# Chin acne has turned into bloody mess. Cat has become unmanageable.



## twilson (Mar 30, 2013)

I have 2 cats. They both developed acne in the last few weeks.
We went to the vet around 10 days ago and we were prescribed some Flamazine to apply twice a day.
One cat (Ollie) is almost cured of his acne and calmly receives treatment twice a day.
The other (Tiggy) is currently wearing a cone, has stopped eating, and given any opportunity will scratch the affected area, which as I write this now is a weeping, bloody mess. Trying to treat him has become increasingly difficult, to the point now where he flips out wildly when we go anywhere near his chin. He's a small agile cat and will use all his strength to wriggle out of a grip while clawing and biting. Last night after a lengthy, terrible ordeal, we failed to get any of the cream near his chin.
He is now in a state of permanent distress. I can just about manage to get him to settle down with enough soothing sounds and smoothing, but most of the time he's hiding under beds and keeping well away from us.

We started putting the cone on him about a week ago (an old one we had lying around, the vet was no help), but he refuses to eat with it on so it was only on during the evening when he was indoors. It seemed to be working for a couple days, until he inevitably scratched it bloody and we were back to square 1.
For the last 2 days it's been on him all day long, and we've been taking him for walks around the garden with a harness. But as a result he's just not eating and looking extremely sorry for himself.

We have the added concern that we know he is prone to stress-related cystitis... which if anyone has had the misfortune to experience this, is a terrible ordeal for both cat and owner... Right now he is more stressed and unhappy than I've ever seen him (ignoring his lengthy episode of cystitis), and he's not eating his medicated dry food.

Due to the Coronavirus, our local vet is now extremely apprehensive about seeing anyone. We phoned them yesterday and were told to send them pictures. In response they prescribed him a steroidal cream that we ordered over the phone. We couldn't see them in person, so on arriving we had to phone them, they put the cream on a table near the door, and we took it. They're refusing all personal contact. If you have an animal that needs to be treated, it has to be caged and left on the table.

But as I've stated - I don't know how it's even possible to apply the cream without some kind of sedation now.
He has gotten so bad now I just don't know what to do.

About an hour ago, I took the collar off briefly to try and get him to eat, as he's not eaten anything in 2 days now. He immediately ran to the corner of the room, scratched his chin and did an almighty yelp. He's now bleeding and in a terrible state.

This is a horrible situation to be in, personally speaking and on behalf of my cat.
I don't know what to do right now.

Pictures taken yesterday:
https://i.imgur.com/bJh6phn.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/VBqC0u0.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/Zmx90p7.jpg


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## OrientalSlave (Jan 26, 2012)

Firstly have you got rid of any plastic food bowls? They can cause problems. Stainless steel, ceramic or glass are fine and can go through the dishwasher.

Secondly I would try him on a plain chicken diet to see if that helps. @chillminx is the expert here.

Lastly, you will need to scruff him to apply the ointment. It needs to be done firmly, and will need a second pair of hands to apply the steroid ointment. I think a lot of people are scared of scruffing their cat, but it can be the best way to get things like this done.


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## lorilu (Sep 6, 2009)

If the chin got worse after applying the ointment I wonder if he is having a bad reaction to it. I would stop using it on him and call the vet.

The dry kibble you are feeding him is not medicated and a dry diet is the worst thing for him.. A cat with cystitis should be on a wet diet, the moisture is absolutely crucial. I urge you to start now transitioning him to a wet only diet.

There are supplements you can give him to help with stress. I like Rescue Remedy for pets. I see Zyklene recommended here a lot but have never used it. There are also supplements that can help reduce the inflammation and pain in his bladder and urinary tract. D-mannose is one.

I agree with the comments about plastic dishes (I recommend glass only, as stainless steel can harbor bacteria as well) and of course if he is sensitive to plastic, the cone won't be helping that either, there are other types of cones-fabric ones, that may be better for him.


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## twilson (Mar 30, 2013)

I just made another attempt to get the cream on.
I'm not exaggerating when I say he needs to be sedated. I'd have a better chance slinging globs of it at him from a distance.
I managed to get a tiny fleck of cream on there but it resulted in an explosive reaction from my cat like I've never seen.
After banging off the walls and crashing into various objects he had managed to squeeze his front right arm through the neck hole of the cone so it was half way down his body.
He is crouching close to the floor in a state of shock right now and it looks like he's hurt his right arm.
I think it's more than likely I'll seriously injure him if I continue treatment.


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## lorilu (Sep 6, 2009)

As I mentioned in my post above, stop trying and please call your vet. This treatment is not working for your cat.


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## chillminx (Nov 22, 2010)

@twilson - I agree with lorilu, I would stop trying to give the flamazine cream straight away. It is evidently making matters worse. His chin is very sore from the acne and flamazine may sting.

Poor Tiggy sounds in a terrible state, shocked, upset, not eating! You can't continue like this, and I am sure it is stressful for you too.

The only treatment I have used for feline chin acne is a weak solution of hibiscrub, which is antibacterial and does not sting. It has always been successful. I bathe the chin *after every single meal, *and gently pat dry with a piece of paper kitchen towel. Hibiscrub is what my vet has always recommended.

https://www.boots.com/hibiscrub-skin-cleanser-250ml-1-bottle-10086267

The idea is to keep the area dry so the pustules will scab. Once they have scabbed they should be allowed to fall off when they are ready. And they should no longer be itchy to the cat once they have scabbed.

If you use hibiscrub there should be no need for a cone.

Feline acne can sometimes be diet related, i.e. due to an allergy. What is the dry food you are feeding him? What were you feeding him when this chin acne started?

Do the cats eat from the same dish? If so I would cease that arrangement, as one cat may have infected the other cat with the chin acne, with it being bacterial. It would be better for both cats to have their own individual microchip feeders. They can be bought from amazon or Pets at Home.


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## Polly G (Apr 30, 2013)

Your cat really does need to see a vet urgently.


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## gskinner123 (Mar 10, 2010)

You and your poor cat have my utmost sympathy. It is hard to imagine how impossible a situation like this is, unless you have owned a cat who behaves in this way. 

I know it's an extremely difficult time for all of us but your vet is not being nearly as helpful as he could and should be for a cat who is clearly extremely distressed and at high risk of stress related cystitis.

I would seek a second opinion, making sure you get across how very bad the situation is.


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## Sacrechat (Feb 27, 2011)

I second hibiscrub, it cured my cat’s acne in no time and it didn’t cause her any distress when applied. It actually cured it to the point that I could stop using it eventually.


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## buffie (May 31, 2010)

I would be very reluctant to use Hibiscrub on an open wound .


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## gskinner123 (Mar 10, 2010)

buffie said:


> I would be very reluctant to use Hibiscrub on an open wound .


Me too. It certainly isn't for use on open wounds and will potentially, likely even, make the situation much worse.


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## chillminx (Nov 22, 2010)

Yes, sorry for not being more precise buffie and gskinner123. I should've clarified I don't use it on open wounds, only on the black spots (like blackheads) that are typical of feline acne. I'd clean around open wounds and would also avoid pustules that have scabbed, so as to keep them dry.


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## lorilu (Sep 6, 2009)

What's happening with Twiggy @twilson ?


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## Silverdoof (Jan 23, 2014)

I agree with the wet food suggestion. His prescription diet will almost certainly come in wet tins/pouches too via your vet

We had to attend a Consultant Veterinary Dermatologist some years ago with a similar issue. She said that there are storage mites (invisible to the naked eye) present in all dry foods. A study was carried out on dry foods from cheaper to more expensive and the mites were in all of them. The vast majority of animals tbey don't affect however some they do. First point of contact with cat or dog is the mouth ie the chin. The mites will bite. Most animals appear immune, however a few appear allergic

The only way to kill the mites is by freezing. Either freeze the whole bag of food over night and let defrost or freeze the cats daily portion overnight and let defrost. In our case this did work. Chin cleared up in no time.

i agree with others you need to contact your vet again. Ask if they will see your cat even if you have to leave him in his carrier on a table. They can give him a quick acting injection to help ease his discomfort

When we arrive at the vets we park then ring and someone comes out takes pet off us and we wait in carpark and they bring pet back out again. If they need clarification they ring us in the car


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## twilson (Mar 30, 2013)

Very sad to say the situation has considerably worsened and I am feeling utterly hopeless right now.

After last posting in this thread we've had the collar on him day and night. For 2 days we decided not to apply any of the Flamazine or the steroidal cream to let the area scab up and dry.
We've been taking him out frequently for walks on a harness, although he mostly just sits on the ground and enjoys the sunshine.
It's no exaggeration to say we've been caring for him all day and night for the last 3 days. If he's not being taken for walks outside he's either receiving hugs or on a bed sleeping with a watchful eye checking on him regularly.

A couple of hours ago while I was outside with him, he suddenly became extremely agitated, jumping and trying to sprint away, but I restrained him with the harness and leash.
On inspection, this is what I saw...










A bump on his chin had exploded and was weeping profusely. A viscous concoction of puss, blood and saliva was dripping from his chin and mouth.
On returning indoors I immediately phoned the vet and I explained in no uncertain terms what had just happened.
We were told that it was 'illegal' to see any animal that is not an emergency due to the lock-down, so we were recommended the next best thing - a webcam consultation arranged 40 minutes later.
On talking to the vet, I knew showing the photo would be a lot more effective than trying to present a highly distressed Tiggy blur via webcam, so that's what I did. I was immediately told that he had an infection.
I breathed a sigh of relief as I assumed that we could now see a vet directly. They prescribed us antibiotics, painkillers, Hibiscrub, and Clorexyderm gel.
It was only towards the end of the video call that I realised that it would be the same procedure as last time - we were still not allowed to see a vet and we could only pick up the medication. I was told this was not an emergency, and again that it was _illegal_ to see a vet for a non-emergency in the current circumstances.
Reluctantly I complied.

I was recommended not to treat the area directly for today, but to start using the Hibiscrub and Clorexyderm tomorrow.
However I've been told to give him his first dosage of antibiotics and painkillers today, and I've just tried with the latter using a syringe directly into his mouth.
With 2 people, one holding him in a towel and another to administer the painkiller, he simply would not keep his head still and hissed and yelled.
We tried for several minutes, with much wriggling and wailing, until he forced his way out of his collar, at which point we frantically tried to get it back on before he could harm himself further.

That was about half an hour ago.
Me and my family are completely at a loss what to do.
It's not just Tiggy who's yelling at others and in a state of permanent distress.
Regarding the pain medication and the antibiotics, our only hope I feel is to get him to eat it by adding it to his food - the recommended method... but he is an incredibly picky eater and only started eating again yesterday. He's had about a third of a pouch today and yesterday.
We have some left over appetite enhancing pills from a few years ago when he had cystitis. We are considering using these so we can get him to eat his medication.
When he had cystitis we had no trouble giving him the same painkiller (Meloxidyl) by syringe into the mouth, however due to the close proximity of his wound he is understandably extremely defensive whenever anyone goes close to it or his mouth.

By tomorrow we're expected to administer all of this medication, some twice a day, and some of it is dangerous if not administered properly.
But every attempt to treat him recently has been an ever worsening ordeal, and I don't see that improving any time soon.

It's a terrible situation to find ourselves in. I'm feeling utterly hopeless right now and don't know how we're going to manage on our own.


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## lorilu (Sep 6, 2009)

The pain killer has to be squirted only into the mouth., it does not need (and is not supposed to) go down the throat. It is absorbed through mucus membranes. Wait until he is asleep and slip the syringe under his lip and squirt. Once he is free of the terrible pain he will be easier to manage. What purpose is the cone supposed to do anyway? If he has an allergy to plastic this is only going to make it much worse.


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## twilson (Mar 30, 2013)

The moment we removed the cone last time, he scratched his chin, opened the wound and began bleeding profusely.
If we take of the cone, he will do it again.

I understand how to give him meloxidyl, I've done it many times before without issue. However the circumstances are different that make it extremely difficult, without securing his head somehow.

If he had an allergy to plastic surely we'd see evidence of that other than his chin.


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## lorilu (Sep 6, 2009)

twilson said:


> The moment we removed the cone last time, he scratched his chin, opened the wound and began bleeding profusely.
> If we take of the cone, he will do it again.
> 
> I understand how to give him meloxidyl, I've done it many times before without issue. However the circumstances are different that make it extremely difficult, without securing his head somehow.
> ...


OK


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## chillminx (Nov 22, 2010)

@twilson - I am so sorry your poor cat is suffering so much. Personally with his chin in such an awful state I would have thought it was an emergency. Is there another vet at a different practice you can try who might be more sympathetic maybe?

The antibiotics should help a lot as will the pain relief as long as you can get it into him of course.  I can understand he doesn't anyone going near his mouth when he is in so much pain.

Is there a strong smelling food he would eat, to which you could add the meloxdyl and the antibiotics? Will he eat tinned tuna? Or mashed sardines in oil or water (but not in brine). Or would he eat pilchards in tomato sauce?

To calm him you could add Zylkene supplement to his food or as he is not eating much you could put a calming spot on, on the back of his head. That would at least help calm his distress a bit so you can give him his medicine.

The Beaphar Calming spot on takes about 2 hours to work and the effect lasts about a week.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Pack-Beaph...aphar+calming+spot+on+for+cats,aps,137&sr=8-2


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## twilson (Mar 30, 2013)

Good news!! (finally)

My dad decided to have a go at holding him this time.
Tiggy has always been a bit afraid of his presence, like a scary headmaster type figure. But I think this really encouraged him to behave and submit.
While he was fast asleep we crept into the room without disturbing him. My dad swiftly put a towel around him and managed to tightly and effectively swaddle him.
I realised the cone was a big obstacle in getting anything near his mouth last time. With all his limbs neutralized it seemed like a safe bet to remove it.
After plenty of wailing and wriggling I managed to get the antibiotics and painkillers into him.
I only intended to do as much, but as it was going so well I quickly made up some diluted Hibiscrub and managed to clean & disinfect his chin with some saturated cotton wool.
Any other time we've gone near his chin recently, he would have exploded, but by now he'd become surprisingly submissive, keeping his head perfectly still once the cotton wool was applied.
I finally finished up with a bit of Clorexyderm gel on some more cotton wool, which almost appeared soothing.
We put the cone back on and let him go. Instead of flying off like a rocket as I expected, he listlessly flopped out of the towelly grip and onto the floor, where he stayed for a few minutes.
While we managed to keep his bones intact, in the process I think we may have broken his spirit. He's walking around now like he's just been mugged, but he's not hiding from anyone or acting defensive.

After a massively stressful few days me and the family celebrated with some cheap champagne, while Tiggy went to each one of us for cuddles, like a loser graciously accepting defeat.
A few hours ago I was truly hopeless about the whole situation, but I think we can handle this now.


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## lorilu (Sep 6, 2009)

Be sure to keep telling him why all this is happening. He should begin to make the association between feeling better (the pain meds and topical treatments) as you continue to do it this way. Well done!


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## chillminx (Nov 22, 2010)

Goodness me, what a relief @twilson! Well done 

I hope this is the start of better things for dear Tiggy. xx.

Please keep is updated with his progress.


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## twilson (Mar 30, 2013)

Another day and 2 more successful treatments.
There is a caveat though... The oral medication results in him foaming and salivating uncontrollably.
I don't understand why this didn't happen the night before, but it's happen twice today the moment after I give him the oral medication. When it first happened I was shocked and alarmed how much saliva and foam he was producing.
Afterwards I looked it up and I immediately found another person on this forum with the same story, administering the same medication and observing in the same problem:
https://www.petforums.co.uk/threads/my-cat-foamed-at-the-mouth-after-i-gave-it-medication.446955/
Again, I can't stress how much drool this kitty can produce. Both treatment sessions today I spent more time wiping foamy saliva from his mouth than I did treating him.

More concerning though - I now realise that when his chin 'burst' yesterday, most of what I saw dripping from his mouth was in fact saliva (mixed with puss and blood)... however this was before I gave him any oral medication.
Reading the thread mentioned above, I was assured to find this was not an uncommon problem, but with retrospect the incident yesterday now has me worried there is possibly some further problem relating these seemingly separate events (ie, excessive drooling).


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## chillminx (Nov 22, 2010)

@twilson - Tiggy reacted to the Synulox drops by foaming at the mouth and drooling? As you will have read in the 2017 thread to which you posted a link, it is not unusual for cats to react like this to Synulox drops. Forum member Ceiling Kitty, who is a vet, stated this in one of her posts on that old thread.

If the drooling is a new symptom that Tiggy has acquired since you started the medicines, then it is a reaction to that. Cats are not able to spit like humans, so if they get something in their mouths that tastes unusual and strong, their survival instinct triggers the production of the foam/froth, as a way of eliminating the "alien" substance. Hopefully Tiggy swallowed enough of the Synulox drops before he began frothing.

As for why he produced a lot of saliva when the infected pustule on his chin burst, (before he began the course of antibiotics) it may have been a reaction to the pain. Cats do sometimes drool a lot if their mouth, or the area around their mouth, hurts a lot. The pain must have been very bad for him with the infection in his chin, bless him.

The chances are Tiggy will continue to froth every time he has the Synulox, as he will anticipate it from the smell as soon as you approach him with the bottle. For this reason I would phone the vet and ask for Synulox tablets instead.

I have never had a problem getting any of my cats to take Synulox tablets. I crush the tablet into a powder and mix into strong smelling food. As was said in the old thread the taste of the Synulox in tablet form is quite bland.


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## Sacrechat (Feb 27, 2011)

When I was giving my cats liquid Ranitidine, they used to drool. I switched those to tablet form and the drooling stopped.


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## twilson (Mar 30, 2013)

I think most of the medicine is going down before he starts drooling and frothing.
I was supposed to receive a phonecall yesterday from the vet, they never called.
I'll get a hold of them later and it'll be the first thing I ask about.


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## twilson (Mar 30, 2013)

Almost finished the meloxidyl and antibiotics. Used just over half of the Hibiscrub however it's become very viscous recently.
I was hoping the chin would be scabbing up by now, but it continues to look a bit raw. There's a cluster of red spots on his chin that bleed if you apply pressure. Found Tiggy yesterday in some distress after his 2nd daily treatment, his chin was bleeding so we cleaned him up.
Couldn't tell if he managed to bash it with the cone or one of the spots just started bleeding.

Wondering what to do now. You would expect to see significant improvement after 5 days of successful treatment.
Ollie (our other cat with acne) has been receiving hibiscrub once a day as well, also slow to improve.

Still have an unopened tube of steroidal cream, maybe that could help?


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## chillminx (Nov 22, 2010)

@twilson - you shouldn't put the hibiscrub on open sores, or anything that is bleeding. Only on the black spots.

How much are you diluting the Hibiscrub ? It needs only a few drops added to 500 mls of water. If you have it too strong it will burn the skin and make things worse.

Are you gently dabbing the skin dry after bathing, with a clean piece of paper towel, or tissues?

If Ollie's skin does not have open sores, you can apply the hibiscrub with more pressure, or some people apply it using a toothbrush intended for a human baby. I find that too harsh, so I use cotton wool pads and press quite hard. Do not press hard on Tiggy's chin though, it will be agony for him.

Pat Ollie's chin dry too. It is really important to keep the skin dry or scabs won't form.

Feline acne can be diet related. if you are still feeding them both the same foods as before then this will have a bearing on their recovery.

I would take them off all dry food and dry treats. Dry food can contain bacteria and fungus and could be the source of the acne (if you feed dry food I mean).

What are you feeding them at present?


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## twilson (Mar 30, 2013)

10 minutes after my last post I applied the stuff and it looked noticeably worse than it has the last few days. I'm worried this treatment is not helping:










(Note - The wetness is from the treatment, after the photo I try to dab it dry a little)

It's hard to see in the photo, but you might be able to notice a raised area on the bottom right of his jaw. This was only slightly raised the night before, but overnight it has noticeably swollen.
And the spots have been there since we first managed to clean him up on Sunday. They don't appear to have improved in the last 5 days.



chillminx said:


> @twilson - How much are you diluting the Hibiscrub ? It needs only a few drops added to 500 mls of water. If you have it too strong it will burn the skin and make things worse.


a few drops in 500ml of water is equivalent to saying 1:500 or smaller. Is that a mistype? That surely cannot be right... or a lot of people are wrong.
The common ratio I saw was 1:10 with luke warm water, so that's what I've been doing.
I soak a ball of cotton wool and gently dab his chin with it twice a day. He seems to enjoy it so I figured it was doing him some good.

I should mention the vet didn't even mention diluting the hibiscrub in our video-call or subsequent phonecall, and it's not mentioned anywhere in the written instructions. It's only through research prior to this that I knew to dilute it. And when I asked about applying it to an open wound they still recommended using it on him as soon as possible.
They never recommended using a cone, which resulted in this mess in the first place. They told me they would check up on Tiggy's progress every day and I haven't received a single phone call.
And although they told me they'd be open on Friday and Sunday bank holidays, turns out they're closed! So I can't even get a hold of them.
I need to change vet. They really couldn't give less of a shit right now, that's the impression I get. I feel like we're a minor annoyance to them. And due to the precautions regarding the pandemic are next to useless in what they can offer anyway.


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## lorilu (Sep 6, 2009)

twilson said:


> This was only slightly raised the night before, but overnight it has noticeably swollen.


I see it. I would get him to see the vet. I agree a different clinic may be better. Call and see if they'll accept an e mail with pictures, if they see that surely they'll let you bring him in.

I'm so sorry you and he are going through this. You must be out of your mind with worry.


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## chillminx (Nov 22, 2010)

@twilson - I would stop using the hibiscrub immediately. I think it is making things worse. I have used it as a very weak solution for feline chin acne, possibly 1ml :250 mls.....I know it was much weaker than 1:10.

This is the information the makers give: 



"Hibiscrub is a powerful antiseptic solution, often used in hospitals to discourage harmful bacteria. It is not, however, intended to aid healing and should _*NOT*_ be applied to open or angry wounds. Hibiscrub contains chlorhexidine gluconate which is effective against a wide range of bacteria, yeasts, some fungi and viruses, so it is often used post-surgery to sterilise the body (avoiding the wound site)."

I think Tiggy's wounds are too angry looking for hibiscrub. I have only ever used it on the blackhead type of spots that are typical of how chin acne starts. I wouldn't use it on pustules (swellings)

I would leave off the bathing now and see if it will settle down. The area needs to dry up. I wouldn't put anything on it for the moment. Not even the steroid cream.

I agree it might be best to find another vet. It is unhelpful if your usual vet is making you feel they do not care about Tiggy. This is an emergency for Tiggy, bless him.


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## buffie (May 31, 2010)

I agree with @chillminx , using Hibiscrub on an open wound should be avoided.
If this advice has come from your vet I would be questioning their judgement and looking for a different vet.


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## twilson (Mar 30, 2013)

Just had a phonecall from the vet.
They suggested removing the plastic cone.
I told them he will immediately scratch it and start bleeding (he will)
She said not to worry, they're just pustules, and it'd probably be fine.
I'm not kidding.
I think I was talking to a receptionist as she kept putting me on hold to relay what the nurse or vet what was saying.

They also recommended not using the hibiscrub on him anymore but there was no acknowledgement on their part that maybe it wasn't appropriate in the first place.

I told them I'd seek a second opinion.


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## lorilu (Sep 6, 2009)

twilson said:


> Just had a phonecall from the vet.
> They suggested removing the plastic cone.
> I told them he will immediately scratch it and start bleeding (he will)
> She said not to worry, they're just pustules, and it'd probably be fine.
> ...


Is that big lump still there? Is he eating? I hope you can get another vet to see him right away. x


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## twilson (Mar 30, 2013)

The lump is much less swollen and appears to be getting better. The spots are also looking like they might finally be clearing up.
We've used up all of the synulox now so all I'm giving him is meloxidyl and Clorexyderm once a day, and I've been bathing his chin with warm salt water twice a day. Also making sure to clean his collar twice a day with antibacterial spray (safe for cats).

I've forgotten to mention that for the past week now he's been pigging out on his food. He's usually very fussy and mostly eats dry food, but recently he's been eating mainly wet food and lots of it. He's pooing and urinating just fine.

He had a strange reaction last night. Unusually, he was completely fine after treatment at 8pm, but from around midnight to 2am he was experiencing sudden episodes of distress.
Usually when this happens we discover he's bleeding or has ruptured something, but there was no sign of any trauma.
Maybe as it's finally drying and scabbing the area is itchier than usual. It's hard to tell.

It's been helpful to keep track of our progress with photos so I'll make sure to take some more later.

We'll be trying a new vet on Tuesday, I doubt we'll be able to take him in for a physical check-up but hopefully we can get some better guidance than our current vet.
If I followed their instructions of removing his cone last night it would have been a disaster. I still can't believe they suggested that.


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## chillminx (Nov 22, 2010)

I'm very pleased to hear there has been improvement.  It must be a relief for you! 

Bathing the chin with boiled cooled water with a bit of salt in is OK, but do blot the skin dry after with clean tissues or paper towel, as it is essential the area is kept dry so that scabs can form. 

I would keep him on wet food tbh. It is quite possible that the dry food has caused the acne. Dry food contains a lot of bacteria and fungus which becomes activated as soon as the packet is opened. Then if the dry food gets damp in he bowl (e.g. from the cat's saliva) the bacteria starts to multiply rapidly. I think his instinct is telling him to avoid dry food from now on. Cats seem to know when a food may have caused them to be unwell. 

I hope he continues to make progress xx


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## Jackie C (Feb 16, 2016)

Only just read this. I have nothing to add as I have not experienced this with cats, I just wanted to offer my sympathy and support. Poor Tiggy, he must be so sore. And poor you and your family, you must be so worried. I hope his sore chin resolves soon. xx


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## Wakarundayo (Nov 9, 2019)

I feel for you, I had a cat with bad acne that would absolutely not allow us anywhere close to his chin. Our old vet put him in a plastic cone that rubbed all against his chin making it worse. He also did not eat while wearing the cone. We removed the cone after a day, trimmed his nails and surprise-treated him while he slept with Vetericyn as much as we could. Fortunately he used to scratch his chin with his front paws instead so he never got as bad as Tiggy during his flare-ups. My cat's acne was linked to both environmental and food allergies. If you've removed all plastic bowls and the problem persists I would talk to a vet about it.

There are also soft round cushions that can be used instead of cones that are a lot less annoying and might work. If not, lining the cone with fabric on the inside would help too.

Also, definitely find another vet practice. I've unfortunately been to the vet with an emergency twice since the covid lockdown started. I wait outside so there's no contact with the vets and do remote payments as well.


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## twilson (Mar 30, 2013)

I've emailed another veterinary practice near me and am awaiting their response.
I would phone but there's a lot of 'history' that I need to impart.
Fingers crossed they are able to see Tiggy for a proper consultation.

He was sick on 2 separate occasions today. Once after eating lots of dry food, and later after eating some grass. Our other cat, Ollie, is often sick due to scoffing his food too quickly, but Tiggy is rarely sick like this so it's a bit of a concern.

Here's the latest photo of his chin, taken a few hours ago:










This is the best it's looked, but that's not saying much. You'd expect it to be looking better than this after treating it twice a day for 10 days straight.
This is after I cleaned the area with warm salt water and before applying some Chlorhexiderm gel.
The swollen lump is again quite difficult to see in this photo, but it's still there. It exists in the area of exposed skin below the pustules on the bottom right. At this point I think it may need to be drained of fluid as it doesn't appear to be improving.


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## Jackie C (Feb 16, 2016)

Poor boy. x He must be so sore.


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## OrientalSlave (Jan 26, 2012)

twilson said:


> <snip>
> This is after I cleaned the area with warm salt water and before applying some Chlorhexiderm gel.
> <snip>


Is the gel actually suitable for use on open wounds? Google finds references to it for dental use, usually as Corsodyl gel.


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## chillminx (Nov 22, 2010)

@twilson - Tiggy's chin still looks wet or damp, which will prevent scabbing. I wouldn't use the chlorhexidine gel, as it will be as harsh as the Hibiscrub.

I am wondering what would happen if you stopped bathing the chin? Might be worth stopping for 24 hours to see if the area begins to scab. The systemic antibiotics should give protection against worsening infection. The pustules will scab if the skin is kept dry. And the area of swollen fluid should disperse.

It may be that he needs a further course of antibiotics from the vet - which antibiotic has been prescribed?

I am sorry he has been sick. Can you not keep him off the dry food completely? If he is eating lots of grass then he is doing so because his gut is bothering him. Is he pooing normally?


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## twilson (Mar 30, 2013)

A week ago, we got an appointment with new vets.
They were great, they saw him, gave him an injection of antibiotics and a long acting steroid injection.
The chin has scabbed up nicely and he's shown no sign of itchiness since.

A week later, there is still a lot of darkness and possibly residue acne, but we can touch the area without him becoming distressed.
Possibly some deep scarring as well which has made his chin not as smooth as it once was.

The problem we're facing now is not physical but mental.
For weeks now he's been wearing a cone and has only been allowed out with a harness and being walked around the garden.
He has become increasing irritated when outdoors, to the point now where he is almost always emitting a low growling noise and barking at us if we come near him.
It's definitely been getting worse in recent days. Before he would make distressing grunts or mews, but now it's just pure rage.
I've honestly never seen him this persistently angry.
And yet he's always asking to go out.

We decided to try and remove the cone today temporarily. He was okay for about 5 minutes. We put him in his favourite shoe box which he loves to sit in.
He began licking himself all over, giving himself a much needed wash, scratching his ears, etc.
I was a bit worried because he was licking so vigorously, obviously his chin was rubbing his fur a lot and getting quite damp.
Eventually he tried to scratch his chin but I managed to grab his back foot before he damaged it.
Because it's been so long with the cone on, he was scratching his head and neck in a really unrestrained way. I know if we had let him scratch the chin he would've done some real damage to himself.
So the cone's back on and I guess we're still waiting for the final scabs to heal... but even then he'll have exposed, scarred skin, and I worry the moment he tries to scratch he's going to break it open.

He's currently begging to go outside, but we all know he'll inevitably go into a rage if we take him outside with the harness.

(Note to other pet owners - If you're not happy with your vet, do not hesitate to change, especially during the lockdown where so many people are reporting similar experiences to mine.
I got the impression our old vet is barely able to function at the moment. Terrible advice, extortionate, refused to see us. Actively prolonging Tiggy's illness for 2-3 weeks, putting us through hell and charging us for the privilege.
We are so much happier with our new vet, they appear to be much more competent and willing to treat Tiggy during these troubling times.)


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## Pepperpots (Apr 3, 2016)

Have you tried the inflatable buster collars? They can be a bit less distressing.


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## chillminx (Nov 22, 2010)

@twilson - I am glad Tiggy's chin is getting better and that you have found a vet you are happy with 

How does Tiggy react if you take him outside on the leash without a cone on him?

It must be terribly frustrating for the poor fellow to feel his ears are itchy and not be able to scratch. Worse still not to be able to groom himself. I am not surprised he is in a rage!

Could you take off the cone while he eats and then sit with him while he has a wash, and be ready to intervene (as you did) if he starts to scratch his chin? Then put back the cone when you can't supervise him? Wearing a cone does make a cat very miserable. And wearing one for weeks must be sheer hell!

I am surprised he is still so itchy on the steroids, they should have calmed it right down. What dose is he on?

p.s. just to add that itchy ears are a common symptom of food allergy (assuming that fleas and ear mites have been ruled out by the vet)


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## twilson (Mar 30, 2013)

I'll respond to questions regarding Tiggy later, but right now I'm becoming increasingly concerned by my other cat Ollie, who after almost 3 weeks of applying hibiscrub every night, still hasn't gotten any better with his acne.

When I started using hibiscrub, I began by just dabbing his chin with cotton wool soaked in diluted hibiscrub.
As time went on, I started using a toothbrush as well, to scrub it into the skin.
Clearly whatever I was doing wasn't working, so earlier I tried scrubbing quite vigorously with the toothbrush in an effort to remove the black crud. I managed to remove some, but his skin looked a bit raw afterwards.
Obviously I don't want what happened to Tiggy happening to Ollie so I'm very apprehensive to continue doing this.
I just don't know what to do now.
And besides I'm almost out of hibiscrub.

If I take Ollie to the vet, is there anything they can give him to clear up the acne more effectively than hibiscrub?


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## chillminx (Nov 22, 2010)

If the skin is looking raw I would stop using the hibiscrub. 

Instead bathe Ollie's chin after every meal with cooled boiled slightly salted water. Then pat dry with a piece of clean kitchen towel. I have cleared up feline acne this way in the past.But it must be done after every meal and the chin kept dry. 

I can't think of anything the vet could give you for Ollie other than what they gave you for Tiggy to treat his acne. My vet has only ever suggested hibiscrub. 

I do think it would be a good idea to review Ollie's diet as well as Tiggy's. Acne can be due to food allergies in some cases, as I found with one of my cats.


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## twilson (Mar 30, 2013)

Wouldn't the fact they both got acne at around the same time suggest it's not an allergic reaction?


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## chillminx (Nov 22, 2010)

twilson said:


> Wouldn't the fact they both got acne at around the same time suggest it's not an allergy?


If they both got the acne at the same time then yes, it is less likely to be an allergy. Sorry I had got the impression (probably wrongly) that Tiggy got it and then later Ollie caught it from him.

Feline acne is not usually contagious, (some cases have been reported ) but cats with acne may develop secondary bacterial infections that can be extremely contagious.

The triggers for feline acne are considered to be:

Poor grooming habits - Kittens and older cats are a bit more prone to acne as they may be less able to self-groom thoroughly. The same goes for overweight cats.

Stress - unknown for sure if stress definitely triggers cat acne

Hormonal Changes - may trigger changes to the hair follicle.

Genetics - some pedigree breeds are more prone to acne, perhaps because they may produce more keratin or sebum than others

Viral infections - some viral infections can cause acne lesions to develop.

Allergies - can cause a variety of skin changes (papules, crusts, alopecia).

A weakened immune system - can affect the health of the hair follicles making the cat prone to secondary bacterial infections. Studies have shown the following bacteria are often present in severe cases of cat acne: Pasteurella multocida, beta-haemolytic streptococci, and coagulase-positive Staphylococcus.

Ways to prevent feline acne:

Switch to wet food - some dry foods have a greasy residue on them that may cause/aggravate cat acne. Dry foods are also know to contain fungus and bacteria which becomes activated if the food becomes damp (e.g. from cat saliva)

Supplement with Omega 3 - Amino acids help to normalize hair growth and promote healthy cell renewal in the skin. If your cat is deficient in fatty acids, they may be more prone to skin problems.

Swap Plastic Bowls for Stainless Steel, Glass or Ceramic

Improve hygiene - wash your cats' bowls in hot, soapy water after every meal.

Manage stress - a pheromone diffuser may help. Also ensure each cat has their own separate eating space so there is not competition for food

Regular grooming - can help to keep acne at bay. If you have a long-haired cat, they should be groomed daily.

The mildest forms of acne (i.e., blackheads) will sometimes go away on their own - especially if you eliminate the cause. To speed up healing, it may help to clean the area around the acne.

If your cat has a secondary infection, your vet may prescribe a course of antibiotics.

In more severe cases, your vet may advise using provide a product containing chlorhexidine. (e.g. hibiscrub). Your vet may also shave the fur around the acne so that it is easier to keep clean.

Cat acne does not often spread between cats, but it can happen occasionally.

Ideally, as a precaution, segregate your cats until the acne has disappeared - but if it not a practical solution the alternatives are:

Feed your cats in separate bowls and provide separate bedding.

Vacuum your house and sterilize any laminate flooring on a regular basis until your cat is better.

Wash your hands with antibacterial soap between handling each cat to prevent the spread of bacteria - especially if your cat has been diagnosed with a secondary infection.

Although acne may appear to 'spread' between cats in the same household, it could just be that each cat is similarly affected by something in their shared environment (e.g. diet, stress, dirty food bowls, lack of grooming, etc.).

To add, there's no need to scrub at the blackheads, it will make the skin sore. The important thing is to ensure the bathing solution gets through the fur to the skin so it can get to work on the acne. [The blackheads usually dry up and go away on their own in a while]. You can ensure you get through the fur by dabbing the chin, pressing quite firmly with the cotton wool soaked in the saline solution.


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## twilson (Mar 30, 2013)

That's a lot to consider. Thanks.


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## twilson (Mar 30, 2013)

New Tiggy photos:

https://photos.google.com/share/AF1...?key=MUZxYnJucjh6TGpId3BmblJqaVVMUFYxZzBUOE53

It's far from being completely healed, but it's a lot better than it was a couple weeks ago.

There appears to be some residual acne, I've been using hot salt water recently to clean it every day.

I've emailed the vets the aforementioned photos asking how to proceed with treatment.


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## chillminx (Nov 22, 2010)

@twilson - that is looking much better - a big improvement!  Well done!

There is no need to use hot water, tepid water is more gentle on the skin. The water needs to be boiled but let it cool down to tepid and then add a bit of salt.

I can't see any blackheads on his chin - are there many still?

It's important to wash your hands with soap and scrub your nails every time before bathing their chins. Especially if you bathe one cat after the other. Otherwise you are passing bacteria back and forward between them.

IMO I don't think you need do more for Tiggy other than continue bathing his chin. As I mentioned before, the blackheads may take a while to go. Best thing is to remove all possible causes, as I have listed above, so the risk of it coming back is very much reduced or eliminated.


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## chillminx (Nov 22, 2010)

@twilson - hi, how are Tiggy and Ollie today? Are things continuing to improve ?


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## twilson (Mar 30, 2013)

We're bathing Ollie's chin with hot salt water twice a day, and enacting some of your suggestions in an effort to finally get on top of the acne.

Unfortunately with Tiggy there's been some drama, but not with Tiggy himself.
My Dad decided it was a good idea to let him go outside without his cone or harness this morning without consulting anyone.
I only found out an hour later as I was still in bed.
To the surprise of no one he scratched his chin and was bleeding within a couple hours. The chin looks redder and there are more marks on it than yesterday. My Dad insists it's not a significant wound and so he wants to let him out again tomorrow morning.
Obviously I disagree and think we need to keep the cone on him full-time for at least a few more days. After this incident maybe a couple days longer after that.
I'm very angry with my dad right now, he's convinced I'm overreacting and being over-cautious, but I just can't get him to see any sense.
As silly as it sounds, it seems like a vain attempt on his part to get on good terms with Tiggy (I've mentioned before how Tiggy is usually afraid of him)

Here's a picture before we bathed his chin and washed off the blood. Also notice the 2 red marks to the right of the bloody patch.
As I said, generally the chin looks redder and sorer although it's clear from this picture (comparing with yesterday's), presumably after he got in a few scratching sessions while he was outside and unattended.


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## chillminx (Nov 22, 2010)

Poor Tiggy!  The worry is that he has introduced more bacteria into his chin area. The skin is so fragile there at present. Cats claws contain a lot of bacteria especially if they are outdoor cats. Luckily he should be covered by the antibiotics he is taking.

How much salt are you putting in the water you use to bathe his chin? Too much salt will make his skin itch.

Also you must keep his skin dry by patting gently with clean paper towel, as damp skin is more likely to itch.

Here's how to make a homemade saline solution :

Use 1 cup of water with HALF a flat teaspoonful of non-iodized salt.

If you're using tap water, boil it for 15 minutes to sterilise the water and remove any bacteria and chemicals.

*Let it cool before use until it is warm, do not use it hot*.

Avoid using sea salt, as it contains additional minerals.

To make the saline solution:

1/ wash your hands thoroughly first

2/ pour the sterilised water into the clean cup (one cup of water )

3/ mix in the salt and stir until completely dissolved

4/ let the mixture cool before use.

5/ make a fresh saline solution every time you bathe their chins.

You will need a separate bowl for bathing each cat's chin. Ensure you wash your hands between bathing each cat's chin or you risk passing bacteria from one cat to the other. And wash the bowls in hot soapy water between using them again for bathing.

Personally I don't think either cat should be allowed out on their own at present. I would keep them in, if they will use litter trays, until their acne has cleared up.

Good luck, I hope you can manage to persuade your dad to listen to what you say.


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## twilson (Mar 30, 2013)

After constant nagging from my Dad we tried taking the cone off again yesterday. I supervised him for a few hours before letting him roam the house on his own.
But as soon as you take an eye off him he scratches and damages his chin.
When I next saw him he was bleeding from the same wound he opened up on Saturday.
Even still my Dad is insisting that we remove the cone and let him outside.
I cannot reason with him.
I don't know why he thinks Tiggy will just suddenly decide to stop itching. A part of me almost wants to let him go ahead with this, so I can prove to him how foolish he's being when Tiggy inevitably destroys several weeks of progress.
It's an extremely frustrating situation to be in.


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## chillminx (Nov 22, 2010)

Sorry to hear this. 

I am puzzled why Tiggy is still so itchy he needs to keep scratching. If the wounds have all scabbed over his chin should be getting better. Better should equal less itchy. Also, he has been wearing the cone for quite a long time now and that is very stressful for a cat, as it stops them expressing their normal grooming behaviour. 

Have you made the changes I advised to his diet? I am concerned the itching and scratching could be due to a food allergy. In which case he won't really get better until you have identified what is causing the problem. Feline acne can be due to food allergies.


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## twilson (Mar 30, 2013)

It's not like he's incessantly scratching his chin. It doesn't appear to be itchy or bothering him in any way.
But as soon as he does scratch it, just naturally, the skin is so weak that he'll re-open a wound.
It doesn't surprise me that after wearing a cone for so long, he feels the need to give his face and neck a bit of a scratch.


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## Pepperpots (Apr 3, 2016)

I’ve had a few cats with allergies and I think I’d definitely try an elimination diet with him. He shouldn’t be making himself bleed if he’s not itchy.


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## twilson (Mar 30, 2013)

The only dry food he eats is *Hill's Prescription Diet Multicare Feline Stress* as recommended by our last vet due to his history of cystitus.
If we remove this from his diet I worry we'd simply re-introduce another, even more serious problem.
As a precaution we've started freezing the dry food to kill off any potential mites, as suggested on the first page by *Silverdoof*


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## Pepperpots (Apr 3, 2016)

That’s got a *lot* of allergens in it, particularly the carbs. With a history of cystitis I’d recommend putting him on a single protein high quality wet food only from zooplus (Catz Finefoods and MACs do single protein, along with a few others). Given the stress he’s under at the moment, I’d probably start him on a course of Zylkene.


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## chillminx (Nov 22, 2010)

twilson said:


> The only dry food he eats is *Hill's Prescription Diet Multicare Feline Stress* as recommended by our last vet due to his history of cystitus.
> If we remove this from his diet I worry we'd simply re-introduce another, even more serious problem.
> As a precaution we've started freezing the dry food to kill off any potential mites, as suggested on the first page by *Silverdoof*


No cat with a history of cystitis should ever be fed dry food. They need, water, water, water and the best way to provide this is with a wet food diet. Cats are not good enough drinkers of water to feed a them a dry food diet.

As Pepperpots has said there are wet foods that will help protect him against cystitis. Or you can use a good quality high meat protein wet food and add a bladder supplement called Cystease or Cystaid Plus.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Feliway-D79310B-FELIWAY-Cystease-Capsules/dp/B00BWTP7QA/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?crid=24BZHU72STN0O&dchild=1&keywords=cystease+cats&qid=1588161541&sprefix=cystease,aps,137&sr=8-1-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUEzQVFOSFlSREhYMURQJmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwMzE1OTk0MkRPNUQzVEJVWUJZTyZlbmNyeXB0ZWRBZElkPUEwMDkyNTY2MVBER0lRQUtUNUlRTiZ3aWRnZXROYW1lPXNwX2F0ZiZhY3Rpb249Y2xpY2tSZWRpcmVjdCZkb05vdExvZ0NsaWNrPXRydWU=

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Cystaid-Plus-cats-sprinkle-capsules/dp/B00DQ6AH4O/ref=sr_1_4?crid=2B5N67ULPVPZV&dchild=1&keywords=cystaid+plus+for+cats&qid=1588161570&sprefix=cystaid+plus+,aps,134&sr=8-4

Freezing may kill of mites in the dry food, but will not kill any bacteria. Freezing will stop the bacteria multiplying while frozen but as soon as it is defrosted and served, the bacteria will become activated again. If dry food is left in a dish all day there is ample opportunity for bacteria to multiply.

But also the greasy residue on dry food is considered to be a cause of feline acne, and the grease is not going to be affected by being frozen.

There are many reasons not to feed a cat dry food, wet food is much healthier and Tiggy's immune system needs a boost. Dr Lisa Pierson explains exactly why dry food is bad for cats:

https://catinfo.org/docs/Feeding Your Cat - 4 pages 11-13.pdf


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## twilson (Mar 30, 2013)

I will consider all of this, however I will note again that Tiggy is a very fussy eater and changing his diet will be another challenge.
We only give them dry food as a supplement, his brother Ollie for instance mostly eats wet food.
Tiggy however has always preferred dry food to wet food. We end up chucking most of his wet food away as he tends to only eat the jelly / gravy, leaving the chunks of meat.

We've always struggled to get him to eat enough food. He's naturally a small, skinny, energetic cat and he appears to get by on about half the intake of our other cat, who I would describe in exactly the opposite terms to his brother.

I worry if we remove all dry food from Tiggy's diet that he would eat less and become skinnier than he already is.

Edit: Regarding products like Cystease or Cystassist, I'm not sure if they're appropriate for Tiggy. I don't think if I've mentioned this in the thread, but on the several occasions Tiggy had to have his bladder drained while he had cystitis, the vet found no evidence of stones or crystals. The cystitis was purely stress related, although there was nothing new or different in his environment that we were aware of at the time to bring on this supposed bout of 'stress'. The vet told us this form of cystitis was a bit of a mystery.
They are both very timid cats though and have been all their lives. If someone rings the door bell or one of them hears unfamiliar footsteps / voices they hide under the bed.


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## oliviarussian (Sep 2, 2010)

twilson said:


> Edit: Regarding products like Cystease or Cystassist, I'm not sure if they're appropriate for Tiggy. I don't think if I've mentioned this in the thread, but on the several occasions Tiggy had to have his bladder drained while he had cystitis, the vet found no evidence of stones or crystals. The cystitis was purely stress related, although there was nothing new or different in his environment that we were aware of at the time to bring on this supposed bout of 'stress'. The vet told us this form of cystitis was a bit of a mystery.
> They are both very timid cats though and have been all their lives. If someone rings the door bell or one of them hears unfamiliar footsteps / voices they hide under the bed.


Cystease is exactly for stress related cystitis, good thing is you can just sprinkle on their food, dry or wet


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## chillminx (Nov 22, 2010)

@twilson - to transfer Tiggy on to a wet food diet you would need to do it very gradually. Just taking away all his dry food, putting a bowl of wet food in front of him and expecting him to eat it would be asking too much of him. It could take several months of patient hard work to wean him off dry food and on to a wet diet.

Also, when you feed him wet food that has chunks or lumps in you need to mash it all up so the jelly is mixed in. Or chop the pieces very small and then mix it in with the jelly.

You've mentioned you feed Tiggy Hills Prescription c/d Diet Multicare Feline.

Hills says about this food:

"Food for cats prone to urinary health issues and to help prevent urinary stone. Hill's Prescription Diet Multicare Feline c/d is clinically proven to support bladder health and reduce the recurrence of urinary stones."

"Key Benefits:--

Helps manage bladder health and urine pH
Clinically proven to dissolve struvite stones 
Helps reduce the recurrence of struvite and calcium oxalate stones 
With low salt to better maintain kidney health.
Great taste your cat will love
_*Also available in pouches and cans in a variety of textures and flavours. *_(my italics and bolding)

Hills says about the wet food version"

"Hill's Prescription Diet c/d Feline Urinary Stress is clinically proven to reduce the recurrence of Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease [FLUTD] and contains ingredients to help manage stress in cats, a known risk factor for FIC (Feline Idiopathic Cystitis)"

The highly respected vet and feline nutritionist Dr Lisa Pierson says about feline cystitis:

"Water" is the most important word when considering urinary tract health.

Feeding a water-rich diet of tinned [or homemade food] is *critical *for urinary tract health.

Feeding dry food contributes significantly to urinary tract diseases.

Cats consume double the amount of water when fed a water-rich diet versus dry food. [This fact considers both sources of water: food and water bowl.] 
Dr Pierson also says:

"If I could have the reader of my website leave with one word firmly imprinted in their mind it would be "*water" *If your cat is on a properly hydrated diet of 100% canned food - and no dry food - you stand a very good chance of never needing to read this webpage. Note that I said "water" - not ..any of the expensive, low-quality, "prescription diets" often recommended by vets."

"Water flowing through the urinary tract system is _the_ most important factor in keeping it healthy. Please do not make the mistake that many people make when they state "but my cat drinks plenty of water"! A cat's normal prey is around 70% water. Canned food is around 78% water. Dry food is around 5-10% water. Cats have a low thirst drive and they do _not_ make up the deficit at the water bowl. They are designed to get water _with_ their food.":

"Think of canned food as not only the proper diet for an obligate carnivore, but also know that it is the healthiest way to keep your cat's bladder flushed out and 'happy.'"

https://catinfo.org/feline-urinary-tract-diseases/

As Hills make the same food in a wet version you would not have to worry about adding supplements.


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## twilson (Mar 30, 2013)

This never ending ordeal is now into its 6th or 7th week.
For the last week or so Tiggy has become increasingly irritable and depressed.
He's in a bad way, mentally.
Physically, things are better. While most of the chin is healed there remains one spot in the middle that is still prone to bleeding when bathing his chin.

For the last 2 days we've been taking his cone off indoors for periods of time, while monitoring him very closely.
Yesterday went without incident, however, earlier today after around 2 hours of free cone time (much of which he spent washing himself), he managed to scratch his chin with his back leg and let out a very loud and pained yelp.
I didn't notice any blood at first but on closer inspection later I noticed the same spot he scratched twice over a week ago was bleeding slightly.
I put the cone on him immediately afterwards.

I don't know what to do. Do I risk further injury by keeping the cone off, or do I inflict more misery by leaving the cone on him for a bit longer?
Do I take him back to the vets? Considering they gave him a long acting steroid and antibiotics last time what else can they do?

The frequent nonsensical arguments that I'm constantly having with my family are not helping either.
My Dad continues to stubbornly insist that he doesn't need a cone despite repeated evidence to the contrary, while my Mum apparently suggested to my brother if he doesn't improve we should consider putting him down, because to continue like this would be cruel.

Meanwhile, Ollie's acne persists despite frequent bathing and recent dietary changes.
I've ordered some more Hibiscrub as the salt water solution doesn't appear to be helping.


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## Pepperpots (Apr 3, 2016)

Cone on. Try an inflatable buster collar to see if that is less stressful.
Put him on Zylkene. It’s a natural calmer and can be v successful for some cats.
Honestly, I’d leave both their chins alone and stop bathing them - you may just be irritating them further.
Take them both back to the vets. This shouldn’t be going on so long.


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## chillminx (Nov 22, 2010)

I agree with Pepperpots, I would stop bathing Tiggy's chin now. And as the salt water bathing is not helping Ollie's acne I would stop that too.

Wait until you have the hibiscrub and try that for Ollie.

The fact is that being stressed, depressed and irritable is not going to help Tiggy's skin get better, as his immune system will not be functioning at its best. You could try the soft collars that Pepperpots suggests:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/MDC-SoftE-Smart-Collar-Small/dp/B003XLH00Q/ref=sr_1_6?crid=2XG694KVD1GM4&dchild=1&keywords=soft+collar+cat&qid=1588721703&sprefix=soft+e+collar+for+cat,aps,145&sr=8-6

or

https://www.amazon.co.uk/MicroPowerTech-Inflatable-Protective-Recovery-Touching/dp/B0798P8642/ref=sr_1_2_sspa?crid=1CXF6ORKQIS7C&dchild=1&keywords=buster+collar+cat&qid=1588721759&sprefix=buster+collar+cat,aps,146&sr=8-2-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUEzMUZQVks0ODVNUkdIJmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUExMDE4OTU3M0tZVEJOUDdJUTRCRCZlbmNyeXB0ZWRBZElkPUEwNzk5MzA3MkFCWlpXTDBLRDRGViZ3aWRnZXROYW1lPXNwX2F0ZiZhY3Rpb249Y2xpY2tSZWRpcmVjdCZkb05vdExvZ0NsaWNrPXRydWU=

Tiggy may perhaps get on better with one of these. But if he is still very miserable after a day with one of these collars on then I think you should stop putting any collar on him.

I am assuming Tiggy's acne has mostly gone and it is the scratching you are worried about? If he does scratch his chin and makes it bleed I suggest you put Leucillin on it. It is a gentle antiseptic for pets, sold by Pets at Home or online pharrnacies. It won't cure acne but will keep a wound clean.

https://www.petsathome.com/shop/en/pets/leucillin-antiseptic-multi-pet-skin-care-50ml-dropper

Please do not use any antiseptic intended for humans - they may be toxic for cats. Use only Leucillin. It has almost no smell to it and cats do not seem bothered by it. Don't put it straight on the skin, put a few drops on clean cotton wool and dab it gently on the area he has scratched. I have used it for my cats and find it has very good healing properties.


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## Jackie C (Feb 16, 2016)

Poor boy. I have no experience (thankfully) in this, but seeing your poor boy's poor chin must be heartbreaking. I hope he heals soon and starts to perk up. xxx


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## Nicklaus (Dec 26, 2019)

Hi, I've been in the same situation.. my vet wasn't any help either.

I put a plan in place for my cat larna.
we cut/trimmed her claws every few days to keep them short and blunt. this prevented her from causing further damage.
we also put a cone on her for 2 weeks. with the exception of taking it off when she eats. I have three cats so it can be difficult to monitor if there all eating at times so I invested in some smart bowls which tracks there food intake. the company is called sure pet care. these are perfect for cats and small dogs.. its perfect if you pet is microchipped aswel as it prevents unauthorised pets accessing others food. 

for the first few days I let the chin heal and scab over. once it was scabbed over I wet the chin with a small amount on luke warm water to soften the area. this loosened some of the debris which helped. a few days after then I got a grooming comb, (a nit comb works just as good) I gently run the comb through and it would slowly come out day by day. my cats are cuddly and have been groomed weekly since being kittens so there in a good routine and rather enjoy being groomed. they make no attempt to run away. I treat them after to reward the good behaviour. it might also benefit if you get one of them feliway calming plugs. it helps destress cats and dogs.


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## Jackie C (Feb 16, 2016)

twilson said:


> I will consider all of this, however I will note again that Tiggy is a very fussy eater and changing his diet will be another challenge.
> We only give them dry food as a supplement, his brother Ollie for instance mostly eats wet food.
> Tiggy however has always preferred dry food to wet food. We end up chucking most of his wet food away as he tends to only eat the jelly / gravy, leaving the chunks of meat.
> 
> ...


I apologise if this has already been suggested, or if you've already tried it, but have you tried chicken with him? If you get a few chicken thighs, boil and then gently simmer for a hour in plain water, then allow to cool. Separate the bones carefully and shred the chicken. My Holly loves it. The broth is nutritious and even if he doesn't eat or picks at it, the broth is hydrating. It's not "complete" so he can't live on it, but you can add "Felini" if he really took to it and enjoyed it.


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## twilson (Mar 30, 2013)

A brief update on Tig + Ollie.

Soon after last posting we decided to take the cone off more or less permanently.
Fortunately, the most damage he's done is due to rubbing his chin, either on surfaces or with the back of one of his front paws.
We continued bathing his chin every evening until a week ago, putting the cone on only at night when he's resting.
Without the cone he's back to his old chipper self now, enjoying this nice spell of weather.
That said, the wound on his chin has been remarkably slow to heal and is prone to bleeding slightly still And in the last few days we've noticed a slight swelling developing on the side of his mouth / lips and a very small pustule.
After leaving the area alone completely for 4 or 5 days, the night before last I gave it another clean with warm salt water.
We're keeping a close eye on it, but I'm very apprehensive to use anything on his lip or chin besides a small dab of Leucillin, considering what happened when we applied any kind of cream of gel.

Meanwhile, our focus is more on Ollie now, whose acne just won't go away.
For the last 2-3 weeks we've been bathing his chin twice a day, and for the last 2 weeks we've occasionally been using diluted Hibiscrub.
Although I'd prefer to keep my fingers from directly contacting his chin, my brother has took it upon himself to squeeze some of the larger, riper blackheads / spots and remove some small (but significant) lumps of puss.
And while we've reduced the underlying bumpiness beneath his fur, on the area around his lips there still remains quite a few black heads. He has also developed 2 particularly noticeable red patches on his chin which have bled slightly during cleaning.

And to add to this, on Saturday we noticed Ollie had developed a slight limp in his front right leg.
We've had a really good look at his pad, leg and joints and while there's no physical signs of injury, the issue seems to be in the pad of his front right paw.
However he barely reacts when we touch or squeeze it. When I squeezed the central pad I did notice him flinch ever so slightly, and afterwards it had clearly exaggerated his limp. However there's almost no sign of pain.
Considered phoning the vet but figured we'll wait a couple more days to see if it resolves itself. Almost certain it's not a bone injury, more likely a thorn or sting, and don't think it's in any way related to his acne.


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## chillminx (Nov 22, 2010)

Thank you for the update. 

I am pleased to hear Tiggy is a lot better and you have removed the cone. It will reduce his stress levels considerably to be without that thing. But if he is developing new pustules or swellings in spite of the bathing it means you have not yet found the cause of the acne. I therefore urge you to review his diet as soon as possible because acne can often be due to food allergies (as I believe I have mentioned before) If it is an allergy it will not resolve until you have removed the cause from his diet.

I agree you should not use anything on his chin apart from a dab of Leucillin to keep the area clean.

With Ollie, it is completely the wrong thing to do for anyone to squeeze the black spots or the pustules. If you do so, you will inevitably spread the infection further on his chin, or you will delay the healing. This is always the advice given by vets about feline acne.

Bear in mind the black spots of acne are not "blackheads". Normal blackheads are not infected (the type humans get on their faces) and can be squeezed fairly safely with clean hands. The black spots of acne are infected and should not be squeezed under any circumstances.

I am sorry to hear Ollie has hurt his paw. If it is a thorn it will be painful to walk on and could become infected if left. If it is a sting it will also be painful and is best treated. Can you inspect his paw pad closely and see if there is anything amiss showing. An open wound on a paw pad can be difficult to heal because the cat keeps getting dirt in it. One of my cats had a fairly small cut on a paw pad years ago and it took about 6 weeks of me bathing it twice a day before it healed up.


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## Pepperpots (Apr 3, 2016)

I’m afraid I would be back to the vets with both of these cats.


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