Spot of bother is worth checking
Q MY 15-year-old male neutered cat Snowy has developed a dirty looking chin. It doesn’t seem to bother him but it spoils his looks. Is this worth a trip to the vet?
A
IT COULD be that Snowy has developed feline acne.
It has some similarities to human acne, although it doesn’t have the same underlying causes in cats. It is worth a trip to the vet because secondary bacterial infection often develops in these cases, causing discomfort.
In the early stages there is usually no sign of irritation.
The main underlying cause is overactivity of the sebaceous glands in this area, meaning they produce more oil than usual.
Sebum is important for the glossiness of the cat’s coat but in excess can lead to oily deposits on the chin. Blackheads frequently form and may become infected.
The cat will then rub its chin against any object in response to irritation. Overactive sebaceous glands sometimes occur along the top of the tail too, causing hairs to fall out. This is most likely to be seen in unneutered tomcats and is called “stud tail”.
Apart from bacteria, other organisms are sometimes found in association with acne, including fungi, yeasts and mites.
Your vet may check for these and also for dental disease, which makes matters worse. If bacterial infection is severe it is usual to send off samples so that the correct antibiotic can be used in treatment.
Antibacterial washes three times a week will speed up recovery and help prevent a recurrence of the problem, although they will probably be needed continually.
Q
MY dog Bertie is 10, and very active and well. However he does limp when he has overdone things and occasionally when he gets up is a bit stiff. I have heard that castor oil may help.
A
I THINK it is highly likely that Bertie has a degree of arthritis and a veterinary check-up is important. This would assess whether he needs to lose weight and look for evidence of pain in the joints, perhaps using X-rays.
This would enable your vet to suggest suitable treatment and lifestyle changes.
Many dogs of Bertie’s age are overweight and tackling this might be all that is needed at this stage to prevent lameness.
It’s good that you have identified overdoing things as a factor. I commonly see dogs racing after balls and jumping and twisting to catch them.This is very enjoyable for the dog but may damage the joints and lead to arthritis in later life. Bertie is about 70 in human years and without being ageist, most people at this age will not be indulging in high-performance athletics, which many dogs still do.
The statistics for arthritis are that 80 per cent of dogs older than eight years are arthritic, and for dogs of all ages it is 20 per cent.
Avoiding overdoing things is key and depending on his breed, three 20-minute walks are probably adequate. I do not recommend castor oil in any form. You will find further advice by looking up canine arthritis management online.
David Grant MBE was a vet at the RSPCA Harmsworth Hospital for Animals.Write to him at Daily Express, One Canada Square, CanaryWharf, London E14 5AP or email pamperedpets@express.co. uk. He is unable to enter into individual correspondence.