Eosinophilic granuloma in cats is quite common. This dangerous disease causes inflammation of the skin and mucous membranes. In some cases, it can even turn into cancer. Granuloma should be treated under the strict supervision of a veterinarian. Otherwise, the death of the animal is not excluded.
How and when it can manifest
Unfortunately, the causes of granulomas in cats, unfortunately, are still not fully understood by doctors. It is believed that this disease is not independent. And indeed, most often it manifests itself as a symptom of other problems. It could be:
- hypersensitivity of the animal;
- allergic skin pathologies;
- food intolerance.
Most scientists agree that granuloma occurs due to the activity of eosinophils. So called one of the varieties of leukocytes present in the blood of mammals.
Types of disease
The basis for the diagnosis is the anamnesis, clinical signs and the absence of other diseases with similar symptoms. A complex of eosinophilic granulomas in cats appears in four main forms:
- eosinophilic plaque;
- granuloma itself;
- eosinophilic plaque;
- eosinophilic ulcer.
The main symptom of the disease is the presence of inflammation of the skin and mucous membranes, as well as ulcerations. These forms of the disease differ from each other mainly only in the location of the latter and their type.
Eosinophilic plaque
This is a fairly common form of a disease such as feline eosinophilic granuloma. Her symptoms are usually pronounced. In this case, ulceration in an affected animal appears in almost any part of the body. But most often, plaques are found on the cat's hips and stomach. Their number can be any - from 1-2 to several tens. They have a clearly defined shape, oval or round. The skin of an animal can be affected by both small (0.5 cm) and large (up to 10 cm) plaques.
With this form of the disease, the cat becomes very restless, itches, bites itself, requires attention. This is explained by the itching accompanying the appearance of plaques. Over time, a fluid escapes inside such sores.
Eosinophilic granuloma: signs
In this case, nodular lesions appear on the body of the animal. They occur most often on the lips of the animal, the back of the thighs, in the mucocutaneous zones and on the muzzle. Eosinophilic granuloma in cats is manifested mainly only by the presence of nodules. The animal does not show anxiety in this case, since these lesions do not hurt or itch. When examining a cat, in addition to nodules, with this form of granuloma, enlarged lymph nodes are usually also found.
Usually animals under the age of one year get sick with this form. Moreover, most often it manifests itself in males.
Eosinophilic plaque
This form can affect cats of any age. Externally, eosinophilic plaque manifests itself in the form of baldness with reddening of the skin. In the affected areas, itching ulcers and rash are usually formed. Bald patches appear with this form, usually on the neck, hips, and back of the animal. In most cases, they progress over time.
Eosinophilic ulcer
This form of the disease is manifested by the appearance on the cat's skin of flat lesions without hair. Most often, an ulcer forms on the upper lip of the animal. Sometimes lesions appear in the oral cavity (on both sides). In the latter case, symptoms such as difficulty swallowing and a lack of desire to eat can be observed. Moreover, due to chronic starvation, a cat may develop liver lipidosis.
What to look for when making a diagnosis
As already mentioned, in the diagnosis of granulomas, among other things, they check for the presence of other diseases in the animal with similar symptoms. These include:
- various bacterial infections;
- fungal lesions;
- skin tumors.
For an accurate diagnosis in the veterinary clinic, a thorough examination of fingerprints is performed. In this case, the presence of eosinophils in the blood is detected.
What to do when detected
Eosinophilic granuloma in cats is a very serious disease. Therefore, upon detection of its signs, you should immediately consult a veterinarian. Most often, this disease develops against the background of an animal allergy to any food products. Therefore, the first thing to do is to adjust the cat's diet.
Also often the cause of granuloma is an allergic reaction of the cat's body to flea saliva. In this case, the animal should first be rid of parasites. To do this, you can use special shampoos, sprays and drops. In addition to the cat’s hair itself, it is necessary to process its bedding and toys, and, if possible, the entire apartment. After two weeks, it is advisable to repeat the procedure.
For the treatment of ulcers, it is often prescribed when a disease such as eosinophilic granuloma in cats, Lorinden C, occurs. This ointment treats plaques on the animal’s body. Generally prescribed antibiotics are also prescribed. Giving them should be 2-3 weeks. To achieve remission, methylprednisolone acetate is prescribed (4 mg / kg every 2-3 weeks). Instead of this drug, prednisone (2 mg / kg orally with a frequency of 12 hours) may be prescribed. These medicines should be taken until all plaques disappear. On average, the course of treatment lasts 2-8 weeks.
Improvements in animals receiving these funds are usually observed in the first two weeks. Reduce the dose of drugs taken gradually. Subsequently, preventive and supportive courses are mandatory. For example, a doctor may advise taking methylprednisolone once every 2-3 months as needed.
Eosinophilic granuloma in cats: treatment with other medicines
Sometimes it happens that the hormones methylprednisolone and prednisone do not help with this disease. Plaques in an animal do not go away even after prolonged use. In this case, the following may be prescribed:
- "Dexamethasone" (0.4 mg / kg every day).
- "Triamcinolone" (0.8 mg / kg once a day).
If the animal does not feel better from these drugs, the doctor usually checks the correctness of the diagnosis. If it is confirmed, are assigned:
- "Doxycycline" (5-10 mg / kg twice a day).
- Trimethoprim (125 mg twice daily).
- "Cyclosporine" (25 mg per day for 8-14 weeks).
Some pet owners fear that the eosinophilic granuloma of cats is transmitted to humans. This should not be feared. Disease for people is completely safe. You can treat your pet with prescribed drugs at home.
Prevention
In order to prevent the development of the disease, you should first of all try to exclude the possibility of allergies. The cat's diet should be designed correctly. In addition, it is necessary to take preventive measures aimed at preventing infection of the animal with fleas. As already mentioned, the bites of these insects often cause a disease such as eosinophilic granuloma in cats. How to process the skin of an animal - this can be found in the instructions that came with the selected product. For the prevention of sprays and drops are usually used once a month.
If necessary, after consulting with a veterinarian, to prevent the development of granulomas, you can give an allergic cat and medication. Most often, in this case, acaricides are prescribed. When deciding to treat a cat with drugs of this group, it should be borne in mind that steroids sharply reduce immunity to the development of various bacterial diseases. Prevention with the use of such drugs, therefore, is possible only according to individual indications, taking into account the age of the cat, its breed, etc. Along with acaricidal agents, an animal is usually prescribed medications that support the immune system.