Calloway is much better! Food change coming up!

[Emeraldgreen]

Poor Calloway! But I'm so glad he's at the vet and will get all fixed up. He will be so much more comfortable once it's dealt with.
Calloway and George sound like twins! George was not fat either when we got him and we never over fed him and he just got huge! He's had a million tests and nothing has been found so far to explain it. I hope they will find something to explain Calloway's weight gain.
That weeble wobble description was very familiar! It is so awful to see them suffer like that though because I know it must be really uncomfortable.
I switched George to a brand of food that seems to be helping made by Wellness. It is their 'healthywise' kibble or something like that. It is a holistic dry food. He likes it and the others have been able to maintain their weight on it without losing any so it's been good.

I wonder if the discharge from his bum area could be from the irritation of not being cleaned down there for awhile and it just progressed into an infection?

At least it will be easier for you to help Calloway to keep up with being clean down there after he is shaved. Even though George was still nasty with me if I went to help him on the occasions when I saw a 'cling-on' (yuck!), he seemed to know that it was in his best interest. He was more willing to let me help than before he was shaved. His shaved bum sure was sight! But it made it really easy to apply the Theraderm cream.

Prayers that sweet Calloway will be on the mend asap!

[jennielynn1970]

The vet just called me, and he said it's just a really big, nasty, hot spot. I didn't realize cats got them, and even if I had, I've never seen one. Dr. Fanelli said everything else "back there" looks fine, he's just got really irritated. He even asked if it could be from him overgrooming, but I don't even think he can reach back there at this point

The vet is keeping him overnight. They want to keep an eye on it, apply medication and something else (I think compresses or something??) and also start him on antibiotics, plus he's still sedated. They said I can pick him up tomorrow. Poor boy... I'm going to miss him till tomorrow, I know how he is, he's going to be crying being caged up and all alone.

What do they get hot spots from? I wonder if it's from switching the food, or would he have hot spots in different areas from that? Can they get hot spots from not being able to clean themselves?? What is a hot spot anyway, is it just another way of saying he has a rash??

[shais_mom]

poor Calloway! Keegan can sure sympathasize with him. She is almost 7 and never had one before either and starting Tues/Wed she has had them pop up about 6 of them. We went to the vet and the vet said that he had lost count of how many dogs he had seen since Thursday with them - everyone one of the had to be shaved and said 80% of them are golden retrievers. She has large shaved spots on her side and head now.
I think could be bug bite or something that they just keep itching and itching and then it manifests. That's what her's did. The large one on her side was infected and oozing by the time we got to the vet. Course this all pertains to dogs - cats - not for sure.
Compresses would help it open up - my greyhound had an abscessed anal gland before she died and I had to keep a hot compress on it to get it to open up and get the infection out.
The vet had to shave Keegan's hot spots b/c they want them to stay dry and heal up.
This is just her head -

And here is a pic I took with my phone on Saturday.


Good luck Calloway!

[krazyaboutkatz]

Poor Calloway. I sure hope that he'll start feeling better soon. I always thought that a hot spot was caused when an animal kept scratching that area or rubbing on it so it then became raw. Maybe he's been scooting his bottom along the floor and this caused it. I'm sure that by shaving this area it will help to keep it cleaner.

As for a new diet, you might to want to consider putting him on a high protein diet like Innova Evo or something similar. Since I've had all of my cats on it, they've all lost some weight. I thought that my Ziggy was going to become a very overweight cat but the Innova Evo even helped her to lose some weight. I don't free feed though so I'm sure that this also helps. Finae might also be allergic to grains and the Innova Evo is a grain free food so this might also help her. Good luck.

[Medusa]

I didn't realize cats got hot spots. I had a Peke-a-poo who was a nervous Nellie and got them all the time. She totally lost the hair in the places where the hot spots were and it never grew back and she lived to be 17 1/2. Poor Calloway, I'm so sorry he's going through this.

As for Finae, is it possible to give her fur a little tug w/out hurting her, I mean, if you try to pull a little bit of the fur out, does it come out easily, such as if you were pulling apart a paint brush? My Creamsicle lost the hair around her ears first, then it spread to under her chin, then on the top of her head and eventually all over. She lost nearly all the fur on her tail. The fur would come out in little tiny bits like a paint brush. Turned out to be allergies (we think) but try figuring out what she's allergic to. I think I have it nailed down to Purina Indoor Cat Chow, so I've stopped that and she doesn't get any treats whatsoever. I took Candace's advice and, when I'm handing out treats to the rest of the Fur Posse, I give her little pieces of her dry food and she thinks she's getting treats like the other cats do.

[shais_mom]

I give her little pieces of her dry food and she thinks she's getting treats like the other cats do.

you are lucky- I can lay out treats and food and my Kylie will pick out the treats and successfully SNUB the food!

[jennielynn1970]

Hmmmm.... I know he's been doing the scooting thing, and I thought it was because he couldn't clean his butt cause he's so chubby. I know they don't have fleas or anything (no one goes outside, AND I give them Revolution, just to be safe during the spring/summer/fall months).

Guess I'll have to try a new food. I'm thinking that might be the source of both issues. I know Calloway was having some runny poops, so maybe when he was unable to clean himself, he did the scooting and it all just got to be an irritation.

I just noticed Finae's ears being less hairy the past few weeks. They've been totally switched to California Natural for about 1 1/2 months now. That would coincide with both issues. I feel so bad! I thought going back on the California Natural would be a good thing.

If the EVO stuff will help Cal lose some weight that would be great. I can't imagine not free feeding though. I have a few that freak out if I don't notice the feeder is almost empty and then they gorge and throw up. Think it's just left over instinct from their stray days. Sophie is especially sensitive when it comes to that, and she has the sensitive stomach and the colitis/IBD. She's the one I really needed to make sure could eat the dry food and not be barfing all over.

I'll run over to the one pet store that carries EVO and the other "gourmet" (expensive) foods tomorrow and see what I can find. Maybe they will have some samples I could try.

[jennielynn1970]

I didn't realize cats got hot spots.

As for Finae, is it possible to give her fur a little tug w/out hurting her, I mean, if you try to pull a little bit of the fur out, does it come out easily, such as if you were pulling apart a paint brush?

I had no idea cats got hot spots either. I thought that was just a dog thing.

Tried pulling on Finae's hair (she was not amused), but none came out like that at all. It does look like there is some new growth, which makes me feel good. I'll have to see if I can get some pics of it. It's looks weird.

[jennielynn1970]

poor Calloway! Keegan can sure sympathasize with him.

This is just her head -

And here is a pic I took with my phone on Saturday.

YIKES!!! That looks so painful!! Poor Keegan!

I have no idea what Calloway's butt even looks like at this point, but it can't be good if they are keeping him overnight. The vet said something about "one big old hot spot", and I think that was all the way around his backside . Now I'm wondering how many days I missed this... I feel terrible about him being in pain. I know it's been messy a few days, but I thought it was just poop and I did try to clean it with wipes but that got me one heck of a nasty meow from Cal and swiped at and nipped at.

[heidiv]

Just wanted to let you know if he is scooting it is probably his anal glands??? I wonder if a hot spot is the same thing as anal glands??? Anyway I just thought I would let you know that Mopar my oldest (heaviest) of my 4 is going in for her glands on Thrusday because she too! Has a horrible smell to her backend and she scoots across the floor. She has started this again so its time. I have to take her in about once every six months to have her glands done. I too thought that was a dog thing but my vet mentioned she has a couple of cats they have to do every once in a while. But yes I have to agree its VERY Unpleasent for the human caring for them.

[krazyaboutkatz]

"If the EVO stuff will help Cal lose some weight that would be great. I can't imagine not free feeding though. I have a few that freak out if I don't notice the feeder is almost empty and then they gorge and throw up. Think it's just left over instinct from their stray days. Sophie is especially sensitive when it comes to that, and she has the sensitive stomach and the colitis/IBD. She's the one I really needed to make sure could eat the dry food and not be barfing all over."

The main reason that all of my cats are now on Innova Evo is becasue of Starr's health problems and he also has Colitis and IBD. He can't eat any food that has grains in it. I also found out that Pearl breaks out on her chin and lips because she's also allergic to grains. They don't need to eat as much of this as with regular cat food so they only eat about 1/2 cup a day of the dry in 4 small feedings. I also give them the canned Innova Evo for 2 of the feedings in small amounts because it's so rich.

At first I was worried when I found out that Sunny had lost some weight but my vet reassured me that it's because of the Innova Evo which is a high protein diet. She said it's like us going on the "Atkins Diet". So now all of my cats have lost some weight and they all seem to be much more active and happy. Starr is still on a small dose of pred but will soon be weaned off of it entirely so then I'm sure that his body will adjust and he'll lose even more of the weight that he gained while on the pred. Good luck.

[Emeraldgreen]

My vet's office used to get alot of Golden Retrievers in with hot spot, like Keegan. I've heard that it can be started or worsened by diet but also with moisture that stays on the skin. Alot of Goldens swim and the dampness can stay in their fur and irritate the skin that they then scratch and it progresses from there.
I think you're right, it probably is from the scooting. And, maybe there was some moisture there from his messy bum and it just got worse. Hopefully the vet will check his anal glands to make sure they are not impacted as well.

I haven't tried this but I've been thinking about it. My vet suggested that I take a box and cut a hole in it on the side that is big enough for my smaller cats to get in and out of easily and put a bowl of food in there for free feeding. That way, my two big guys, George and Paddy couldn't get in to eat because they are too big to fit through the hole. They would only get food when I give it to them twice a day. Sounds mean but it might be a good solution.
Right now, I put a large bowl of kibbles up on the window sill. Everyone who shares Paddy's room can hop up there but he isn't able to so it's pretty much the same thing I guess.

I was just suggesting to Moesha that she might want to ask her vet if the antibiotic Convenia injection would be applicable in Aroara's situation. Maybe it would be for Calloway too. I think I remember reading that it was good for skin and bacterial infections. Here is the website link: Convenia
It would be great if you didn't have to pill him twice a day.

[momtomany]

What a handsome Tuxedo boy Calloway is. I just love tuxedos.......I have 3 tuxies and one who is now at the Rainbow Bridge. Give Calloway and head bump and scritchie from me when he comes home. I hope all turns out alright and he is feeling better. My female tuxie, Shelby, looks to be almost Calloway's size.

[jennielynn1970]

Just wanted to let you know if he is scooting it is probably his anal glands??? I wonder if a hot spot is the same thing as anal glands??? Anyway I just thought I would let you know that Mopar my oldest (heaviest) of my 4 is going in for her glands on Thrusday because she too! Has a horrible smell to her backend and she scoots across the floor. She has started this again so its time. I have to take her in about once every six months to have her glands done. I too thought that was a dog thing but my vet mentioned she has a couple of cats they have to do every once in a while. But yes I have to agree its VERY Unpleasent for the human caring for them.

So, do you see a correlation between being a large cat, not being able to clean well back there, and getting the anal glands impacted (or whatever they are called), then doing the scooting, and then if it's bad and not treated (bad bad foster meomy that I am) it would develop into a hot spot?? I'm trying to string all things together, and narrow out what might not be causing it.

Do you find it might be an allergic reaction to food?? I just changed their dry food from Nutro to California Natural about 1 1/2 months ago. This started about 1-2 weeks ago (scooting, that is, although I have seen him do it before a few times over the last year, but not regularly at all, which is why I give him Revolution, in case there were mites, or fleas or whatever may have been bugging him)

I'm looking now at Innova's EVO, Fromm's Gourmet meals. They seriously sound like something from a 4 star restaurant. I just dont' want to have Sophie barfing from an upset stomach (however, she did eat 2 sweet potato fries with me tonight, and liked them very much! She's so odd, my sweet Sophie!)

[jennielynn1970]

The main reason that all of my cats are now on Innova Evo is becasue of Starr's health problems and he also has Colitis and IBD. He can't eat any food that has grains in it. I also found out that Pearl breaks out on her chin and lips because she's also allergic to grains. They don't need to eat as much of this as with regular cat food so they only eat about 1/2 cup a day of the dry in 4 small feedings. I also give them the canned Innova Evo for 2 of the feedings in small amounts because it's so rich.

I did start buying cans of the EVO last time I went to the warehouse when I knew what I wanted (you tell them, they deliver it to you from the warehouse.. you can't peruse and meander. So, I'll have to do that at their main store first, and then go to the warehouse.

I did try SO Organic canned food. I was repulsed by it. The cats snubbed it, and it was just like this pasty stuff that I've seen Iams try to pass off as kitten paste food. BLECH!