but not enough to do away with the e collar).

So it looks like I need to start giving him these shots. Sigh.

Just wondered what other may think on this subject. Thank you.

[Laura's Babies]

Wow! A cat taking allergy shots.. I feel sorry for your baby with those allergies, I am the Allergy Queen myself so I know how miserable that is.

Have you tired air just keeping him in a small room with a Air Purifier during his flare up times of the year? I would try getting one twice as big as what I thought I needed and maybe having one to clean the air would help him? Poor baby, I just feel so sorry for him. All he knows is he is miserable and don't know why.

[kb2yjx]

I am so sorry to read that Bobby's allergies have gotten worse!!!

[Pawsitive Thinking]

Did it all come back when you stopped the prescription food?

Poor little fella. I agree that the air purifier might help ease his discomfort

[kimlovescats]

Poor itchy boy! I think the closed room with a purifier sounds like a good thing to at least try! That and maybe putting him back on his RX food! Good luck!

[emily_the_spoiled]

If the chlortripolon helped a bit, would it help to increase the dose? There are also a number of other antihistamines you might want to try before going the route of allergy shots. (Although I don't know enough about FIV+ cats to recommend any)

[Freedom]

Brody's Mum, I stopped the prescription food in January and he didn't break out until late April. We had one warm week and I had the windows open. So it is definitely not a food allergy. Plus, the blood serum tests did not show ANY allergies to food!

I don't know about keeping him in one room. He and the 3 young ones are all over the house and cellar with their play and wrestling. He won't even EAT alone in one room! Plus, how would I keep that room cool?

An air purified may help, but not once the windows are open. He is quite sensitive. Just having the windows open one day for 2 hours and he was going crazy with the itchies. Lick lick, scratch, scratch, tufts of fur out, and hives all over from neck to tail.

Emily, he was on the maximum dose of chlor tri me ton for his weight last year. There are others we could try however, they made little impact last year and I want to try to prevent him getting as sore as he was!

Thanks for all the thoughts, everyone.

[Medusa]

If Bobby can't take depo shots, am I correct in assuming that he can't take Prednisolone, too? My Creamsicle is on Pred and no more itchy scabs. She was getting monthly depo shots but that became tedious so she's on Pred every other day.

[Freedom]

Hmm, I don't know about the prednisone, Medusa. I wouldn't want him on it long term, with the possible kidney complications. I don't recall that one ever being mentioned.

Well, we went to get the allergy shots today, have a full set up for one year. This may take 4 to 9 MONTHS to see any impact! About 75% of felines do get an improvement with the shots.

I got the full allergy report and find it fascinating.

He also got an antibiotic shot today, something new in to the office. It is good for 2 weeks, so I won't need to give him the Clavamox anymore. It is convenia (?) I need to google it and learn more. The clavamox DID clear up the bacteria infection, in 3 days. Had to keep it up for 2 weeks. However he got itchy again this past Tuesday (another nice day, I had the windows open) so he has more scabs. We are hoping this will solve that part of the issue.

Solving the itchiness, unless / until the allergy shots start to have some impact, is still a concern.

[catmandu]

My Mothers Big White Cat Had That Problem, And Was Always Breaking Out With Itching And She Starting Getting Mange Very Badly Around Her Ears,and Neck.
I Remember One Christmas Where She Was In The Basement With Her Dish Of Turkey Sad Because She Wasnt Part Of Things, But She Was Such A Mess My Parents Didnt Want Her Upstairs.
We Prya Now With The Meds They Have Now That They Can Help Your Bobby Get Better,
Poor Missy Had To Be Pts, That Hurt My Mother So Much.

[Emeraldgreen]

Wow! This is a tough one. It would be so much easier if it was just a food ingredient but he is basically allergic to summer! But at least the mystery is solved but it does sound like the solution is going to be expensive. But on the bright side, now you can save a little more money on the food now that you won't have to buy the pricey low allergen food.
I think it's probably the best choice to try these shots for a year and if there isn't improvement after that, then you can stop them but if it does change things dramatically, then it would be worth it. My vet used to let some of his clients take the shots home and showed them how much to give etc.. which made life a little easier for everybody. They would stay in touch with the vet and together would determine when the amount of the shots should be lessened as well as the frequency of shots.
I was under the impression that pets were to be eventually weaned off the shots altogether at some point once their bodies had become desensitized from whatever they had become allergic to. A lifetime of these shots sounds so expensive.
I was thinking that maybe on the days that you are not using your central air and have the window open, maybe you could keep Bobby in a room that has a small air cleaner unit. I bought one for Tiger when I was trying to figure out what was causing his breathing problems. It's made by Honeywell and it cost about 80.00 I think? It works so well! It's a portable unit and is about 5 inches wide and about 3 feet tall and is quite light. It has 4 settings to choose from and it works so quickly. I sometimes turn it on after I've poured new litter into the box to get rid of the dust in the air. Within 2 minutes the room is full of clean air. I was actually so shocked in the difference in how I felt while I was in the room with the clean air, I didn't want to leave! LOL
I read your other post about not wanting to keep him in a room because he plays with the other guys and it's hot but maybe you could give him one pal while he's in there to keep him company. Or you could rotate his pals so he gets to see everybody through out the day. And this unit seems to cool the room too. Nothing like an airconditioner but it does drop the temperature a bit and it blows air out one side of the unit so it will circulate the air too.
And hopefully it would only be for 3 days a week? Or maybe you could have him at least sleep in a room during the nights when the windows are open. It might cut down on his itchies. Might not work but I thought I'd suggest it.

I recently discovered the Convenia shot as well and it is a Godsend! I'm the world's worst piller and when I learned that this shot was available I was over the moon! I told my local vet about it and told them that my old vet had suggested it and they ordered some in and now they are using it all the time with all kinds of patients. What a wonderful invention!
I hope that Bobby will begin to feel the effects of the shots sooner rather than later and that his itchies will clear up.

[Freedom]

Thanks Gary, and Emeraldgreen.

Yes, I have the vials here and will give him the shots myself, keeping in touch with the vet. I plan to look into an air cleaner unit as well. Thanks for the ideas!

[krazyaboutkatz]

I'm so sorry to hear that he's so allergic. You've been given some very good suggestions. The only other thing that I can think of is maybe buying some kind of an oatmeal based shampoo or other type of shampoo for allergies that will help to soothe his itchy skin. Maybe this would help stop him from breaking out so much. Good luck.

[jennielynn1970]

I was going to suggest a HEPA filter as well. I got one for one of my cats that had allergies years ago, and I still can get the big HEPA filter inside and the charcoal wraps for it as well. I did order them on ebay, and saved a TON of money. I have enough spare inserts for the next 12-15 years actually, since they last for 3 years. My mom thought I was nuts when I ordered them, but they HEPA units are expensive, and I figured might as well stock up while I can. I still use that unit, even though it was purchased originally 12 years ago, and the refills I purchased 3 years ago.

I started using the unit again when I started fostering FIV+ kitties on my 3rd floor. Bear, who is no longer with us and passed 2 years ago, had horrible allergies and sneezed and was just gunky all the time. The HEPA did help him, and I had AC for the summer (plus it was the converted attic, so it would get really hot up there without it). Right now it's being used in my bedroom because it helps me when I sleep, but also helps a few of my cats.

I did just buy a new unit that is for larger areas to be used in my living room. It was from Home Depot, and I think it was a little over $120, but it kicks butt, seriously. Furbee was a mess as soon as I opened the windows when it was getting nice outside, and she's horrible to pill, so I thought I'd try the HEPA filter instead of pills for her sneezes and gunky eyes. She doesn't have itchy skin, but the HEPA I bought is supposed to really clean up everything in the area. They do say to keep the windows closed when using it, but sometimes I even run it while having the windows open, just so I can have fresh air and hope that I can keep Furbee's allergies at bay until the pollen and all that other good stuff subsides.

Did want to ask, why can't Bobby have the one shot?? I know Bear was given shots and meds when I had him to help clear up the upper respiratory crap.

What about adding L-Lysine to his diet? Bear took that as well. It's supposed to help the immune system for FIV+ cats. He took a capsule of Immune (or Immunity) Defense as well, and that was herbal. Maybe that would help too?

Poor kitty... being miserable and itchy when it's so beautiful and sunny and warm out. Big hugs to him, and hope you can find something to help him!