Does my Little Man Have Mange or Something Else?? Advice Please!

[Anikaca77]

Hi All,

My little man Hermes has something going on with his tail. I noticed it the other day when he was up in his cat tree and I saw a little spot that looked red on his tail. I looked a little closer and there is a pretty irritated spot on his tail. It looks like it's dry and sorta brownish but maybe slightly red from being irritated.

Anyway I'm not sure what this is, I've never seen it before and well I already owe my vet $133 from Athena's surgery and I just took in Osiris the kitten we are fostering has the runs so with his meds and what not the total was $66.

Luckily where we take our cats I can post date a check and break down the payment amount but with owing the vet $199 I hate to rack up more and I thought maybe someone on here has experienced this with their cats before and can tell me how to treat it. Also, with all that being said if no one knows what this is of course I will take him in to the vets regardless if I owe a balance or not.

Please keep in mind Hermes does have Herpes but he been on Lysine for sometime and that seems to keep him under control.

I will try to take a picture of what it looks like but it's easy to see on him since he is white.

Thank for any advice,
Melissa

[columbine]

Maybe one of the others scratched or bit him? If he goes outside, he might have been bitten by a bug that he's allergic to. If it's the only place he has it, my first guess would be injury.

Love, Columbine

[Anikaca77]

He's 100% indoors and this looks like it might be from him licking or biting himself.

The irritation mark is about maybe 1/4 inch long if that.

Thanks,
Melissa

Maybe one of the others scratched or bit him? If he goes outside, he might have been bitten by a bug that he's allergic to. If it's the only place he has it, my first guess would be injury.

Love, Columbine

[moosmom]

He may have sarcopic mange which cannot be seen with the naked eye. Have a skin scraping taken. They'll look at it through a microscope and determine whether it is or not and treat him.

[catmandu]

I DIDNT KNOW THAT MANGE COULD BE AROUND THE TAIL , WHEN MY DEAR MOTHERS CAT MISSY HAD MANGE, IT WAS SCABBY AROUND HER EARS AND NECK.
WE HOPE ITS NOTHING SERIOUS FOR HERMES

[kt_luvs_kitties]

Could be allergies.

[Jessika]

He may have sarcopic mange which cannot be seen with the naked eye. Have a skin scraping taken. They'll look at it through a microscope and determine whether it is or not and treat him.

Not only that, but sarcoptic mange is zoonotic, meaning you could get it from him. IF that is what he has. But really, neither demodex or scabies can really be seen with the naked eye, though scabies is harder to detect sometimes. Demodex is a little more obvious.

I'd play it safe and bring him in for a skin scrape to first rule out any mites/parasites or bacterial/yeast/fungal infections, then perhaps look into allergies. In either case, skin scrapes SHOULDN'T cost that much to do as they are fairly easy and quick.

[krazyaboutkatz]

Maybe he has stud tail. Here's a link that tells more about it: http://www.provet.co.uk/Petfacts/hea...s/studtail.htm. Hopefully whatever he has can be easily treated and I sure hope it's not contagious.