# Advice please - Feline Endocrine Alopecia



## SeaThreePeeO (Sep 15, 2008)

I took my cat Thomas O'Toole to the vets today due to hair loss on his tummy and the insides and backs of his hind legs. A patch of 'worrying' as my vet calls it, an area that has been licked or 'worried' sore was also discovered on his right flank just under his right fore leg.

Thomas is not the sort of cat you can pick up, stoke or cuddle if you value your life and I only noticed the sore patch today before I took him for his appointment and at first suspected he'd been in a fight.

My vet believes that worrying is due to a wound or something that irritated as it healed so Thomas got caught in the irritation/lick cycle.

He said that the hair loss on the tummy and hind legs was Hormonal Dermatitis or Feline Endrorine Alopecia, common in neutered male cats of Thomas's age, six years old and was mainly cosmetic and there was very little if any treatment available that would benefit Thomas or solve the problem.

I have googled and have across sites supporting what my vet has told me and other sites suggesting that the diagnosis may be wrong.

Theirs suggestions from elizabethen collars to elimination diets. It's making my head spin and I'm not sure what to do for the best.

Other then the sore patch and hair loss Thomas got a clean bill of health from the vet.


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## Ianthi (Oct 21, 2008)

I think you're right to be sceptical. I'm surprised your vet arrived at such a diagnosis without any testing. Doesn't mean he's wrong-but his methods are not really scientific are they?

Have you noticed him scratching/licking affected areas at all? If patches due purely to overzealous cleaning then you would have noticed.

How about flea treatments? Sometimes alopocea can arise from flea allergies and hair can grow back again following instigation of treatment.

I would try above and then obtain a second opinion if no impovement!


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## hobbs2004 (Mar 12, 2010)

I would ask for tests to confirm the diagnosis and/or seek a second opinion.

Perhaps also look into evening primrose oil as a natural way to control skin problems and itchiness associated with allergies etc.


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## SeaThreePeeO (Sep 15, 2008)

We did have a major flea problem a month or so back, which I mentioned to the vet. They were impossible blighters to get rid of at first, cost us a fortune. But we managed to get rid of them in the end and haven't had any problems since. I regulary check for flea dirt etc and the vet checked Thomas over for evidence of fleas and found none.

I have noticed no more grooming or excessive licking which is why I was surprised about the worried patch. But then, have I really been looking and now that I am looking will I notice something that isn't there?

Honestly if he is destined to have bald pantaloons as I call them, then so be it, I won't love him any less. What I don't want to do however is leave something that may be making him uncomfortable that can be treated.

The vet did give him antibiotic and I think a steriod injection and said if he got worse or there was no improvement by the end of next week bring him back.

I did ask about pition but the vet said it wasn't worth it, but I will give the evening primrose a try and see if that helps. Thank you.


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## Doolally (Oct 12, 2010)

Inside his back legs/on his tummy is a common place for over-grooming due to stress, or as your vet puts it 'worrying'. You say he's not a cuddly cat at all, how is he otherwise? Doe he seems stressed? has anything happened recently that may have upset him? Did you have a busy house over christmas?
Is he urinating ok? sometimes they can lick their tummies a lot if they're sore.
I think it's definitely worth getting a feliway diffuser and trying to eliminate any possible stress causers. And Evening primrose oil as has been suggested is a good idea


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## SeaThreePeeO (Sep 15, 2008)

I did ask the vet if it was down to stress, but he thinks that's unlikely. 

He seems well in himself, his usual self. There haven't been any changes that I can think about apart from the snow we had recently and he had to revert back to using a litter tray for a few weeks.


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## Doolally (Oct 12, 2010)

If he's a sensitive soul having to use the litter tray could have been enough? 
I'm not saying your vet is wrong, but it's such a classic place for stress grooming.

It won't hurt to try feliway, and perhaps zylkene which is all natural, so you can rule out stress as a cause, then if that shows no improvement then try other methods.


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## hobbs2004 (Mar 12, 2010)

SeaThreePeeO said:


> I did ask the vet if it was down to stress, but he thinks that's unlikely.
> 
> He seems well in himself, his usual self. There haven't been any changes that I can think about apart from the snow we had recently and he had to revert back to using a litter tray for a few weeks.


A stab in the dark but could it be a reaction to the litter?


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## Pippinpie (Oct 30, 2010)

Doolally said:


> If he's a sensitive soul having to use the litter tray could have been enough?
> I'm not saying your vet is wrong, but it's such a classic place for stress grooming.
> 
> It won't hurt to try feliway, and perhaps zylkene which is all natural, so you can rule out stress as a cause, then if that shows no improvement then try other methods.


I agree that these are the common places for over grooming. Is there any hairloss where you cat can't reach to over groom himself, for example head, chest? My cat started over grooming following a period when he had fleas that also took me a while to get rid off. Swapped frontline for Advocate in the end whihc wiped them out. I think the irratation and the fact I also had to have my other cat pts caused him stress. It's not a quick process to treat and he still has episodes of starting it up again, but for him I used Feliway, zyklene capsules and an elizabethan collar when he was really bad. Slowly his fur started growing back on his stomach again. My vet never suggested any thing other than over grooming.


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## SeaThreePeeO (Sep 15, 2008)

Thank you everyone for the advice. His sore spot is looking at lot better today, it is dry now as apposed to wet and sticky yesterday and looks less red. But I can only grab fleeting glaces.

I tried to have a better look twice and got slapped silly for my trouble both times. Apart from his sore patch on his side and his back legs and tummy there is no other fur loss.

I am going to try feliway and evening primrose oil as well as the other things suggested. DH has been ordered to get some on his lunch hour at work today.

I'm just feeling so helpless at the moment and worried that we may never get to the bottom of why he's over grooming.


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## SeaThreePeeO (Sep 15, 2008)

Just an update. Thomas's sore spot has completely dried up now and scabbed over. The skin underneath is looking white again as apposed to red.

I have been watching him and I cannot say that he grooms any more then my other two, but then I cannot see what he is up to when he's not at home.

He still hasn't forgiven me for the indignity I put him through on Friday.


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## hobbs2004 (Mar 12, 2010)

SeaThreePeeO said:


> Just an update. Thomas's sore spot has completely dried up now and scabbed over. The skin underneath is looking white again as apposed to red.
> 
> I have been watching him and I cannot say that he grooms any more then my other two, but then I cannot see what he is up to when he's not at home.
> 
> He still hasn't forgiven me for the indignity I put him through on Friday.


That's great news!

Sure a few of his favourite treats might make him forget.....


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