That your precious cat begins to lose hair and you do not know why, it is something that should worry you ... and not a little. Sometimes the reason is that he is simply a little stressed, but other times he may need veterinary help to regain his health.
Therefore, I'm going to talk to you about alopecia in cats: its causes, its symptoms and of course also the treatment.
What is it and what causes it?
Alopecia is the loss or absence of hair in some region of the body that you normally have. It can be caused by:
- Stress: It is known as psychological alopecia. It is a psychological dermatitis that causes the cat to pull its hair.
- Allergy or other immune system problems: is what fleas, some foods, or autoimmune diseases can produce.
- Infection: such as scabies or skin mycosis.
- Endocrine problems: such as hyperadrenocorticism (Cushing's disease).
- Poisoning with thallium.
- Burns: with heat, acids or electricity.
- Neoplasms: almost always accompanied by ulcerated lesions such as squamous cell carcinoma.
- Hereditary: as is the case with sphinx cats, for example, which are hairless due to their genetics.
What are the symptoms?
The symptoms of alopecia are: itching, reddened skin, peeling, pustules, scabs… We could also notice that the cat is irritable, restless, that it cannot stay for a while without stopping scratching. In severe cases, the animal could have other symptoms, such as loss of appetite, lack of interest in play, or others.
It is very important to differentiate alopecia from shedding, since in shedding hair loss is generalized but the skin remains protected. In the case of alopecia this does not happen: the cat is left with bald areas.
How is it treated?
The first thing to do is take him to the vet to find out why you have alopecia, since as we have seen there are several causes. Depending on the diagnosis, the professional will choose to give you antiparasitics, skin moisturizers, antibiotics and / or anti-inflammatories so that you can recover as soon as possible.
If you suspect that he is stressed, find out why and make sure he leads a quiet life, with affection, games, and high-quality food (without grains).
I hope it has been useful to you.