Anyone tried Dermoscent Essential 6 Spot On for cats?

[columbine]

Never heard of Dermoscent, but my cat Smudge used to be VERY itchy and the first thing the vet recommended was the fish oil. It turned out to be allergies, and he gets medicine for that too, but meanwhile his long, ultra-fine fur has gotten a lot healthier and easier to keep neat, even in muggy weather.

A cat I occasionally sit for has really bad dandruff and arthritis, and I can't get her to even TRY fish oil! I put it on gourmet kibble (a spoonful of Smudge's Indigo Moon, which he seems to consider "bowlful of treats") and on Kitty Kaviar herring flakes, and she won't touch it! Luckily, she will eat Cosequin mixed into Fancy Feast, so she's getting that twice a day. But a cat who won't eat fish oil is a mystery to me.

Love, Columbine

[Janeway]

It really is a mystery why they don't go wild for fish oil. I'll take a tablespoon of tuna juice (pressed from the canned tuna packed in water) and put it on a saucer (the kind with a round circle for a cup) and then squeeze out the fish oil. She laps it right up even though it's suspended in the water/juice. Yum tuna! I'm going to buy a can on tuna packed in oil and try that juice next. Getting meds into cats can be very tricky. Too bad they can't be more like dogs--put in pill in cheese and they gobble it right up. I'm going to continue the fish oil, hoping for her coat to improve. It really is ratty looking. I'm encouraged by how Smudge's coat improved. Speaking of allergies, I'm wondering if my Nikita might have them. He is really itchy, especially around the back of his ears. That spot is virtually hairless since he's Cornish Rex, and sometimes he rubs it raw. And he constantly bugs me to scritch him there. I've applied hydrocortisone cream occasionally but I don't think it really helps. What kind of meds does Smudge take for allergies?

[columbine]

Bring Nikita to the vet - they can check for mites that are WAY too small to be seen with the naked eye, and can especially cause itching around the ears. I wonder if maybe the maker/distributor of Dermoscent might be compromising your vet's objectivity - a second opinion might be helpful.

Be careful with the hydrocortisone - I tried that on Smudge, and it made his fur fall out! I was rubbing his considerable bald spot with emu oil for weeks after, just as protection and to get the fur to grow back (and yes, I let him lick plenty of it off my fingers too, as it's supposed to be an OK skin/coat supplement in and of itself.)

The biggest improvement I saw in Smudge's allergies was when I kicked all the grain out of his diet. I also can't give him tooth-cleaner treats - they all have aspergillus niger in them, and I think mold is one of his problems (his face still gets itchy in the summer). The vet prescribed chlorpheniramine and prednisolone, and he's usually pretty comfortable these days. He's got all his fur back, and doesn't mat up in the muggy summer weather.

But Cornish Rexes are their own breed, and a vet will have a lead on what they tend to be allergic to and what approaches they respond to best. (Smudge is a "Mainely Coon," looks and acts like a MC but has no pedigree.)

Also, be careful with the tuna - humans' nutritional needs are very different from those of cats, and too much ordinary tuna can cause health problems. Be sure to choose a brand like Solid Gold or Soulistic that's formulated especially for cats, with extra vitamins and minerals that cats in particular need to stay healthy.

But first, definitely, the vet, to rule out mites and breed-specific conditions.

Pets and cuddles (and kisses, if they'll have them) to your kitties! Can we see a photo?

Love, Columbine

[krazyaboutkatz]

Hi, I've been reading this thread for a while and I'm sorry to hear about your cats. I just wanted to mention that when I first adopted Storm he became very itchy and he also started losing the hair on his ears. I was feeding him a lot of cat food that had fish in it. I found out later that he was allergic to fish. Now I actually think that it's the preservative ethoxyquin that he's allergic to. Most fish meals and fish are preserved with this. I've been feeding all of my cats a grain free diet for several years now and yes it does have some fish meal in it but these brands,Innova Evo and Nature's Vareity, don't use ethoxyquin to preserve their fish.

I would take Nikita to the vet to rule out other things like mites and ringworm. I don't know what you're feeding your cats, but a new diet may also be in order. Good luck.

[Janeway]

Thank you all. It just might be time to try a grain free diet. There is a certain amount of vomiting that's been going on, no matter what they're eating. Right now, it's Science Diet Active Longevity. And they all seem to have itching issues. Food allergy could be an answer. I'm pretty sure it's not mites or ringworm on Nikita. He's always been itchy and been to the vet many times for his checkups. Wouldn't it be wonderful if we changed to grain free and the itching went away?!

[krazyaboutkatz]

I've never been a fan of any Science Diet product. If you do change their diets you'll probably have to have them on the new diet at least 6-8 weeks to really tell if it's working or not. Good luck.

[Janeway]

Thanks for the tip. I will keep that in mind. I'm going to Complete Petmart, that carries both the Innova Evo and Nature's Variety, and try to select the best one for my crew. They are all older, two have weight problems and on is just right (Nikita).